The Frugal Duchess offered up a reader's question for comments. The reader was concerned that she was spoiling her son with garage-sale toys:
… I am concerned because I finally realized how spoiled my kids are. I've been buying them whatever they liked, although it's from thrift stores and yard sales. Because it's so cheap, I get them more than five things…
I can understand where this reader is coming from. My wife and I find ourselves being quite a bit easier with buying toys at garage sales than in retail stores. And that's fine with me. I want our daughter to get excited about yard sales, flea markets, thrift stores, and auctions, because buying things used, like toys, more often than not is a great way to save money. I know that she'll notice that we're more willing to buy things at yard sales, and will think more positively of them.
Could we cross the line and venture into the realm of spoiling? Sure. But we can get a whole bunch of used 25- and 50-cent toys for the price of just one toy from a retail store. When we buy them one or two at a time, I don't feel the slightest twinge of guilt, either.
Parents: Does this cross the line for you, or do you indulge even more at yard sales than we do?
I’m not sure kids will necessarily appreciate “saving money” at flea markets, etc. Isn’t the idea to help them develop a bit of restraint. If they get a toy every time they go to garage sale, cheap or not, that lesson is lost. It’s great to save money. But they ought not to expect something every time they go out.
I feel if you buy your children anything and everything they want you can and will spoil them
I l used to take my kids to yard sales but I would only give them a few bucks to spend, so they would learn to use their limited budget well! Just my two cents.
I know that when I was young my parents would buy all my Christmas presents at the salvation army. I was too young to really have a list of stuff that I wanted from the retail stores anyway. I think that yard sales are a great place to buy toys, because they are so cheap. I also think it’s kinda tough to spoil a kid by buying him a couple of 50 cent toys. The way I see it, if you’re taking the kid to the yard sale, you’re probably going to buy them a toy anyway. Your kid might be spoiled though if they’re the ones demanding to go to a yard sale and demanding new toys.
I love garage sales and flea markets, even the dollar store. When we go there my 7 year old is allowed to bring a couple of dollars that way she learns that she needs to buy within her means. She cannot overspend and beg me until I give in. Since my kids were little we try to go to Goodwill or 2nd hand shops to donate their old toys too because it keeps them out of landfills. I will also make the point that we are going to the garage sale to look for a specific item and her what she really needs. Thanks for the information.
I am a grandma with 2 wonderful grandkids 5 and 4 years old.
When they spend the weekend with me I take them to the flea market our the dollar store to get a few toys. They think grandma is the greatest.
I guess I will not be able to get away with that when they become teenages.
Spoiling the kids doesn’t really depend on the quantity of toys you get them at the garage sales… what is far more important is whether or not you give them the stuff they want EVERY single time they ask for it. Sometimes No is a very good answer.