Mum Lauren Ralph, 28, has ditched the high street and turned to Vinted and charity shops to stretch her budget further this Christmas – and she’s not the only one
A mum revealed that she’s only buying second hand toys for her children this Christmas – and has now encouraged others to do the same.
With festive expenses rocketing, Lauren Ralph has abandoned the high street and embraced Vinted to make her money go further. It comes after money expert Martin Lewis urged people to stop buying ‘unnecessary gifts’ this festive season.
“I already use Vinted regularly, so it felt like a natural step to buy Christmas presents there too,” the 28 year old revealed to What’s The Jam.
“Buying second-hand means my budget stretches so much further, the kids can get more things, and I can even pick up items I wouldn’t normally consider because they’d be too pricey brand-new.”
Lauren, from Belfast, is an experienced Vinted shopper, sourcing essentials like wellies, pram suits and clothing for herself and her children, while simultaneously flogging items she no longer requires.
Showcasing her bargains on social media, Lauren disclosed she’d purchased two Disney princess dolls for £8, including postage – typically £16 each in shops.
The dolls turned up in pristine condition and were even larger than anticipated. Her treasure trove also featured a £1 Hey Duggee plush, books, a ballet dress, a Disney CD player, and an Ultimate Disney CD.
Lauren commented: “I’ve found some incredible pieces on Vinted, especially vintage toys you simply can’t buy anymore. The best find ever has to be the Fisher-Price Snap Dolls.
“It’s honestly the best toddler toy we’ve ever owned. I’ve also managed to pick up lots of Fisher Price Little People sets that are no longer sold, like the Klip Klop Castle.
“I’ve found amazing pieces from other brands too, like the LeapFrog Ice Cream Cart, and even a huge Hatchimals set that my daughter plays with every single day.
“Alongside the bigger finds, I’ve picked up loads of smaller bits too, including Disney plush dolls, clothes for her Build-A-Bears, dress-up costumes, and puzzles. It’s been such a great way to source unique things she loves.”
Choosing pre-owned presents has already helped Lauren pocket around £100 in savings, based solely on the items showcased in her clip.
She explained: “Buying second-hand has made a huge difference to my budget. Shopping on Vinted means I can get quality toys, clothes, and essentials for a fraction of the price, and it allows me to buy more for the kids without overspending.
“I also save by shopping in bundles to reduce shipping costs. For example, the haul featured in my video would have cost around £140 without shipping, but I only spent £43 including shipping.
“Overall, it’s been a really practical way to stretch our money further.”
Lauren’s social media post took off like wildfire, clocking up over 55,000 views as fellow mums and dads celebrated their own bargain hunting triumphs.
One follower commented: “All for buying 2nd hand! Couldn’t do Christmas buying all new. Plus, it is good for sustainability…”
Another shopper chimed in: “We love books in our house but I can’t justify some of the prices for brand new books.
“All the books I’ve bought for Christmas have been bought second hand.” Someone else remarked: “Majority of our gifts are second hand, some brand new and even when brand new I try to get it on sale.
“I love charity shops and Vinted. I even got loads of brand new toys from charity shops for 1 or 2 quid. I’d rather buy second hand, better for environment and I can stretch the money further and spoil them more.”
Another user enthused: “Yes! We buy so much second hand stuff for our kids!”
Lauren expressed that the response had been phenomenal. She shared that a lot of her videos tend to do well as lots of people can relate to wanting to treat their children while dealing with shrinking wallets.
The mum thinks that she’s helped normalise buying second hand items – including presents.
She continued: ” The response to this video in particular has been amazing, with so many parents sharing their own bargains and stories.
“I love being able to share relatable content like this with my followers, and it’s so encouraging to see how open everyone is to second-hand shopping. Personally, I bought nearly everything second-hand for my first baby, including the cot, pram, bath, and highchair, and it’s still being used by my second.
“I remember a lot of people turning their noses up, thinking I should want everything new, but we saved so much money, and no one even knew it was pre-loved.
“It’s wonderful to have found my people online who share the same mindset.
“If anyone wants to see more of my Vinted finds, I’ve compiled them all into a playlist on my TikTok @bylaurenralph under ‘Vinted Toy Finds’.
“I really hope people watching this will consider more pre-loved items coming up to Christmas!”.