Saving money while shopping for Sylvanians

Ways to save money while shopping

This is one expensive hobby! It can be made cheaper, though, with a few nifty tricks here and there.

1.    Second hand- this is often the only chance for rarer items, but you can actually get pretty good stuff for next to nothing. Check out my very first post on my best bargains, and the best part is helping others through charity while you do it! If you need extra railings and things, emailing the Sylvanian Shop can prove brilliant for finding those spares without the eBay premium.

2.    Amazon- daily checks.

This is part of my routine now- Amazon sometimes have unusually low prices, for a couple of hours, such as the chocolate rabbit grandparents for five pounds including shipping! These are rare, but Amazon prices fluctuate constantly. I check these by sorting items by prices, and it’s a good way to find a deal. At Christmas, there are lots of prices slashed, oddly enough! I got Starry Point Lighthouse for £29.69, reduced from £65.99.

3.    New but not perfect- using sites like BeeHappy to find new items in slightly damaged packaging or with longer shipping times saves lots of cash. You have to wait a while for items to arrive, and if you save the packaging, this might not be for you, but it’s usually well worth it.

4.    Vouchers and deals- Argos in the UK tend to be good for larger purchases and often include furniture and exclusive combinations which are often worth checking out. They also do a 3 for 2 deal several times a year. 

5.    Don’t use smaller toy shops- while I do like these shops for finding the odd Flair item, they tend to price their items much higher. I appreciate that these shops do need to do this, and we use our town toy store for non- Sylvanian items!

6.    Plan ahead- by working out what you need, you can save on impulse buying- is the offer really worth paying for? Work out exactly how much you’re saving- and decide if you’re just spending £££ on something you’d never buy otherwise.

7.    Shipping costs and international fees- this is always a pain! I’m lucky to have family who travel extensively for work, and will bring back items- see my haul of Calico Critters as a present just before leaving for university. Be aware that if something seems too good to be true, you may end up having to pay a fortune to get it to you. If you could buy something for not much more locally, it may be worth it.

8.    Saving the pennies- I have a change jar that I stick my coins in throughout the year, and then change into notes at Christmas and treat myself with. Last Christmas, I managed to get £18, and bought a second-hand chocolate Labrador family and bedroom set, plus had three pounds for actual chocolates!

A rather bad photo of George and his father, Horace!

9. Set a budget- as well as critters, I have to bear in mind the cost of craft materials and the cost of storing them, if I have to buy a table or shelf- this all adds up! I budget five pounds a week, which adds up to about £250 a year. I use about half for new critters, £70 (ish) on craft supplies, and the rest on second hand figures, storage and other miniatures. I don't drink alcohol as a student, so manage to save a little more in this area.

None of this is sponsored, this is my own experience! Thank you so much for reading, and I'd love to read your comments on how you manage to keep within budget for this hobby!

Fox xxx