Free Toy Budget calculator with clear step-by-step results.
Toy spending has two spikes and a steady trickle, and the trickle is usually larger over a year than either spike. Adding twelve months of incidental purchases to the birthday and holiday budgets and then blending in secondhand pricing gives a figure that matches reality.
Gross per child
Gross = birthday + holiday + incidental x 12
Blended cost
Blended = gross x ((1 - secondhand share) + secondhand share x secondhand price ratio)
Check secondhand toys against current safety recalls and age labelling. Older toys may not meet present standards for small parts, magnets, button batteries or flammability.
Fifteen dollars a month is $180 a year - more than either the birthday or holiday budget in this example. It is the line most families never count.
Very. Wooden toys, building sets and outdoor equipment hold up well and resell at 25-45% of retail. Check for recalls and missing pieces on anything with small parts.