dedicated to better living through better shopping
If you’ve got a Project Runway obsessed juniior designer on your hands who’s just a little to young to be let loose on a real sewing machine…
Sewing Machine for Kids by Alex Toys
Available at Kazoo Toys possibly the ultimate source for arts and crafts supplies for kids of all ages.
Stay up-to-the-minute savvy, read us daily at savvyshoppingblog.com where we’re dedicated to better living through better shopping.
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It’s always been one of our top picks for whimsically wonderful toys for babies, toddlers and children of all ages. And here’s just one more reason to shop at Magic Cabin. Every single product they sell is tested to the federal regulatory standards for lead in paint and toy safety including the American Standards for Testing Materials (ASTM) and the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 16, subsection 1303 (16 CFR 1303). Any toy exhibiting lead in the paint or coating materials (such as varnish) in excess of the allowable limits set by the Federal Government, or which does not meet their own stringent safety standards, is rejected from inclusion in the catalog.
Shop confidently for perfect playthings like these push toys made in Israel.
Thought you might like to know that Tystoybox.com is now offering one cent shipping on all items in their Holiday Shop.
Tystoybox.com is a well-established merchant with outstanding customer service, competitive prices, and a great selection of kids products from toys to party decorations and supplies. Orders over $65 always ship free.
Looking for more? Visit our Ty’s Toy Box Deals Page for the latest scoop on all their coupon codes, exclusive offers, insider deals, private sales, freebies and other promotions.
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Stay up-to-the-minute savvy, read us daily at savvyshoppingblog.com where we’re dedicated to better living through better shopping.
We’re here every day scouring the web and reporting on how to get the best deals on the best stuff from the best stores. Don’t miss out.
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It’s actually hard to understand exactly why this has happened. Worldwide holiday shortages of the Nintendo Wii gaming system were predicted as far back as April. You’d think that with 7 month’s lead time, Nintendo would have stepped up production. One article I read in Forbes Magazine included a comment that this is par for the course for Nintendo, they make a play for the year and stick to it. Regardless of demand and consumer response. Funny, you’d think that a company whose products are so innovative would be managed more flexibly. Go figure! Anyway, if you’ve been shopping for a Wii then you already know they care just about impossible to find in stores. Or online. At least not at anything close to retail price. The basic Wii starter kit generally retails for $249.99 and includes a five game sports pack, one controller and a couple of other accessories. The same Wii bundle is abundantly available on eBay, with dozens of auctions ending every hour. I’ve watched the auctions several times over the past few weeks. The $249.99 ‘basic’ bundle goes for anywhere from $400 to about $450. Many systems are being sold by well established eBay
sellers with high feedback ratings, stated return policies etc. Many are not. I’d be very careful selecting your seller if you choose to go this route. Also make note of whether or not your selected Wii system includes the original purchase receipt. About a third of the posted systems I looked at included the original receipt – it’s worth having just in case. There are also lots of the basic Wii packages available with the eBay
“Buy it Now” options. You should be able to snag the basic Wii package for $400 to $425. Don’t forget to compare shipping charges from seller to seller. Don’t forget that if you and the seller are both in the same state you may have to pay sales tax.
Another online option is one of these new ‘Wii only’ webstores that have cropped up in the last few weeks. I’m not going to post any of the site names here because I have no idea how reputable they are. If you go this route expect to pay at least $550 for a Wii package – the bundles from these stores generally include more items than the basic bundle but far fewer than the package price would imply. The markups are generally comparable to eBay – expect to pay about $150 over retail. Shop carefully, pay with PayPal or a credit card that provides purchase protection and try to choose a website that includes a phone number for customer service.
My next suggestion actually came from the guys at the Radio Shack near my house. Try Craigslist. The systems are selling for slightly less – $350 to $375. Choose a local seller, insist on picking the item up in person and if you’re not satisfied you can simply walk away.
If you absolutely cannot bear to pay more than retail – and who can blame you? – then you probably are going to have to wait a bit. Barnes & Noble is now accepting pre-orders on several Wii bundles that are expected to ship on 1/31/2008.
The Wii systema are theoretically carried at Best Buy, K-Mart, Sears, Target and a ton of the other ‘big box’ retailers. Most of these stores will not accept pre-orders and the bricks and mortar outlets do not maintain waiting lists. Check with your local store just to be sure. Radio Shack also carries Wii and many stores are keeping a waiting list. Another tip from my pals over there is that each time a store gets a bundle for release, they can’t sell it until Sunday. All the new Wii releases occur on Sundays – if you are ever going to get supremely lucky it will be first thing on a Sunday morning.
If you were hoping to gift a Wii system to your kids this holiday season, one ’sorry you can’t have it right now option’ is a special Wii gift card, available at Target in denominations from $25 up to $1000.
So that’s everything I know about the Wii shortage – hope it’s helpful. The games, accessories, controllers and other add-ons are abundantly available – which makes the system shortage even more annoying.
Ho Ho Humbug!
Shop now and save big on furniture, bedding, toys and more at the pre-season clearance sale at LuckyKids! For all the lucky little ones at that big list!
Stay up-to-the-minute savvy, read us daily at savvyshoppingblog.com where we’re dedicated to better living through better shopping.
We’re here every day scouring the web and reporting on how to get the best deals on the best stuff from the best sources the web has to offer. Don’t miss out. Visit us often. Get more for less. That’s what we’re all about.
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Every kid has a favorite character. Some kids become tiny collectors. For some kids it’s almost an obsession. Toys. Games. Clothing and costumes. Bedding. Room decor. Party supplies. DVD’s. And when it comes to character shopping, no one beats the selection at Ty’s Toy Box. Thomas the Tank Engine. Dora the Explorer. Strawberry Shortcake. Batman. JoJo’s Circus. The Koala Brothers. Scooby Doo. Shrek. Spongebob Square Pants. The Wiggles. Winnie The Pooh. Hannah Montana. Curious George. And that’s just a small sampling of the characters they’ve got covered!
And, of course, we’ve got coupon codes!
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Looking for more? Visit our Ty’s Toy Box Deals Page for the latest scoop on all their coupon codes, exclusive offers, insider deals, private sales, freebies and other promotions.
Stay up-to-the-minute savvy, read us daily at savvyshoppingblog.com where we’re dedicated to better living through better shopping.
We’re here every day scouring the web and reporting on how to get the best deals on the best stuff from the best stores. Don’t miss out.
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Did you know that you can create your own personalized gift cards at Borders.com? I did not know this. I had no idea such a thing was even possible! And it’s such a clever idea.
Borders Gift Cards with a Personal Touch – Use your own personal photos - upload the images to their system and a few clicks later… Voila! You’ve created a totally personalized gift. Love that!
Really great toys don’t need a lot of bells and whistles. The best toys are simple. The best toys inspire the imagination, spark creativity and are played with over and over and over again. And when it comes to really great toys, nothing beats Magic Cabin.
They’ve got a really lovely assortment of heirloom-quality, all-natural playthings. Art supplies. Projects. Dolls, doll houses, doll clothes, custom dolls, collectible dolls. Riding toys. Costomes. And toys, toys, toys! They’ve got exquisite playthings that foster imagination and creative play.
When sending a gift for a new baby, it’s always a good idea to send something for the new big brother or big sister, too. Toddlers and younger kids are likely not to understand the showering of gifts for the new arrival and can be a bit jealous. And they might be just a little bit bored, too. That’s why I like to give a gift that will engage a child’s attention – something fun and consuming like puzzles.
Mom and Dad appreciate it too. With a new baby in the house they’ve got their hands full. Having a few new and interesting puzzles on hand can be an absolute lifesaver. Just enough of a diversion to buy a few minutes of quiet time to do something else.
If you still haven’t tracked down the perfect Halloween costumes for the kids – don’t worry. You’re not too late at all. In fact your timing is perfect.
Save 20% to 50% on all costumes at Tystoybox.com. And as if that weren’t enough, there are actually two ways to save! $10 off $100 orders on Tystoybox.com with coupon code: TTB607A
Looking for more? Visit our Ty’s Toy Box Deals Page for the latest scoop on all their coupon codes, exclusive offers, insider deals, private sales, freebies and other promotions.
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Stay up-to-the-minute savvy, read us daily at savvyshoppingblog.com where we’re dedicated to better living through better shopping.
We’re here every day scouring the web and reporting on how to get the best deals on the best stuff from the best stores. Don’t miss out.
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It’s all about the costume, isn’t it? Leaps and Bounds is one of our favorite sources for the coolest costumes around. Each of their costumes features soft, premium fabrics, quality construction techniques, and magical details that set little imaginations soaring!
And of course – we wouldn’t be the savvy shopping blog without coupon codes, now would we?
Trick or treat!
And much more. That’s what you’ll find at Leaps and Bounds. Learning toys. Playthings for indoors and out. Travel toys. Kid’s room decor. Costumes and make believe. Baby gear and childcare essentails. Fabulous, fun activities that help kids develop in every way. All products are rigorously pre-tested and 100% guaranteed. A terrific source for innovative, award winning, and hard-to-find items. This easy-to-use site offers many thoughtful features for shoppers, plus a wealth of information for parents.
Save 15% on your order of $100 or more at Leaps and Bounds. Enter coupon code SEPAFFK at checkout. Valid through 10/31/2007.
Go traditional. Nothing inspires creativity in little ones like wooden blocks.
These days the most traditional toys inspire a sense of comfort and safety for Mom, too.
How scary is this massive toy recall that’s underway? In case you’ve been sleeping under a rock and don’t know, allow me to summarize. Millions of toys manufactured in China, including many very popular and common toys manufactured by Mattel, Fisher Price and other major brands, have been recalled because they’ve been painted with lead based paints. OY! And we’re talking about some of the most popular and common toys for little kids. The kind of toys that wind up in little mouths. DOUBLE OY! At this point, we’re all thinking about two things when it comes to safe toys. First and foremost – what to do about the toys that are already in the house. The answer is to check all your toys thoroughly and return EVERYTHING that is on ANY of the recall lists. Many experts also suggest testing remaining toys with a home test kit. Some people are even going as far as to get rid of any metal or painted toys that were made in China, regardless of their inclusion on a recall list. How far to take the toy purge is a personal choice and I am far from an expert on the subject and would never tell anyone how to make the best choice to protect their children, grandchildren, neices and nephews. I urge anyone reading this to educate yourself thoroughly about the facts and to check your home for recalled or suspicious products. In other words, get the lead out!
Once that’s over, you’ve got to be thinking what I am at this point. This is awful. This is a pain. This is annoying. And most of all – I do not want to do this again. Ever. I want to buy toys that I know are safe so I don’t need to worry. Wondering how to do that? Check this out. I’ve always been a fan of eBeanStalk.com. Each one of their developmental toys is hand selected by experts to nurture intellectual growth and inspire creativity in newborns, toddlers and children up to about 5 or 6. And here’s one more reason to be a fan. NOT ONE TOY ON THEIR SITE WAS INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL! And even better: THEY’VE LEAD TESTED EVERY SINGLE TOY THEY SELL JUST TO BE SURE. Now if that’s not enough to inspire confidence, I don’t know what is. I’m completely impressed with eBeanStalk.com and I know you will be too.
Thought you’d want to know.
If someone close to you is expecting and you really want a special gift for the new arrival, take a surf over to HeirloomWoodenToys.com. They’ve got classic retro and whimsical wooden toys, games and children’s furniture. From blocks to trucks. Riding toys, rocking chairs, bookshelves, wooden play kitchens, tables, chairs and more. All handcrafted and built to last.
These are the kind of things that are sure to become heirlooms to be cherished and passed on the future generations – everything a baby gift should be. Excellent value with prices starting at under $20 for small pull toys, puzzles and trucks. Seating, riding toys, and other small pieces of furniture start at under $50, with lots of options under $60. A completely stocked large wooden kitchen play center and other ‘major’ play centers top out at about $300. And from there, the sky’s the limit with huge custom play lofts (like an indoor play ground) available for several thousand dollars.
Check out their innovative kitchen safety solution for toddlers. No more step ladders or standing on a chair. The Learning Tower allows your child to safely explore the world above.
If you know a kid who’s gone pirate crazy, check out the pirate toys, costumes and gear over at The Official Wild Planet Toy Store
Save up to 50% on select Wild Planet toys. Great for summer fun! US orders over $50 may qualify for reduced or free shipping!
It’s sort of a cross between Target, Gap and a higher end department store discount outlet. In addition to brand name and private label clothing, shoes and accessories for the entire family, they’ve got a nice selection of toys and gifts for kids.
Quick and easy shopping. Fast delivery. Always fun to pick up a few essentials for yourself while you’re there. Thought you’d want to know.
Add some extra fun to your next road trip or family evening at home. Unique jigsaw puzzles, brain teaser puzzles and gift ideas for the entire family. Save 15% on any order. The coupon code below will activate this discount offer. Expires 11/30/2007.
Bargain hunting toy shoppers will love the recently launched TysToybox.com’s Clearance Center. Enjoy deep discounts on popular brands like The Wiggles, Teen Titans, Strawberry Shortcake, Bob the Builder and the Koala Brothers just to name a few. Discounted products include room decor, toys, party supplies, apparel, school supplies and videos/DVD’s.
Looking for more? Visit our Ty’s Toy Box Deals Page for the latest scoop on all their coupon codes, exclusive offers, insider deals, private sales, freebies and other promotions.
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Stay up-to-the-minute savvy, read us daily at savvyshoppingblog.com where we’re dedicated to better living through better shopping.
We’re here every day scouring the web and reporting on how to get the best deals on the best stuff from the best stores. Don’t miss out.
_____
If you’re shopping for toys and looking for something just a bit different take a surf over to Wild Planet Toy Store. Their products encourage kids to be imaginative, creative and to explore the world around them. These quality toys and gifts are safe, durable, innovative and lots of fun
Save 10% on Wild Planet pool and water toys for wet and wild summer fun! Use coupon code: SUMMERFUN during checkout. Expires 7/31
Treat him to something totally unexpected from HobbyTron. Electronics. Robots. Toys. Remote control cars, planes and more. If Dad’s a fun loving tech tinkerer, you’re bound to find something perfect.
The Little Guy has gone puppet crazy recently, loving nothing more than to engage in long conversations, singing songs and just ‘hanging out’ with his puppet pals. Kids just love puppets. And parents do too. Puppets inspire creativity and encourage communication. For a great selection of nothing but adorable puppets, check out ePuppets.com . Inspired by nature and literature, these full-bodied hand puppets are richly detailed, perfect for storytelling, imaginative play, educating on environmental issues, and even helping shy children to express themselves.
Is developed from an early age. The best toys – especially for babies and toddlers – inspire curiousity, creativity and the urge to discover. Like the many AWARD WINNING baby toys from DiscoveryChannelStore.com …
Not very many things last forever, especially when it comes to toys. One exception are the fabulous, high quality toys from Constructive Playthings. These are eternal toys – exactly like the ones we had when we were small. Wooden blocks, trains and more. Toys sure to inspire creativity. Classic. Simple. Eternal. And on sale.
By the way, classic toys like these make excellent baby gifts. While it might be a while before the new arrival can use the toys, Mom and Dad will be thrilled. People generally give clothing, gear and stuffed animals. Quality toys that the child will actually use are always well received.
Check out the official online home of Loonette and Molly of Big Comfy Couch fame. The store offers dolls, books, videos, shirts, and even an inflatable Big Comfy Couch
for the kids! All based on the well loved PBS television show.
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