I thrift all of my kids Christmas gifts Ill only spend $97 this year, even though other moms call me cruel

Sarah Falls wanted to be savvy this Christmas.The mom-of-three set a budget of $97 to spend on presents for her kids.Instead of visiting department stores, the Northern Territory mom has been trawling thrift shops for gifts for her kids, aged four, two and seven months.When she shared her bargain hauls on TikTok, she was stunned by the criticism over what she knows to be a smart and environmentally conscious deed.“It’s not dirty, or less than, it’s responsible and a great way to save money,” Sarah exclusively tells Kidspot. “People need to change their mindset.

Buying second-hand and reducing the number of items in landfills just makes sense to me.”In previous years, Sarah has spent more than $647 on gifts; this year she is at $52. This is the first Christmas the mom has almost exclusively shopped at charity stores like The Salvos and Vinnies for presents.“Rather than adding to landfill and over-consuming, I get them good quality second-hand items that I could add to their toy rotation,” she says.“Saving money in this economy is a bonus.”In her eight-video series on TikTok, Sarah shares the items she has found thrift shopping.Among her hauls is a wooden toolkit for $2.60, Christmas books and shirts for $0.65, a $3.25 Bento lunchbox, a Smiggle school bag for $5.20 and clothing from Bonds, Seed, Myer and Cotton On Kids for less than $3.25.She also scored toddler Adidas Gazelles for $4.55, and a Nana Huchy Doll for $1.30, which is usually $39.The mom says she hoped her videos would inspire others to shop at charity stores, and change the stigma around pre-loved toys and clothing.But many comments accused her of gifting her kids “dirty” items. “Having that outlook on thrifting and re-using items that other people no longer want is a little strange for me,” she says.“Considering everything can be washed and sanitized, it’s environmentally responsible and a great way to save money.“A big misconception is that it’s only for ...