With many families having less disposable income these days, it’s no wonder that we look for ways to save money on toys! Kids grow fast and toys are expensive.  Toys are often in good shape when they are outgrown.  But where do you put everything? And when the novelty and newness wears off of one toy, kids are seeking something new to stimulate them.

I’ve discussed toy rental before and I have another toy rental company to share with you!  TOYconomy has been around for over a year.  Shannon of TOYconomy has had time to see what works and tweak her business and it really shows.  When I was offered the opportunity to work with her, I was happy to do so!

The site is easy to navigate.  It is less snazzy looking than some, but it is functional.  (Don’t get me wrong, it looks fine, just some sites look fancier than others.)  Customer service is also fantastic.  Shannon gave me suggestions on toys that were developmentally appropriate for Rissa.  She’s always looking at expanding inventory and is open to suggestions if you are looking for a toy they don’t carry.  They also have a nice newsletter that comes out with updates too.  I don’t always like to sign up for newsletters, but theirs is nicely done and has added value!

I really did ask Shannon a lot of questions! She was very patient and kind, which is always greatly appreciated.  One of the cool things is there’s no subscription or membership fee.  If you want to rent some toys, you can rent what you choose for a set price.  The price will vary depending on your length of rental (30, 60, or 90 days).  This is nice because maybe you want to rent 2-3 toys for a month, then two months later you want to rent 5 toys for two months.  It provides a bit more flexiblity with what you can afford.

All the toys were shrink wrapped after being sanitized.  They were well packed in the box.  I found a folder inside! It was nicely organized: toy instruction booklets, inventory list, and Fed Ex scheduled pick up.  When our shipment arrived, I was more excited than Rissa at the big box! There were some surprises, since I wasn’t sure what all to expect.  The shipment is very organized.  A collapsible toy bin comes with – a great place to keep the rental toys!  I’ve been using it for all the living room toys, but it’s a great way to keep them separate from your other toys.

A pick up? YES, PLEASE! They schedule a pick up from your front door, so no need to get it to a shipping center.  Thank goodness, because Rissa and I would have needed hubby to drop the box off.  Too much to handle on my own with baby… no way to carry everything.  So, yay, convenience!  The inventory list helps you with a checklist of what goes back.  You can purchase toys to keep (at a discount) and you can send in trade-in toys for credit!  They also have party rental options.

Overall, I am very impressed with the organization of TOYconomy and the shipping arrangements.  I don’t like worrying about a subscription.  Right now, our extra income varies too much month-to-month.

Interested in trying TOYconomy’s toy rental? Check out their selection.  You can also connect with them on Twitter and Facebook.

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** FTC Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative in order to conduct an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way for this post.  The thoughts, experiences, and opinions included are entirely my own and may differ from that of others.  I am not liable for any issues you may incur from use of said product(s).  See full disclosure information.  If you have any questions you can contact me or leave a comment.

About Darcy

Darcy Zalewski is a married, stay-at-home mom who is discovering her greener side, starting with advocating for cloth diapering. When she's not changing diapers or singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider, she can be found at Tales From the Nursery, where she shares tales of motherhood as well as product reviews, or at ShePromotes, a resource for blogger support.

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