Lego is a luxury product that is also a collectible. Buying all the sets desired is increasingly challenging due to the quantity of Lego releases, the variety of sets available, and the product’s price. These factors mean Lego fans must be more selective and frugal than ever. Here are some tips I have employed to reduce the hobby’s overall cost.

Today, I’ll share part one covering 10-6, with the top five dropping on Thursday. I’ve ranked these methods based on effort vs. savings. Some strategies can save or make you a lot of money, but the time and effort involved can be a significant barrier. Other methods are location-based and may not be applicable.

10: Have a Lego-related side hustle

Thoroughly discussing Lego-related side hustles would take several articles, so I am barely scratching the surface of the topic here.

Lego side hustles can be a big money earner for some, but to be a successful strategy, you must commit significant time to develop it. Having a Lego-related side hustle also means associating your hobby with work, which isn’t the best mental health plan for everyone. After all, Lego building is a break from the world for many.

The most popular method for monetizing your Lego hobby without any starting capital is to create a Youtube channel, which can be highly lucrative. However, the few who have developed successful careers have dedicated years to their craft – while earning next to nothing while building their brand. Generating a viewership and standing out from the established content producers is increasingly difficult as the popularity of Lego has potentially peaked during the pandemic. It would be best if you had a great mix of charisma, video editing skills, and exciting content production to build and sustain an audience. The same principles apply to those generating content on websites and social media networks.

After becoming an influencer through any method, you can become a Lego ambassador, receiving free Lego sets to inform and excite the community about new releases. Nothing beats free Lego sets!

Selling Lego can create a lot of income too. Indeed, many make their living from selling Lego on Bricklink, Whatnot, Amazon, or eBay. This can be spare parts, flipping minifigures, or trading retired sets. Now that pandemic lockdowns have ceased, you can make a Lego living through vendor sales at conventions. These methods involve some initial capital to generate inventory if you want to make a decent amount from the venture. Or, it can be a way to sell old sets to fund the purchase of new ones.

Without question, these hustles are how you can recoup your entire Lego investment; however, they take the most effort, so that is why it is at number 10.

9: Buy damaged boxed sets

At the Lego store, there are continually damaged box deals that you can snag. Often, they offer the equivalent of 20% of the set value in VIP points. If you don’t keep your boxes for reselling later, there’s no reason not to pick up a damaged box. Often it’s a bash or two from shipping, and it shouldn’t detract from the joy of the Lego set.

My Lego store has a small display of these damaged box sets, but often if you ask, they have more in the back and can show you a list of what they have available. It’s hit and miss, of course – you are not guaranteed to find the set you want. Frequently, only the larger sets are damaged, so you’re probably not snagging a deal on the latest $25 Speed Champions set.

It’s not just at the Lego store where buying damaged boxes will save you some money. On secondary selling websites, such as Bricklink or eBay, you will find that a bash to a sealed box will save you 10-20% of the retail value of the set.

Alas, only some have easy access to a Lego store, so this way of saving money isn’t universal, so it drops in at number 9.

8: Search classifieds & hit the yard sales

It can be time-consuming and require tremendous patience, but finding local deals can be economical for growing your collection. At yard sales, people often clear out their kid’s old toys, often not realizing the actual value of those little plastic bricks. Sometimes, you can find goldmines at such events, which can be sold to buy more Lego!

Classifieds (local papers, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.) are a magnificent way to fill up on bulk Lego, as no one wants to ship big boxes of Lego and would much prefer to sell to someone local. Bulk Lego is an ideal way to stock up your inventory for building or selling on Bricklink. When these lots include minifigures, you will typically come way out in front financially. Of course, you must spend time marketing to make a profit.

Buying anything second-hand does require a bit of care, and some good advice is to get your Lego from smoke-free homes, dog-free homes (they can be chewers), and buy from an AFOL (no sticky fingers!)

7: Buy pick-a-brick (PAB) in-store

This technique applies only to some, as many consumers live hours from their nearest store. However, if you live near a Lego store, buying bricks from the PAB wall is far cheaper for most pieces than purchasing the same parts at Lego.com or from a secondary seller on Bricklink.

A large $20 cup (though soon-to-be boxes) can fit a thousand 1×1 tiles, the same pieces costing $50, from Lego.com. I’ve picked up some expensive parts, such as printed letter tiles, staircases, and tree limb elements. PAB is also a fantastic way to stock your bricklink store, as you can frequently sell the pieces for more than you paid.

However, in-store PAB has its limitations. You’re at the mercy of what is in stock, which often isn’t what you are looking for. A good tip is to become friends with your local Lego store employees and give them a call before heading out to ensure a trip to their PAB wall is worth it.

6: Use cash back offers

As with any purchase, using a cash back credit card (if possible) will earn you free money, provided you pay your balance each month. Depending on your card, this can equate to a 1-3% refund for your purchase.

Some cards, such as Capital One, offer specific deals at Lego.com using their in-app offer links, equating to an additional 4-10% cashback on your purchase. I’ve seen exclusive email deals for as much as 30% cash back at Lego.com. These deals accumulate with everything else you get at Lego (VIP points and GWPs).

Even without a credit card, you can earn cash back with reward programs; the biggest one for Lego is Rakuten. You can sign up here and watch for offers if you don’t have an account.

Cash back is a passive technique that involves no effort that can save everyone money on Lego. That’s why it comes at number six. The savings might not be astronomical, but with every Lego purchase (at any retailer), you are receiving a discount that, without cash back, you’d be leaving behind.

That’s 10-6 of my top 10 strategies to make Lego cheaper. Check back on Thursday for my top 5. Comment below to let me know what you think of these options and if you’ve used any of these strategies!