Clothes shopping. My achilles heel. I coudl literally shop for hours in a day if time (and money) were no object... I liked clothing shopping before I had kids, but since they're arrived, I am a total sucker for seeing them look (extra) adorable in well thought out outfits. Many people around me think I'm completely nuts--and I probably am... But, there are far worse habits to try to keep in check... right? RIGHT?? Here are a few tips/tricks and thoughts about dressing your kiddos on the cheap.
1. Hand-Me-Downs are a BEAUTIFUL thing! Until they're AT LEAST three, kids won't really wear anything out. They may get stains or a bit of wear, but most kids aren't quite that tough on things. After age 3, all bets are off.... Garage Sales, Yard Sales, and Craigslist are great places to hunt for bargains, as many people are just wanting stuff gone by the time they have a garage sale or post to CL. That said, feel free to haggle with either. I may be in the minority, but if someone wants to purchase a lot of items, I'm usually THRILLED to negotiate a price to move the merchandise so to speak.
2. Shop a season ahead (or more) if you can. You'll find the best deals on winter stuff when they start putting out summer. I tend to not ever pay more than about 50% off of retail prices for any kids clothes, unless it's a really special item or accessory that matches something we already have. It's sometimes hard when the kids are really tiny, but if you save receipts, often you can return items if they don't end up working. We have items in the closet for a year (and a few for further out that that) in advance. Certainly if storage is an issue, you may not want to go too crazy, but assuming you have a place to store your stuff, you can save a ton this way.
3. Check for coupons before you go to any retail store. Many big name kids stores have coupons online, or in magazines. I was (OK... I *am*) a huge fan of Gymboree when the Queen Bee was a baby, and discovered that if I shopped sales AND used my 20% off coupons, I could come close to the price of "regular" items at the larger stores, and wind up with more special items. Many stores will have week long sales sporadically throughout the year, too, so do your homework and check out store websites before embarking on a shopping mission.
4. Back to that hand-me-down business... Consignment stores are a great way to snag name brand goodies at discount (or better!) prices. I find some great items at 75% off of retail (or more) at local consignment stores, and most will have sale racks at any given time also, making the deals even sweeter. I've scored matching sets for a dollar or two that would cost $30 or $40 in store. PLUS, sweeten the deal further by taking your used kids items and consigning them and using the return to buy for your kids for the following season(s). That's a no-brainer to me. :-)
5. Other great ideas... Find someone to swap with. When I lived on the East Coast, I found a mom who had a son (I had a daughter at the time) and she was expecting a girl and I was expecting a boy... We swapped about 4 rubbermaid totes of clothes and I didn't have to buy much of any boy stuff for the first year and a half of being a boy-mom. If you're looking for something special that you can't find in-store or at a consignment store, try eBay. You can often find great deals there if you do some looking--I found an Easter dress for the Queen for $6 shipped. Can't beat that anywhere.
I have plenty more to say on this topic... but will save that for a bit later when I can elaborate a bit further...
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Blast From the Past
I've tried to blog more than once, and both were relatively miserable failures, with the first having maybe a dozen posts, and the second having only half that many... In my first attempt, I made a list of things that were annoying to me, and in my second I added to that list... Almost four into being a parent now with a whole new variety of life experiences, and I will add to the list. They are arranged chronologically, and span at least 10 years. Funny to go back and see how things like that change...
(In no particular order--other than the order I typed them in...)
Failure by others to utilize the turn signal
Driving more than 10 miles under/over the speed limit...(I'm a square...)
Socks without matches
The lump you get in your hair after you've had it in a ponytail
Bad Breath
People who don't cover their mouth when they sneeze/cough
People who don't say "bless you" if you sneeze. Would it kill you??!?
The color purple. I'm just not a fan.
Forgetting to close windows and letting it rain in...
When you really want a sandwich and realize that the bread's moldy
When someone who should doesn't remember your name
...When someone you wish wouldn't does...
Gel toothpaste. Ack.
Listerine.... DOUBLE ack.
Going to the dentist
Bird poop on the freshly washed car
Dropping little bits of cork into the wine bottle
Swiss cheese. Hate it.
Valentine's Day. The premise is nice... but the holiday, not a fan....
Hangnails
Non-name brand tissues... spring for the Kleenex already.
One-ply toilet paper... see above.
The scraping sound of teeth on silverware... gives me chills...
When the dryer doesn't get the clothes dry the first time...
...and I'm out of quarters
People who talk on cell phones in restaurants...
...while you're talking to them
Store bought applesauce... I always forget until I buy it. Yuck.
the word "gizzard"
...and when I see gizzards on menus of any kind....
getting my eyebrows done... the cowlick in my left eyebrow...
country music with too much "twang"
sunburn right behind your knees
...and in the part of your hair...
tea that's too strong;
coffee that's too weak
Sweaters that itch
when you park your car and realize that you're in a mud puddle
...and then you step in it and your socks get wet through your shoes
Breaking in new shoes when the old ones were more comfy
Lipstick on your teeth
...or melted in your purse when you left it in the 90 degree car...
vanity license plates
static cling
the melodic minor scale
Getting stabbed in the boob by your underwire bra
MATH
Christmas lights up before Thanksgiving...
...and after Valentine's Day...
People who don't leave messages when they call
Commercials for feminine hygiene...
...or those with politicians promoting "little blue pills"...
Spyware
When you buy a 2 liter bottle of soda and half inevitably goes flat
Forks with only 3 tines
Sweet Pickles
Diving
Water in my ears
Canker Sores
Making cookie dough and realizing you're out of eggs
Ugly Bridesmaid Dresses
The fact that wedding invitations come addressed to "...and Guest" when you don't actually have a guest to take.
Relatives who are WAY too enthusiastic to set you up on dates with random strangers.
The fact that you can only wear black socks with black pants.
Forgetting to check the lint trap in the dryer for the dark load of laundry.
Forgetting to check the pocket of your black pants for rogue kleenex before throwing them into the wash.
The term "wild" when referring to someone's hairstyle... It's never a good thing.
Iowa winters.
Religious propoganda disguised as cupcakes (it's better not to ask).
When one random strand of hair sticks to freshly applied lip gloss.
Buying songs on the jukebox and leaving before they're played.
Overanalyzing things that shouldn't be overanalyzed.
Incorrect first impressions.
Earmuffs.
Guilt trips.
Realizing that the bag of Tostitos is nothing but crumbs.
Swiss Cheese.
My inability to read minds.
Hindsight.
People who won't get a clue.
Valentine's Day.
The holes on the salt shaker don't work with Kosher salt.
When M&M's melt in your hand.
The huge vocal range of Ave Maria.
NetFlix DVD's that are scratched.
Plants that are supposed to be "impossible to kill"... but aren't.
Anyone who calls me before 9 AM on the weekends.
Driving more than 10 miles under/over the speed limit...(I'm a square...)
Socks without matches
The lump you get in your hair after you've had it in a ponytail
Bad Breath
People who don't cover their mouth when they sneeze/cough
People who don't say "bless you" if you sneeze. Would it kill you??!?
The color purple. I'm just not a fan.
Forgetting to close windows and letting it rain in...
When you really want a sandwich and realize that the bread's moldy
When someone who should doesn't remember your name
...When someone you wish wouldn't does...
Gel toothpaste. Ack.
Listerine.... DOUBLE ack.
Going to the dentist
Bird poop on the freshly washed car
Dropping little bits of cork into the wine bottle
Swiss cheese. Hate it.
Valentine's Day. The premise is nice... but the holiday, not a fan....
Hangnails
Non-name brand tissues... spring for the Kleenex already.
One-ply toilet paper... see above.
The scraping sound of teeth on silverware... gives me chills...
When the dryer doesn't get the clothes dry the first time...
...and I'm out of quarters
People who talk on cell phones in restaurants...
...while you're talking to them
Store bought applesauce... I always forget until I buy it. Yuck.
the word "gizzard"
...and when I see gizzards on menus of any kind....
getting my eyebrows done... the cowlick in my left eyebrow...
country music with too much "twang"
sunburn right behind your knees
...and in the part of your hair...
tea that's too strong;
coffee that's too weak
Sweaters that itch
when you park your car and realize that you're in a mud puddle
...and then you step in it and your socks get wet through your shoes
Breaking in new shoes when the old ones were more comfy
Lipstick on your teeth
...or melted in your purse when you left it in the 90 degree car...
vanity license plates
static cling
the melodic minor scale
Getting stabbed in the boob by your underwire bra
MATH
Christmas lights up before Thanksgiving...
...and after Valentine's Day...
People who don't leave messages when they call
Commercials for feminine hygiene...
...or those with politicians promoting "little blue pills"...
Spyware
When you buy a 2 liter bottle of soda and half inevitably goes flat
Forks with only 3 tines
Sweet Pickles
Diving
Water in my ears
Canker Sores
Making cookie dough and realizing you're out of eggs
Ugly Bridesmaid Dresses
The fact that wedding invitations come addressed to "...and Guest" when you don't actually have a guest to take.
Relatives who are WAY too enthusiastic to set you up on dates with random strangers.
The fact that you can only wear black socks with black pants.
Forgetting to check the lint trap in the dryer for the dark load of laundry.
Forgetting to check the pocket of your black pants for rogue kleenex before throwing them into the wash.
The term "wild" when referring to someone's hairstyle... It's never a good thing.
Iowa winters.
Religious propoganda disguised as cupcakes (it's better not to ask).
When one random strand of hair sticks to freshly applied lip gloss.
Buying songs on the jukebox and leaving before they're played.
Overanalyzing things that shouldn't be overanalyzed.
Incorrect first impressions.
Earmuffs.
Guilt trips.
Realizing that the bag of Tostitos is nothing but crumbs.
Swiss Cheese.
My inability to read minds.
Hindsight.
People who won't get a clue.
Valentine's Day.
The holes on the salt shaker don't work with Kosher salt.
When M&M's melt in your hand.
The huge vocal range of Ave Maria.
NetFlix DVD's that are scratched.
Plants that are supposed to be "impossible to kill"... but aren't.
Anyone who calls me before 9 AM on the weekends.
Fruit snacks forgotten in carseats...
...that melt to the toddlers...
Political auto-dialers
Theme songs for nearly every cartoon my kids like
Bats (the animal ones, not the baseball ones)
Dog poop on sidewalks
Forgetting to charge the electronic devices
Forgetting to move the laundry to the dryer for more than a day and having to re-wash it
Backhanded comments
Blisters
Splinters
When bandaids come un-stuck
When you sit down to pee and the toilet seat is still warm from the last person
When you're ready to check out and realize you left the coupons at home
When the vegetables go bad before you try that recipe
Pretty much anything that happens before 6 AM
Baby Steps
While I do like to save a few bucks when possible, I would certainly not consider myself a hard-core couponer or anything like that. Casual deal-seeker. We'll go with that. :-)
A couple of the places I check regularly for deals (of any kind) are slickdeals.com and hip2save.com. Both are great sources for a variety of deals including in-store and online ones. I've scored some great bargains for grocery items, FREE items, coupons, promo codes, etc. If you're looking for a place to get started, put these two sites on your radar for things to watch. Both are very popular, and sometimes the deals don't last long, but often they're worth the check.
If you're a parent, you should keep an eye on Baby Cheapskate. The blog features new items almost daily, and has saved us a lot. They'll keep you in the loop about promotions, Buy-1-get-1 deals, and all things baby/kid related. If you follow them on Facebook, you get the benefit of other moms posting the great deals that they find, too.
For general household/gift shopping, a site I like to look at periodically is nobetterdeal.com. They sell overstock and returned items (often that have never been opened). I tend to do a lot of my holiday shopping here, since I can get an awesome item for a fraction of what I'd pay for it at retail price. We've purchased strollers, carseats, toys, and a handful of items from them. Sign up and they'll send you periodic emails with additional percentages off.
Those are a few of the biggies that I keep track of. Baby Steps... I am still learning about new blogs/websites/etc that are great for this kind of thing. Got any that you love? Feel free to share.
Friday, February 15, 2013
And so it begins...
I've been toying with the idea of trying my hand at being a blogger for awhile, and after more than one person has suggested it recently, I am jumping in feet first (and arms flailing around a little bit for impact).
I've always loved a bargain for as long as I can remember... As a kid, I have vivid memories of finding amazing bargains at garage sales (enormous pink and green plaid stuffed elephant comes to mind) and of my late Grandma Betty bringing down bags of her most recent garage sale finds. As a college student, I was cheap out of necessity, and definitely did the ramen noodle thing on more than one occasion. However, it wasn't until I was a stay-at-home mom for a year that I really found my true appreciation for being thrifty.
Here's a dirty little secret of mine: I like high-end, fancy things. I like them a lot.
I like them *SO* much that when Queen Bee was a baby, I am fairly certain that a baby girl clothing boutique could have been run from her closet. It didn't take too long for Big Bee freak out a teensy weensy little bit about the disparity between the amount I was spending on baby stuff (which was adorable...) and the amount I was earning (...which was nothing). And so began my adventures of being a thrifty/frugal/bargain-seeking maven. What I wanted was the high-end, adorable stuff that made my baby look like she had her own stylist--on a budget that allowed for low-end, bargain-basement duds (See what I did there? Duds like clothes--or duds like "Gee, that outfit is a dud..."). Both. A budget for duds that were duds.
That's my backstory--or at least the backstory that I'm sticking to.
And from clothes, I moved onto baby gear, furniture, groceries, holiday gifts, and so much more.
I hope to share some of my tips and tricks with what I anticipate will be tens if not dozens of blog followers... If you have any questions/comments/ideas that you can share with me, please don't be shy--I'm not.
I've always loved a bargain for as long as I can remember... As a kid, I have vivid memories of finding amazing bargains at garage sales (enormous pink and green plaid stuffed elephant comes to mind) and of my late Grandma Betty bringing down bags of her most recent garage sale finds. As a college student, I was cheap out of necessity, and definitely did the ramen noodle thing on more than one occasion. However, it wasn't until I was a stay-at-home mom for a year that I really found my true appreciation for being thrifty.
Here's a dirty little secret of mine: I like high-end, fancy things. I like them a lot.
I like them *SO* much that when Queen Bee was a baby, I am fairly certain that a baby girl clothing boutique could have been run from her closet. It didn't take too long for Big Bee freak out a teensy weensy little bit about the disparity between the amount I was spending on baby stuff (which was adorable...) and the amount I was earning (...which was nothing). And so began my adventures of being a thrifty/frugal/bargain-seeking maven. What I wanted was the high-end, adorable stuff that made my baby look like she had her own stylist--on a budget that allowed for low-end, bargain-basement duds (See what I did there? Duds like clothes--or duds like "Gee, that outfit is a dud..."). Both. A budget for duds that were duds.
That's my backstory--or at least the backstory that I'm sticking to.
And from clothes, I moved onto baby gear, furniture, groceries, holiday gifts, and so much more.
I hope to share some of my tips and tricks with what I anticipate will be tens if not dozens of blog followers... If you have any questions/comments/ideas that you can share with me, please don't be shy--I'm not.
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