Save Your Money (and Keep the Kids Clothed)

Whether you are expecting your first child, already have twelve, or just want to get some nice gifts for your little loved one, you have probably noticed that stuff for kids is EXPENSIVE. Never mind the fact that they usually grow out of their new clothes about 2.3 days before you get around to washing them, or that the new toy they just had to have is already broken (although it's still secured snugly in the box) - kids stuff is overpriced and unfortunately NOT kid-friendly. As a mom of one with another on the way, I've become the epitome of cheap and have found some pretty great ways to save a lot of dough without making my son walk around naked and toy-less. It may take more time than just running up to the closest mall, but definitely worth it in the end.

Here are some of my favorite ways to find great kid stuff without passing out from the shock of the bill:

Garage sales. Okay, sure most people just sell their junk and it seems like a huge waste of time, but trust me, if you do it right, you can really find some great stuff. Personally, I'm not a fan of driving around town, passing 3,450 sales, only to stop at 2. My favorite way to find the sales is this: Online, go to either Craigslist.com and click on "garage sales", or find the website for your local observer. In my state, it's hometownlife.com. Find the sales closest to your home and write the cross streets down. You know your area, so figuring out the best route should be a cinch. Doing this saves tons of random driving time.

Craigslist. If you are anti-garage sales, craigslist is still great. Not only do many people post their garage and yard sales on this site, but they also sell stuff on here, too. Clicking on any of the links such as "free" or "children" will give you a huge list of what's available. You can narrow it down by inputting the maximum amount of $$ you want to spend, if you want to view a picture of the item, or just do a search for something in particular.

Mom2Mom sales. In my state, we have a website dedicated to all of the Mom2Mom sales coming up. That site is Mom2Momlist.com. If you are unfamiliar with what a Mom2Mom sale is, it actually started off for "Mothers Of Multiples". Now, though, it's just basically a huge, highly organized, indoor yard sale with ONLY kid stuff. (Anyone can go, most are free to get in but some do charge $1 so that they can cover their own expenses.) Toys, books, clothes, gear, furniture, you name it, it's there. My son just turned 2 in March and until about 8 months prior, I had no need to buy clothes for him because I had stocked up so well when I was pregnant. I think I spend maybe $300 in all for a ton of stuff. Not just clothes... I got 3 car seats, 2 strollers, 2 diaper pails, books, bedding, toys... a whole heck of a lot. Just the other day I went to one and bought a ton of Motherhood Maternity clothes for $2 a piece!

Freepeats.com. A new site I found recently, you create an account for your area and post things you have available and things that you need/want. No charging each other, so what you give is free, but so is what you get!

Ebay. Ebay is sometimes tricky because you don't know what you're really going to get, but with things like clothes (especially infant, since they grow out of them so fast their basically new) and small toys, it's definitely worth checking into.

Second hand stores. Stores such as Once Upon A Child are fantastic. It's all second hand stuff, sure, but they are really picky about what they purchase from people (you take your old stuff in, they give you an offer on things they want, you get a check, they sell the stuff you sold to them!) so 9 times out of 10, the stuff is like new. There are tons of second hand stores dedicated to only children stuff, but you can often find hidden treasures at the Salvation Army and places like that, too.

Dollar stores. Maybe not for clothes, or even toys (depending on the store you go to), but for things like wipes and soap, why spend $4 a bottle? It's all the same, and it's way cheaper at the dollar store (duh). Plus, if you have the time and patience, you'll probably find some pretty fantastic treasures here, too.

Freecycle.org. Freecycle and Freepeats are pretty much the same thing. Freecycle has been around longer and has a lot more members (at least for my area), but both places you can find great stuff.

SwapBabyGoods.com. I just found this site tonight, and am super excited to get a good look at it. According to the site, "SwapBabyGoods.com is the first web site of its kind, providing a friendly place for parents to swap, buy or sell baby items that are no longer needed. Our philosophy is very simple - Why buy when you can swap?Our product focus is baby items; for this reason, our users can enjoy the website, knowing that they are part of a community. Our primary goal is to provide a platform that brings together willing sellers, buyers and swappers in an online marketplace, benefiting everyone involved."