Saving Money: Clothing & Toy Swaps

Shopping is fun, isn't it?  Having endless stores full of racks of stuff to choose from, trying on clothes and finding all sorts of things you like...  but then comes the serious business of narrowing down your "yes" pile to a selection that fits in your budget.  And then the paying for it all, all the while a little voice in the back of your head is reminding you of the bag of things you bought last month, which still sits in your closet, its contents unworn and forgotten in the excitement of an afternoon out at the mall (without the kids, if you're really lucky).  Unfortunately, it always comes back to bite you in the behind - first there are the crowded dresser drawers and closet shelves/rods to contend with, then the realization that while your latest find may be lovely, you do already have almost-identical tops in your closet, and last but not least, the larger-than-life Visa bill that always arrives right after you learn that your car needs repair or some other financial slap in the face comes along.

There's a better way, maybe not for all your shopping needs, but certainly to satisfy the urge to have something "new" to wear instead of the same old same old.  Enter the clothing swap.  Having hosted a few of these myself, I thought I'd share some of my ideas and tips to help you perhaps organize or even host your own.  The basic idea is that you and a group of girlfriends go through your respective closets and sort out anything that's currently too big/too small/unloved by you, and put it aside.  Everyone brings their set-aside piles to the swap, and everyone gets to shop from the selection.  At the end of the event, you get rid of some of the closet clutter that was taking up space in your home, and you get to have some nice new-to-you clothes for the budget-friendly price of FREE (or almost free, if you opt for a sale or auction style swap)

Now there are some considerations, and rules you may want to put in place to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone.  First of all, think about the size ranges for the guests - you don't want to have a bunch of people who have all recently lost weight and are looking to trade in their size 14s for size 8s (unless you also have a bunch of people that have put on a few pounds and are looking to get rid of their too-small size 8's and upgrade to a more comfortably fitting size 12).

You don't need much in the way of supplies, though it helps to have a couple of full length mirrors, and a room or two with doors that guests can use as a fitting room.  There should be enough space for everyone's clothes to be sorted out by size (large storage bins are helpful for this).  If you are sorting clothes by size, make sure to have signs with the size written on it so that people will know where to put the clothes they bring.

You'll need to decide if you want to donate un-swapped clothes to charity or send them back home with the donors (and be able to identify them in case of the latter).  You can opt to do a free swap, where everyone can take as much as they want (assuming they did contribute something of their own to swap), a yard-sale style swap (with a set cost per item/style to keep it simple, money going to charity or the seller) or you can auction off items (after allowing some time for people to browse & try on items), with the money either being taken by the item owners, split by the guests or given to a charity.  Auction style swaps are especially good when there are popular items wanted by more than one person.

When inviting people, be sure to specify if you want to include/exclude outerwear, footwear, sleepwear, or other categories of clothing from the swap.  A successful swap doesn't have to take very long, with 3-5 people you can be in and out within an hour, and that includes unpacking & packing your clothes!

Now I know I've focused on the logistics of adult clothing swaps, however you can easily adapt these ideas to a baby/kids clothing swap, or even a toy swap (it is a great way to clean out the playroom and get rid of the deadwood taking up space!)

If you've attended or hosted a clothing swap in the past, what did you like about it?  Do you have any other suggestions for organizers to try?  Share your wisdom in the comments below!

Baby Deal Sites - Part 2

In my previous post I covered several baby/mom product deal sites, and today I will give you my thoughts on the rest (that I am aware of - this is by no means guaranteed to be a comprehensive list of all baby/mom deal sites!)

EcoBabyBuys: Each day there is a new Eco-friendly deal item added.  Often the deals run for several days so you have 3-5 deals to choose from when you shop.  I have not personally ordered from this site yet so I can't comment on the payment/shipping/customer service aspects.  They do post their new items at 9am EST and limit your buying to three of any given style (to prevent reselling).  They ship to the US and to Canada, and seem to have a great selection of items.  Some items they currently have or have recently had are : Fuzzibunz Reusable Feminine Pads ("mama cloth"), Laptop Lunches Bento Bundle Original and Bento Pack 2.0, and Organic Cotton Onesies & Tees.

Greenbabybargains: Another "Green" deal site, one deal per day, at 9am CST.  I have not personally ordered from this site so again I can't comment on their payment/shipping/customer service.  One interesting thing I noticed though is that they offer a rewards system, so you earn points with every dollar you spend, and the points convert to discounts/credits towards purchases from the site (300 points = $5 off, no word on exactly how much you have to spend to earn 300 points).  They accept credit cards and PayPal, and they ship to Canada & US.

KidSteals: Part of the Steal Network (which also includes BabySteals and ScrapbookSteals), they offer one product per day, at 9am PST (works out to 11am EST).  The products are, like on BabySteals, often popular brands, and are discounted up to 80%.  They also maintain an archive, which is great for shopping any leftovers of past deals.  They ship to Canada and the US, and their customer service is terrific!

Mamabargains: This site updates deals throughout the day, so there's almost always something new to grab at 40%-80% off retail prices.  They have some fantastic prices on products, but I find their shipping costs to be higher than some of the other sites (probably because a lot of their items are heavy or bulky items, like strollers, high chairs, baby furniture, etc.).  That said, they also sell lots of baby & kids clothes, hair accessories, shoes/boots, outerwear, and other smaller items.  They ship to Canada and the US, and accept credit cards for payment (no PayPal).  I have ordered from them before and found the shipping to be average (there's no such thing as fast AND cheap shipping from US to Canada...).

If I come across more deal sites, I'll put up a third post, but as of right now, these are the ones that come to mind.

Happy shopping!

Baby Deal Sites - Part 1

In many of my reviews I have mentioned one or more of the "Deal Sites" that I use to find great deals on great products.  I think it's only fair to dedicate a blog post to my favourites, so that you too can share in the awesomeness.

To begin with, I have to say that this cannot possibly be an all-encompassing review covering every single deal site out there (this in fact is just part 1 of a 2 part post).  I will obviously have the most to say about the sites from which I have actually purchased items, but I will also list others that I subscribe to, but just haven't bought anything from yet.  If you know of some that I didn't mention, please share in the comments!

Since my blog is about reviewing great products AND helping you to spend your money wisely I feel obligated to warn you that if you're an impulse shopper, signing up for a deal site (or two, or eight) might be detrimental to your bank balance.  However, if you have a good handle on what items your family needs, or at least, items they would use and enjoy, the deal sites can be a great way to purchase brand new items, often popular brand name ones, for far less than retail.  I tend to have a running list of items that I would probably not pay full price for, but that I'd snap up in an instant if they came on for a discounted price on a deal site.  This approach may work for you, and I am NOT to be blamed if you end up buying a ton of stuff you don't actually need...so, without any further ado, here we go!

BabyHalfOff: the first deal site that I ordered from, and quite possibly the one I buy the most items from.  They offer one deal per day at a minimum 50% discount, it loads at 11am EST, and it's there til it sells out (or until the next day, in which case the item can often be found in their archives some time later).  What's great is that you can buy the daily deal, and then add items from their archive to your order, so that you can combine shipping for the items.  You can't however combine shipping for deals purchased at different times/days, so if you buy one item, and then decide later you want two more, you'll pay shipping twice.  I've never had to deal with their customer service as their checkout process is quick & easy, and I've never had any complaint about their products, packaging, or ship times.  You can pay using PayPal or a credit card, which is handy if you don't like giving your credit card number out online, you can opt for using PayPal instead.

BabyEarth GaGa Deals: the premise here is that one item is offered up at a time, for a predetermined time frame (1 hour, for example), and the discount gets bigger the closer the sale is to ending.  So an item may start out at 10% off, but be 90% after 55 minutes.  Now the thing is, if everyone buying thinks the item is a total steal at 45% off, then it may sell out at that point.  So you are basically taking a gamble with each deal by waiting...it may sell out, but then again, you may get a great deal if you wait!  Due to their shipping limitations, I have not shopped here myself (they only ship to the US at this point).  However, it sounds like a really fun site to watch!

BabyHeist: Another deal site I have not yet purchased from, but probably will in the future - they are based in Canada, and also ship to the US.  They offer a discounted deal-a-day, and also maintain an archive for past products that did not sell out.

BabySteals: Part of the Steal Network (which also includes KidSteals and ScrapbookSteals), they offer two products per day, at 9am and 9pm PST (works out to 11am and 11pm EST).  The products are often popular brands, and are discounted up to 80%.  They also maintain an archive, which is great for shopping any leftovers of past deals.  Be warned, though, this site is widely known, and thus the "good stuff" tends to sell out pretty fast!

Stay tuned for more deal site reviews in my next post!

Ana Silver Co Jewelry

Sometimes, as a mom, it can be challenging to look put together. There is only so much redeeming that a nice pair of shoes or a cute scarf can do. One thing I have found that helps a lot is jewelry. But, jewelry can be pricey, and if it's not, it usually looks cheap or childish, and it doesn't usually last very long. This is where the Ana Silver Co comes in. They make a TON of real sterling silver jewelry - pendants, chains, rings, earrings, and bracelets. Most, if not all, are made with some form of precious or semiprecious stones such as amethyst,aquamarine, moonstone, amber, or onyx. My personal favourites have to be Rainbow Mystic Topaz, Pink Druzy, and the various colours of copper turquoise. Usually you can find a complete set, namely a ring, earrings, and matching pendant, and get all three for less than $20, if you are patient and hold out for auctions that don't already have bidders on them.

They sell their jewelery from their website, but also on eBay, and the prices are extremely reasonable. We're talking about auctions starting at $6.99 and shipping is around $7, plus $1.50 for each extra item. So if you do buy some, it makes sense to get multiple things, even to combine forces with your friends, or to buy some items as gifts, to bring down the per item shipping cost.

The items are excellent quality, well made, and well described in the auction listings. Some of the stones appear brighter in the photographs than they do in real life, but this is true in jewelry stores too, where items in a case have special lighting to bring out all the sparkle and shine. I really like the way they give the measurements of the jewelry in their listings, so you can get an idea how big the ring head is or how long the silver chains are.

Once you win an auction, you have ten days to pay, and trust me, you can buy a ton of jewelry in ten days! After you pay, it takes about ten days for the items to arrive (at least to our home in Eastern Canada). Then you get to wear your new jewelry and start getting compliments on it... Not to mention that the jewelry is real .925 sterling silver, so it's actually an investment as well, and won't get grungy over time. If you want to check out their eBay store, it's at http://stores.ebay.com/Ana-Silver-Co.

Review: Mrs. Smith’s Elite Diaper Bag

It's a backpack, no wait, it's a shoulder bag, no wait, it's a cross-body baby-gear toting, shiny, convenient extravaganza!  Yes, this is a diaper bag.  But there's nothing cutesy or kitschy about it.  This bag is all about convenience, function, and space.  I no longer carry a purse and a diaper bag when I'm out with the little one(s), because everything I need fits in here (not to mention it's gorgeous!)

The bottom part is a fold-down flap that unzips to reveal a spacious structured (read: won't crush your stuff) compartment that has a divided drawer in it.  There is a big flap pocket on one side (perfect to hold a couple of Envirosax) and the other side has a smaller flap pocket (keeps my iPhone in a handy place) plus an elastic topped bottle holder which fits baby bottles, kids sippys, or even Mom's own water bottle (even my big clunky Contigo bottle from Costco!)

When you open the top (the big flap is closed with an adjustable hook & loop closure) the main bag compartment is zippered.  Inside there is a small zippered pocket (great for lady products or a mini first aid kit), 3 insulated pouches for bottles/sippys, one uninsulated pouch (will fit an Epipen according to their promotional brochure), and one wider hook & loop closure pouch that will hold a few disposable diapers & wipes.  Plus of course there is the space in the center (all the pockets/pouches are along the perimeter) and that's where baby's blanket, change of clothes, and your wallet/makeup bag can go.  I've also put in my Moby wrap, and my entire collection of Envirosax (on grocery day).  The last feature I feel I need to tell you about is the changing pad - it's included, and rolls up and fits into a pocket underneath the large flap.  Easy peasy to pull out with one hand when you're holding a poopy baby in the other hand.

Now because I cloth diaper, I've had to play with the configuration a bit to make everything fit.  I took out the divided drawer (I use it on my change table to hold cotton swabs, nail clippers, and baby hair clips, among other things) and I keep 3-4 rolled up pocket diapers + one wetbag in the compartment at the bottom.  One of the sippy pouches on the top holds 5-6 dry rolled up cloth wipes (or a Ziploc with a few wet cloth wipes if I'm going somewhere that doesn't have a convenient sink/faucet).  Baby's change of clothes are in a Ziploc bag at the bottom of the large open section, then a spare receiving blanket.  I use a Pouchee Purse Organizer to hold my wallet, lip balm, hand sanitizer, hairbrush, etc and that goes right on top of everything else so it's easy to access.

So the bag holds everything I need (with room to spare), but what makes it so convenient?  Well, for starters, it converts super easily from a shoulder/messenger bag (good for when you know you'll be picking it up and putting it down a lot), to a backpack (which is great when you're out doing lots of walking, or if baby's in the Moby wrap).  At the grocery store, I clip the bag to the cart using the backpack straps, which makes it completely hands free and does not take up space in the cart.  I can reach in for whatever I need, and I'm not weighed down with a bag as I zip up and down the aisles (with GroceryIQ in hand so I don't waste any time).

If you're in the market for a spacious bag that will have you covered for a day out, this is the one.  Yes, it's big, but it holds a ton, and is configured really well so that you never have to dig for stuff.  It doesn't come cheap, it seems to be around $130 new (I was lucky and got it for $60 on Baby Half Off), but it's a lovely and useful bag, and you won't be disappointed with it.  Go read more about the Elite (and check out the rest of their collection!) over at http://www.mrssmithsbags.com/

Review: Grocery IQ for iPhone

How often have you wandered aimlessly around the grocery store, trying to remember what it was you came in for?  Or worse, how often have you come home with a small fortune worth of groceries, only to realize that you still don't have the right combination of foods to prepare a particular recipe?  I've been in both positions, and have ended up eating takeout instead of cooking more times than I care to admit.  I am going to provide a review of an iPhone app called Grocery IQ, but before I do I need to share a little before & after scenario.

Before: I used to come home from work (pre-kids) and, sit-com style, open the fridge, frown at the contents, and then either resort to chicken nuggets & fries for dinner, or pick up the phone and order pizza.  Grocery shopping happened once or twice a week and was either way over budget (and chock full of snack/junk food) or way under budget (and inevitably followed up by another trip to get the things I'd forgotten)

After: At some point I realized that I *hated* not knowing what was going to be for dinner.  At this point I started meal planning.  I like cooking, and it's fun when you have everything you need on hand.  Once I had planned out my meals (dinners only) for the week, I could easily make a grocery list that contained everything I'd need to prepare the week's dinners.  This is where Grocery IQ comes in.

I'll be the first to admit that I am barely scratching the surface at the functions that Grocery IQ offers.  I have set up all of my frequently visited stores (grocery & otherwise), and I have taken the time to go through my most frequently visited grocery store and set up the aisles in the app.  Whenever I do my weekly meal planning, I put all the needed ingredients into the app (it's checklist style, you just search for or type in what you need, and it puts it into a list for you).  Then I go through my store's weekly flyer to see if there's anything on sale that I should stock up on (sometimes I'll even switch out meals in my plan to accommodate what's on sale).  I add these things to the Grocery IQ app as well.  Finally I add to the list anything that we've run out of during the week.

Grocery IQ uses the aisle setup to put my grocery list in order, so the list shows me what I need to buy at the right time - it matches up with the flow of the store - so it starts with Produce, then Deli/Seafood, then Bread/Bakery, then Meat, Dairy, Frozen Goods, etc.  This is great because it saves me from having to double back for things in a section I've already gone past.

When I pick up an item, I just tap the checkbox beside the item in the list to cross it off.  Grocery IQ moves it to the bottom of the list.  At the end of the shopping trip, I can hit the "Checkout" button to remove the items I've bought from the list.

While this is all I really need in a grocery list application, Grocery IQ has a ton of other features (some of which unfortunately don't work that great in Canada).  It allows you to scan bar codes of items in order to easily add them to your list.  It has an integrated coupon section where you can browse through, print, or email coupons.  You can set up as many stores as you like, and as many aisles per store as you need.  You can put the aisles in order per store - so each store reflects its own layout!  It can also track your favorite items so you can quickly add them without having to type in the name each time.

Grocery IQ is FREE!  If you want to try out Grocery IQ, I'm confident you won't be disappointed (did I mention, it's free?).  You can read more over at their website, http://www.groceryiq.com/, and download it for iPhone/iPad or Android.

Review: Envirosax Designer Reusable Bags

I first developed a crush on Envirosax Designer Reusable Bags several years ago, in a store named Faces on a walk down Main Street while visiting Northampton, MA, USA.  I purchased one single bag, one of the now discontinued Planet Green series.  I found myself using it all the time - it was sturdy, folded up to a very compact size, and was strong enough to hold a fair amount of groceries.  One day, I noticed the side seam coming apart (gasp!) so the bag entered the "mending pile".  If any of you have a mending pile and a busy life, you will understand when I say that it sat there for a long time.  And I missed it!  Now, I could have probably gone and stitched the seam up again and continued to use it, but instead, I bought more of the Envirosax bags.  In fact, I went all out and purchased the entire Origami 5 bag pouch.  It was a bit like opening the floodgates - once I bought that set, I couldn't stop.  Thankfully one of my favorite deal sites, http://www.babyhalfoff.com, had a deal one day of 3 packs of Envirosax for a nicely reduced price.  So, I stocked up.  I bought bags for myself, bags for my friends, bags to give as gifts to my family members (they love them now too!)

Why do I love these bags so much?  Let me count the ways...

1. BEAUTY : There is no denying it, there are so many different colours and patterns that just about anyone will be able to find a bag (or bags) they love.  Every time I pull them out of my purse (or these days, my diaper bag) I get compliments from strangers commenting on how attractive the bags are and asking "where did you get those?"
2. STRENGTH: Other than that very first (now discontinued) bag where the stitching on a side seam started to come undone, I have not had any quality problems with the bags.  On the product website it says they can hold up to 44lbs per bag (!!!).  Now I don't think I've ever weighed them but when I fill it up at the grocery store with a bag of milk, a couple of tubs of yogurt, and enough Lean Cuisine meals to last me a week, I am usually more concerned with being able to lift the bag than I am about the bag being strong enough to hold the contents.
3. PORTABILITY: The Envirosax bags are simple to fold up, and hold together with a single snap closure.  Once folded, they are smaller than an iPhone and can easily fit into even the fullest purse/diaper bag.  I carry one or two with me everywhere I go (you never know when you're going to be needing it), and on grocery day I pack all of my bags into a little cosmetic case so that I have them all handy to hold whatever I buy.
4. VERSATILITY: On different occasions, I have used my Envirosax to hold groceries, beach toys, wet swimsuits & towels, potluck contributions, and library books.  They have doubled as wrapping paper, and have even been used as a mini blanket to sit on some damp grass (yes, they kept my bum dry and made sure my white golf skirt didn't get dirty!).
5. AWESOMENESS: In this day and age of environmental awareness, we all know about the impact that plastic bags have on our environment.  While I believe they have their place (carrying raw meat home from the grocery store, for one), I love that I have drastically reduced my family's usage of plastic bags by having Envirosax handy all the time.  They can be washed and dried so that if they get grubby, that's OK!  In fact it's good to regularly wash bags in which you carry food, in case of any leaky packages or wet/muddy produce.   It's recommended to handwash and line-dry the bags, though I always wash mine on my machine's delicate cycle and then line dry, and they seem to be holding up just fine.

In case it isn't obvious from this post, I think you should go out and get some of these bags for yourself if you don't already have any.  They are priced about $9 per bag, or $40 for a set of 5, which seems like a bit of cash, but they are definitely worth it for all the different uses they have and how long they last.  Check out the current selection at http://www.envirosax.ca (Canada) or http://www.envirosax.com (USA)