How Do You Buy Your Secondhand Baby and Kids Stuff?

May 11, 2011 By
baby deals

It’s no secret that buying items secondhand is a fantastic way to save money on baby and kids stuff. I know plenty of people who have sold used items that were practically new.

While I’m a fan of garage sales for finding those gently used items, I understand that sometimes shopping at yard sales can be a lot of work and time invested with little reward! An alternative to making the effort of finding garage sales with quality items at a fair price is shopping online for secondhand items.

Buying and selling used items online has become tremendously easy since nearly everyone has access to a computer and a digital camera. Shopping for secondhand items at UsedEverywhere.com and their network of local sites is actually an enjoyable experience that lets you easily browse for products that interest you, or narrow in and search for the exact item you’re looking for!

Founded in 2003, UsedEverywhere’s network of sites includes local classifieds in 43 Canadian cities. As of late last year, there were over 300,000 classified ads listed across Canada! The most active site is definitely UsedVictoria.com, where over 400,000 visitors browse the site to buy and sell items every month.

UsedEverywhere provided a list of their most popular kids items sold on their sites. Honestly, it seems like you’d be hard pressed to not find what you’re looking for if you’re in the market and area for these items:

  • Children’s Toys
  • Children’s Clothing
  • Books, Videos & Educational Items
  • Baby & Toddler Toys
  • Kids Furniture
  • Children’s Shoes
  • Strollers
  • Playground Equipment
  • High Chairs
  • Children’s & Babies’ Clothing

UsedEverywhere is also a fabulous place to sell your extra items! Since selling only requires a digital camera and computer, the process is quick and easy. Best of all, listing your items on UsedEverywhere is FREE!

If you want to find used items beyond what you’re seeing on Craigslist or your local classified ads, take a look at UsedEverywhere!

links provided by UsedEverywhere.com.

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How to Save Money on Kids and Baby Clothes by Buying a Season Ahead

April 23, 2010 By

The following is a guest post from Sandra of The Cochran Crew.  Sandra, a stay-at-home-mom, and her husband, Matt, a school teacher, are the proud parents of Hannah-Noelle (5) and BBGG 20 month old quadruplets, Cannon, Gunner, Lauren and Avery. Sandra blogs about parenting with fun anecdotes and beautiful photos of her five gorgeous children!

After the initial shock of knowing that we were going to be responsible for four more lives wore off, we started making game plans of how our spending would change.  Money was going to be tighter and we had to really think through every purchase.  This made me a much better shopper.  I get excited when I save money now!

After food, the item in our budget that needed attention was clothes:  we now had to plan on clothing seven bodies instead of three.  This was something I knew I was going to have to work hard on! Here are a few things that I learned to use as guidelines when shopping for our wardrobes:

  • Watch for end of season sales: At the end of the summer most businesses mark their clothes down drastically.  This is when I buy for next summer. At the end of last summer,  I stockpiled 18-24 months for my girls and 2T’s for the boys.  Sure, I wasn’t positive what size they would be in, but I knew if it was a little too big, they would grow into it.
  • Sales only get better as the next season approaches: Stores tend to put a greater markdown on the summer clothes that weren’t purchased in the first markdown right after the first cold snap hits.  Sizes and quantities are normally slim, but even if you buy a 3T in a shirt you really like for your son/daughter at 75-90% off, it’s worth storing it away for a year or so.  (I’m getting ready to buy next years’ winter clothes right now!)
  • Buy bigger sizes: Always buy a little bigger than you think your kids will be when the next season comes along. You can always take things in or let them grow into it, but letting something out is hard to do and most children don’t fancy going on a diet!
  • Smocked Dresses! If you’re in the market for dresses for your girls, smocked dresses are the way to go.  I always buy my Easter dresses at Christmas sales and my Christmas dresses at Easter sales.  With smocked dresses you just can’t go wrong.  I buy them at least two sizes two big (because the neck has so much leeway) and then I have the hem whipstitched up so it’s not too long.  As my daughters grow, I let the hem out and the dress grows with her!
  • Shoes are tough! Seasonal shoes are normally not something you can buy ahead of time. If you do find them at a very large discount, buy two or three sizes, what doesn’t fit when the season rolls around, sell on Ebay or at your local consignment shop.
  • Buy and Sell at Consignment Sales: I love going to my local Consignment Sales!  With consignment sales the seller has named the price and normally has priced it to move! I go to these sales ready to stockpile.  I trace each of my children’s feet so that I can actually “try shoes on them” without having them there with me.  I also make sure I’m close to the front of the line when they mark all these clothes 1/2 off (usually on the last day of the sale).  More importantly, make sure you consign the clothes that your child/children have outgrown.  As mine outgrow something, I iron it, place it on a hanger and hang my index card as required by the Consignment Sale and just wait to get the postcard of when the next one is. If there is more than one consignment sale in your area have your plan mapped out.  I have a list that has the dates for drop off and pick up written out so I know when I pick up from Sale A, I have two days before drop off to Sale B.  I don’t let anything go for half price until the last sale of the season for my area.  (Marybeth’s note: See a previous post on consignment sale shopping tips to learn more than you ever thought possible about scoring the best deals at kids consignment sales!)

Good luck shopping and start shopping now for next winter!

Readers, do you shop a season ahead? Do you have any tips to add to this article? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Frugal Baby: How to Get Formula Stains Out

December 30, 2008 By

One of the best frugal tips I have ever received was “preserve what you have.” This seemed so hard when it seemed like my baby was spitting up formula after every single bottle. That, compounded with other gross baby stains, made me feel like I should just throw out the baby clothes instead of washing them at all-I just couldn’t get them clean!

When it seemed as though I had tried every single stain-remover on the market, a friend finally suggested I try Oxi-Clean. I filled up a bucket with hot water and added two scoops of the powder. I stirred it up, and tossed several stained items in, including some stained with Nutramigen formula. The clothes soaked overnight, and I threw them into the washing machine the next day. The stains were gone! I have since acquired some used clothing that appeared to have hopeless stains on them, and Oxi-Clean has worked its magic to make those clothes appear like new, too!

Here’s the best part: I have since switched to the generic equivelent of Oxi-Clean found at Dollar General. A huge bucket is only $5, and it works just as well as the name brand.

Oxi-Clean and it’s generic counterpart have saved a ton of my baby’s clothes, and I’ve only been using it for a few months! I have not received any sort of endorsement or compensation to write this tip–it truly is just one of my top-recommended products for new parents.

Find more baby bargains and money-saving advice at
Baby GoodBuys!
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How to Save Money on Specialty Formula

October 27, 2008 By

While a lot of this is just ripped from How to Save Money on Baby Formula, I thought this topic deserved it’s own post. If your baby is on Neosure, Alimentum, Nutramigen or another specialty formula, that can put quite a strain on the budget! I am fortunate that I didn’t have to provide this for my baby–I was shocked when I saw the prices! At least $25 for the small can, and there’s not even an option to buy a bigger quantity and save a little money. A mom in my parents group refers to Enfamil Nutramigen as “liquid gold” for good reason. It’s expensive, but the turnaround both of her daughters experienced when they switched to it made it well worth the price.

Here are a few suggestions for saving money on Neosure, Alimentum, Nutramigen, and other specialty formulas:

FORMULA CHECKS

Formula checks are used as a form of payment towards formula, and retailers deposit them as checks at a bank. They are not coupons. Most checks that I have seen are good towards a particular brand, but not a specific type of formula. This makes them very useful in bringing down the cost of the more expensive types! Formula checks are usually mailed to consumers who have signed up to receive offers from the various formula companies. You can sign up using the following links:

ENFAMIL FAMILY BEGINNINGS

SIMILAC STRONG MOMS

NESTLE GOOD START

Your hospital or pediatrician’s office may also be able to provide you with formula checks. I have heard that many doctors receive tear pads of checks from formula companies that can be used towards the purchase of specialty formula. If you have access to these, make sure you ask for extras. They don’t cost the health care providers anything, and they are of great benefit to you!

Formula checks are great for several reasons:

  • They can have a high value. People have been known to receive checks for $10, $11 or $12!
  • They can be traded! It’s in your best interest to sign up with all of the companies. This will allow you to trade the ones you don’t use for the brand that you need. You can find potential traders on coupon forums such as PinchingYourPennies, or by posting a “For Trade” advertisement on Craigslist.
Manufacturer’s Coupons

While coupons for formula are rare, they do exist!

  • Be alert at the checkout: Many grocery stores and drug stores (including Walgreens) have Catalina machines that print coupons when you purchase certain products. Baby formula purchases generally produce a coupon, although it’s usually for a competitor’s brand. Even if you don’t use that coupon, hold onto it for trading!
Samples

Formula companies will usually send out samples if you sign up on their mailing lists, but there are a few other ways to get them:

  • Ask your doctor! I ask my pediatrician for formula samples every time we have an appointment. She always gives me at least two small cans, and I’m sure I’d get more if I asked for it! These samples are given to hospitals and clinics for free from the formula companies. I wish doctors just offered them, but it seems that you do have to ask to get them!
  • Ask at the hospital before you’re discharged. Hospitals usually receive oodles of samples from the formula companies in the hopes that the babies will grow accustomed to that particular brand. These also don’t cost the facility any money, and it’s to your benefit to get as many as you can!
  • Network. If you’re in a parents group, you may be able to trade or just get formula samples that another parent isn’t using.
Craigslist and Ebay

Check for your preferred formula brand on Craigslist and Ebay. You can often find them at deep discounts. Remember to do your homework before making a purchase. Some suggestions include ensuring the cans/bottles are sealed and not expired! Also check the seller feedback ratings on Ebay to make sure they have satisfied previous customers.

You can also purchase formula checks on Ebay. The checks often sell for close to their face value, but it may be worth your while to check it out.

Craigslist can be a good venue to obtain formula checks. You can post a “wanted” ad on your local Craigslist site, or you can check and see if anyone is selling or giving away the checks that you want. I have obtained quite a few checks this way!

Health Insurance

I have heard that certain specialty formulas may be covered by health insurance plans. If your baby’s doctor recommends that your baby be on one of the more expensive type of formula, call your insurance company and ask if this is covered under your plan. I have various sources of information: some state that the cost difference between the “regular” formula and specialty formula is reimbursed, some have said that the full cost is covered. Either way, that phone call is probably worth your time!

Disclaimer: I am not an expert in health insurance. Please verify all information with your health insurance provider before making decisions based on this information.
I am also not a doctor. Please follow your doctor’s recommendations on brands and types of formulas to use.
Find more baby bargains and money-saving advice at
Baby GoodBuys!
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