Sense to Save

Here’s what I got for $15

Just got back from The Has Bin, where the $5 clearance bag sale is going on daily because they have so much in stock! Locals, it may or may not continue for August, but if not, you can still get that deal on Fridays.

I got 3 bags full of stuff for $15 total. There were 51 pieces of toddler and baby girl clothes crammed inside, so it was about $0.30 per piece.

I tallied up all the tags to see what the original consignment price would have been: $184.

The regular consignment prices aren’t that bad — they are still most likely cheaper than what you could find on most clearance racks at regular stores, and the quality is good. But the clearance bag sale is where it’s at.

I did find a few NWT items once again. Everything is in fantastic condition, regardless.

I can’t even imagine how much all of this would have cost if I had even paid regular store sale prices!

Spoiled by thrift stores

I’m starting to think I’m spoiled. There really are some great thrift and consignment stores near me, and several of my favorites have some great sales.

At St. Vincent de Paul, for example, they have $0.99 tag sales for a certain tag color each Saturday, and they have weekly specials — many items are half off, depending on the day. Considering they only use 3 colors to tag clothes, it’s usually a huge selection of $0.99 items.

At The Has Bin children’s consignment shop, I go on Fridays where I can fill a grocery sack of clearance-rack items for a mere $5. Maternity clearance items count there, too.

When I know I can get good-quality baby clothes (and really, clothes in my size, too!) for such a small price, it makes me so unable to want to spend any money at a regular retail store.

Last weekend, we were poking around a few baby-clothes sections in the mall. I didn’t even see anything that I loved (just a ton of the same shade of pink…) and I thought the prices were terrible.

$15 is the “sale price” for a frilly little church dress for an infant? Something that might get worn just a couple of times before outgrown? No thanks.

$10 for a onesie and a hat? Are you kidding me?

I was getting sorta frustrated with what I saw, so I went to a thrift store and got my fix. I did “splurge” a little by paying higher than I normally do on an item. I paid $4 for a new-with-tags infant dress with bloomers. The original tag’s regular price was $30. Pfft!

I also got a new-with-tags baby jumper for $3. The brand was Ralph Lauren, and the regular price was torn off the tag but I’m sure it was more than $3.

I also picked up a few sleepers and some clothes in size 3T for Johnny to wear sometime in the future. Got some pants in great condition for $1, some really adorable shirts and a sweater.

Overall, I just feel a whole lot better when I get some nice clothes for way less than I could ever find them at a retail shop. There’s plenty other things I could do with my money than spend it on brand-new baby clothes!

How to make sure baby #2 costs as much as baby #1

As a part of a promotion, I received a book in the mail yesterday. I will read it and give it a proper review later, but something immediately grabbed my attention on the back cover:

“The average family will spend between $11,000 and $16,000 during a new baby’s first year, and more than $200,000 before a kid’s eighteenth birthday. Unfortunately, a second baby only doubles your costs, with little economy of scale for each additional baby.”

Um, hold on a second while I a.) stare at the text in disbelief b.) snort and chuckle c.) question whether the author/publisher knows about how to save lots of money on babies d.) all of the above.

The book in question is The Wall Street Journal. Financial Guidebook for New Parents by Stacey L. Bradford.

Again, I haven’t read it yet — I’ve just seen the back cover. The crazy statement is also present in the introduction.

I’m hoping the author has something useful within these pages — possibly some good info on 529 plans, estate planning and other Wall Street Journal-type info.

So let’s talk about how a second child could cost as much as a first baby.

• Use disposable diapers for both children.
• Formula-feed only. For the second child, you’ll replace some bottles and rubber nipples since I am guessing they wear out (right?)
• Put both children in daycare from a young age on.
• Had a boy the first time and having a girl the second? Get entirely new wardrobes for each child.
• Buy a second crib, and put your eldest child in a crib-converted “big-boy bed.”
• Make sure all baby gear is purchased new for the second child.
• Etc.

In contrast, here are some things that we are doing for our little girl. She will barely be a blip in our budget. And Johnny was only a sorta-blip, himself — so yeah we’re going to be money ahead once you consider the tax break.

• Use cloth diapers for both children. Most of our cloth dipes from Johnny can be used for Baby Girl. I will buy a few extra, and I also needed to buy some tiny diapers since we didn’t start with Johnny until he was 6 months. Total cost? Around $100. And they have resale value! And I can also use them for #3! Alternatively, you could work the drugstore deals and get disposables for fairly cheap.
• Breastfeed the baby until beyond 12 months. I had some struggles in the first month with Johnny and I thought it would be great if I could make it to 4 weeks, and then my goal was 2 months…and then it got a lot easier and the next thing I know, he weaned at 18 months. The kid managed to get by without formula and he only had one bottle…ever. I hand-expressed milk for him to have while I had surgery. He drank from a bottle that I got for free from Motherhood Maternity. He hated the bottle, and I’m not surprised since we introduced it so late. Anyway, for us breastfeeding was pretty darn cheap and convenient.
• I’m a homemaker. I think that’s my job title of choice these days, since “stay-at-home-moms” do not stay home. We go all over the place! So yeah, I don’t pay anyone to watch my kiddo. That’s cheaper. And fun!
• Our second child is a girl and I’ve already heard from THREE people who want to send me some clothes for her. Ok, sure, thanks! I also have some gender-neutral items from Johnny that she can wear. Baby clothes don’t have to be expensive anyway, thanks to yard sales, thrift/consignment and hand-me-downs.
• Johnny is in a double-sized bed that we previously used as a guest bed. We will use his crib for Baby Girl. He could have used the crib as a “big boy bed,” but for one, he doesn’t like it. And two, he’d need to be evicted in time for Baby Girl anyway, so we might as well skip the toddler bed and just go to a size that will contain him until he’s oh, 6’2″ or so.
• Our baby gear with Johnny was intentionally gender-neutral. My Baby K’tan is black and I will possibly get another color just for fun. I’m thinking green. Our pack n’ play is neutral (and honestly, who CARES if it wasn’t?!). Our umbrella stroller is grey. We don’t have an infant seat yet but will be getting one for Baby Girl. It’ll be a neutral pattern.

It really and truly doesn’t have to cost that much to have a baby. I can’t speak for what it costs to raise a teenager since I’m obviously not there yet, but I am still skeptical of the $11,000+/year price tag.

I don’t want numbers like this to discourage people from becoming parents. It’s just so misleading!