You’re strolling up to a cash register to make your purchase. The cashier rings you out and asks, “Would you like to donate $1 to (some charity)?”

You weren’t planning on spending an extra dollar. You aren’t even completely sure of the cause in question. But it’s just a dollar, and you’d feel like a jerk if you said, “no.”

Or maybe, you refuse donations without thinking twice.

Whichever the case, I think these types of solicitations are incredibly annoying.

Yesterday, I went into Family Christian Bookstore and I was barraged with several bits of upselling. It was insane!

First, I asked the clerk where I might find a particular book. She pointed me to it, and then brought me another related book that was “only” $5. Ok, no thanks.

At the checkout, she pointed me toward the $5 “members-only” section so I could look over this month’s deals.

Next up was her asking if I wanted to pre-order a new VeggieTales movie and get another triple-feature movie for free.

Then, she wanted to know if I wanted to donate a Bible to a prisoner in the Allegheny County jail. The donation cost $5 and purchased a Bible from the “members-only” section. Wait a minute. If the company was truly being philanthropic about it, wouldn’t they offer those Bibles for sale at their own cost, instead of at their retail price? So that seemed sorta off to me.

Last, she wanted to know if I would round up my purchase to the nearest dollar to donate money to the flood victims of Pakistan.

Good GRIEF! All I wanted was one book. And I’m hit with all these sales pitches/donations requests.

And you know what?  I was so caught off-guard and wasn’t really thinking it through, because I did buy a Bible to donate. And I did buy the VeggieTales pre-order. I figured, wow, 4 VeggieTales movies for $13 total — I could use those when the baby comes to keep Johnny entertained when I can’t give him my full attention.

So yes, I am a sucker.

But I left feeling really icky about the whole thing. I emailed customer service and they said they’d forward my complaint to management.

In the future, I will just say “no.” I don’t really care if I look cheap or ungiving. I’m not. I donate plenty of money and goods to charities that I’ve taken the time to research.

How can I know if XYZ charity will actually make good use of my donation? I can’t know that when I’m put on the spot. And I don’t need to be encouraged to make impulse purchases.

What do you do in these situations? Which places bug you for donations?

More on the topic here and here.

Since I took a pretty extensive blogging break, I didn’t really know how best to jump back in. So here’s a few tidbits:

• Because of my late return to Pittsburgh, I wasn’t able to get yard sale stuff together in time for my friend’s sale on Saturday. I added up what I thought I’d get if everything sold (not likely) and it just wasn’t that much money. We filled my trunk and part of the back seat and I dropped it off at a thrift store.
• I couldn’t leave the thrift store empty-handed! I picked up 5 items of clothing (2 skirts and 3 cardigans) and a pair of shoes (I never am able to find shoes I like in my size at thrift stores!). The clothes were $1 a piece and the shoes were $4. Perhaps I’ll share some pics in an upcoming post.
• I let 4 of the items air dry on a drying rack near an opened window. It took almost 20 hours for them to be dry! I wrung them out and put them in the dryer for about 15 minutes first, too. It’s just damp in our apartment.
• I need to do one more purge-0f-stuff before December gets here. There isn’t a whole lot left that I think I’ll want to part with, but surely it will fill a large box or two. Then I can get more organized before the baby comes. It feels SO good to have less clutter around here!
• Johnny was fiddling with my cell phone (which is usually locked) and he bought a song or something for $2.49. I can’t even find it on my phone! Oh well. I had my husband try and disable any future purchases like that.
• Groceries are way cheaper in Indiana than here. My mother-in-law bought a gallon of milk for something like $1.77 or $1.88 at Sam’s Club. Here, I usually pay $3.50ish/gallon. Milk prices are regulated by the state, ugh. We go through 5+ gallons per week, so the cost difference really does add up. And my mom bought a small bag of Goldfish crackers on sale for $0.88 at Kroger. I’ve never seen them for less than $2 at the Giant Eagle here.
• In June, I started the Bible in 90 Days reading plan. I have just a few days left and then I will have read it cover-to-cover! It’s a first for me. I could never stay focused long enough for those year-long plans.
• I have a lot of books on my shelf that I’ve never read. Some are review copies, books I’ve picked up at thrift stores or from PaperBackSwap. I need to whittle down my to-read list before I bring any more books home. Anyone else have that problem?

We had the option of purchasing updated maps, but it’s kind of pricey and didn’t seem worth it.

Then one day recently, Betty died. Just wouldn’t turn on anymore. Not sure what happened. She was old in gadget years and I guess it was her time.

We drove around for awhile without GPS help and instead relied on our own knowledge and a few maps. Went on a simple trip this weekend up north to some Amish areas and when we realized we were on a road that turned into a toll road (and had no money to pay the toll), we got a bit lost.

Ended up in Ohio for a minute, unintentionally. AND we had a map. It just wasn’t a very detailed one.

If you’ve ever driven in Pittsburgh then you know that this city doesn’t make a darn bit of sense. Roads go all over the place. Downtown, Forbes is one-way eastbound at a certain point, and then it’s one-way westbound at another. Who thought that was a good idea?

Some “roads” are actually just steep sidewalks or stairs that no car could ever go on. I am not kidding.

You can’t necessarily make a series of right turns to reverse your direction. Sometimes a series of right turns will make you end up on another side of a river, or on the highway, or who-knows-where.

So there are absolutely times when you need a GPS around here.

I chose a refurbished Garmin* on Amazon based on positive reviews and the price (it was listed at $89). The refurbished models are quite a bit cheaper than the brand-new models ($119) and are just as good.

I used a few Amazon gift cards I earned via Swagbucks* to lower my cost.

Hopefully we’ll get a lot of use out of this GPS. It’s interesting (though not surprising) that it’s probably half the cost of what we paid for our first one. I love how technology gets cheaper as time goes on!

Our printer/scanner/copier also decided it was time to be junked. I bought it before my freshman year in college back in 2003, so I think it had a pretty long life.

It was an HP and an ink hog. I bought cartridges on eBay for much cheaper than they would be at a retail store, but it still went through ink a lot faster than I thought it should.

So with this new printer, I wanted a different brand in the hopes that I could find a more efficient machine.

Because really, when you pay less than $100 for a printer, the company is going to make their profits in the ink.

I posted a question on Facebook asking my friends to give me some suggestions. Jessie told me about her Brother printer that uses really cheap ink available on Amazon. There’s some other bulk options that make the cost even better.

Those ink prices were really appealing so I thought I’d give Brother a shot. I ended up choosing this model from Best Buy. At $69 on sale, it was a good price for a printer/scanner/copier/fax (I won’t use the fax — don’t have a phone line!). And it’s also about half the price I paid for my HP back in the day.

I chose it because the reviews were quite positive. I picked it up in-store and set it up last night and I think it will fit our needs.

Sometimes it’s worth it to try and repair a gadget before replacing it, but it’s not always practical to do so. It was best for us to just replace these items and I like to think I got reasonable deals for both. Hope they last!

*Affiliate link

In this terrace-level (ok, so halfway in the ground) apartment, we have minimal daylight. It’s sort of like a cave. We have a lamp on most of the time. The living room used to have CFL bulbs, but I switched them to the bright “daylight” bulbs to help with my sanity.

Our washing machine is a high-efficiency front-loader and I like to think it helps keep costs down, but I’m not sure. Our dryer seems pretty old and I don’t know how efficient it actually is.

I looked at my electric bill to determine the kwh rate, and it looks to be around 12 cents. Using this calculator, it appears that it costs roughly $0.50 per load to dry.

In the fall, our kwh rate will go to a discounted rate (I’m not exactly sure what it will be) because we are all-electric. So at that time, it will also cost less to run the dryer.

For one load, $0.50 doesn’t sound like much but when I think about how many loads I put through the machine in a week I can see how it would add up. It’s usually 8-12 loads per week, depending on what needs washed (and including diapers).

That’s $4-6 per week to use the dryer, or $208-$312 per year at the full rate.

I think that’s enough money that it would be reasonable to start line-drying some of our clothes once again. I have two free-standing drying racks that I can set up in my apartment. No outside locations are suitable for me.

I don’t like the crunchy feel that you can sometimes get when line-drying clothes, so I could put things in the dryer for just a few minutes to take much of the dampness off, and then hang them from there.

Further, I usually add the “extra spin” to my washing machine cycle to hopefully spin out as much moisture as I can.

I hope we can start to enjoy a lower electric bill because really, there are better things we can do with our money.

How much would you have to save to line-dry a load of clothes? Is the inconvenience of it worth it to you?

We’ll need to cover:

• $280 medical deductible (our FSA account is almost all used up. I didn’t put that much money in it this year. Didn’t think I’d get a 2010 baby!)
• Infant car seat. I think we’re going with this $65 Graco Snugride.
• A few more cloth diapers, since I’ll likely have 2 in cloth for awhile. I’ve got my newborn and size small stash already, but I think I want a few more one-size diapers. Let’s say $75.
• Some additional storage containers/shelves, maybe. Once I get rid of a bunch of stuff in a yard sale at the end of this month I might not need a whole lot, but let’s say $50 anyway.
• Baby clothes. A lot of our newborn stuff is gender-neutral and I already have a few things in the smaller sizes, but not enough for a complete wardrobe. I’m going to say $50.
• A swaddler. My husband was really good at doing a blanket swaddle, but I stink at it. $10
• A big purse. I don’t like diaper bags and I don’t normally carry one. I might throw a diaper and some wipes in my regular purse (which I don’t always carry, either). I usually have a regular diaper bag and just leave it in my trunk and it has a change of clothes, extra diapers, a blanket, whatever. But I don’t think I’ll be able to get away with that minimalist approach with two little ones. $20
• $100 for other things that I’ll want later, but can’t think of right now

Total: $659

So over the next few months, I’ll put a portion of that into that savings account until I’ve got the funds. And I’ll tap that account to buy some things.

I’ve already bought my Hypnobabies home study kit* (and I love the looks of it!) and a pink Baby K’Tan*, but I just used regular money for that.

I’m getting really excited for her arrival!

*Amazon affiliate link

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!

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!

“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!

I got a new set of glasses and also restarted my contact lenses. I hadn’t worn contacts for quite awhile, mostly out of laziness.

The eye doctor quoted me something crazy, like $30/box. Pretty lousy deal! The guy said he could price match, but after poking around for some deals, I realized he could only price match on the site’s bottom line, but couldn’t factor in the Ebates bonuses and such.

So here’s how I’m getting a stellar discount on a year’s supply of Acuvue Oasis contacts:

1. I clicked through Ebates*, as I do for pretty much all of my online purchases. I went to Vision Direct, for which Ebates will give me 11% cash back. This will amount to about $18!

2. I browsed through the extensive list of coupon codes for Vision Direct on Ebates. I saw one for 20% off your order of $99 or more, with free shipping, but it was only good for new customers (I’m not). The offer is also mentioned on the Vision Direct site here.

I settled on a code for $20 off a $133 order (2020VISION).

3. Vision Direct has a promotion going for an instant $31 off Acuvue Oasis contacts when you buy 8 boxes.

4. Finally, I can submit a rebate form to get $75 back. If they don’t consider me a new user, I can still get $25 back. The rebate info was listed directly on the order page.

5. I paid with my flexible spending account card, which is funded with pre-tax dollars. It’s an extra little bit of savings that way.

Without any discounts on the Vision Direct site, I would have paid $216 for 8 boxes.

With Ebates, coupon codes, promotions and rebates, my total drops to $72 if I qualify for the full rebate, and $122 if I don’t.

That’s $9/box (or $15.25/box for the $25 rebate deal). What a deal!

How do you save on eyewear? Oh, and if you’re looking for a cheapie pair of backup glasses, you can find complete pairs starting at $8! I haven’t personally used it, but I’ve heard good things.

*Affiliate link