Search Results for: blog the best things to buy used toys 2

Innovative Ways to Save on Toys

Children can outgrow their toys very quickly. Don’t spend money on new toys unnecessarily. Here are some innovative ways that you can provide your children with creative, educational and time-occupying toys on a budget. Check Toys Out from a Toy Library Toy libraries are popping up all over the country. These libraries lend out top-rated toys, puzzles and games, as well as host play events for families. Toy libraries save parents from spending a lot of money on toys while making sure that kids don’t get bored. To locate a toy library near you, visit the Toy Library Association online. … Continue reading →

Thrift Store Treasures

If you are a single mother, chances are money is pretty tight around this time of year, well let’s face it, money is tight all year round! With the holidays right around the corner you may be feeling the financial pressure weighing on your shoulders. It’s hard to provide Christmas for your children when you are already struggling to make it on your own. However, there are lots of things that can make this time a little less stressful for a single mother. Yesterday afternoon Logan and I went to a local thrift store with some friends of ours. We … Continue reading →

Smart Mama Shopping

You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.  That goes double if you are a penny-pinching mom playing Santa Claus. I am all about retailers trying to make cash this holiday season.  I get that, but when you are living on a tight budget and you have kids who are expecting St. Nick to deliver a little more than just a few stale candy canes this Christmas, don’t … Continue reading →

Baby on a Budget

Your new bundle of joy could make more than a significant dent in your finances. Establishing a solid budget for your baby can help you keep everything under control and leave you with enough money for your baby’s future. You might be interested to know that according to the US Department of Agriculture, it can cost up to a quarter of a million dollars to raise a child through age 17! This doesn’t take into account children living at home past age 17, college costs or significant medical expenses that could arise. That is why it is important to establish … Continue reading →

What Are Disney Alliances?

Note the outside corporate sponsorship listed on the sign Browsing through my Facebook one day I saw an advertisement on the side, for the official Disney Alliance Facebook page. I’ll let the Facebook page speak for itself, pulling its description from under the “About” heading: “Welcome to the official Facebook Page of Disney Corporate Alliances! Learn about the latest news, promotions, and experiences our Alliance Partners help create across Disney Parks and The Walt Disney Company.” Basically, Disney Alliances, and all of its related websites (though so far that just seems to be Facebook and Twitter), are just there to … Continue reading →

Frugal Things to Do with Coffee Grounds

Wait, don’t throw those used coffee grounds away. There are many things you can do with coffee grounds. Why waste something that can be put to work for you for free? Keep Bugs Away Coffee grounds can be used as a natural way to keep ants and slugs off of your garden plants. Mound up the grounds and form them into a ring around your plants. The bugs won’t cross the ring. Deodorize Dry the grounds first and then place a bowl of them in your refrigerator. The coffee grounds will absorb stray odors from food and keep everything fresh … Continue reading →

The Elusive Nap

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As I sit down to write this blog post, I’ve just finished setting up the pack n play crib next to my computer in the basement. I got my little guy to take about a 30 minute nap a little while ago, but the elusive, 2 hour nap that I’m always praying for hasn’t happened today. So, instead, he has a nice cozy place to sit and look at some toys while I try to write. Sometimes, you just have to go with it. Getting a baby to take a good nap is so hard. Especially this time around. I’ve … Continue reading →

The Good, The Bad, and the Creepy: Thrift Store Toys for Your Preschooler

If you’re out shopping with a preschooler who is hanging off your leg, begging for this, that, and the other thing, there’s no better place to be than a thrift store or a yard sale. Where else will your kid actually have buying power? The best thing about thrift store toys for your preschooler is the cost. Often, you can find huge bins of Lego for a few dollars. Go in with a mental list of what you’re looking for. Dress up clothes? Lego? It’s easy to leave with junk just because it’s cheap. Of course, if your child has … Continue reading →

Things to Do with Tennis Balls

Used tennis balls are like pennies. They were once valued but are usually discarded. Once tennis balls go flat then they can’t really be used for tennis anymore. They can, however, be used for many other things. So whether you have tennis balls of your own or want to rescue some free tennis balls and put them to good use, you should be able to benefit from the following ideas. You can reuse tennis balls: In the dryer to prevent washed pillows from becoming lumpy and to fluffy up towels, comforters and down coats. In your home to move heavy … Continue reading →

Outgrown Sales Report

Do you like going to outgrown sales? Also called clothing turnabouts, they are a great way to provide clothes and toys for your children for very little money. Today I spent about $50 for three overlarge bags of clothing for my three children. Each item was between 50 cents and $2. If you have never been to an outgrown clothing sale, you might feel a bit overwhelmed at first. The largest ones have clothing and toys everywhere to sort through, although usually they are separated in different room. Clothing is usually placed by gender and size, and they all have … Continue reading →