ThredUp Review

I love a bargain; thrift shopping, scouring eBay and yard sales. The employees at Goodwill don't know me by name, but they know my one year old daughter. She generally squeals throughout the whole store while Momma searches every book on their book shelves. While ThredUp may not be the same as a brick and mortar shop, it has a lot of perks in it's own way.

Three weeks ago my husband ordered a Coach tote for me as a gift through ThredUp (okay, I picked it out for myself, but he paid for it). Regardless, I was very excited to receive my first box and see how this web site really works after the bill has been settled. Every morning I was online, checking new Coach handbag listings, and hoping to see a tracking number added to my order. A few days later, since my order was placed over the weekend, an interactive number was added.

When it arrived, on time might I add, it came in a pretty brown and green polka dotted box. My handbag was wrapped in white tissue paper, and it included a bag to send in name brand items. I looked the bag over, and although it was listed as having a small flaw, it seemed absolutely perfect to me. The bag was clean inside and out, and it even included the small Coach tag that hangs around one strap. But the best part was the tiny ThredUp tag that stated "We have verified this item's authenticity".

My favorite part of placing an order with ThredUp is the affordable shipping. I think we paid about $2.99, which makes it affordable for those of us who do not have a bank account for brand new, name brand, handbags or clothes. There are also plenty of opportunities to save on most items. For example, you can save 25% on your order (excluding certain items) through June by using the code BEACH25.

In summary, I would definitely make another purchase with ThredUp. And honestly I find myself becoming a daily visitor under specific search phrases. They also have a very nifty, free, app available for download to your iPhone or iPad. You can specify searches through filters, and keep up with newly listed items on the road. Enjoy!

BabyLegs Back to School Deal

 

If you are looking for some completely adorable deals for your little one this fall, look no further than BabyLegs.This cute little company features signature leg warmers in the cutest designs and patterns, which is the reason I've picked them as the Preggers Bump end of July featured product.

Whether you're out on the town, playing in the yard, or down for nap time, BabyLegs leg warmers will keep those thunder thighs at the optimum temperature. Pull your toes to your mouth without getting a sock in the way while staying warm! It's a dream come true for any infant, as well as their mother. Here's a few of my favorites:

For a limited time only, you can snag three pairs (regularly $12 each) for just $15 total with free shipping! Take a moment to check out BabyLegs' other styles in a one size fits all for you baby cheeks before this deal is gone!

Invitation Shopping for Baby

Why buy store brand when you can snag top brand name clothing, shoes and toys for the same price or cheaper? If you're looking to keep your baby in quality shirts, pants, skirts or dresses, there are a few online shops you need to check out. Many better known invitation only shopping sites feature clothing for adults, such as MyHabit, Gilt, etc. But what you may not know is that there are many geared toward babies and children that don't get the same hype other sites do.

This week I have been doing a little research to see what I could find on a place such as Rue La La, since it's my favorite for handbags and shoes (even if I'm just window shopping!). Many Moms say it's best to stick with the sites you know, and just wait for child oriented deals to pop up... but I'm impatient! So, I've joined a few that might be helpful to a few other first time Moms.

Keekoo is a members-only site that features daily deals from bump to birth, and beyond! The prices seem to be what you could expect to pay at Walmart for way cuter baby needs, and much much lower! For example, I'm really digging this nursing wrap (a modern alternative to modest breastfeeding). Regularly $40, marked to $20, and you can't find that on eBay - I checked.

Zulily is another popular favorite among forum Mom, posting new deals daily! I'm serious, they really do update their current promotions, and I know this because I received an email notification this morning. They have the cutest items from Taggies running today that I just love. Although I can't buy anything at the moment, it gives me inspiration for the future (thank you Pinterest).

As I mentioned a moment ago, Gilt, is a rather popular site that features a section dedicated to babies and kids. Although some of the current deals are a little beyond my price range, they are featuring a Win Your Dream Nursery contest through Pinterest!

Haute Look, is another member site that offers deals on some kid oriented items. Most of them aren't organized for younger children or infants, but there are some great prices on toddler appropriate clothing and up. Check them out, and see what they have to offer.

I feel as though I've left the best for last! By far Totsy provides amazing prices on some of the most adorable and useful baby items around. They also feature clothing, shoes and accessories for Moms, etc., but I'm in love with the baby stuff!

Although I post as regularly as possible here, you can find my favorite baby girl finds on my Tumblr page, Meet Cute Mini. It's a little girl oriented product site where I post my most-loved finds on many of these member sites. The prices generally aren't that bad, and they've been uploaded with links and brand information so I can find it later on unless I've already purchased it. Thanks for reading, don't forget to follow me on Tumblr. I look forward to viewing your finds as well! 

Being Thrifty in an Expensive World

Take a few moments to shop online for baby necessities and accessories, and you will come to the quick realization that it's all about the money for companies. Big surprise, right? Something as simple as a onesie can cost you upwards of $5 a piece, and before long you'll find your baby fund dwindling away without much to show for it, unless you stop yourself right now!

Think about this for a moment, how many pregnant women have gone before you? Have you recently taken the time to browse a second hand store or Goodwill? I'm not saying dress your baby in rags and supply her/him with used teething rings and bottles, but this post is about saving money where you can. I'll warn you right now, be weary of what you purchase used online, or in person. You can not be completely sure how sanitary something is once it's been through the ringer with another baby. In other words, steer clear of "used but sanitized" electronic breast pumps flooding eBay listings... that isn't worth saving $50, especially when it can supply life threatening illnesses.

Back to the fun part, though. In the past two and a half months I, found out I was pregnant, broke the news to my husband, found out it was a girl, and saved a ton of money by finding deals on eBay and Amazon. Hello, nice to meet you. If you really want to begin saving money and yourself while shopping for baby (notice I didn't say "save time"), now is a great opportunity to start. Why do I say now, when I don't know anything about you? Well, assuming you're pregnant, or already have your little jelly bean, eBay listings don't come to a halt depending on your life.

In the beginning I started out searching with rather vague preferences, until I finally understood what it was I was searching for, and knowing the gender of our baby didn't hurt either (hey, we're not that old school). I knew from the start that, a. I love saving money, b. I didn't want anything with stains or tears, and c. I really didn't want to pay tons of money for something she will wear or use for three short months. Take a moment to note three bullet points about your focus, what's important to you in the search for more affordable baby clothes, and how will it should effect your purchases.

Let me admit something here for a second, I'm a sucker for name brands. Whether it's a handbag, dog bowl or pillow, designer labels suck me in. Lucky for online sellers, too, sometimes I'll go out of my budget comfort zone by a teeny bit to score something I've convinced myself is better quality (although it's most likely the same). If there happen to be a few brands you're familiar with and comfortable buying over another brand, that's completely fine. You might go over a tiny bit per piece, but it evens out in the end.

In two months I have purchased 13 pieces of clothing for my little girl. It comes out to 2 pairs of shoes (newborn and 3-6 mos), 2 side snap shirts (newborn), 1 romper (3-6 mos) and 8 onesies (5 x 0-3 & 3 x 3-6 mos). The grand total of my finds comes to $16.90 (incl. shipping and taxes). Yes, I've only spent $1.30 each, and saved well over $50. My goal was to stay around $.50-$1.00 for onesies, but I found a great pair of sandals she can wear this summer for $3.75, and a to-die-for orange Ralph Lauren romper for $2.03. My point is, paying a little more for a few key items, or things you just flat out love is okay, especially when you're paying pennies compared to retail value.

What are the next items on my list? Used Bumbo Seat with Tray, Worsted Wool Yarn (regardless of color, to crochet or knit diaper covers), and a bunch of other essentials from Baby Center's Must-Haves for the First Year. As I continue in my venture to keep my baby cute and cozy in her first year of life and beyond, follow my blog and receive future posts straight to your inbox or Google Reader! Thanks for checking out my post.