Good Finds

So I have this confession/hobby/craze/pursuit/delight in...yard sales. What? not as exciting as what you were thinking, I know, but it is what it is. This started about 6 months ago when Caleb was around 3 months. To make this more meaningful, I need to back up a bit farther...I was always one for putting on yard sales and occasionally shopping at some, but when it had been suggested that I buy things for my baby from a used store or yard sale, there was no way. This was until Caleb was about 3 months old and was growing so fast and when I realized how expensive it was going to be to buy new things (now I rarely bought things for full price, I most definitely went for the sales rack, but still it added up). So I found myself looking on craigslist for baby boy clothes, and was going to give yard sales a chance. I have since learned a major factor in going to yard sales, Location. The richier neighborhoods having yard sales are good for 3 reasons: 1) their clothes are usually name brand 2) they usually bought too many clothes so they are hardly worn (if at all, still w/tags) 3) they're main concern isn't making money but getting rid of it, so they sell cheap. Last fall I went to a few yard sales one day (in nice neighborhoods) and came home with Bags Full of name brand clothing and spent only $20-30 for things that would have cost hundreds.

Well, its time again that he is outgrowing all his clothes, those that I stocked up for last fall and I'm back on my mission of finding good yard sales. Today was a great find! I saw this musical table by leap frog at this yard sale and wasn't sure if was really a great deal. The lady said she bought it for her son this last Christmas, but he was too old for it and hardly played with it. I finally decided to get it. When I came home I looked it up online and found that its selling in stores for $40-45, and I got it practically brand new for $15! Caleb loves it! He's really into standing, so this is great for him:

So judge me if you may, but in the end my kid looks just as cute and I've got more money in my pocket :)

~Manda