I'm a mom of 3 kids, ages 7,5, and 1. We're always busy but, with three growing kids and very limited income, I look for ways to be frugul, and thrifty. I'm kinda outdated for my generation of gimme gimme gimme. I prefer the simpler life with out being overly materialistic.
I have found a way to greatly reduce my budget for buying my kids clothes. I have 3. First I look out of season. I buy summer clothes in fall, when they go on sale, I buy a couple items in the size they are wearing, and a couple that are bigger, just in case. I buy most their clothes at Goodwill, and thrift stores. They have many name brand items I have picked up for almost nothing. I also have started a co-op of sorts with some other moms I know, we call each other about once a week,and let each other know what we need for the kids etc. and what we want to pay, so when we go to garage sales, and such we can keep an eye out for each other. I once was looking for a new winter coat form my son in summer time, and my friend was at a garage sale she called me because she had it on my "list", they had a coat there name brand college football team that he wanted for 10.00, then she told me but the seam to the hood is unraveling..I said, " okay, point that out and ask if they would take less for it." I could here her asking, and the woman said oh, I didn't even realize that so, I ended up wit the jacket for 3.00 and i sewed the seam up myself. Thats one thing to keep in mind too, if you can sew, or there are small tears in clothing that you can sew up that won't be seen always ask for a discount, most places will give you one, even thrift stores, and sometimes goodwill, will give you the item for .99 cents. I have found jeans with small tears in them, gotten them for .99 cents and covered the hole with a cool, iron on patch. I have gotten shirts with missing buttons for .59 cents, and when I finished putting on the new buttons which cost me a whole .50 cents, I had a Tommy Hilfiger shirt for a 1.09...can't beat that. ... View related article.
I stumbled upon a diaper rash cream that works wonders. My daughter has acid reflux terribly, and is allergic to milk. So, she has had horrible diaper rash, to the point sometimes she would bleed, and scream during diaper changes. One night there wasn't a place open to get rash cream, so I called my grandmother at 3 AM, and asked her what i could use. She told me my great grandmother taught her to make a paste of Vaseline, oatmeal. Then when you get it on the baby cover it with baby powder, unscented etc. Well, at 3 am I was desperate I got out my food processor, chopped the oatmeal until it was a smooth almost sand consistency, and added Vaseline until it was a thick almost gritty paste. I put this on my daughter, and added the baby powder, minutes later she had stopped screaming. By morning the rash had almost completely healed. I called my grandmother back to thank her and asked her why the baby powder. What she said made total sense, the baby powder sticks to the cream and what doesn't , pretty much creates a barrier, so that the diaper doesn't stick to the tushy cream and cause friction....I haven't stopped using it yet. It works wonders for her. ... View related article.
I love garage sales, some of my treasures include, a whole bag of character print material for 3 dollars, a silver sugar bowl with lid and matching creamer for 2 dollars ( they thought it was just plated and sterling), Antique German bible from the 1800's for 10 dollars, a whole garbage sack full of summer clothes for my daughter for 15.00. I usually go early in the morning and sometimes about 45 mintues or so before closing time, when I can make deals and people are more willing to negotiate...I love garage saling, most of my house has been decorated from treasures i find or parts i have found from here and there and constructed into something new. ... View related article.
ONe thing here I did not see was this, take a bunch of newspapaers wad them up and fill the arms of the coat, get one of those dry cleaning garment bags, and put the coat with the newspaper inside of it, adding more newspaper, close it and seal it with tape to make it air tight. Wait about 3-4 days open it up and remove some of the newspaper, the news papaer should smell like the coats. Newspaper absorbs ordors and I have had wonderful luck with it getting out the vintage smell in clothes..you may have to take out the newspaper and refill the coat a couple times but, works wonders. ... View related article.
I tried this and don't think I'll ever by Febreeze again, so much easier to make this, and you can have different scents..wonderful idea, thank you!! ... View related article.
