Saving Our Planet (and My Wallet) One Fisher Price Toy at a Time!

My hopes of working through at least the second trimester were quickly replaced by the reality of bedrest and the need to conserve all of our financial resources for our soon-to-be born baby.  Unfortunately, I wanted the latest and greatest for our son.  I definitely did not want used, seconds or hand-me-downs.  However, one of my best friends with 3 little girls laid it all out on the table for me pretty clearly.  If we had more children, was I going to buy all new gear, clothing, etc.?  Of course not…that would be silly.  

I still didn’t know what to expect when I attended my first consignment sale.  I went in prepared with my list of everything I thought I needed for our little munchkin that could be obtained “gently used.”  What does that really mean?  Can someone tell me please!  : )

While our minivan (oh wait…we don’t have a minivan…yet!), I mean SUV, was not packed to the brim with Fisher Price toys waiting to be recalled, we did end up getting plenty of useful baby items at very reasonable prices.  I managed to find some “gently used” items that could pass as new…ish!  

So guess what I did…I went online and started hunting down the next consignment sale!  I was hooked.  I won’t even begin to tell you about the bargains I’ve found at The Children’s Orchard.  But his Italian made crib and changing table were purchased there along with plenty of other baby “stuff.”  

 

While I found it impossible to find EVERYTHING I needed for our little munchkin (simply because I’m picky that way) I found Craigslist, Ebay, and Freecycle to be wonderful resources for baby bargains!  

Purchasing or handing down “gently used” baby items not only saves you money, it saves our planet.  We recycle plastic bottles and aluminum cans…why not “recycle” or reuse baby gear.   While you don’t want to pass along anything recalled, handing baby items down makes eco-sense!  

There is a fab new site called Zwaggle created by parents for parents to share and share alike!  It’s simple, smart, and savvy.  Sign up and receive points for giving your gently used baby items to another family.  Use those points to buy something new and fun for your child.  

Want to learn more?  Head on over and check it out!  Not convinced…see what others are saying about Zwaggle over at The Parent Bloggers Network!