(Confession: I am addicted to babysteals.com. Twice a day, at 9&9 they reveal a "steal" that is generally 55% or better off retail value. I can't even tell you how much worthless junk totally necessary things I have bought that Anna has NEEDED) Sweet. sweet David has tried to put me on a monthly BS budget but I just can't deal with it. Not because I don't respect him trying to put limits on me, but because I'm so good at convincing me first, then him that we simply cannot survive without the 2-pack Kid Kizoo coolies.
After all, how can I expect the milk (that Anna never drinks) to stay cold (I use insulated cups) for long enough without them???
But the truth is, we have fallen on more frugal times these last few months. I've been going to school and we are living off David's income. We are by no means poverty-stricken but we have had to be more judicious in some of our spending and I wanted to blog about some of the things that I choose not to spend more money on.
1. Make-up
I've never been too interested in make-up and that's a good thing because when I go into Sephora, I could easily spend several hundred bones on just a few pieces.
My sister, Eva, has a theory which I totally agree with. She says "mascara is usually the only thing I wear so I feel ok about investing in a good tube"
Together, we can comment on every brand available. We've tried them all, from Revlon to Dior but I have to say that Wet'n'Wild MegaLength mascara from Dollar General is my favorite. I see no difference between that $2 tube and a $30 tube.
2. Diapers
We use cloth diapers here at the Hine House!!! I never intended on converting Anna, but I did when she was about 6 months old. I saw a Steal (surprise!) one day and that 60% off price got me all dizzy and I ordered 2 cloth diapers and got hooked!
I want to say that cloth diapers can come with a HUGE start-up cost. There are all kinds of brands and styles that can run from just a few bucks to $25 per diaper. I can guess that I've invested about $250 into cloth diapering but we're down to using maybe 2-3 disposable diapers a week. Cloth diapering is easier and cleaner than you think and we are thrilled that every time we use cloth, we are keeping those nasty disposables out of the landfills.
3. Laundry
Everyone should do this. Everyone! Laundry soap is such a ripoff!!
It's been a long time since any Tide as been at our house. We switched years ago to eco-friendly laundry soap but got fed up quickly at the price and brand availability. So....I found a recipe and started to make my own!
1 bar of soap (Fels Naphta or other) grated and dissolved into 4 cups of boiling water
1/2 cup Borax (found in any department store in the laundry/cleaning section)
1 cup washing soda (if you are around Springfield, I could only find this a ShopnSave...weird. Also, baking soda and washing soda are NOT the same thing)
1 5-gallon bucket (found in any hardware store)
Fill your bucket with 3 gallons of water, add in your Borax and washing soda and stir, pour in the melted soap mixture and stir again. Pop on the bucket lid and leave it overnight and guess what....you're done!!!
It's so easy and cheap to do this! If you have to buy everything, you'll spend about $10-15 and that will last you a year I bet! It's safe for HE washers too. If you want to, you can add a few drops of scented oil to give it a nice smell. It looks like snot but it works great!
4. Goodwill
This is one that I still am working on, but when I do it, I can't imagine doing anything different.
I hate spending a lot of money on clothes for Anna. True, I have been places and saw a $25 shirt that was too cute to pass up but for the most part, I shop second-hand for my babe.
There are lots of consignment stores in town and I've been in them all but let me tell ya, you guys....if you think you are saving $$$ by hitting consignment stores, you may want to cruise by the Goodwill in Chatham. I have found way nicer things there and cheaper too than the consignment stores. And consistently, may I add! And I don't feel like losing my shit if she stains something :)
5. Childcare
Make sure you live close to your family so you don't have to pay babysitters!
(THANK YOU to ALL our family members!!!!!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!)
6. Diva Cup
***EXTREME GROSS-OUT***
***EWWWWW!!!!!!!***
***PERIOD TALK!!!***
I was frequenting my all-time favorite baby store in STL, Cotton Babies. Dave and I were just browsing and I saw this thing on the shelf...a Diva Cup. What is a Diva Cup you ask? It is a small silicone cup that girls can use when it's P-time.
After I had Anna, I was having a hard time using tampons. They were uncomfortable and my first several periods post-baby were DISGUSTING...clotty and very heavy bleeding. I'd use both a super tampon and a regular pad and I'd bleed through it all in 2 hours. My bathroom looked like a crime scene. I lost 2 pairs of sheets.
So I saw this Diva Cup and thought I'd give it a try and I LOVE it. It's not difficult to get in or out and when I use it, I can't tell that it's there at all. Per product advertisement, it can be worn up to 12 hours at a time and though I've never left it in that long, I have left it in for 5+ hours with no problem or leaks. It's reusable and doesn't contain any harsh chemicals.
They are sold in 2 sizes, determining factor is if you've had a baby or not.
They are about $35 which is a little $$$ compared to a box of Tampax but worth the investment!! I haven't bought a box of tampons for 6 months!!
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