My daughter is now eight-years-old. Over the years I have spent thousands of dollars on baby clothes, educational toys, baby furniture, books … all the best that I could afford to buy. I shopped online, I shopped in-store, I shopped I shopped I shopped. But then I discovered Ebay. Now don’t roll your eyes and click off this article like I did for years – read on! There is nothing that you can find in a store that you can’t find on Ebay – sometimes gently used, sometimes very used, often times brand new – but almost always at an unbelievable price. I mean pennies on the dollar – literally. See for yourself if you don’t believe me!

If it’s too good to be true it probably is
Yes and no. As a seasoned Ebay shopper, I have gotten some deals that seemed too good to be true (those are the ones I especially love). But I’ve also learned some lessons, and I’d like to pass them on to you. Here are some tips that I suggest you pay attention to before jumping into the Ebay World.

1. Pay Attention To Feedback
   Every item you see on Ebay is offered by a person, a “seller.” When viewing an item, you will see the seller’s handle, followed by a number in parenthesis. This is the seller’s feedback rating.

   When someone purchases an item from a seller (a buyer) they leave “feedback” about how their transaction went. Each feedback left consists of a rating (positive, negative, or neutral), and a short comment. The number is how many buyers have purchased an item from that seller, so right off the bat, you now how long a seller has been doing business. Someone with 1 feedback rating obviously hasn’t been around as long as someone with a 5,648 rating (and yes, you’ll see that often!)

   But just as important as how many people have left feedback, is the percentage of Positive Feedback … 100% is the best! But of course, you can’t please people all of the time, so even a positive feedback of 95% can be good. You can read the comments left by buyers by clicking on the feedback rating. They will tell you if the product was received, in what condition, how promptly, etc., which will allow you to make a decision on whether or not to trust the Ebay seller.

2. Shipping and Handling
   Almost all items have an associated Shipping and Handling charge. Most sellers assign a reasonable fee to cover their cost of packaging, and of course, the delivery fee. But sometimes they jack that price up in order to make the low cost of their item appear to be a better deal than it is. Most of the time the S&H fee is prominently posted on the item page, so be sure to look for it! If it is not listed, contact the buyer and ask them what shipping fees will be incurred before you make a bid! Be sure to calculate the cost of S&H with the cost of the item to be sure you are indeed getting a great deal.
3. Don’t bid immediately!
   Ok, so you’ve found an item that you want. It’s a great price, and the S&H fee is reasonable. You want to bid on it, now. DON’T! All items listed on Ebay are there for a specified amount of time. You can see how much time you have to purchase the item by looking at how much time is left on the auction (see Time Left: under the current bid cost). If there are four days left until the auction ends, wait. Bidding now is going to cause someone else who is interested in the item to bid too, which in turn raises the price of the item. What you need to do is Watch the item, and come back the day the auction ends (preferably within a few minute of the end time) and bid then. This doesn’t give other buyers as much time to out bid you and make the cost go up!

   How do you “watch the item?” There is a link that says “Watch This Item” for every product offered on Ebay. All you need to do is click it, and that product will be saved in a list for you to come back to later. You must be a registered Ebay Member to take advantage of this, but registering is FREE and easy. So I suggest you register right away, that way when you find a great buy you’re ready for it.

4. View seller’s other items
   Once you find an item that you like at the right price, see what else the seller is offering. Odds are, they have many other items that are closely related to exactly what you’re looking for that didn’t come up in your product search. Check it out! And if you like the buyer and their products, save the buyer as a favorite!
5. Pay attention to the item description
   Some items will be listed with words or phrases that you don’t understand. For instance, “NIB” means new in box. If there is something that is in the description that you don’t understand – ASK THE SELLER! Once you win the auction it is too late to clear up unanswered questions, so rather than be disappointed, be safe.
6. Don’t get stuck in a competitive mindset
   This was the biggest lesson that I needed to learn in the early days of my Ebay-hood. I’d find an item that I’d like, bid on it, then be outbid. So then I’d bid again. It was a viciuos cycle and I ended up paying more for the item than I should have, simply because I wanted to win. You must keep in mind that you are trying to get a deal. If the price is no longer a deal in your mind, wait. The item will be listed again eventually at a price you want to pay.
7. Don’t limit yourself
   You can literally find *anything* on Ebay: Books, furniture, household products, clothes, shoes, collectibles… it is rare that I search for something and don’t find it.
8. Don’t just buy – SELL!
   As your baby grows, you’re going to find yourself with boxes full of clothes, toys, and other items that you no longer need. Use them to finance your new shopping sprees! Become an Ebay Seller and have a garage sale from the comfort of your living room! You’ll be amazed at how easy it is, and how much money you can make doing it! Many of my friends go to weekend garage sales and pick up antiques, collectibles, etc. and then sell them on Ebay for a tremendous profit. If you’re looking for some extra money, this is one easy way to do it!

Ready to check out Ebay now that you know the ins and outs a little bit? Type anything into the search box below and see what kind of deals you can get, or view our Discount Baby Products section for baby product categories to browse through. Happy Saving!

Do you have tips that you’d like to share with our Members? Let Us Know!

]]> http://www.babiesonline.com/articles/money/savewithebay.asp/feed 0 http://www.babiesonline.com/articles/money/babypicturessavemoney.asp http://www.babiesonline.com/articles/money/babypicturessavemoney.asp#comments Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:26:37 +0000 admin http://208.79.203.56/articles/money/babypicturessavemoney.asp

As parents, we all know how easy we spend money with our children. In a blink of an eye, a diaper here, a formula bottle there adds up until at the end of the month we realize how much we have spent.

We all try to get the best to our children but more and more I realize that sometimes spending more does not necessarily means getting the best for our money.

This article aims to share a lesson we learned that cost us some money. We hope it may help you to save some.

As a Mom I just love to take pictures of my children. They are gorgeous to me. I am sure yours are gorgeous too. The memories are priceless. I was buying some disposable cameras and taking several pictures of my children. Then I would develop and keep the ones I really liked. My husband kept insisting in buying a digital camera, which initially I was reluctant to make a big investment. After he took the time to explain that despite the almost $ 500 dollars for a good digital camera (today our camera is less that $ 300) at the long run we would save a lot of money. Usually I would run from 3 to 5 disposable cameras a month. It is actually not a lot, only 120 pictures you can take. With the development all together would cost from $ 15 to $ 25 dollars each. This was around $ 45 to $ 125 a month. Since I have my digital camera, I take as much pictures as I want. No worries about expending money. I just delete the ones I do not like and keep the ones I like. When I have a picture I really love I just print it in our high resolution printer and frame it. I have then saved and organized by year and events. It is easy and cool to show to relatives and friends in our 17” monitor. Every year we save a back up on a CD or external hard drive to be on the safe side.

We have a canon s40 which is good camera. There are several others with good features in the market. You are free to choose. Consider this a good advice from a Mom who realized how much I have paid for little service with regular cameras. Digital cameras are the way to go. I already saved on the money I paid for it. 2 years latter I can not live without my digital camera. By the way it also let me record great videos up to 3 minutes. They are just adorable.

About the Author:
Barbara De Oliveira
http://www.lulu-baby.com

Having a baby can be expensive, but there are ways to cut down on your expenses. When you become overwhelmed, remember this: if you waited until you had enough money, time and energy to have your baby, you would probably never have children. Here are a few ways to ease the strain on your budget, so that you can enjoy your new bundle of joy.

1. Health Insurance. This is one area which is a HUGE concern. Yes, insurance can be expensive, but you will need it. You simply can not afford to cut this cost from your budget. You can reduce insurance costs by checking into HMO policies which have lower premiums and out of pocket expenses. Many states have free shot clinics which can help lower your expenses. If you can’t afford to carry insurance, see if your state has insurance for people in your situation. Many states will cover insurance premium costs if your income is under a certain level.
2. Breastfeed your baby, if possible. If you can’t breastfeed, there are ways to save money on formula. Try to apply for WIC (Women , Infants, and Children), a program designed to help middle and low income families with educational resources and food. You can also save money by buying formula in bulk, clipping coupons, and accepting free samples whenever they are offered. Check with your doctor to see if you can feed your infant a generic formula.
3. Diapers. Store brand disposable diapers can be just as good as the name brand, for several dollars less than their name brand counterparts. Experiment until you find a store brand that works for you and your baby. Clipping coupons also can help to lower diaper expenses.
4. Baby food. You can save a lot of money buy making your own baby food. You can use a blender or a baby food grinder to grind table food for baby. Simply put the puree into an ice cube tray and freeze. Then place the cubes in a labeled freezer bag. When your baby is hungry, you can microwave the food cubes.
5. Clothing. There is no need to buy expensive designer clothing for you little one. You can get most of your baby clothing at yard sales or second-hand stores. If you have a neighbor or friend with slightly older children, ask if she would be willing to send some “hand me downs” your way. Remember that many discount stores also sell inexpensive clothing.
6. Toys. Don’t feel pressured to get the latest and most expensive models. I remember buying expensive toys for my first child one Christmas only to find that she spent the entire day playing with boxes and wrapping paper. Kids don’t need a lot of toys; quality is more important than quantity.

What other suggestions do you have for reducing baby expenses?

Author: Michelle Schaefer

by: Susan Koiner

Ah, there is nothing like being an expectant mom. Along with your expanding waistline comes the ever growing list of products for you and your new bundle of joy. Preparing for a new baby can be a costly experience, especially in the areas of clothing and nursery furniture. The good news is that it does not have to be!

Let’s talk about buying baby clothes…think RESALE! Every new mom gushes over the adorable clothing available for babies, but they often come with a not so adorable price. Resale clothing costs a fraction of the retail price. Buying resale clothing does not equal buying trash! Moms sell their baby’s clothing to resale stores for a variety of reasons. Babies outgrow clothes so quickly (normally before they show any wear) they simply cannot use them anymore. Many precious newborns receive more clothes than they can wear in a season (everyone loves to buy baby clothes for shower gifts–they are just too cute!) that cannot be returned and they end up in resale stores with the tags still on! If you have the time and know what you are looking for, you can find plenty of designer and brand name clothing for a steal!

Buy now…save later! There is more beauty to the changing of the seasons than just the landscape! As the temperatures change, so do the prices of baby clothing! Most stores slash the price of their clothing up to 75% by the end of the season to make room for new clothes. Take advantage of this by buying a size or two larger than your baby’s current size for him/her to wear the next year. The savings are amazing!

Another large expense when you are preparing for a new baby is furniture for the nursery. A good place to start when considering which pieces to buy is determining how much room you have to work with? Do you have a large room or do you need multipurpose furniture? A crib is a necessity and a given; however, you can pick and choose other nursery pieces. Combination pieces such as dresser/changing table combos are available at some stores and can save you from buying two pieces. Cribs with attached drawer space that convert to toddler beds are also available and will save you a lot of space. Thinking ahead when buying nursery furniture will save you both time and money in the future. By buying a combination piece of furniture for your nursery, you eliminate having to sell furniture you no longer need, as well as spending time looking for and more money on new “big kid” furniture. Now that you have decided what to buy, it is time to shop! Once again, think resale! There are many children’s resale stores that carry pre-owned nursery furniture for 50% or more off retail. They usually have several styles to choose from in different price ranges. If you find something you like, they will usually hold it for you (if you were not really prepared to take it home) and some stores may even have lay away plans.

Another great place to buy pre-owned furniture is the classified ads in your local newspaper. Seller’s usually place ads on Thursday or Friday so they can catch the weekend readers. If you find something you are interested in, call quickly! Good furniture does not last long! Make sure you ask the seller plenty of questions. It is important to know before heading out to look at furniture things like the manufacture name, the age, if they have pets (if you are buying cushioned items and allergies are an issue for your family) and the exact color (if it is not adequately described in the ad). Asking these questions may be uncomfortable, but they can save you a lot of time and gasoline looking at something you know you will not be interested in. When you do look at pre-owned furniture from the newspaper, take someone with you and know what you are looking at. Are the style and the manufacturer of the furniture worth what the seller is asking for it? Is the furniture reasonably priced for it’s age and condition? With a little knowledge, buying pre-owned nursery furniture can save you BIG money!

Awaiting the arrival of your new baby is an exhilarating time! Add to the excitement by saving money on quality gently worn (and sometimes new) clothing and pre-owned nursery furniture!

About the Author:
Susan Koiner is a SAHM, and former teacher, of three great kids ages seven, four and three. Her family, like many others, struggles with the challenges of “one income” and from this comes her passion for finding creative ways to save money. Susan is also the owner and creator of www.money-moms.com.

There she was in all her glory. Long white lab coat, frizzy hair, safety goggles — and a face smeared with the black ash of an experiment gone terrifically wrong. She was, at least on this Halloween night, Dr. Abby Normal. But for most of her life I had known her as Abigail, my daughter, and I had just taken some of the most legendary photos of her life. I honestly think it is possible that Halloween is more fun for parents than it is for the kids, especially when the kids are little and parents are able to dress them up. There are so many options for cute Halloween costumes for little kids, it might be hard for a parent to choose.

For a young baby there are all kinds of “Baby’s First Halloween” outfits, bibs, socks and other items to help celebrate the baby’s first trick or treat. Depending on how old your baby is you may want to stick with one of these outfits, especially if he is a newborn, or still very small. It can be difficult to find cute, ultra little outfits for little babies. If your baby is close to his first birthday, you may be able to find a cute costume in a size 12-18 months that will fit your baby well.

For older babies and toddlers there are a wide range of costumes that can be bought. At this time of year you can find costumes in just about every store and at every price. Wal-mart, Target, Kmart and other stores like them often have less expensive versions of the costumes that stores like Disney and Spencer’s Gifts carry.

The most popular costumes for little girls are the Disney princesses, fairies and Barbie’s. A little girl loves to dress up as a princess for a day, with the tiara and pretty dress. She loves the attention it brings from the people who open the doors when they say, “Trick or treat”.

Little boys tend to gravitate to the super hero costumes. Superman, Spiderman, The Hulk, Batman, and whatever other popular hero is out there. You will also find a lot of police and firemen costumes, as well as sports stars that boys will like.

You can find branded costumes, like Winnie the Pooh, at all stores, however they will all be a little different. The more exact, more quality Disney costumes you will find at the Disney store even though you will still find an acceptable version at Wal-mart. While the costumes at the Disney store may be more quality, they will also be more expensive, normally costing at least 2-3 times as much as the version you will find other places.

For more unique costumes you can look at stores like Spencer’s Gifts which yearly has some favorites such as Spiders and Elephants. A popular baby and child clothing store have different themes for boys and girls as well, like Nascar, and Cowboy for boys, with matching Cowgirl outfits for girls.

Safety
When buying a Halloween costume for your baby or toddler, remember to think safety first. If your baby or toddler is walking chances are they are a bit clumsy and the added weight of the costume won’t help matters much. Make sure there is nothing dragging on the ground that your baby can trip on, and that their costume is light enough and reflects enough that cars and traffic can see them.

Weather
Before you buy a costume, consider what the weather will be like. Some costumes can be layered others aren’t. If you are in an area where it will likely be chilly or could possibly rain/snow on Halloween, look into a thicker costume that will help keep your child warm. If you are in an area where it will probably still be warm and maybe muggy, try to find a lighter costume, one that will allow your baby or toddler to stay cool. Your toddler will be running around, having fun and could quickly become overheated. You don’t want a sick child on your hands.

Saving Money
A great, money saving tip for Halloween costumes is to shop ahead for the next year. Hit the sales where you can get 50-75% off Halloween costumes to wear the following year, or even several years down the road. It is possible to hit up the Disney store a few days after Halloween, and buy some great costumes that are retailed at $35-$40 a piece, for less than $10 each. These costumes will last years and can be used by all your children at different times in their childhood.

Multi-use Costumes
Toddlers, boys and girls a like, like to play dress up, and pretend they are the characters they portray. The days following Halloween are a great time to scoop up deals on left over costumes that your children can use to play dress up with in the house. Imagination for children is not only educational, but can keep them occupied for a long time so that mom and dad can get things done.

While they are cute and cuddly, they are much more expensive than a new puppy. Your new baby is going to cost you a lot of money with very little monetary return, even though the return of love will be huge. Have you thought about all the costs you are going to have when it comes to your baby, outside of the nursery, diapers and clothing?

1. Health insurance
You should definitely get your health insurance in place before you get pregnancy so that you can make the most of your coverage. You will also want to make sure your coverage includes your prenatal, delivery, postnatal and new and well baby care. Know all the details of your plan. Research the deductible or co-payment that you will have to make at each visit and make sure you have your obstetrician or midwife listed as your primary caregiver, and interview pediatricians so that you’ll know who to list as your baby’s caregiver.

If you plan on delivering at home by a midwife, you will save the hospital costs, but you may have to rent some additional equipment in case an emergency arises. A home birth is normally not covered by insurance plans either.

Don’t forget to add your baby to your insurance policy after he born, or go to your state health department to see if you qualify for health insurance for your child. This plan will help you pay for all of the baby’s delivery and post-natal expenses as well as the numerous well-checks and immunizations required in the first year.

2. Get a will – or update your old one
If you already have a will update it to include your child and the name a guardian for your child and a trustee for her inheritance if something were to happen to you. If you don’t do this the court will name one for you and then divide up your assets according to state law. If you do not have a will create one as soon as you can in order to protect your baby’s rights.

3. Family leave
When you have a baby you will need to take time off from your job. If you are covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act you will receive up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave with continued health coverage. Also, the Federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act “prohibits an employer with at least 15 employees from reassigning you, forcing you to take leave, or refusing to hire you back because you are pregnant.”

For more information on this Act contact the US Department of Labor or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 800-669-4000. You can also contact your state’s labor department for information specific to your area.

4. Child care
Are you or your husband going to be able to stay home with your baby everyday? While this is ideal, it is sometimes not a possibility. The cost of child care is very high, around $150 per week, plus more including taxes if you have a sitter or nanny come to your home.

Look into job-sharing, reducing work hours or working from home for part of the week. Many times you will find that with the cost of child care, it makes more sense to just stay home with your baby, than to spend all your money letting someone else raise them during the day.

5. Taxes
Although your expenses will increase with the arrival of a new baby, your tax burden will decrease. Currently families get $1000 a year in a tax credit per child which helps their total tax amount in the long run. There are different exemptions and special circumstances that can get you more as well.

Having a baby can be very expensive, and so if you can find ways to cut corners, it’s worth doing. That’s where homemade baby wipes can be of great benefit. Not only do you save money, you can also be more confident what it is that you’re using on your baby’s precious skin. You can be reassured there’s nothing that might cause irritation.

Like baby wipes you purchase in a store, homemade baby wipes are portable and convenient. To make them, start with a roll of paper towels, such as Viva or Bounty. You will also need baby bath liquid, water, and a sturdy plastic container with a lid. I’m sure you can already see how you’re saving money – buying baby wipes costs from $3 to $5 a package. You’re paying for chemicals, fragrance, alcohol or other ingredients that dry the skin, and water. The ingredients listed for homemade baby wipes make two batches of wipes, so you’re only paying around 60 cent per package. Even better, you choose the baby bath liquid, and can therefore use organic or all natural if you wish to.

Firstly, choose a cylindrical plastic container, slightly bigger than a quart container. It needs to be tall enough to hold a roll of paper towels cut in half (so a bit bigger than a roll of toilet paper). Make sure the container’s lid fits tightly. Use a sharp blade to cut an “x” slit in middle of the lid.

Now, cut your roll of paper towel in half using a sharp knife. You will end up with two smaller rolls that look quite similar to rolls of toilet paper. Put one half of the paper towel roll into the container.

Grab a bowl, and mix together 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of the baby bath liquid. Pour this mixture into your homemade baby wipes container. Now you can go and make yourself a coffee, as you’ll need to wait about five minutes while the paper towels soak up the bath liquid mixture. Once the five minutes has passed, gently pull the cardboard core out of the middle of the paper towel roll. As you pull the core out, the innermost piece of paper towel should follow it up. Pull the piece of paper towel through the slit you cut in the container’s lid, and put the lid back on.

Now, when you’re ready to use a wipe, just pull the paper towel up through the lid of the container. The paper towel is perforated, so it will tear off easily at the perforation, leaving the next wipe poking through the lid, ready to use when you need it.

The container works well when you’re at home, but homemade baby wipes can also be used when you’re out and about. Pull out the number of baby wipes you’ll need and put them in a zip lock plastic bag. You can then just unzip the bag and take out a wipe when you need one, or you can cut a small hole in the bag to pull through one end of the first wipe, ready for use. In that case you may want to put the whole zip lock bag inside a plastic portable wipes box, both to stop them leaking and protect them from drying out in the air. Now you have portable homemade baby wipes!

Homemade baby wipes are very simple to make, cheap, convenient and much better for your baby’s skin – so make your own today!

About the Author:
Find heaps more great money saving baby ideas at Info About Baby You can sign up for a FREE Baby Tips newsletter at Baby Tips Newsletter. The author’s book about babies is available at Baby’s First Year.