I love a good deal! (or I'm a cheapskate!)

I have never been one to (want to) pay full price for clothes. I think it comes partly from growing up in a blue collar family of 6 and partly from being super poor in college because I hadn't been very wise in my finances. I just don't like to spend money. And I have never been a huge fan of shopping (which definitely shows in my wardrobe). Anyhow, after Evie was born and I was staying a home with her, I decided to try garage sale shopping when they started the spring after she was born. I will tell you that Ankeny has some killer sales with nice clothes at really cheap prices (they have really overpriced ones too). It didn't take me long to be addicted to getting great deals! Every week I would plan ahead searching Craigslist for Ankeny garage sales, got my list all together with directions and a game plan then set out with my little passenger in search of great deals. It became my way of "creating" more money for us by not spending so much on her clothes. Truth be told, a lot of the time I became more attached to the 2nd hand clothes than to the brand new ones I did buy. I just don't see the point of buying brand new clothes that will either get ruined or she will only wear once. Even Evie got into the spirit of finding good deals and the summer after she turned 1 she started finding items that she wanted me to buy for her too :) There was a tiny baby she found for 10 cents and a pull behind fisher price puppy for 50 cents and then people started giving her things that she found to keep herself busy while I browsed because "she was so cute!" My husband used to joke that I should be a personal garage sale shopper for people because I found such great stuff :)

My most recent venture today was pretty small because it is getting to the end of the season but I did find a Gap down winter jacket for $5! And a pair of classic teva sandals for $1 and a couple other pieces for 50 cents each.

So we are pretty set for the next size. I have 2 tubs of 4t clothes from garage sales, plus the coat and a jean jacket and shoes (including some pink low top converse in perfect shape, a couple pairs of cloth mary janes, classic crocs and mary jane crocs). There are like 6 stacks of long sleeve shirts, then holiday shirts for Halloween/Christmas, jeans, colored corderoys, sweaters, sweatshirst, skirts and dresses, tights, knit pants. One of my favorites is an adorable purple sweater dress <3 hopefully I can get her to wear some dresses this year!

I also have a partial tub of 4T summer clothes (in the background) and I have to admit there are probably close to 10 swim suits in there... but at 50 cents a piece for new looking suits I had trouble turning them down :) Then I also have a tub full of 5T/6/xs stuff that was just too great of a deal and too cute to pass up! Seriously, old navy 5slim girlfriend jeans for 50 cents? Um, yes please!

This summer I have also had fun shopping for my sis-in-law who is due with her 3rd baby at the end of September (she has 2 boys already). After we found out it was a girl (yay!) I started keeping my eye out for good deals, because they live in Washington and we either have to take them with us when we go visit (hopefully) in October or ship them. Boy, did I find some good great deals! All this for less than $25! There are 3 jammies, 2 sleep sacks, 6 2 pc outfits, 2 4pc outfits, 8 pairs knit pants, 12 onsies, hooded zip up sweater, 6 shirts, 1 dress, insulated bib overalls, jeanskirt overall, pink polka dot sweater vest, a load of itty bitty socks, soft purple blanket, a few burp cloths, 2 or 3 pairs of jeans, 4 bibs, 4 tiny pairs of shoes, haba wood ring rattle, old navy black puffy vest (new looking for 50 cents!), camo columbia fleece pullover (also 50 cents) and some Cars jammies. The last 3 are for our nephews but for 1.25 total I couldn't resist! Now, the trick will be getting everything out to Washington! My mother in law is going out right before the sheduled c-section so I might try to send some with her if she has room. Then we are waiting to see if we can afford to go out but hoping to go late October. Paying for the 3rd ticket for Evie really adds up! But we wouldn't have to pay for a place to stay which helps ;)