Cheaper Kids Stuff!

We all know that a baby can be a HUGE expense, and it's HARD especially if you weren't planning on that little bundle of joy as of yet... However there are some websites and stores that make it much less of a strain on your pocketbook to get all of the things that you need for your little one!

The websites that I frequent are:
http://www.kijiji.ca/ -you can find deals on EVERYTHING there!
http://www.babysteals.com/ -2 Deals A Day... 9am & 9pm, some really great stuff at over 50% off
http://www.onceuponachild.com/ -Kids clothes, toys, accessories. Also maternity stuff!
http://www.freecycle.org/ -You can find a LOT of stuff for free here, locally

I also go on http://www.facebook.com/ and search in groups for consignment stores in my area. So often I can find outfits, new with tags on them, for $5 or less! You can get used outfits that are perfectly good, no stains, rips or tears at all for around $2!

Another thing you can do to save money is go through coupons as they come in the mail, you can sign up for coupons to be delivered right to your mailbox, and you pick the ones that you will use...

http://www.save.ca/ is a great coupon website. You can search google for coupons in your area, there are tonnes!

If you have any money saving ideas let me know! We are always looking for ways to save a bit of money!

Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful

Even with the frightful weather outside, there are a lot of things that you can find to do with your kids in the comfort of your home. While it will very much depend on the ages of your children, here are some suggestions!

• Make a Fort
• Bake Snacks
• Finger Painting
• Hide and Go Seek
• Play Pretend
• Tag
• Coloring
• Paper Mache
• Take Pictures & Make A Collage
• Play Board Games
• Reading

 Even the youngest of kids love to help bake cookies... they can stir stuff in a bowl, pour stuff into the bowl, or even just watch. My son enjoys pretending the most... he'll have his own bowl and spoon and pretend to bake cookies while mommy really does. It's a real hit around our house. However, with mimicking everything, I have to do laundry when he's napping or in bed because he likes to "help" mommy do laundry, which results in double the work for me because he unfolds everything that I have just folded!

 His FAVORITE activity, however, is reading. He's 1.5 so he's at the age where he likes to mimic EVERYTHING so we've found that picture books are GREAT, we can point to things and say what they are, and he will repeat everything! It's a great way to learn and he has great fun doing it!

Hopefully these ideas help, or spark more ideas in your head, and if so I would LOVE to hear them! We're always looking for fun new activities to try!