Top 5 Tips for Penny-Pinching Mamas

And you shall know it’s summer when your neighbour empties the crappy contents of his garage onto his lawn, and erects the cardboard sale sign. But don’t knock the garage sale till you’ve tried it. If you’re willing to forgo the Saturday morning sleep-in (a tough trade-off for any mom), there are bargains to be had, dusty jewels among the myriad junk. Your best bet: send daddy and darling for a little together time. But be sure to leave strict instructions. Last summer my husband earned bonus points when he came back with a jogging stroller (retailing at around $500) for $50.

I’m not too proud to admit I love second-hand clothes, always have. Second-hand everything, actually. As a teenager I would drag my saintly mother to a charity shop run by a couple of grannies. There, I would rifle through bell bottoms, butterfly collars, kilts, velvet pants, and stinky three-piece suits that belonged to someone’s dead uncle (oftentimes with a crumpled Kleenex or ticket stub still in the pocket!). Back then, I loved any kind of retro, however kitschy. Now I’m choosy about what I buy. I check out stores like Once Upon a Child and Value Village for good quality toys, clothes, DVDs, and books. Occasionally, I’ll even score a great pair of jeans for myself, too, Jacob, Hilfiger, Gap. And the world at large: none the wiser…