Consign on!

I just returned from the MOMS Club consignment pre-sale, and I can honestly report there is something for everyone. Clothes racks are full but not so tight you can't sift through them quickly. There are plenty of items for new moms: strollers, bouncers, exersaucers, swings, gymini mats, etc. There are lots of ride-ons, bedding items, shoes of all sizes, and baby carriers. If you're looking for a costume or swimsuit for a child under three, there are numerous choices. Though I didn't peruse the maternity clothes, there was lots to choose from. What seemed most plentiful to me were the long line of toys. We had so many this year that another row was set up. From infant to preschool, from computer games to books, from Thomas to Tinkerbell, it's there.

I spent $43, with each piece averaging just over $2. Good stuff!

So check it out:

Saturday, April 10

8am - noon; half price: 1-3pm

Knoxville Christian Center

818 Cedar Bluff Road

Goldilocks of Consignment Sales-now with video!

It's almost here. The sale you've been waiting for. The one that's not too big and not too small--the Goldilocks of Consignment Sales! This Saturday, April 10 is the children's consignment sale sponsored by the Farragut and Northwest Knoxville chapters of MOMS Club, a supportive network for stay-at-home and part-time working mothers. Why am I so passionate about this one? Full disclaimer: I'm a member of MOMS Club and I'll be consigning a car full.

I've been an avid buyer at consignment sales since we moved here five years ago. I was enamored by the organization, the presentation, and most of all the deals. This was way better than garage sales. I've since learned there is a wide gamut of consignment sales: some so big, you can't find the end of the line and some more like boutiques with pricey goods.

I'm pleased MOMS Club is comfortably in the middle. More than 50 consignors are expected to bring over 10,000 items to sell, and the space is large enough to accommodate all the shoppers. It will be busy, but it shouldn't be crazy. And since we're all savvy, sensible moms who know a good deal when we see it, we don't want to waste our time selling anything else.

You know my favorite aspect of consignment sales is the "everybody wins" component. Sellers get to clear out clothes and toys they no longer need and make some dough. Buyers typically get items for 70-80% off retail and get good quality stuff--the clothes and toys that really hold up. Sales in churches are usually donating a portion of the proceeds to good causes--15% of ours will benefit local charities. What doesn't sell is donated--Catholic Ministries in our case. And the environment is probably the biggest winner of all since all of these items are getting a second chance. What's not to love?!

I've been looking forward to this since I reorganized the playroom in January. However, I'm just now learning firsthand that consignment sales are a LOT of work: sorting, cleaning, finding batteries. There are strict guidelines for how to fill out the tags, what type of hangers to use and which direction clothes must be hung. Then there's the decisions of how to price each item. I think about what I'd be willing to pay and how badly I want it out of Brooke's closet. Do I really want to haul that exersaucer back home? Please, someone buy my exersaucer!!

Well I guess I should stop procrastinating and get back to tagging. I'd love to meet you Saturday morning if you're an early bird. Hopefully I'll get to run the calculator at check-out. FYI: For the first 100 shoppers to check out, we have special coupons from many of our home based businesses, including my video services.

The regular sale is 8am to noon and the half price sale is 1-3pm. The location is the Knoxville Christian Center, 818 Cedar Bluff Road. Here is the website for the Northwest chapter. For more info: momsclubconsignmentsale@yahoo.com. Happy shopping!

FREE & Local Spices

This week is a pretty slow week in terms of freebies. I'm not even doing my Couponing for Charity because of the scarcity of deals. However, I was happy to score a nice freebie at Kroger today: McCormick Grill Mates. They're on sale this week, 10/$10 and I had 4 $1 coupons. There was a $1/1 coupon in the 3/14 paper (I had two) and you can print 2 $1/1 coupons here.

The McCormick Grill Mates come in all sorts of flavors. I picked up Lemon Pepper, Smokehouse Maple, Mesquite, and Montreal Chicken. I'm always wary of spice blends with salt as the first or second ingredient, and yes, these fall into that category. I use them sparingly to avoid excessive sodium intake.

Though it's hard to compete with free, I'm also passionate about supporting local businesses and farmers. I recently learned that a friend of mine is involved in a family business based here in Knoxville that sells a series of spices called Big Kahuna Gourmet Blends. They've been at it for over 40 years; so they've perfected their art. We used it as a rub on steaks last night, and it was delicious. I hear they can be found at Food City.

What's your best find this week?

Spring into Energy Savings

I hope you've had a chance to get outside at some point the last few days because the weather has been absolutely gorgeous. This weather is also the ideal time to save on your energy costs. We've challenged ourselves not to turn on any heat or AC during the month of April and hopefully part of May, and I promise we will be comfortable.

We learned a thing or two about cooling our home naturally living in Northern California. We had no AC but we didn't need it. Their weather is similar to Knoxville's right now about 8 months of the year: warm during the day but cool at night. When there's a 30 degree swing in temperatures that range from 55 to 85, here's how we avoid energy use.

First of all, we turn our programmable thermostat OFF. Once the sun is down and the temperature feels brisk, we open a few windows--preferably two that can create some cross ventilation through our house. We do this on the main floor and top floor but not the basement; it stays cool on its own. We close all windows on the ground level before we go to bed but keep ones on the top floor cracked throughout the night. We also run ceiling fans in all the bedrooms to circulate air.

In the morning the house feels a little cool but not cold. We then close all the windows by 8 or 9am and pull blinds on windows that get direct mid-day sun (south side). Our house stays comfortable for most of the day--maybe slightly warm by 4pm. We spend most of our time in the cool basement or outside. When it's Brooke's nap time, I just turn on a ceiling fan. And if the temps dip a bit one day, we'll just add a layer of clothes. No biggie.

While you're saving energy costs in your home, try doing the same in your car. Rather than turn on the AC, crack two windows to create a breeze. It feels better and saves you gas.

So give it a try: fresh air, lower bills, and a positive step for the environment.

Couponing for Charity: 4/4 - 4/11

I've had so much fun getting freebies and even "making money" for charity the past three weeks, that I was highly disappointed about the prospects this week. Honestly, I'll be skipping Walgreens, CVS, and Target this week and making my Kroger list as slim as possible to stay on budget in this "five week month." So I will be getting NO goods for charity this week, but if you feel inspired, here are some suggestions from the pros.

Southern Savers seems more impressed with CVS this week if you want to pick just one store. She lays out how to get free gum, multi-purpose solution, and Colgate Total toothpaste. You can also get Dawn for just $.46 and perhaps some deals on Scotch tape.

Here are Southern Saver's match-ups for Walgreens. If you bought three papers today (or managed to score a few extra inserts from a recycling bin--I can neither confirm nor deny that I support such activities), you could get three Oral B toothbrushes for free. They also have a deal on Kotex and Dawn for $.49.

Coupon Katie lays out how the Double Coupon Days at K-Mart work this week. She notes several freebies like deodorant, dental floss, kitchen cleaners, odor eliminators, and bar b que sauce. From comments posted about K-Mart, that place sounds like too much work to me and there are always problems when you're trying to work the deals. I'll pass.

Kroger has a few sales but nothing free that I could see.

So what's your plan this week?

Baby Steals on Baby Carriers

Have you heard of the company Baby Steals? (Note: I have no affiliation with this company or any of the other products in this post.) No one is stealing babies, but it is a clever business model. Each day they pick 1-3 items to sell--that's it. You can only buy the item of the day that day until they're gone (which apparently is quickly). You snooze, you lose. You can sign up for daily emails, but often they're gone before I receive my email. The past few weeks they've had nursing camisoles, cute hats for girls, UV protected bathing suits for kids, and grocery cart protectors for toddlers. All goods are usually 50-80% off retail.

The company first caught my attention when Organic Deals and Coupons posted that Ergo carriers were $70.50 (45% off!). Let me tell you: that is a fantastic deal! Tara, if you're still reading, I wish I had seen it earlier in the day, but I was one who snoozed that day. Tara (another mother of three) and I struck up a conversation in Kroger about my Ergo, in which Brooke was currently riding. We talked about how expensive they are but how great they are and how we wish we had made the investment with the first kid.

I had mentioned that I got lucky when I bought my Ergo. I had searched Ebay for awhile but never found any great deals (maybe $10-$15 off for used carriers--not worth it). But rather than pay full-price ($105-$135) for a new one, I googled, "Ergo carrier AND discount code" or "promo code"--one of the two. That day there was a company selling it for $85 and a special code gave me free shipping. That was the rock bottom price for an Ergo I'd found until I saw the Babysteals deal.

Though I don't need another one, if I saw that deal again, I might just snatch one as a super special baby gift. It truly is the best carrier you'll ever own. I've carried Brooke in numerous stores, on hikes, playing hide & seek with the boys, and maneuvering the streets of New York City. No self-respecting city mom goes without it--right Andrea?

I'm a big believer in baby wearing, and for infants, my favorite sling is The New Native. It's simple, compact, and doesn't cost much. If you'd like to get some tips about baby wearing in general, this is a good site. And for various promo codes on lots of baby gear, go here. So though I can't help anyone with a great Ergo deal today, I would recommend you check out babysteals.com. You never know what great deal awaits you!

Turning Teachers Green

A few weeks ago, I posted my observations of recycling (or lack thereof) in my son's school. There was no recycling in the lunchroom and all food was served on styrofoam trays. Rather than just complain from the comfort of my soapbox, I decided to do some research. I'm happy to report there is hope for our school and any other school that's motivated.

First of all, I learned there is recycling on some level at the school (which is also a church). Each classroom has a bin where teachers collect all of the major recyclable items (paper, plastic, aluminum, etc.) and then they're sorted later into the large recycling bin on campus. That's great! We're half-way there already!

However, the biggest opportunity for recycling is going straight to trash because they've found it "impractical in the lunchroom." I'm working to get to the bottom of this and hopefully will find a "practical" solution. Stay tuned.

In my research, I was delighted to learn that Ijams Nature Center sponsors Ijams Recycles, a program where four AmeriCorps volunteers work with schools, organizations, and businesses to take small steps to be greener. Go here to download all their services. I sat down with one of those volunteers, Meredith Hess, and she energized me with some solutions (many simple and no cost) that I can offer our school.

First of all, I'm hoping our school will be open to an on-site waste audit; that would be a huge eye opener. Meredith also has suggestions for biodegradable trays that might be even cheaper than the scourge of the earth we're using now--styrofoam. I'd like to prove that recycling is not only the right thing to do for the environment but for our bottom line as well. Sacred Heart Cathedral School saved 40% in trash costs after starting recycling and went from 5 to 2 pick-ups a week. Well done!

As soon as spring break is over, I'm hoping to generate some enthusiasm for several earth friendly activities during April (earth month of course). Surely the librarian and art teacher will be open to letting Ijams present a few crafts and programs like "Landfill in a Jug" or "Magic Recycling Bag." Another simple idea is letting teachers pick one hour to have class "in the dark." I'm thinking snack time for kindergartners would be perfect.

I'm also going to suggest two of our teachers apply for one of the 2010 Energy Camps. They'll receive meals, accommodations, and a $500 grant for energy education activities, but they must apply by April 16. I know we ask a lot of our teachers, but consider doing this for your school. If you know a teacher who has a passion for sustainability or energy conservation, they might really enjoy this.

I encourage you to utilize both programs to help your schools. And if your school is already doing a good job, please share it in comments. And you moms in Pennsylvania, here's your chance to weigh in. How do your schools compare? I want ideas!