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By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains
A couple of years ago during the Los Angeles fall fire season I had to decide which of my belongings to pile in my car when I evacuated. The items I left might be burned to a crisp. The stuff I could take with me was limited and therefore HAD to be my favorites.
One of the things I grabbed was my Klutz book
What are Klutz books? They are THE standard in hands-on learning for everything from crafts to science.
Over 33 years ago, three college buddies stood a sidewalk corner and began selling juggling lessons. This turned into the very successful how-to book “Juggling for the Complete Klutz,” which now comes with instructions and juggling balls. People liked it. I mean, they REALLY liked it. These three guys must be making a fortune.
My first Klutz book was the polymer clay book. I bought it used because I didn’t need the clay that the new version comes with. I needed the instructions. I pulled the book apart, put the individual pages into a ring binder, and used it to teach hundreds of students how to work with oven hardened clay.
Then I discovered that many people sell their Klutz books once they have used up the supplies that come with the book. The supplies are good, but the best part is the instructions. So began my pursuit of used Klutz books.
The books are almost always bound with white wire spiral, which makes it simple to find them at a yard or book sale. I just reach in, grab that binding and if I am lucky, there is a fabulous Klutz book in my hands. Instead of paying $10 to $24, I pay a buck. Yipee skipee! Yard sale score!
I have Klutz books on face painting, costumes, table top football, nail art, trick photography, magic, science, car games and more. My latest Klutz acquisition is the “Klutz Book of Animation”
The next book I really want to get is the Superhero Starter Kit
Related posts:
Free movie tickets for kids and families this summer
Free fries at Jack in the Box – today only! The fast food chain is trying to spread the word about its new fried potatoes.
Get a free sample of Aveeno Nourish shampoo and conditioner. You get to choose from one of four types.
Get $5 off Haggar pants at Sears when you donate a gently used pair as part of an Earth Day “pantcycling” program to benefit charity.
Get 25% off your next pair of heels or sandals with this Shoes.com coupon code.
Get a free sample of fizzy bath tablets to make getting cleaner fun for kids!
Going shopping this weekend? Use this Filene’s Basement coupon and get 20% off.
Or head to the mall and use this Banana Republic coupon for 25% off.
Right now the Entertainment Book is $15 plus you get free shipping. Not bad for hundreds of BOGO free and 50% off coupons.
Bizarre. Here is a free sample of a high-tech disposable toothpick that eliminates the need for floss.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
I don’t have kids and I’m excited about a new site I just learned about called ConsignmentMommies.com, which lists kids consignment sales across the country. The site capitalizes on a newish trend – people buying and selling gently used kids clothing, toys, and gear at massive sales that resemble garage sales on steriods. There are 544 sales listed already.
You can search for sales within 5-100 miles of a particular zip code. A search in my hood resulted in two sales I already knew about and four new ones. Now if only I had kids!
You can post a sale on the site and review sales you’ve been to – all for free. Business listings are for a fee, however. A mother-daughter team launched the site in 2009 and they are still adding features, like a page listing all sales by state.
ConsignmentMommies.com also has a blog with helpful tips. One recent post shared pricing guidelines for maternity and kids clothing:
• Tee shirt $1-2
• Casual Top $3-4
• Dress Top $5
• Jeans $5
• Jean Shorts $2-5
• Shorts $1-4
• Pants $1-4
• Dress pants $3-6
• Casual Dress $3-5
• Dress $5-8
• Suit $10-$15
• Swim Suit $5-10
These sound like great prices to me! One parent I interviewed years ago said she made enough money selling her kid’s old gear, clothing, and toys, to buy what they needed for the next growth spurt. I hope this site helps you find a sale with great prices near you.
This post is sponsored by FreeFreebies.org, where you can score the latest free product samples and get them delivered to your inbox.
Buy two boxes of 92-plus count of diapers at Babies R Us or Toys R Us and get a $15 gift card to these stores. Valid Saturday Oct. 10 to Monday Oct. 12, 2009. In store only. Print the coupon here.
Caveats: the gift card must be used on your next purchase. Not valid online.
I am out of touch with diaper prices. How much does a 92-count pack cost?
Thanks for the tip, Shasta!
Now that summer’s over swimuits and sun gear are on sale, including protective swim tops, shorts and hats from Gruvywear. Get 40 percent off with code SS09. Unclear when it expires.
Gruvywear carries sizes for babies, kids and adults. This is a modest swim option that protects your skin!
Now is also a good time to check out the clearance racks at department stores for super discounted swim suits.
Thanks, Tori!
Not to be outdone by Bank of America’s museum freebies, Target is sponsoring dozens of free and discounted events at museums across 17 states, including AZ, CA, CO, D.C., FL, IL, IN, MA, MI, MN, MO, NY, NC, OH, PA, TX, and WA. Check out the list here.
For a snazzy list of Target freebie programs in Los Angeles, check out this page.
Thanks, Karin!
What is an appropriate gift for your child’s teacher at the end of the year? How much should you spend on a teacher? Here are six gift ideas and a poll.
1. Buy a group gift card with other parents to one store like Target, a department store, mall, or another multi-purpose retailer that gives the teacher options for how to spend it. Each parent can contribute as much as they like.
2. Buy them flowers that they can toss later. The teacher will enjoy them and not worry about accumulating more stuff.
3. Have parents email photos of each child and put them into a photo book (Snapfish and MyPublisher are two options and both often have coupon codes).
4. Give cash. Stuff the bills into a card, of course.
5. Have your child write a note about what they appreciate about the teacher. If other students can contribute, great!
6. Create a gift basket themed around the teacher’s hobby or upcoming event. If you know the teacher is moving into a new home, collect items s/he will find useful in the move. If the teacher loves to garden…you get the idea.
Loading ...Thanks, Kim and Karen!
I spent the weekend in Portland visiting family and discovered a fabulous way to make a wallet. Very hip and green! You take a half gallon juice or milk carton, cut it up, fold it just so, and voila! A pocket-sized change purse or wallet. My niece Ellie is pictured holding one she made herself.
To make one of these wallets you need:
- Half gallon milk or juice carton with plastic cap
- Scissors
- Wallet Template
- Pen
- Ruler
- Butter knife (to make the folds)
Below is a picture of an open juice carton wallet.
For step by step directions with pictures AND a how-to video, visit this FamilyFun page. The whole project takes less than an hour.
A reader named Ellie left a great comment this week that showed how you can turn something simple – a patch of water – into a very cheap, very entertaining afternoon for kids. And you can do it almost anywhere there is a public stream!
There’s wonderful park in Hollywood where I used to take my kids (moons ago!). It’s on the north side of Los Feliz, not too far east of Western Ave. Can’t recall the name of the park. There’s a creek that runs through the park, which sometimes has crawdads and other creatures in it. There are picnic tables and benches, and it’s shady, which is great on really hot days.
We used to give the kids tiny bit of hot dogs attached to strings so they could troll the waters for some kind of “catch.” They never caught anything, but were always ready to try, and loved playing in the park.
I bet my nephews would love to “go fishing” at a stream near their house. And my sister would certainly appreciate a few hours off!
Related:
Frugal activities for kids this summer
Free family movies this summer
Summer camp alternatives to save money
A site I contribute to called Toddler Magazine is giving away a 7-night stay for four people at an all-inclusive Club Med resort on Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. The prize does not include airfare. Sign up for the contest here.
You can enter everyday if you like. The contest ends August 1, 2009.
This contest certainly dwarfs the $25 gift cards to Trader Joe’s or Target that I am giving away! Luckily, you can sign up for both. Win my contest and you can purchase a new swim suit to wear at Club Med if you win on Toddler!
Speaking of stuff for your kids to do this summer, Regal Theaters is once again offer free movies for kids and parents. Each week for 9 weeks starting in late June, select Regal theaters show G- and PG-rated movies on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Seats are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tickets are only available at select theaters’ box office on the day of the show. The line up includes Charlotte’s Web, Kung Fu Panda, Horton Hears a Who and more.
For listings of participating theaters by state, a movie calender and details, check out this Regal page.
Thanks, BrokeSocialite!
My ridiculously over-taxed sister always has time to share a great idea for Bargainbabe.com, which makes me very grateful for her. Here is one of her recent gems:
“Here’s an idea – how to get a pet on the cheap through adoption agencies. Sometimes they will even agree to pay the vet bills (as our rat adoption agency did.)”
First of all, fab idea sis. Second of all, rats have vet bills?! And there are agencies that tend to their adoption??? Ha! Not that I have anything against rats. I had many rat-pets growing up, including one that built a home-away-from-home in our upright piano. But that’s another story.
To find out if adopting a pet through an agency is a good deal (and a good deed) I emailed Betsy Rosenfeld, author of The Complete Singles Guide to Being a Dog Owner. Here’s what she said:
I wouldn’t say rescuing from an agency is a cheap way to get a pet, but rather it’s a safer, more predictable and budget-friendly way to get a pet because reputable agencies take responsibility for the pets they adopt out. They have paid for the shots, spay neuter and medical problems the dog came with and many rescuers will help you through the sometimes expensive process of integrating your dog into your new home. Moreover many rescues will know a dog’s behaviors so they can help you avoid common, sometimes expensive problems.
So, even if the adoption fee from an agency is more than you would pay at the shelter, it’s a safer bet.
Then when you compare rescuing a dog to buying a dog, yes of course it’s a savings. However realize that the trade-off is that rescuers will ask questions and ask for home checks. They want to make sure the dog is going to a good home where whatever brought them into rescue in the first place won’t happen again.
It’s also important to know that when you buy a dog from a breeder or god forbid a pet store or online (which you should never do because they are most likely puppy mill dogs) even after you’ve already spent all that money there is no guarantee that dog will be healthy either. Breeders and particularly pet stores and online dog stores are notorious for walking away from unwell dogs, and leaving new dog owners to care for their sick puppies.
Per your sister’s situation, many rescues will subsidize a new dog owner who may be a dedicated dog owner, but who couldn’t otherwise afford a dog’s prescription or even a procedure. Rescues can pay hundreds of dollars a month to board their dogs until they find homes. It would be better to find a loving owner and help with a 40 dollar a month prescription than let the dog waste away in a boarding facility.
So yes rescuing a dog from an agency and remember many have purebreds as well – I just rescued a very sought after Labrador from a rescue – is both a cost conscious and good-karma way of bringing home a dog.
I don’t have kids but I do know that a lot of families are looking for cheap ways to keep their children occupied this summer. Here are a few suggestions:
Form a co-op
Take turns babysitting with another parent. This has worked well for a reader named Carrie, who writes NaturalMomsTalkRadio.com. “We’re doing a babysitting co-op – 3 days a week we take care of each other’s children for several hours so we can get work done,” Carrie said.
Host an au pair
If you have room, host a foreigner who provides childcare and light housework in exchange for room and board. There are many organizations that connect au pairs with families, including Cultural Care, AuPair.com, International Au Pair Association, and Au Pair in America.
Enroll in a Parks and Recreation program
Most large cities have low-cost activities for kids. In LA, the Parks and Rec department has more than a dozen programs. Reader Salima said she enrolled her boys for Palms Child Care in Los Angeles, which charges $130 for 15 hours of care per week, or about $180 for 35 hours a week. Search online for programs at your city’s parks and rec department.
Sign up for vacation bible school
A reader named Lisa said vacation bible school is a “cheap alternative to day camps – gets the kids out of the house for a few hours (and gives me time to work too since I work p/t from home). The best part about VBS is that it’s so inexpensive – most churches only charge $40-$75 a week and put on an entire week of fun all tied back to good old-fashioned values.” To find a VBS near you, Google “vacation bible school + 91367″ or whatever your zip code may be.
Rely on friends and family
A reader named Chris taps “every available family/friend resource we have and set a schedule that usually has the kids visiting different family/friends once a week. We also change our work schedule, opting to work on Saturdays (when my mother is available to watch the kids) then having a different day (such as Friday) off with the kids. I also am able to work from home one of the days, which really helps when this option is available.”
Hire a student
Post a note on the job board at your local university or college. Many students who stay in town for the summer need work. Students can be cheaper than commercial childcare centers, while still providing quality care. If possible, share a student nanny with another family and really cut your spending.
Ask for a lower rate at your regular day care
Your go-to source of childcare would probably prefer to cut you a small discount than lose you all together. Call and ask if they have any flexibility with the pricing. Explain your situation and ask them to work with you.
Check for public school programs
In Las Vegas a program called Safe Key is very popular, says reader Charlene, who runs MaxBizMom.com. It is a basic day care program run by the local school district in conjunction with the parks and rec department. “It really has been a godsend,” Charlene said. Safe Key charges about $75 per week with care from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. each weekday.
Enroll in low-cost day camp
While traditional day care can be pricey, there are cheap alternatives. Call around and compare rates.
Baby and kids gear is on sale at the Santa Clarita Valley Kids Consignment sale this weekend from April 24 to 26. Some 250 families are selling 30,000 items, including clothes, toys, shoes, outdoor items, books, videos, bikes, maternity clothes, baby gear and equipment.
Buying used clothes is a great way to save money and is also earth-friendly.
Hours are Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Most items are 50% off Sunday.
The sale is located at 24911 Avenue Stanford in Valencia.
If you are looking for gently used clothing, toys, and gear for babies or kids, check out the LA Kids Consignment sale, which starts today and ends Sunday. I called it a “garage sale on steroids” when I wrote about it more than a year ago and the sale has only grown since.
Kristin Nelson, who runs the sale, is incredibly well organized and picky. Which means the sale is incredibly organized and only the best stuff gets accepted for sale from her army of consignors.
Getting in is free but expect big lines on the weekend. Friday and Saturday sale hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, when most items are 50% off, the hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The sale is at City-Art, 7733 Hayvenhurst Ave. in Van Nuys.
