Rock On!!

When the dirty diapers have been sitting in the pail for over a week (yeah, busy week + last minute trip to Nashville = neglected housework), I reach for nothing other than Rockin' Green Detergent. Don't let it's mild smell fool you. After just one wash, you wouldn't hesitate to rub your face in a sumo wrestler's underwear. This stuff is tough on dirt but gentle on the earth AND little bottoms.

I bought my first bag a month ago through Soap.com. Quick tangent: If you haven't used Soap.com yet, try it out next time you're sick at home in icky weather. No need to leave the house. Just make your order of medicine and tissues online and it will be delivered next day! To reach the $25 minimum for free shipping, throw in a bottle of your favorite shampoo you ran out of last week so you can stop using your kids watermelon scented suds. Yes, they take coupons. No, I won't be offended if you stop reading here to go shop there.

Anyway, since buying my first bag of Rockin' detergent, I've seen it at Cotton Babies (our local cloth diapering store) and now on Cool Mom Picks. I highly recommend it to all you cloth diapering moms out there but it's also great for every day use. Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Diaper Deal

Visit Baby Half Off for a great diaper deal. Today only, you can get an organic cotton fitted diaper with your choice of two adorable one size Wonderwraps (hook and loop only) for just $18, half off the original price!! The diapers and wraps are sold separately so this is also a great opportunity to grab just what you need at a deep discount. I'm thinking I might just grab a few more wraps for the fitted diapers I already have.

Happy Shopping!

Anyone need convincing??

If there is anyone out there who has considered cloth diapering but still needs a little convincing, take 5 minutes and read this article. It's got some alarming facts but will also suggest a specific cloth diapering choice that might work for you.

This article covers the many different options of diapering altogether and gives good tips no matter what you choose.

Diaper Wars explores the argument that cloth diapering is just as bad as using disposables because of the chemicals in soaps and wasted water. Dan likes to make fun of this theory by stating "If we are wasting so much water, why don't we start wearing disposable clothing and underwear? Let's just wear it one day and then throw it away!". My husband makes me laugh.

If you're still not convinced, consider THIS disposable diaper that has absolutely no negative effect on the environment (courtesy of SNL). I myself want to try the Corn Chowder flavor!

Deals by the yard

Life has been pretty busy since we got back from Seattle. So busy in fact that yard sales have been put on the back burner. Finally, Eli and I had a free Saturday morning. We set out to visit the yards of our neighbors in search of a good deal.

Here's what we got for a total of $16. Prepare to be shocked.

(sorry no pictures-i, shrink brain, lost my camera charger and the new one won't arrive until next week.)

$5-A bag of barely worn women's clothing. The bag includes 2 dresses, 3 skirts, 4 tops and a pair of pants. Brand names are Banana Republic, Anthropologie, GAP, The Limited and J Crew. I plan to share these with the Jensen girls.

$1-Linens: Two Queen sized white flat sheets (perfect for our upcoming home birth!), Large rectangular light gray table cloth with a beautiful white leaf design, two sets of linen napkins with red and gray stripes, and two kitchen towels.

$3-Baby clothes: 2 adorable sweater hoodies for Flannery, various newborn pieces for Lazarus and a waterproof windbreaker for Eli.

$7-gDiapers!! I don't even use this brand but I know people who do and also know what they are going for on craigslist. I got a brand new starter kit, size small including 10 gRefills (retails for $29.99). I also got 8 more barely used gDiapers with 20 trays size Medium in white and orange (retails for $16.99 each!).

I left the house with very low expectations but came home bragging. I couldn't believe the deals today! It was also my second time to score on cloth diapers. Last summer, I got 6 brand new Fuzzi Bunz diapers with inserts for less than $10. It just goes to show, it pays to look around, even if you've had a few disappointing Saturdays in a row. Keep getting out there!

One more tip-Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings are a great time to browse the Free section of craigslist. Many people are setting out garage sale leftovers and they often include pictures in their posts. Just search for neighborhoods near you and make time for a quick drive. You never know whats out there. It could be something you were looking for!

Diapers Diapers Diapers!

All you new moms out there-this one's for YOU!

As a newish mom myself, sometimes I feel like my life is literally all about diapers-changing them, washing them, folding them, on and on and on. It is part of my life, at least for now. Instead of letting it take over my bank account as well, I search the net for steals and deals.

I just recently stumbled across an amazing new site called clothdiapersale.com. The home page is constantly updated with sales and clearance deals on all sorts of diapers on tons of different web sites. Besides showing you all the deals, there are plenty of resources on this site including THIS advice for starting or growing your cloth diaper stash.

Another deal worth mentioning: Nickisdiapers.com is having a sale on 3.0 BumGenius One size pocket diapers, buy 5 get 1 FREE! That's 6 cloth diapers for less than $90 AND FREE SHIPPING!

Not interested in cloth diapering?? Although I feel sorry for you ;) I still have a deal you might be interested in. Use Promo code NEW5 while checking out at Diapers.com to save $5 on your first purchase. If you're already a member (or just want to give up the initial $5 savings which is what I did), use promo code MAND2903 and get $10 off your total purchase. If you spend more than $50, shipping is FREE. In case you do want to try cloth, both Fuzzi Bunz and Bum Genius are sold at diapers.com (among other brands).

I just bought 3 Fuzzi Bunz, 2 Kushies cloth training pants, and a box of newborn Swaddlers all for $70!! WOO HOO!!!

Happy Shopping!

Top story: Fuzzi Bunz!

I was excited to see that Fuzzi Bunz made the news a few years ago in D.C. Fuzzi Bunz makes one of the most popular cloth diaper out there. They are top quality and easy to use. Recently, they came out with the one size fits all diaper and I personally can't wait to get my hands on them! These are ideal for saving lots of money on diapers as they will fit a child until they are potty trained. Bought new, these diapers are $18 each, but after you've used it for years and possibly with multiple children, you will see the savings. For $18, you can get a pack of 50-70 diapers which will last you 2 weeks depending on your child. If you use 12 cloth diapers (at $18 a piece) for one child for one year, you will already be saving tons! As well, they are so popular, you can often find them on craigslist, gently used.

The clip below is about a family of 11 children including quadruplets. The parents use Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers and they save save save. Not only are they saving money, but they are keeping thousands of diapers from ending up in landfills. I have to admit, I've become more lazy with cloth diapers. Eli wears disposable diapers at night and usually on Sundays. He also will wear them 1-2 days in a row while I take my jolly sweet time doing laundry. This family has re-motivated me to get myself back in gear. If they can wash and diaper four infants at once, surely I can do this for Eli! It really doesn't take that much effort, just a small commitment.

**Right now, selected prints are on sale at nicki'sdiapers.com for $14 each!

In response to my last post, I have decided to give some links to great resources for cheaper ways to care for our families. Buy used, save your money and go on a date with your husband before baby comes!

My number one favorite: Craigslist!

There is one in or near every city! You no longer need new cribs or toddler beds, bedding, strollers, clothing, the list goes on. There are so many moms out there who bought it all new at Pottery Barn, used it for 6 months and are now selling it at very low cost. Take advantage of it!! For cribs and beds, buy the frames used and get new mattresses if you're uncomfortable with used ones. With clothing and bedding-ever heard of bleach or oxyclean? You'll be fine. Pick up old dressers, paint them, add new knobs and suddenly you have your own little treasures. Just make sure you aren't alone when buying or selling...just for safety.

Once Upon a Child

You can sell your old stuff/unused stuff and gain credit toward purchases in their store. They have a great selection of children's clothing from high end stores and the prices are only $1-$2 more than a thrift store. Their toys section is always filled the latest gadgets, if you're into that. But even if you aren't, it's nice to have toys for your little ones to play with while you shop ;)

Cloth Diaper Clearance

For all you cloth diapering mommies, this site has great prices! Some of the diapers are "seconds" but a lot of them are just an older style. I can't wait to order a few more diaper covers from this site.

Milkies

This might be a stretch for some of you, but for moms who go back to work and spend time pumping in their offices, you might want to try it! It's not necessarily going to save you money, but it will save you precious breast milk that is otherwise wasted and thrown away in a soaked breast pad.

Slickdeals

This is the site for deals of all kinds. People (like you and me) post about sales and coupons that can be used in stores and online for anything from clothing to electronics and movies. It's definitely worth looking over once a day.

Groupon

Like Slickdeals, Groupon is a great way to save while doing fun things with the family. You can become a member in your city and enjoy discounts for dinner or a dentist. It's different every day!

Three other ways to save:

Garage sales

Look in your local paper or on craigslist for listings of garage sales in your city. To keep from buying junk, carry a list in your purse of items you need. Summer is coming so be ready!!!

Thrift Stores

These are everywhere. I go to a certain thrift store for clothing and items for the home (dish ware, curtains/fabric, picture frames). Other thrift stores are great for furniture. With garage sales, keep a running list of things you need and might find at a thrift store.

SHARE!

Passing down baby gear and clothes is a great way to help a friend save. Things like bouncy seats and toys are sometimes only used for no more than 3 months!! If your little one is a bit ahead of his/her friend, pass it on for a while. Don't put it away for baby number two and let it collect dust. Sharing these temporarily used items can also bring us back into community with each other. The great thing about having kids near other families is benefiting from their purchases, and they can benefit from you, too!