Using Craigslist, an Odenton mom picked up a stroller with the original tags on it for less than half the retail price. On the rack of one of her favorite consignment shops, a Catonsville mom found a barely worn coat for two dollars. And with a coupon, a Granite mother snagged an armful of games basically for free.
“It’s amazing how much you can save,” says Jody Herpin, an accountant and mother of two from Granite who is an expert at using coupons.
Some people are naturally more adept at finding the deals. They can find an old lamp at a flea market and turn it into a shabby-chic centerpiece. They always manage to grab a hot toy online — and at a discount.
Herpin and other bargain hunters say it helps to know a few tips, whether you’re bidding on eBay or haggling at a yard sale. These nuggets of advice are more valuable than ever, given these economic times. And if your kids are young, you may be spending a small fortunate on wardrobes they outgrow in a nano-second and toys they love one day and have no interest in the next.
Tip one: Read the fine print.
Herpin follows several blogs about matching coupons with store offers. Using store sales and coupons, price-match policies and manufacturers’ coupons, she’s gotten some amazing deals.
At Christmas using a store’s price match and a coupon, Herpin paid $25 for a collection of six Barbie dolls. Normally, they go for $15 each.
One of Herpin’s tricks to saving is to read the fine print. “Some stores, including Target, will accept their coupons and a manufacturer’s coupon on the same product,” says Herpin. “You can literally walk out with free stuff.”
She’s gotten games for $2, boxes of cereal for less than a $1 and medical supplies for free.
Careful reading can also save you from unexpected expenses. Those 99-cent toys and outfits on eBay, for example, can cost much more when you include shipping. (Some sellers offer free shipping.)
And store coupons often exclude certain designer brands or have limits on the amount you can buy.
The fine print can also occasionally save you big.
Herpin recently had a coupon for $5 off games such as Hungry Hippo. But by reading the fine print of the discount, she realized it didn’t specify whether the games were the travel or full-size version. On sale, the travel games were only $4.99. So, except for the sales tax, she paid nothing for 10 games.
Tip two: Think ahead.
Herpin didn’t immediately need the toys for her children. But, she says, they’re going to make great party favors for her son’s birthday party in November.
“It drives my husband a little crazy,” Herpin says, laughing. “But when the party comes, we’ll be glad I picked those up.”
In consignment shops, it’s especially important to anticipate your child’s next size and be thinking about the next season before it hits.
“Start early,” says Jeannine Wright, owner of Hopscotch, a consignment and gift shop in Timonium. “The best things go quickly.”
All bargain hunters say it pays to plan, whether it’s shopping end-of-the-season clearance racks or getting a jump on the inventory at a second-hand shop.
“There will always be a few birthday parties the kids will get invited to. So, when I find something at a good price, I’ll pick it up,” says Kelly Fox, a Catonsville mother of two. “I’m always thinking ahead.”
Even when she’s not looking for something in particular, she’s looking. “My mom used to say her car would automatically brake at the antique or junk shops. I’m that way now too. I just stop. You never know what you’ll find.”
Tip three: Stay organized.
Of course, you have to remember that you stocked up on Christmas wrapping paper when the holiday comes around again.
So, whether you make a list of the staples you have in the basement or find a closet to squirrel away future presents, experts say you need a system.
Herpin created her own filing system for coupons: a plastic bin about the size of a shoe box that fits perfectly in the seat of a shopping cart. She made her own dividers, based on what she buys for her family.
When Herpin’s family doesn’t need the item, she often donates her bargain treasures to charity. “I might not need 10 boxes of cornflakes, but I can take them to the food shelter,” she says.
Tip four: Be safe.
Although safety recalls crop up occasionally with new toys and gear, shoppers especially need to be diligent about what they buy used.
Blaney Spinelli, co-founder of consignment events called Wee Cycle, goes through the thousands of clothes and toys looking for stains and defects before they are sold at her convention-style gatherings.
She also inspects all cribs to make sure they haven’t been recalled and checks the dates on the bottoms of car-seats (which must be less than five years old to meet safety standards).
“You need to make sure you’re getting a safe product,” she says, adding that some shoppers will find access to the Internet via cell phones helpful in determining the status on the spot.
With Craigslist, where you’re buying from complete strangers, it’s also important to take safety precautions — both about how you pay, how you communicate with sellers and about where and when you make the transaction.
“I met someone once in the parking lot of (a pizza restaurant),” says Fox.
Fox and other bargain hunters have another warning: bargain hunting can become addictive. Whether it’s the competition of eBay bidding or the high of unearthing a treasure in someone else’s discards, it’s easy to become consumed.
“I enjoy the thrill,” Fox says. “I almost feed on it.”
Tips From The Pros
Consignment shops: Look for imperfections — and ask for additional discounts. Seek quality brands and classic toys and gear, such as blocks and strollers. Most stores also have semi-annual clearance sales to turn over inventory.
eBay: Watch out for shipping fees, which can range dramatically. Users can receive text messages about bids. There are also independent online companies that help shoppers make winning bids. Many items for sale also have “get it now” options, eliminating the bidding process altogether. Some of the best deals are on “lots,” or groupings of items, such as size of clothes or type of toy.
Craigslist: Factor in where the seller is located. You may be able to meet half-way. If possible, do your haggling via the computer — unless, of course, you spot a defect before you purchase the item.
Consignment events: Know ahead of time what forms of payments are accepted. Look for imperfections. By volunteering to staff the event, shoppers may be given early access to the event to scoop up the best deals. In the final hours of the event, many items are drastically reduced in price. Among the local offerings: www.wee-cyclemart.com, totswap.net and www.wee-sale.com.
Freecycle: When selling isn’t an option but you don’t want to fill the landfill with your unwanted toys or other items — particularly if they aren’t going to be welcomed by a charity — this is the venue for you. The left-over craft supplies from your last Martha Stewart delusion may quickly find a home.