By Tracy Repchuk, Special for USDR
Being a parent is an expensive endeavor, which is why as a mom with 3 kids, I needed a way to keep up with trends and styles when it comes to outfitting the family all while keeping within the budget. As a way to make it easy I put together the SAVE formula to help families get more for their dollar, and have fun doing it.
Shop on eBay & Craigslist first it only takes a few minutes
More than 69% of the population use ebay and craigslist so if you’re looking for that perfect bargain without even leaving your home eBay makes it easy to get what you want with the BUY NOW button, and Craigslist has more than 100 million postings per month so you can get a massive bargain right in your own neighbourhood.
What we do is when there is an item we are interested in, we check Craigslist and eBay for a comparison cost and either buy it from there or check the local stores as well. With the comparison at hand you may have some negotiating power at the stores with price match.
Apps exist for everything, so check before you buy
Apps were downloaded more than 13.4 billion in the last 3 month. One of our favorites is called ShopSavvy App you can simply scan an item and compare from online and local so if you’re not getting the best price, talk to someone to see if they will match it.
The other App we use is ShopKick. This is another free App that you can use to get points when you walk into stores. Macy’s, Target, Best Buy, hundreds of stores that you probably already shop at. Your point accumulate each time you visit, and you can turn these points in for merchandise and gift cards. We have earned hundreds of dollars each just by adding this step when we shop.
Values can be found everywhere, the fun is in the hunt
The Kardashians, Will and Jada Smith are showing that second hand shops are ‘in’ and vintage is trendy. Combine this with the fact Salvation Army and Goodwill are exceeding consumer expectations with brands such as H&M, Forever 21, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein on a regular basis now anyone can get outfitted for a fraction of the retail cost. Plus there are a ton of local specialized second hand shops you can search for online. It can be like a treasure hunt, and on average we get $200 worth of brand name clothes for about $45.
We are also in a generation of kids that are eco friendly, and planet conscious making recycling and second hand environmentally responsible which is part of the legacy they are building.
End your day with making money and selling the stuff you no longer need or give it to charity to make room for the new. Anything we don’t need that is brand name, or there is a possible demand for it we sell on Craigslist. My daughter has bundled her stuffed animals and gotten $100 for them. That is big money when you’re 13 years old, and it was stuff she was done playing with. We do it with clothing bundles that are all in great condition (ie. 10 T-shirts, 3 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shoes, 1 belt, 1 hat and a jacket – $25). The other thing we do is whatever won’t sell, we take to a local charity bin and keep the energy flowing.
The other part I love about this is you can make it a family affair. Once a month we go through our closets and see if there is a bundle we can create. The kids get our stuff, any household stuff of value, and take pictures, sell and keep the money for themselves. It’s a great way to teach earning, and entrepreneurialism at the same time.
Tracy Repchuk is an international bestselling author, speaker in over 35 countries, and trusted TV resource for internet, technology and social media.
She is an award winning entrepreneur since the age of 19 and a mom of 3 kids. To get more fast cash ideas go to: www.Just31Days.com get a copy of her #1 Amazon.com International Bestseller 31 Days to Millionaire Marketing Miracles
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