A CraigsList Christmas

Money is tight, the Detroit economy is looking pretty grim and the family budget is downright squeaky. However, I just don't skimp on Christmas. We don't buy our children frivolous items all year long, they get what they need and as for what they want? Well, our oldest boys babysit. That's right, I raised darn good boy babysitters and they get plenty of work. And, the pay is so good from time to time I ponder the idea of dusting off my old babysitting certificate. Add that to their b-day cash from grandparents and family and that leaves them lots of green to burn on video games, ice cream treats and DVDs. We feel like they work hard to earn what they want all year long and come Christmas time, it's our turn to splurge.

So, how am I going to manage a nice Christmas without breaking the bank AND staying green? Craigslist, plain and simple. Last weekend we bought our 4-year old a new loft bed, as his toddler bed was much, much too small. We saved $1200 by buying a year old set, exactly the same as still sold at the furniture store today. This same mathematical equation can easily be applied to Christmas shopping. For example:

My boys own sports gear (expeeeensive sports gear) for all the sports they play competitively. Baseball, indoor baseball, track, cross country, basketball and so on. However, other sports they just dabble in (hockey, soccer & football) we just peruse Craigslist.

This winter they all want hockey skates to kick around in on our lake after the deep freeze that's rapidly approaching. Detroit really is "Hockey-town" with many young boys playing on hockey leagues wearing ridiculously expensive skates. Where do they off load these skates after a couple of months? Craigslist.

A pair of top quality, barely worn skates that retail for $160 can be easily found for only $30. I'm no math whiz, but that ratio certainly makes sense to me!

Now that I have the skates, I'm getting busy looking for used video games. Anyone have a couple of used Madden 09 video games they want to part with???

A Green Mom Goes to the Mall

I haven't been to the mall in ages. I can't even remember the last time I even thought I might want to go to the mall. This weekend I had to go to the mall to pick up a few items from Pottery Barn we needed at my office for a research project. While I was there I thought I would wander around as we had the remnants of Hurricane Ike in town on Sunday and our outdoor plans were cancelled. I need to replace my very worn out four-year-old black pants and skirt before a handful of business trips I have to take in October, so I figured the timing couldn't be better.

1. Pants are ridiculously expensive! Can anyone tell me when both JCrew and Banana Republic decided they could charge $128 for a single pair of pants? Don't worry, I didn't buy pants at either store. I succumbed to the Gap for a $54 pair.

2. Did you know Pottery Barn thinks they are green? They carry aluminum water bottles that look mysteriously like a SIGG knock-off, except for the whole "made in China" part. Throw in a couple of recycled material picture frames and a box of sustainable wood colored pencils ($24 for 24 pencils!) and Voila! The store is green! Or not... When I refused the copious paper wrapping for my single plate, single napkin ring and picture frame and then broke out my reusable tote, the saleswoman looked at me like I sprouted horns.

3. No one, and I mean NO ONE, at our local mall carries reusable totes. I'm pretty sure the sales staff at Banana Republic thought I stole something.

4. Did you know 80's fashion is totally back in style? Me neither and it's a good way to keep me out of the mall for a very, very long time. Yikes, totally junior high flash back!

5. Does everyone wear pajamas to the mall? Interesting... I saw more girls wearing pajama pants then the last time I went to a slumber party. Again, total junior high flashback!

6. If you don't have a Starbucks cup in your hand, you seriously stick out like a sore thumb.

Lesson learned. Two pairs of pants and $106 later I won't be going back to the mall anytime soon. I felt like a zoo exhibit someone let out of it's cage. It's funny, once you break the mall-habit it's very hard to go back...

To Do List - The Plastic Bag Habit

I want to be free of the plastic bag habit. But, it's hard. It's retraining my weak, retail brain-washed self to re-think what I am doing. For so long this suburban mom has jumped in the van, drove like a mad woman to the closest Target to park, run in and grab the 2 things the kids MUST have for tomorrow's school project, baseball game, sleepover - fill in the blank here for today's crisis - needs and get home with just enough time to make dinner.


First, I need to stop the habit of needing things, but more on that later. But, as a close second I need to retrain my brain to think about the plastic bags. Oh, sure, I think about my bags for groceries when I head to Trader Joe's, I think about my Baggu totes (more on them later too!) when I head to Target. My entire plan was foiled last week when I had to make one additional stop at the sporting goods store for new track shoes and shoe laces for one of the boys.



I walked out of there with a.plastic.bag. A PLASTIC bag. I was so upset at that bag, I mean I was pouting about one plastic bag. I did reuse the bag for a kid's lunch the next week (my habitual lunchbox-forgetter got this one!) but still, I think about the one bag. So, here is a tip, Baggu Bags. I bought the 6-pack around the holidays, and kindly gave two to my sister and two to my mother (not even sure if they are using them - ahem!) and kept two for myself. Apparently two is not enough. Now - these bags aren't your fancy "I am not a plastic bag" designer glorified purses. These great little guys come with a pouch and fold up neatly into a square and really do fit in your purse. So - you will use them! When I bought mine - it was solid colors only, which was fine, the peacock blue and fuchsia are gorgeous! But, now they come in stripes. Of course, I am participating in the crazy Crunchy Chicken's "Buy Nothing Challenge" so I am making do without some new ones, but for those of you without some yummy reusable totes that are actually affordable - Baggu is for you! Seriously - six bags are a whopping $38 total. If you buy the striped ones, let me know, I would love to see what they actually look like in person!