You won't believe what I bought for $6.99...

Here's one thing I'm constantly amazed by as a parent: kids really do grow fast. And I mean fast!

My five-year-old daughter's shoe size went from size 8.5 to 10 practically overnight (ok, more like within a few months, but you know what I mean!). I'm proud she's so healthy and strong, but I'm also a little bummed by the extra costs in shoes.

And of course, she needed shoes during the "off season." For instance, we had to buy new winter boots last week, which happened to be the end of freakin' winter! So instead of paying full price for boots that would only be worn for a week, we went thrift shopping. 

Hello, Kid to Kid Mississauga – we bought a pair of kid's Cougar-branded boots for $10. And now that the weather is getting warmer, my daughter's going to need outdoor shoes for school. Luckily, we found these Skechers below for $6.99 (and the lights still work!). 

Skechers, size 10 for $6.99 from Kid to Kid Mississauga (and they still light up!)

Wanna know something sweet? We sold our old Snugli baby carrier, a few pairs of shoes and an old dress of my daughter's at Kid to Kid Mississauga; I got a $12 credit, so I used it towards the shoes and a few shirts. 

So really, I paid nothing for today's purchases!

Thrift Shopping Tips

If you really want to reap the rewards of thrift shopping. check out a few of my tips below: 

• Sign up for e-mailing lists for coupons, announcements on special sales, etc. 
• Join "clubs", like Value Village's Super Savers club card for better deals. 
• Find out what the thrift store's conditions are for selling items to the store and getting store credit in return. FYI: Kid to Kid Mississauga can be extremely picky in terms of buying used stuff and they do take awhile to scrutinize the condition of each item submitted (i.e. frays, treads on shoes, scuffs, etc). 

I have yet to purchase gently-used clothing through social media, but I'd love to know your thoughts and tips on this. Sound off in the comments section below. 

Your Guide to Buying Gently-Used Clothing And Toys For Babies and Kids in Mississauga

With the winter season quickly approaching, I wanted to compile a resource for buying gently-used baby and kid items in Mississauga, Ontario.

Babies and kids go through clothes and toys quickly; I figure why not purchase used items and save some money for Christmas gifts, am I right? Aside from social media connections, check out these worthwhile Mississauga resources:

Value Village
Referred to as "The Village" by my mommy friend, their Halloween section (with new costumes!) has the best prices from what I've seen locally. Clothes are usually decent quality, but what I also appreciate the most is the way items are organized by size and/or age.

Talize
I find the used clothing here a little dated, but depending on what you're looking for, they're slightly better quality compared to Value Village.


Kid to Kid Mississauga
Out of all the gently-used clothing places I've been to, this has THE best quality in used shoes. Prices are impressive, too! Bonus: if you sell your used items to the store, they'll give you cash or a store credit worth 20% more. (My advice? Take the store credit if you've still got kids. Think of it as "trading.")

Mom-to-Mom sales
Check out your community centre or parks and recreation guide for upcoming events; vendors consist of different local parents selling used clothes and toys. Sometimes these sales consist of an admission fee, but usually they go towards a great cause.

OutGROW OutPLAY sale events
Events happen twice a year; register as a consignor and OutGROW and OutPLAY will sell your old clothes (plus toys and baby equipment) for you. Or, hey, just shop around. Also, when you volunteer your time at an event, you can get up to 80% off your purchase.

Did I miss any other Mississauga stores or events? Let me know if I did; just leave your comments below, thanks!