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. 

Toy safety reminder

With Christmas just around the corner (yikes, time flies!), we might need to cut a few financial corners. And that's okay – don't let anyone make you feel like you must spend wads of cash! Do what's comfortable for your family and yourself.

If you are looking to save some money, remember to be safe in your toy shopping adventures. Just because it's on sale doesn't mean it's the "best" way to go. Maybe you'll come across an older, cheaper toy at a thrift store for less than $5. But if it's a choking hazard (or it's been recalled), ditch it. It's better to be safe than sorry, am I right? Saving a few dollars in this case isn't worth it.

I recently came across the Healthy Canadians website, which is run by the Government of Canada. If you're unsure about the safety of new and used toys, take a look at the site's resources on toy safety. And if you need more details about product recalls, here's a helpful link. Scroll to the bottom and you can organize recalls by year and category.