I’ve always been thrifty when it comes to buying clothes. One hundred bucks for jeans? Outrageous in my book! Show me a bargain (say four pairs of jeans for $100) instead and I’m one happy shopper.
The baby got TONS of clothes at my baby showers, for which I am forever grateful. But after a recent quick inspection, I discovered she had a limited fall/winter wardrobe. While I may “ooo” and “ahh” over the adorable clothes I see at department stores, baby Gap and the like, I’m not about to drop $30 on a sweater she’ll wear – if I’m lucky – a handful of times. And since the clothing store gift cards from the showers are all spent, I ventured out to find Plan B.
The first time I heard about Once Upon a Child, I admittedly had my doubts about the quality of the clothing. A consignment store for children’s clothing seemed impossible, as I thought about the spit up, diaper blow outs and gallons of drool that surely would ruin all of the baby’s outfits. But I’ve learned they outgrow their clothes before you can turn around (see previous paragraph). Once Upon a Child is a dream come true for moms on a budget.
Admittedly, I was overwhelmed when I stepped foot in the store last week. Tall racks overflow – but are well organized by age – with everything from onesies and footed pajamas to pants, shirts and dresses.
But it doesn’t stop there. You can find most anything baby or child-related you’re looking for: toys, books, shoes, hair bows, strollers, playpens and so much more. Many items are more than half off the original prices, and everything else is very reasonably priced. And the store is constantly stocking the racks and shelves with new arrivals.
My mission was fall/winter clothes, but of course my eyes wandered to all of the other great, affordable items that I knew the baby would love. I left with two pairs of shoes, jeans, corduroy pants, three long-sleeved onesies and a toy…all for around $50.
Did I mention I can sell the baby’s gently used items to Once Upon a Child when she outgrows them? That means extra cash for more clothes or the never-ending expense…diapers!
