First Time Moms - You gals have to read this!

At some point all mothers are "First Time Moms" and with that title comes a lot of uncertainty, but one thing is for sure, we want the absolute best for our new baby!  I was there just three and a half years ago and I bought EVERYTHING new!  I just couldn't stomach the thought of putting something used on my little angel.  I went shopping like crazy and normally, I hate spending money, but I made sure that I had everything on that list I found (online of course) of all the items you will absolutely need once the baby arrives.  And it came without saying that it all had to match....the car seat, the stroller, the diaper bag, the mini diaper bag and the portable crib! 

Looking back, I wished I would have gone about it differently!

While some items I agree you should purchase new, such as car seats and bottles, other things such as clothing and bedding, you should look into getting second hand.  Here's why...

1. Babies grow fast!  Infants grow at such an alarming rate that you may not have enough time to get them into all of those cute outfits before they're on to the next size.  Some babies are even born too big to fit into newborn sizes (great! there goes that whole drawer of clothes!)  From running the trading post, I have seen so many newborn outfits come in that are brand stinking new, still on the original hangers and with the tags still on them!  Most moms say that even if you were to put a new outfit on your baby every 4 hours, you still won't be able to get through all the clothes you will accumulate for your first born.

Solution: Go crazy!  Buy all the cute outfits you want, but get them at the Trading Post.  Spend just a fraction of what you would at the mall and get it all.  That way, when your baby has outgrown them just as fast as we said they would, you won't feel sick knowing that you spend $40 on something that was only worn once!  You just take those clothes that you got such an incredible deal on back to the KCTP and trade them in for bigger ones!

2. You won't know until you know.  When I was a First Time Mom (FTM) I had no idea what I would need, so I "Googled" it!  I found list after list posted by the baby stores of must have items and I fell for it.  But the bottom line is you don't really know what you'll need until you need it. 
I bought a ton of these zipper pajamas because I thought I would need them.  I found out quick that I hated them because it was too difficult to change a diaper in the middle of the night with one of those blasted zipper pjs on!!!  So they never got used and that money went down the drain.

Solution:  Get a little bit of everything!  At the mall, a lot of the clothes are sold in packs, so you may be stuck with multiple items of something that doesn't make your life easier.  At the Trading Post, you can get a little something of everything.  Try it out, if it works great, come back and get more!  If not, no big deal, just bring it back and get something else. 

3. Babies are expensive!  There are things that I agree you should never buy used, such as diapers, food and car seats.  So why not save money where you can by spending less on clothing!  By getting all of your baby's clothes at the trading post, you will now be able to afford diapers and baby food without having to give up cable TV and your cell phone!  By saving where you can and where it makes sense, it will make the financial burden of a new family member less noticeable and result in a much happier home.

Solution: The Kids Clothing Trading Post has an amazing variety of infant clothing.  All of the items are in excellent condition and so very affordable.  I cannot stress to you how much money you'll be able to save if you just take advantage of the post!  My favorite thing new moms say when they shop at the post is "Urgh, I just paid full price for this at the store!!"  That's when I tell them, "I hope you saved the receipt and you can take it back!" 

So to all of my FTMs out there that are maybe just a wee bit curious on what the Kids Clothing Trading Post could offer you, just take a chance and come check it out.  If it's not for you, no worries there's no cost if you don't like it.  But I'm pretty sure that you'll find something that will tickle your fancy and you'll feel really good about saving money!

From one mom to another, this is a really good idea and I'm not just saying that because it's my idea! 
~Michele