$25 off Gymboree Through Pampers Gifts To Grow

Do you have a Pampers Gifts to Grow account? If so, you can take advantage of the current sale they are having now through 9/23 on a Gymboree gift card for $25 off a $100 purchase. These normally run 1500 points, but they are on sale now for 800 points.

I wouldn't recommend buying $100 in new Gymboree merchandise, but if you combine this with a Gymboree sale and clearance prices, you could have a sweet deal.

Gymboree's Circle of Friends Sale Starts Today

Now through Sunday, shop Gymboree and get 30% off your purchases. Use the code GYMFAMILY or print this off for in-store purchases. This can be a good deal IF you find clothes you need on clearance; it would be a good time to shop for next summer.

Make Money Selling Your Kids' Clothes on Ebay, Part 2

This is the second in a two part series about selling your kids' clothes on eBay. For the first part, go here.

When you sell your kids' clothes, there are several ways you can maximize your earnings:

Presentation
-Make sure all of the clothes are clean and wrinkle free.

-Carefully look them over to find any stains or tears. When writing up the auction, make sure to clearly state what defects are in the clothing and take a picture of those defects.

-Take pictures in good light so buyers can see the clothing in detail

-Outfits almost always sell better than individual pieces of clothing

-When listing your clothes, try to have several available in the same size. Let’s say you have two daughters; the oldest one has outgrown her size 8 clothes, the youngest her size 6 clothes. Rather than listing them as you can, focus on one daughter’s clothing first. Create auctions or fixed price listings for all of your daughter’s size 8 clothes first and then move on to the size 6 or vice versa. If someone likes some of your items in size 8, they are likely to look at the rest of the auctions and see if you have more things to sell in that size that they would like to buy. Why? Because the buyer almost always pays less in shipping this way.

Shipping
-Offer shipping discounts. For example, state in your listing that each additional item is only $2 to be shipped. If a person buys one item from you and pays $3.50 in shipping, only charge them $2 more for the next item they buy. So, if they buy two items from you and they are shipped together, instead of paying $7 ($3.50 for each listing they buy), they will only pay $5.50 in shipping. The more they buy the better bargain it is for them with shipping. This encourages a buyer to purchase more than one item from you.

-Let the buyer know the maximum they will pay for shipping. To ship a priority large size flat rate box in the US, shipping is $13.95. You can let the buyer know that is the maximum they will pay for shipping. So, if they buy 5 outfits from you, as long as they all fit in a large flat rate box, they will only have to pay $13.95.

-Give a reasonable shipping cost. List what the shipping cost actually is. A shirt might cost $2.85 to ship first class; don’t give a shipping price of $5.00. You will lose many potential bidders who do not want to pay inflated shipping costs.

Pay attention to end times
-If you live on the east coast and have your auction end at 8 p.m. in your time zone, it will only be 5 p.m. on the west coast; you could potentially miss out on many bidders. Try to end your auctions so it is at least 7 p.m. on the west coast and 11 p.m. on the east coast.

-There is a way to have all of your auctions end at the same time. If you are going to list with the auction format, I do not recommend this. Some people like to bid on multiple items and they wait until there is about 30 seconds left in the auction to place their bid. This is called sniping (sp.), and a buyer can’t do it if all of your auctions end at the same time. Spread out your auction ending times, if only buy a few minutes.

And there you have it, a quick tutorial on selling your kids’ clothes on eBay. If you have any more questions, please leave me a comment or e-mail me privately.

Make Money Selling Your Kids' Clothes on Ebay - Part 1

Have your children outgrown their school clothes from last year? If so, instead of having a garage sale, consider selling them on eBay. Depending on the brand of clothing, you could make much more money this way.

The Selling Season
July through September are the optimal selling time for fall clothing because parents are gearing up for their children going back to school. They are looking for high quality used outfits, jeans, dresses, long sleeve shirts, etc. If you can’t list every thing at once, save sweaters and holiday clothes for September or October; that is the optimal selling season for those items.

Items to Sell
I have found the best brand of kids’ clothes to sell on eBay include Gymboree, Gap, and Hanna Andersson. (See my article here about how to buy name brand kids’ clothes on the cheap.) Backpacks and lunch boxes that are still in good shape also sell well.

How to Get Started
If you don’t have one already, open up an eBay account. E-bay has an excellent tutorial about how to list your items for sale; if you have never done this before, follow the tutorial.

There are two basic formats for listing your items up for sale:

Auction
This is a great strategy if you just want the clothes out of the house and want to make money quickly. I would not recommend starting the auction at .99 cents; unfortunately, far too many auctions only increase a bit from this starting point. Instead, settle on a starting price a little lower than what you would like to earn for the item. For instance, if I have my son’s shirt up for sale that is in very good condition, I might want to make $6 from it. I will start the auction at $3.99. Most auctions run for 3 to 7 days; I always choose 7 days. The drawback to listing as an auction is that you may not get quite what you think the item is worth.

Fixed Price
You can choose to list your item for a fixed price. This strategy is good if you don’t care that it might take awhile to sell your item; you want to make sure to get what you think it is worth. Let’s take the shirt that I mentioned previously; I believe it is worth $6, so I will list it at a fixed price of $5.99. If someone wants to buy it, they will have to pay me that price. You can put fixed price auctions up for as few as 1 to 3 days, but I recommend choosing the full 30 days for maximum exposure. The drawback to this type of auction is that if you have your item priced too high, it won’t sell and you will still need to pay listing fees.

Read the second part of this series, Maximizing the Money You Can Earn

Great Deals at Gymboree!

Gymboree is having their Circle of Friends sale beginning tomorrow through 5/16. This sale gives you 30% off all items. Print this email before going to the store to get your discount.

I was able to head to the store today (rewards card members had access to the sale a day early). I bought a winter sweater for my son, a fall/winter jacket and two rompers for our new baby, and a fall/winter jacket for my 18 month old daughter.

Each jacket cost $6.09

Each romper cost under $5 ($4.87 and $4.24)

For all of that I paid $25.18. Retail price for the five items was $144.75. Best of all, since I paid no more than $6.09 for any one item, I will be able to recoup my costs when the kids outgrow them and I list them on eBay. (For more information on how I dress my kids for free or nearly free in Gymboree, see my guest post here.)

Buying Kids' Clothes on Ebay

My son outgrew every single piece of summer clothing that he had from last year. However, I didn’t rush out to buy him new clothes at the first hint of warm weather. I am taking my time building his summer wardrobe to try to get the best price available.

One resource I use is eBay. The buying season for summer clothes on eBay begins as early as February and hits its peak in March and April. Now that it is May, many people already have their children’s summer wardrobe in place. That means now is the perfect time to buy kids’ clothes at a reduced price.

I always buy brand name clothes on eBay because I know that once my kids outgrow them I can turn around and sell them on eBay for the same price (or sometimes more!) I wrote an article about how to do just that here.

I type into the search box, “Gymboree 6” because that is the size I am looking for. Then I refine the search to “Children’s Clothing” and “Boys Clothing Size 4-18” so I don’t get listings for girl’s clothes or baby boy’s clothes in size 6-12 months. Then I refine it further to size 6. All of these search limiters can be found on the left hand side of the screen.

To further refine, I choose the tab for “auctions only” (because those usually offer the lowest price). Finally, on the left hand side I choose “time ending soonest” under the sort by window. Doing this narrowed my search field from 1976 items to 135.

I usually do not buy brand new items. Instead, I read the descriptions and look for items that are in very good condition without rips, stains or tears. If my son is gentle with them during the summer, it is easy to sell them at the same price I bought them for, essentially dressing him for free.

I always decide in my mind how much I want to pay per item. Usually, I try to pay $2 - $4 per item. However, I always figure in the price of shipping. For example, if there are 5 pieces of clothing for sale in an auction, and I determine I only want to spend $2 per piece, that gives me a limit of $10. If shipping is $5, I know I don’t want to spend any more than $5 for the auction itself, because combined with shipping, it will add up to $10.

Bid at the last minute, literally. Some people bid on auctions early; all this seems to do is drive up the price. I wait until there are only 30 to 40 seconds left in the auction before I place my bid at the designated price I have already decided is the maximum I am willing to spend. So, if the bids are at $1.95, I still enter my price of $5.00 (even though I could bid as little as $2.45) because if the other bidder has entered a final price higher than $1.95, I may be able to outbid them with my $5.00 price.

Be careful not to go above your designated bidding price. Be willing to walk away from an auction if it is above the price you want to pay.

Finally, consider looking at the seller’s other items. Often, sellers combine shipping if you buy more than one auction from them. That is a way to help keep your costs down.

Happy shopping!

I shared this post at Works for Me Wednesday.

Check Out My Guest Post

I am guest posting today over at Bargain Hoot about buying kids' clothes at Gymboree on the cheap and then selling them on eBay after the kids have outgrown them. Check it out.

You might want to also peruse through her site; she has great DIY info and decorating suggestions.

Gymboree's After Christmas Sale

If you love Gymboree clothing, they are set to start a great sale the day after Christmas. All clothing will be marked down to .99, 3.99, 6.99 and 9.99. I love this kind of sale; I usually stock up and buy my kids' clothing for the next year. The online sale usually starts earlier, so keep an eye out online. In addition, you can register at gymboree.com to receive e-mail notifications of upcoming sales. Remember, this is also Gymbucks earning time, so you could potentially save quite a bit of money!

Black Friday Deals

Did you brave the crowds and malls this morning? I am not much of a Black Friday shopper. I don't like waiting in line in the cold and then dealing with all of the zealous shoppers pushing and shoving to get their good deal.

However, I did visit gymboree.com and managed to snag a winter coat for my daughter for $11.20. Right now they are offering 30% off much of their merchandise and winter coats for $14. I used a 20% off coupon I bought online on eBay. I also got my son and daughter a few nice, cozy warm pajamas. Best of all, I did all my shopping in my pajamas and didn't have to deal with any pushing or shoving!

It's a Great Time to Buy a Halloween Costume

Now is a great time to buy your kids' Halloween costumes for next year. Stores are deeply discounting their Halloween merchandise to make way for the holiday merchandise.

I bought my son a pioneer boy costume from Gymboree (photo above) complete with a hat and canteen for approximately $10 (retail is $62.25). It was easy to bring the discounted cost down further because I bought a 20% coupon off eBay. Now he has a complete costume for next year; if he changes his mind and decides that isn't what he wants to be, I can always sell the costume on eBay for a profit.

The Disney Store is also marking down their costumes, though my hunch is if I wait it out they will discount them further in the next few days. Don't forget about other stores such as Sears, JCPenney, and the Pottery Barn. Why pay for an expensive costume next year when you can buy it for 80% off now? Happy shopping.

Two Sales at Gymboree!!

There are two new sales at Gymboree.

The first is the Labor Day sale which they say offers 50% off select items.

The second is the Baby Sale. All items from the layette lines under $19.50 are on sale for $10, and all items $39.50 to $20 are on sale for $20.

Yes, you CAN use a coupon for this sale.

I have my 20% off coupon and am heading out shopping with the kids shortly. I'll let you know if I find anything good.

It is time for Gymboree's Circle of Friends sale

Photo from Gymboree.com

UPDATE--8/19/09

I just called Gymboree and was told that you cannot combine the 20% coupon with the Circle of Friends sale. Apparently, the only sale that lets you combine another coupon is for the Red Balloon sale. Sorry for the confusion.

Posted 8/17
For bargain hunters and Gymbo-lovers, it is once again time for Gymboree's Circle of Friends sale. This sale, which gives you 30% off everything, is set to start on Thursday.

You can maximize savings by buying clothes that have already been reduced and using a coupon. And, to add to the savings, it is also Gymbucks earning time and any order over $100 online qualifies for free shipping!

If you are ordering online, use the code GYMFAMILY, CFFRIEND or CFCIRCLE.

If you haven't already done so, check out my previous posts on how to dress your child in Gymboree for free or nearly free. Happy shopping!

Gymboree Gymbucks Redemption Online Now

Did you earn Gymbucks during the last earning period, which ended July 12th? If so, they are allowing you to redeem them early online tonight. (Officially redemption doesn't begin until tomorrow.) Best of all, shipping is free. Have fun!

Great Deals at the Gymboree Red Balloon Sale!

I went to two different Gymboree stores and found terrific deals. I bought a few more items for my daughter this winter, in a smaller size than I have been buying because she doesn't seem to be growing as fast as I thought she would.

From the Lots of Dots line, I found this turtleneck that retails for $16.50 on sale for $1.89!! That is 88% OFF retail.



From the Holiday Friends line, I found this cute burgundy, ribbed sweater for $3.79. It retails for $24.50, a savings of 84%.

This cute outfit is from the Prep School line. It retails for $49.50, but I paid $9.48. That is 80% off.

Finally, at a sale a few weeks ago I found the pink dot leggings from the Wild One line on sale for $1.99. At this week's sale, I found a matching top and socks. The total outfit retails for $39.00, but I got it all for $5.30!! (86% off retail).

The best part is that I will be able to resell all of these items on eBay after my daughter outgrows them and most likely make a profit. I not only get to dress my daughter for free, but I can make money from it. I love when that happens.

If you need to buy your kids clothes for the winter, head to Gymboree now. Clothes this cheap also make nice baby shower gifts. Plus, you will be earning Gymbucks.

I shared this at Life As Mom and Money Saving Mom.

Gymboree Is Having Their Red Balloon Sale!

This sale happens a couple times a year and is one of Gymboree's best sales, in my opinion. They pull out everything in the back of the store from older lines and set the price points at .99, 3.99, 6.99, 9.99, etc. Shoes are often on sale for $4.99, pants for $6.99, shirts for 3.99 and hats and accessories for .99.

You can shop online and get free shipping if you order over $100, but you'll get the best deals if you go into the stores instead.

And best of all, it is still Gymbucks earning time! And, if you have one of the 20% off coupons (easily found on eBay), you can also use that.

Completing a Gymboree Outfit Found on Clearance

I try to only buy my kids Gymboree clothing when the price is already reduced, when there is a sale, and when I have a coupon. (If I can meet all three conditions, the price of clothing is usually very affordable!) I also buy my kids' clothes off-season. In May, it is not unusual for me to buy clothes I think they will wear in December, as I did when I wrote about it here.

However, buying off season does have its difficulties. Frequently there are not matching pieces to an outfit. For instance, I bought the two dresses in the above picture during one shopping trip and the corduroy pants during another. There were no matching tops available, but by themselves, the dresses and the pants have no resale value. (One of the ways I justify purchasing my kids Gymboree clothing while on a budget is to later resell it on eBay. If you haven’t already done so, you can read how I do it here.) However, I still purchased the items.

Then, I went home and checked out eBay. Frequently, during good sales, eBay sellers will run out and buy what they can on clearance and then try to sell it immediately. Usually these items sell fairly cheaply because not very many people want to buy winter clothes in May. The dresses and pants came from a line called Sweeter Than Chocolate. Over about a two week period, I kept checking eBay for matching tops, and slowly but surely I found what I needed.

The two plain bodysuits (pink and white) are used and sold for $3.25 total plus $1.00 shipping. The bon bon bodysuit is new and sold for $5.49 and had a shipping price of $3.00. The pink striped top is also new and sold for $6.49 and had a shipping fee of $3.49. (I always include the price of shipping when calculating my total cost.) Add that to the $8.57 I paid for one dress, $7.89 for the other and $9.11 for the corduroy pants at Gymboree, and my grand total is $48.65. The retail value for all of these items is $156.00. I ended up paying 31% of retail and have enough clothes from this line to make 12 different outfit combinations for my daughter this winter. Plus, because I have so many matching pieces, I should be able to sell this set after my daughter has outgrown it for about the price I paid for it.

I keep the tags on everything until my children actually wear the clothing. That way, if I go overboard when buying great deals (hey, it has been known to happen!), I can just sell some clothes they never wear on eBay and make more than I paid when buying it at a great sale price.

So, next time you are at Gymboree and see a good bargain, go ahead and get it. You can always find the matching pieces later.

This article was shared at Life As a Mom and Money Saving Mom.

Gymboree Is Having a Stuff The Bag Sale

Good through June 5th, Gymboree is offering a new sale. Buy one of their reusable cloth bags for $5, and then every thing you can stuff in there is 30% off. (This includes new lines of clothing.) This sale is also available online (prices already reflect the 30% off discount), and shipping is free if you purchase over $100. Remember, this is also Gymbucks earning time.

Gymboree just keeps rolling out the sales!

This Is Why I Love Gymboree

I mentioned earlier that Gymboree is currently having their Memorial Day Sale. I went today to see what they had, and I was very happy! Here are some of the deals I snagged for my kids:

For my daughter, I bought the pink corduroy dress for $8.57 (retailed at $34.50) and the plaid jumper dress for $7.89 (retailed for $32.50). For each I paid only 25% of retail price.


For my son, I got even better deals! The orange shirt retails at $16.50, but I paid $2.42 (only 15% of retail), and the brown corduroy pants were only $3.64, even though they retail for $26.50. (I paid 14% of retail.)

I bought these items at such a good price by buying clothes off season, taking advantage of the 20% off Memorial Day Sale and using a 20% off coupon from Parents magazine and using my Gymboree visa (which gave me another 5% off).

I know many people think Gymboree is too expensive, but there are ways to make it affordable. (Plus the clothes are durable and cute!) If you haven't done so yet, take a look at my post, How I Dress My Kids for Free.

To further sweeten this deal, I earned Gymbucks, and I plan to resell these clothes on eBay after my kids outgrow them.

Another Gymboree Sale!

Gymboree has started their Memorial Day Sale early. If you purchase online, all items already reflect the 20% discount. If you buy in the store, 20% will be taken off your entire order.

Remember, with this sale you can use other coupons. Parents magazine had a 20% off coupon last month that expires May 31st. You can also always buy the coupons off eBay. This could give you up to 40% off for this sale, plus it is Gymbucks earning time! (And if you buy online, any order over $100 has free shipping.)

Even if you don't have a little one at home, you may want to take advantage of some of these sales as Gymboree clothing is a great baby shower gift!

Gymboree's Circle of Friends Sale is 5/14 - 5/18

For those of you who followed my posts on Gymboree, their Circle of Friends sale is beginning this Thursday, 5/14. This is a great sale! The sale is for 30% off your purchase, and this includes both full price and sale items (though I would recommend you only buy sale items for maximum savings). And, if you have a Gymboree Visa, you will automatically get another 5% off.

This sale is available both online and in-store, but the sales in the store tend to be better, in my experience. If you haven't finished buying your kids' summer clothes, you should be able to find some of the early summer lines that came out around January and February at a great price now when combined with this sale.

You can sign up at gymboree.com to get an e-mail from them with the code beginning on Thursday.