First-time Moms: How Should you Buy your Diaper Bag Online?

If you’re planning to purchase stylish diaper bags online, you might find it difficult to choose the exact
diaper bag to go with especially if you don’t have a particular brand or model in mind. A simple search
will net you dozens of results, and even the process of trying to narrow down the field to your top five
choices might be a daunting task.

            Here are five things that you can do to help make that process just a little bit easier:

Compare, Compare, Compare

            This might seem like counterintuitive, but a lot of people actually DON’T like canvassing on the
Internet because of the sheer amount of choices that they have available. You might think that people would
rather canvass for items online because it seems more convenient and easier, but when you compare
browsing in stores compared to browsing for products online, most people would rather go to
brick-and-mortar stores.

            There are two ways that you can actually go about this. If you already have a certain diaper bag
model in mind, or at least, an idea of what you’re looking for in a diaper bag, you can compare different
brands and models online. You can simplify your search by using filters such as features, bag types, or price
points.

            However, if you don’t have any idea of what kind of diaper bag you need at all, it might be better if
you go to a brick-and-mortar store first to canvass for ideas. By going to a store, you will have a first-hand
idea of the size and appearance of the different bag types, as well as the material that you want in a bag.
Most stores can also point out different features that you might want to have in your final choice of a diaper
bag.

Ask Other Moms

            Asking other moms is a valuable way to get feedback on the performance of a particular model
of diaper bag. You can get valuable feedback that you won’t be able to get in a store, such as how well a
certain bag holds up to long-term use and abuse, if a certain bag really does store and organize baby items
well, and whether certain features are worth the extra price tag tacked on them. Mothers are generally more
than happy to give feedback and help out other moms to find the right diaper bag.

Check Out Forums

            If you find it difficult to ask other moms for their honest feedback and opinions on certain diaper
bags, you can always go online and check out parenting forums. There are dozens of forums out there
dedicated to baby care, and many of the threads discuss which qualities you need to look for in a good
diaper bag. In fact, some threads are even dedicated to popular diaper bag models, so you might be lucky
and find a thread that’s dedicated specifically to a particular diaper bag that you’re considering.

Reviews are Great, BUT…

            One of the ways that you might be considering to help you choose the right diaper bag is by
checking out online reviews. As a baseline idea, online reviews can be helpful, but you should always take
any reviews you find online with a grain of salt. It’s very easy to create fake reviews online to boost a
product’s popularity and make it more attractive to consumers. In fact, it’s an actual industry! Many
companies have been caught red-handed hiring writers to create fake reviews for their products or services,
or even writing reviews themselves. The practice is so widespread that it has become difficult to actually
spot which reviews are real and which ones are fake.

Go for a “Test Run”

            Once you have decided on a certain model but you’re not 100% sure, there’s nothing wrong with
going for a “test run”. Many stores have floor models that you can check out and try so that you can see
whether it lives up to your expectations or not. Take your time and be meticulous with inspecting a
particular diaper bag. Check whether the straps are padded, and whether the seams are strong and
well-stitched. Does it have enough pockets and compartments to hold all your baby’s essential items? Does
it feel comfortable to carry even if the bag is full?

            You might think that it’s silly to bring all your baby’s essentials and load them all into a diaper bag
before you decide on it, but consider this: wouldn’t it look even sillier if you’re lugging around a bag that’s
too small for your baby’s items, or worse, if you’re stuck carrying around all the contents of the bag
because it gave out? 

6 Things Not To Bargain Shop For

6 Things Not To Bargain Shop For

We all love a good bargain. Saving money is awesome and unless you are one of the nearly 500 billionaires in the United States, it is often a necessity.  As the financial adviser in my family, I try my best to get the most bang for my buck on every purchase. I check ebates to see if I can earn cashback.  I use my paypal debit card to purchase nearly everything I buy because I earn 1% cashback each month, which adds up! I look for sales, coupons and discounts. I even shop the closeout stores like Big Lots and Ollie's Bargain Outlet. Who doesn't like buying stuff at a lower cost?

In all of my attempts to save money, I have discovered things you should not scrimp on. Things that are just worth the cost in the long run. I want to share these suggestions with you to help you in your attempts to save as much as you can.

1. Laundry Detergent 

I say buy something good for several good reasons. One your clothes are meant to last. Washing them in something like the brand from Dollar Tree is going to take a toll on your clothes. You can take my word for this. I bought a new pair of jeans, washed them in the cheap cheap LA Awesome (or something like that) brand exclusively. Ya know what? In 6 months time the denim was so worn and threadbare all over that I was afraid to go outdoors in them for fear they might just fall apart! I bought a new pair of jeans to replace the holy than thou pair and went back to Tide... same brand of jeans, same style. That was 5 years ago... I still have the 2nd new pair today. Secondly, your clothes should look and smell good after washing them. A cheap detergent is mostly water, it just can't do the job as well as Tide.

2. Deodorant

This should be a no brainer. Buy something good, don't try to save money here... cause no one wants to smell your attempts to save money on a hot summer day....

3. Pet Food

If you can't afford to feed a pet quality food, you shouldn't have a pet. Feeding off brands of food, such as EverPet, will lead to health issues. Pets deserve to be cared for in many ways, but their diet is vital to the overall health and well being of any pet. 

4. Trash Bags

I have bought cheap trash bags before and ended up picking my trash up off the lawn as the bag rips, tears or whatever on the way to the curb. No fun, not worth saving $2 in my opinion.

5. Shoes

I think buying quality footwear is important. Not only do your feet feel better in great shoes, but they are safer. When my son was about 18 months old and on the go, go, go we found a great deal on a pair of well known kids shoes. I jumped on them. Days later I realized why they were so affordable... the hard way. The sole of the shoe detached, causing my toddler to fall and he got a black eye out of it. Since that moment, no more bargain buys on shoes. Find the new air force 1 here.

6. Pillows

Repeat after me. "I will not buy a $5 pillow. I will not buy a $5 pillow." 

I am not saying you need to spend a few hundred on a great pillow, but invest in one that is going to give you a good quality of sleep. I use a Technogel pillow. I love it. I can't sleep without it, without waking up in pain or exhausted. A good pillow is an investment in your quality of life. 

Do you have any items to add to this list? What do you think you should buy without bargain hunting?

Top Gifts for Girls

This year there are so many awesome gift options that the hardest part of making Christmas wishes come true is deciding on what to buy! I have been busy as one of Santa's elves testing out some of the hottest toys and I have found some super fun ones! I am so excited to present these fun toys to you in my top picks for girls gift guide!

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1) LeapFrog Epic Academy Edition Kids Tablet
This was my top pick for Harper this year because she really wants to use my ipad all of the time, but I worry about some of the things she wants to watch and play. The ads that pop up on so many of the games. This tablet is completely perfect for her, right out of the box. It has 20 learning games installed for family friendly entertainment, it also has a free trial of Leapfrog academy included. This offers kids a great chance to learn a variety of subjects anywhere they may go. The search feature is super safe, which I love. I no longer have to worry about my 4 year old landing on inappropriate youtube videos!

Retailing for under $120, this is a tablet that will grow with Harper. Ideal for ages 3 to 9, this is a colorful and durable tablet for kids that helps them learn and play all in one. A great feature is that as your child is ready to explore new android apps, you can add them to this tablet. That was a deciding factor for me as it will allow her to use the tablet with some of the other toys she will receive on Christmas morning!

2) Dance Code Belle
This is such a fun way to introduce your daughters to coding! They can create dances for Belle, and she will show them her moves! Control her from the app, press her necklace, or hold her hand for different ways to play with Dance Code Belle.

Coding seems like it would be hard, but girls as young as 5 can get in on the action by drawing the steps out, or a simple dot to dot style of coding. This is a great way to introduce a concept that may play a big role in her later life through an irresistible option!

Retailing for under $100 you can find this gorgeous Belle doll exclusively on Amazon this holiday season.

3) Baby Alive Sweet Tears Baby Doll
If your little girl loves babies this is the ultimate doll for her! Not only is it really adorable, but it also gives kids hands on tasks to make baby happy and smiling again! Your little one can play caregiver to a very interactive doll that smiles, giggles and even cries real tears!

The Sweet Tears Baby Alive comes with so much more than just a doll! She comes with everything you need to nurse her back to health when she is ill, feed her a snack, or brush her hair. One of my favorite features is that this doll isn't just for little girls. With a simple flip of a switch you can take your interactive doll from mommy to daddy mode for fun for little boys. Sweet Tears Baby Alive can make 35 phrases and sounds as an added bonus!

Retailing for under $50 this is a super fun gift option for little ones that love dolls!

4)  Play Doh Letters and Language Set
This is such a fun way to combine play and learning! The set has 26 letter stamps, 6 cans of play doh, a stylus, a roller, a mat  and a guide book for a complete letter learning experience.

One of the reasons we love play doh is it is such a wonderful tool for fine motor skill development. Harp has been playing with the classic dough since she was about a year old, and has developed so many crucial skills for life with the squishy dough in her hands, including using scissors. As we are learning all about the alphabet and making a lot effort on letter recognition in her preschool years this is a set that will bring her so much more than fun on Christmas day. It will help her build on a solid foundation of early learning with a favorite play time staple.

Retailing for under $20 this is a gift I recommend to anyone shopping for an early learner!

5) Go Go Smart Friends Shimmering Seashell Castle
This fun playset is perfect for little ones that like mermaids! The sandcastle features 3 points that when Pearl the mermaid is placed will produce fun sounds and phrases. The set includes friends for Pearl the mermaid to make playtime an epic underwater adventure.

Retailing at under $40 this is a great V tech toy for dramatic play and discovery. I love dramatic play tools for Harp so this was a natural choice. She will play with this in so many ways and I know she will introduce Pearl and the underwater friends to a lot of other toys.

This set features so much more than just a cute house. There is a vanity, a slide, a carrousel and so many more fun features to make this an exciting choice for little ones!

6) Hape Toys City Cafe Play Kitchen
This is a seriously adorable little kitchen. I love that it is wooden, because it looks so much more realistic than the heavy plastic varieties. It is compact enough for small space play, but in that tiny space it packs a lot of fun!

Featuring everything your little one needs to cook up a great time, the City Cafe Play Kitchen is one of my favorite gift ideas this year. As I mentioned above, I love to encourage dramatic play in my preschooler. With something as simple as a cute little kitchen, she can learn in so many ways!

This was a great option to pair with our Hape toys play food that we have been collecting over the years. Retailing for under $100, this is a gift that will bring years of learning through play.

7) Hape Toys Mighty Echo Microphone
This was another great choice for dramatic play. My kids have always wanted to get their hands on a microphone and with this choice it is possible without damaging eardrums or sanity levels.

This microphone has amazingly good sound quality for a battery free toy! I think it is a fun way to encourage kids to sing and again, engage in dramatic play. This makes a great gift for kids 12 months and up.

This would make a great stocking stuffer or gift exchange option as well.

8) Voice Activated BB8 
If your little girl looks up to Rey, then the natural choice is the Voice Activated BB8 from Hammacher Schlemmer. This is such a fun toy! Standing at about 19" tall this cute little robot is ready for adventure! The Star Wars character can be controlled using an included 40' range remote or set to an interactive mode that responds to voice commands such as “Come here”, “Where’s Rey?”, and “Stand guard!” Complete with lights and sounds from the BB8 we all know and love, this is a one of a kind toy that will make Christmas dreams come true as she sets out on an adventure with her new interactive friend. Retailing at under $230 this is the perfect gift for Star Wars fan girls of all ages. Not only is the BB8 droid adorable but he is so interactive! his moods are funtastic and the sounds are completely realistic. Also, check out kids advent calendars on Kidsco for more inspiration for various toys.

I would love to hear what your favorite gift options for girls are this year!