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Win a CARGO 7 in 7 Mini Kit: Day 5

Image courtesy of CARGO Cosmetics

Congratulations to Jennifer, yesterday’s winner! This was the tip she shared with us:

“Having a diaper change station on each floor of your house means that no matter where you are in the house you don’t have to waste time looking for the diapers/wipes, etc.”

We still have 6 CARGO 7 in 7 Mini Kits to giveaway! For your chance to win, send your best time-saving tip to win@canadianfamily.ca with the words “7 in 7″ in the subject line.

Here are the seven best-selling, pro-artist favourites contained in this kit:

• Mini OneBase – a concealer and foundation, all in one!

• Mini Essential Eyeshadow Palette – four graduated neutral shades

• Mini Eye Liner

• Mini LashActivator Mascara – proven to improve the natural rate at which lashes grow

• Mini BeachBlush – The perfect marriage of blush and bronzer.

• Mini Reverse Lip Liner

• Mini Lip Gloss – non-sticky and paraben-free

Make sure to include your mailing address in your entry so we can send you the prize if you are the winner. Please also let us know whether you would like the light, medium or dark toned makeup kit.

Remember, we are giving away a makeup kit every week day until March 19!

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How To Shop Second Hand, Part 1

Photo courtesy of jeffschuler via flickr.

Back in the day, you were a shopping maven. With nothing to do and not a care in sight, you would spend all day Saturday trolling the racks at your local second-hand shop, finding the most fabulous items and for prices that would equally get you a half-decent pop and burger for lunch. But with kids, those carefree Saturdays have come and gone, and now your post-baby closet (and your kids’) looks like an ad for Joe Fresh.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Thrift shopping can be a relaxing and inspiring experience for moms. First of all, it gives you time to separate yourself from home and indulge in fashion; albeit superficial, if it is something you enjoy then it is worth taking the time to explore. Perhaps fashion is something your tween enjoys as well? It could be something you do together. Teaching your child the value of money spent and the skills of shopping on a budget is time well spent.

And, lucky for you, the days of designer-bag-toting teens is (for the most part) out, and buying a shirt that costs $3 is not sinfully embarrassing. These days the shabby chic, or retro rock, or indy hipster looks are all about using what you’ve got, and mixing with eclectic elements of past fashions trends—like, serious granny boots are back?—that can be found in abundance at your local value village or other second-hand stores.

But aside from the super cool finds and the fun of shopping, second hand can also be much more inexpensive (but stay tuned to find out where to shop second hand and what the difference is between thrift and consignment stores) and the quality is often better. If you find a good spot in your ‘hood that sells clothes for kids second hand, consider that a motherlode. Find out when they receive their weekly shipments, so you can scour the racks early and don’t be afraid to buy bigger sizes ahead of time, your kids will grow into them eventually.

With that, we will leave you with our top tips for shopping second hand:

• Stay away from hats and scarves. Head lice is a major pain, and if you can avoid it all costs, then we suggest you do. Also, don’t ever buy underwear or socks (gross!) or used kids gear such as strollers or cribs (these items could have been subject to recall, or made before certain safety regulations were put into place).
• Be careful buying kids’ shoes. All shoes have a lifetime and kids are particularly hard on their shoes. If you are looking for an every day shoe buy new—you don’t know how the soles have been worn in and how long they had been worn previously. However, if you are looking for more of a fancy dress shoe that would only be worn on occasion, you might be able to get away with it.
• Have something in mind before you walk in. Second-hand shops can be huge and daunting, each with their own organization system. So know what you are looking for.
• Always, always, always try it on. Sure, you’ve been a size 8 for 12 years, but were you considered a size 8 when the 1950’s tailors were making that dress?
• If your kids aren’t interested, don’t bring them. It’s not worth it.

Stay tuned for the second installment of this series next week.

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Family News Update: Couple Dos and Don’ts, Schools to Teach Kids to Practice Safe (Web) Surfing, Marriages That Took Place in Fast Food Restaurants and more

• A real battle of wits:
Why Lindsey Lohan’s at war with an Oakville toddler (The Toronto Star)

• They may have to try a little harder with their approach for the men:
Housekeeping primers aimed at men and women take different approaches (Yahoo)

• DO: Listen to your wife’s argument. DON’T: Tell her you read on a website that she’s wrong.:
10 couple dos and don’ts (Yahoo)

• No part of this headline comes as a surprise:
Study finds those who stay fit enjoy sex for longer in life; men more satisfied than women (Yahoo)

• Teaching your kids how to avoid the web creeps:
Ontario updates elementary school curriculum to include Internet safety (Yahoo)

• Evidently, those at the New York Times just caught up with our Canadian Family Guest Blogs on babywearing:
The latest in strollers? Mom and Dad (The New York Times)

• Yep. This is a real story:
School cancels prom over lesbian (The Telegraph)

• While you may not be surprised to hear that a man who calls himself “Bubba” got married in a Waffle House restaurant, what excuse do the Walmart, KFC, Taco Bell and other weddings have?:
7 retail weddings (Mental_Floss)

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