by This note comes from a fellow father of twins, Mark, who wrote and sent in three great moneysaving tips that I wanted to share with you today.
Tip No. 1: Get a Double Snap-N-Go Stroller
His first tip is get a used double Snap-N-Go stroller. “It really is the best way to get started. You can find one easily and can resell it later for what you paid for it.”
Mark, this is exactly our experience. We loved our Snap-N-Go inline stroller for our twins. It lasted us about six months, and it served us very well before the twins got so big that they kind of outgrew it.
Just like you said, we were able to resell it for about what we paid for it. It’s kind of a wash – it served us well and then we were able to get that money back and apply it to purchasing a new stroller.
Tip No. 2: Attend Mothers of Multiples Consignment Sale
Mark’s second tip is to join a mothers of multiples club and attend their consignment sale. “We not only purchased much of what we initially needed, but also found a network of people who could offer advice on what to buy and what parenting multiples is all about.”
Mark, this is a great tip and there are mothers of multiples clubs all across the country and world and likely one in your city, wherever you may live. I know our local mothers of multiples club does have two consignment sales a year, which are a great resource for finding twin clothing, twin baby care, everything you need to get ready for your twins.
In addition to getting great discounts on those items, as Mark mentioned, you can network with other people who are going through the same thing you are or are about to go through the same journey you are taking.
Tip No. 3: Find a Local Consignment Shop
Now, Mark’s final tip is to find a good children’s consignment shop. He says, “We’ve continued to buy used clothing. We never fail to find high quality, gently used or unused items. While we occasionally splurge on special outfits, we found there is no need to buy all-new items, especially for everyday wear. We’ve also been able to trade in things as we no longer need them, for example, bathtubs, Bumbo seats, bouncers, etc.”
Finding a local consignment shop is a wonderful idea, Mark. Thank you for sending in those three tips. About consignment shops, I definitely recommend that you find one close to you or in your city, because babies go through clothes and gear so quickly that it barely gets touched. You go into these stores and you see stuff and it looks like it’s brand new.
For example, you could even buy two cheap umbrella strollers and make your own twin stroller with stroller connectors.
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Sometimes, parents of babies get so many clothes, like with a baby shower, that they take stuff straight to the consignment shop and it’s still got the new labels on it. It’s definitely a great way to save money. As Mark mentioned, you can then recycle your clothes back through the consignment store after your kids are done with them.
This question was originally addressed on the Dad’s Guide to Twins Podcast episode 29: Managing Time, Double Clothes Dressers, 3 Money Saving Tips.
Picture by Leticia Machado
