Tampabay.com
FEBRUARY 09, 2010

Trade that baby (stuff) in!

I've been a fan of this sale for a while and decided it was time to share.

Every now and then Babies R Us offers 25 percent off when you trade in a used baby furniture item, including car seat, high chair, play yard or stroller. And there's no limit on the amount of items you can trade in.

I know what you're thinking -- my baby's first (crusty and probably rusty) high chair is worth way more than a mere 25 percent off! And besides I plan on selling it at the garage sale/craigslist/ebay next month.

News flash guys, unless you're saving baby furniture for the next bambino there's no good reason to keep it around. And even then you have to be very careful since manufacturing rules change constantly when it comes to baby items, meaning that changing table you have now might not be considered safe three years from now.

In other words, it's time to let go.

For me that means taking a baby swing that's been sitting in our garage for months down to Babies R Us this weekend and getting 25 percent off a new stroller. Yes that baby swing is cute and yes it was the thing that soothed my son so well when he was an infant. But every little bit of savings counts and that's one less thing cluttering up my garage. The trade-in deal ends Feb. 20.

~ Deal Diva Nicole

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Looking for shopping deals in Tampa Bay? The Deal Divas are on the prowl, sniffing out hot fashion finds that won't leave your wallet in ruins. Now you never have to miss a shopping deal! Sign up for weekly Deal Diva Alerts by e-mail. by e-mail. And check in often for the lowdown on local bargains, as well as fashion advice, fun photos and style news. Because shopping should be all about the Washingtons!

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THE AUTHORS

Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or shayes@tampabay.com.

Emily Nipps As a sullen teenager, Emily Nipps refused to wear anything but black, olive green or burgundy, preferably ripped. She has since added color to her life but still experiments with her dark streak. A product junkie, she has tried tons of overpriced face creams and hair products but loves drugstore brands that work the same. She's an Aries and a bassist in a punk band. She has a pet pig, seven chickens, three cats and a rabbit. And just as many lip glosses. She can be reached at (727) 893-8452 or nipps@tampabay.com.

Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost, but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan, she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.

A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or lstein@tampabay.com.

Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or kwilmath@tampabay.com.

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