Archive for June, 2009

Bed Bath & Beyond coupons

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

Since Bed Bath & Beyond (BBB) now owns the chain BuyBuy Baby, you can now use BBB’s 20 percent off coupons there, too. That means that on a BOB Revolution single jogging stroller, which retails for $389.99, for example, you’ll save a whopping $78. As with all things coupons, you’ll maximize your savings–and get tingles at the register–when you use them when products are on sale. Besides big-ticket items like a stroller, you can do the coupon/sale item combo on everyday products such as baby food, infant formula, and diapers. If you shop at a store that doubles coupons, that’s even better, so stock up at sale time and save big. As with many things in life, timing is key.

On a similar note, at my local BBB, I was surprised to learn that their 20 percent off coupons never expire, even though they have a specific expiration date. So don’t throw away your 20 percent-off BBB coupons; stockpile them instead. You can use one coupon per item. So if you have 20 coupons and 20 items, you’ll save 20 percent on each. That may not necessarily apply at your local BBB or at BuyBuy Baby, so ask to be sure.

Posted in Budget Baby | 13 Comments »

Best baby gift

Saturday, June 27th, 2009
An activiy gym makes a great baby gift.

An activiy gym makes a great baby gift.

“What’s the best baby gift?” Someone recently cornered me with that question at a dinner party. She has a friend who is expecting and wanted to know what to buy her. Hmm…I thought for a second. If you don’t want to consult the mom-to-be’s baby registry, or that mom-to-be isn’t registered, an activity gym (with a gift receipt in case that mom has one already) is a good bet, I said. Newborns to 10-month-olds gets lots of mileage out of an activity gym’s squeaky, colorful, textured toys, which helps them develop their sense of sight, sound, taste, and touch. They bat at the toys until they can reach them. It’s fun to play along with your baby, too. Activity gyms are also good for tummy time, which helps a baby develop muscle strength that fosters physical and cognitive development. Play is your baby’s work and I think an activity gym is a must-have for new parents.

What’s the best baby gift you received? What can’t you live without? I’d love to hear from you.

Posted in FAQ | No Comments »

Satellite media tour success

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

Every time my book, Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, comes out (I’ve written three editions so far), I do what’s called a satellite media tour. That’s when I do television interviews from a studio that get beamed via satellite to morning news programs across the U.S. This time, on June 17, 2009, I essentially did a version of the same interview–on how to save money on baby products–19 times for TV stations in Atlanta, Detroit, Huntsville, AL, Minneapolis, Austin, Columbus, Rochester, Phoenix, Sacramento, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Denver, Albany, Albuquerque, Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Huntington, W VA, Los Vegas, Portland, WNBC-NY, Portland, and Nashville. (The gist of what I said: You don’t have to spend $900 to get a good-quality stroller. According to Consumer Reports’ tests, buying one that costs just $170 will do the job just fine. In today’s economy, especially, that’s welcome news.)

Breaking news and the weather can interfere with the best-laid satellite tour plans, but this time, there were no glitches. The tour was a resounding success and I want to thank Tildy LaFarge, my publicist extraordinaire at Consumer Reports, for making it all happen. To see some of my interviews, check out the TV/Publications page on www.babyproductsmom.com.

Posted in Book Tour | 1 Comment »

Scammed at the rental car dealer

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

For my daughter’s 10th birthday party, I recently rented a mini van from Enterprise car rental at 653 Post Road in Fairfield, CT (http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/deeplinkmap.do?gpbr=243C&bid=004&cnty=US), so I could drive my daughter and five of her friends to a restaurant eight miles from our house, with my husband following in our SUV with the rest of the party. I’m about writing that experience now to warn you about the scam I found myself in. When I rented the car, Brendan, a college intern, showed me some previous damage on the mini van’s front fender. “I’m going to make a note of that on the contract so you don’t get charged for it when you return the van,” he said. Turns out that was a cue to inspect the van thoroughly that I didn’t pick up on. I should have walked around the van and taken photos of its exterior with my iPhone. That’s what I’ve since learned, having just read about rental-car scams on the Internet. Instead, I simply initialed the contract, hopped in the van with my daughters and merrily drove off. Since the van wasn’t ready until 2:30 PM that day, we had minutes to get home before the guests arrived. The next day, however, when I returned the van, the manager pointed out some damage to the right side door–a section of chipped paint that looks like it resulted from wear and tear, and a light scratch. That so didn’t happen on my watch. I purposely parked the mini van away from other cars at the restaurant to avoid any possibility of damage. But now, it’s my word against this Enterprise dealership’s. I’m entitled to see a copy of the contract from the person who rented the mini van just before I did, to see if that damage was notated. But Enterprise is trying to pin this damage on me and get my insurance company or my credit card to pay. None of that applies to me because I used my debit card to book the purchase and my deductible is too high to cover this expense, so I’m not filing a claim. They’ll have to come after me for the money, and I’m not paying!
Bottomline line is that I should have known better, especially since I write for Consumer Reports. I haven’t rented a vehicle in years. I was just a mom who was in the midst of executing a birthday party for 11 10-year-olds. I’m kicking myself about this consumer experience, but I’ve learned the hard way and it’s safe to say that that’ll never happen to me again.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Proactive Parent | No Comments »

Using the same car seat for baby #2

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

FAQ: Is it OK to use my first child’s infant car seat for my second child? It’s still in great shape and was never in an accident.

If your kids are close in age, it’s fine to reuse your car seat, provided that it hasn’t been recalled and there aren’t any visible cracks in the frame. (To check for recalls, see www.cpsc.gov.) But if there’s a significant age gap between your kids, you’re better off buying a new seat. The AAP advises consumers to avoid using seats that are too old. That means looking on the label for the date it was made and checking with the manufacturer (log onto their Website) to find out how long it recommends using the seat. Some manufacturers recommend that their models only be used for five to six years from the date of manufacture. The Britax Chaperone infant car seat and base (www.britaxusa.com), for example, shouldn’t be used when either are older than six years or have been in a severe crash. To make sure your seat hasn’t expired, look on the seat’s label for the date of manufacture and check your owner’s manual for usage recommendations. For guidelines on car seats safety and installation, see Car Safety Seats: A Guide for Families 2009, http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm.

Posted in Budget Baby, Safety Savvy | No Comments »

Buying used baby products

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

On Wednesday, June 17th, I’ll be doing a 17-city satellite media tour from 5:30 AM to 11:30 AM EST, discussing the best ways that new parents can keep costs in check and stretch every penny. That means I’ll be broadcasting to 17 TV stations across the US from one location, Consumer Reports. One of the topics I’ll cover is when garage sales are a good thing, and when they’re not so good. Here’s a general rule of thumb: If you buy used, the product should either be new, or look like new to you. Parents get duplicate items sometimes as shower gifts, which is why it’s very possible to find new, unused products at tag sales. You can save big by buying used clothing, a changing table, and some toys.
But there are some products you shouldn’t buy used, even if they look like new. These include cribs, play yards, soft infant carriers and car seats. That’s because safety standards on these products change all the time, so you want to make sure you’re using the most updated version. That’s what new will do for you. Plus, you’ll get the owner’s manual. When you buy new, it won’t be missing. You’ll need that for assembly and proper installation. Before you buy any new or used product, check that it hasn’t been recalled by logging onto the Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Budget Baby | No Comments »

The birth of a book!

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Welcome to my baby products blog. I’m proud to announce that the latest edition of my book, Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, 2009, is now available in bookstores and online at www.consumerreports.org and www.amazon.com. Writing a book is not dissimilar to having a baby, only the gestation period is about six months. During that time, I dissect the industry, attend trade shows, interview parents and other experts and research products by trying them out and, of course, hitting the stores. My mission is to add as much insight as a I possibly can so that new parents can better decide: What do I need? What can I live without? What’s safe? What’s not? What’s a waste of money? The testers and my editorial team at Consumer Reports fortify the book even more, to make it what it is. When a recent consumer reviewed the book on Amazon, saying she read the book with a highlighter, I sat at my desk with my head in my hands, just taking in the moment. Yes, someone got it! That’s exactly the kind of detailed book I was aiming to write. In this blog, I’ll be continuing my commentary about baby products and I hope you’ll write in with questions and comments. Baby products are a 8.9 billion dollar industry in this country. To get the best for your baby without spending a bundle, it pays to do your homework.
–Sandra

2009_best-baby-products-con1

Tags: ,
Posted in Book Tour | 2 Comments »