Welcome! I'm a first time mom, busy wife, former model and "mompreneur" forging my way through this crazy maze called life. I share my insights on motherhood, marriage, cooking, and starting/running my clothing swap business called Gumdrop Swap. Who needs sleep? (*Raising my hand)
I really wish I had the time and dedication to be like those serious EXTREME couponers. Have you seen that show? I would need to also build out my basement to store my stockpile of groceries and toiletries too. But the savings are impressive. That's undeniable. I'm so not organized. Then I would feel guilty if it was crowded that day at the store and I was holding up the line because I was separating my order into 11 separate orders to get maximum savings. Maybe store should have a coupon line like they have express lanes?!
The Target near my home just renovated to add a grocery store inside. A few days ago I made a mental note that I needed to stop to buy a loaf of bread on the way home from church. I shuffled through the mail to find a circular from Target. There were some coupons in there and the main one was for a FREE loaf of bread. I took this as a sign.
So, I'm in Target, navigating the new floor plan. There were items I get cheaper at my preferred grocery store but I didn't want to throw the unused coupons away. A saw a woman looking at the egg selection and offered her a coupon to get a dozen eggs for $.99. A good deal but I had a full dozen at home and wouldn't need another by the time the coupon would expire. So, I offered it to her and she was so thankful. Wow, that felt great! Maybe someone could use my other coupon I wasn't going to utilize? So I found the related projects and tucked the coupon in front so it would be visible. My 3 yr old asked me a few times what I was doing. "We're leaving these for someone else," I said. And she asked her knew favorite question, "Why?" Because its nice and it will make them happy like the lady buying eggs. Toddler was satisfied. Cool.
My last coupon I gifted was for Method laundry detergent. And as I reached to tuck my coupon I saw someone else had done the same thing. Now, I'm not naive to think I "invented" this practice but maybe this is going on more than I know. Do you often find coupons tucked among products when you're shopping? Or do you go around being a coupon fairy? I think its such a nice gesture especially when everyone is looking to save money.
Please go read this simple tutorial on Sophisticate Style's Blog on how to turn your empty cereal box into a mailer. Perfect for mailing your small crafts for you Etsy and craigslist sellers!
SPECIAL OFFER: Parents who have unwanted SUMMER girl's clothes in size 3T or SUMMER boys sizes 18M to 8! When you make your 1st swap I'll take your membership fee out of your earned credits. If you are ONLINE ONLY member fee is $14.99 for 3 mos or $49.99 for a year. If you are a LOCAL customer that swaps and shops in person, the cost for 3 mos is $44.97 & the year is $159.99 (for 1st child) Avg swap yields $200-$500 in credits. So the items you swap more than pay for your membership the first time you swap. Contact gumdropswap@gmail.comor 800-385-6080 for more details.
Yesterday my laptop died. Something wrong with the "power source" according to the repairman. But it's really my mom's laptop I was borrowing until I find the right computer for me. I'm using at work for internet access and administrative tasks. But there was an unfortunate accident with my Blackberry on Tuesday and I was without my smartphone or computer s\and almost lost my mind! I felt so restricted. I couldn't look up any information, work on my press release for the Grand Opening on May 22. No access to my calendar or personal contacts so I couldn't even call a friend to vent. So my search for a computer has been accelerated. I'm open to suggestions if you are happy with your brand or would love advice on what models to avoid. So far it appears Dell Inspirion is in the lead. Please help me decide. I want to spend less that $400 if possible. Mostly internet use and Microsoft Office. Needs a cd/dvd drive and run fast. Netbooks don't have disc drives so I'm pretty sure I want a true laptop. I just want it to run fast and be reliable. Maybe I'll load Photoshop and Illustrator but that's about it.
I went to a local organization that sells donated, refurbished computers to the public to help the youth in the community. They told me they wouldn't sell me a laptop today because they have an advertised sale on May 15. I was like, "So, let me get this straight. You are refusing to sell me a computer today with the hopes to sell it next week?" ... See MoreThey replied "Yes" and then to clarify, "So you don't want my money?" (blank stares as if I am mentally impaired. Apparently I am because I would think the 1st rule of business would be never to refuse a sale. What the h-e-double hockey sticks? So much for helping the local youth! I understand its a non-profit but why would they turn down my money? But because I can't afford to wait, I went to Walmart and purchased an HP mini (netbook) but I'm planning to return it when I get a the laptop I want. Leaning towards Dell. I need a full keyboard, maybe even the full keypad on the right. This tiny thing makes me feel like a giant and I need the disc drive.
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It's amazing to me that a year ago, GumdropSwap didn't have a name. It was a crazy idea that came to me in a rare shower. I was a new mom: sleep deprived, emotional, and concerned about my "career" while on maternity leave. I needed a name for my online kids clothing swap club. I had settled on "swap" instead of trade or the like. But any word similar to kid, child, etc associated with swap made it sound like I was trafficking children or trying to copy the tv show Wife Swap. That may make a great reality show. Most parents have thought about trading their kids for ones with better behavior on some days. But I'll let the tv producers have that one. So, I had to find a word that suggested childhood without veering to far in another direction. Candy seemed an obvious choice. I kept thinking of the song "If all of the raindrops were lemondrops and gumdrops, oh what a rain that would be..." and that's when I decided gumdrop was generic enough candy reference and drop and swap rhymed. Here is a photo of the retail space after we painted and installed the wall hanging system.
My brother came to visit on his spring break. He is a teacher in Atlanta. My mother's and my birthday are only a few weeks apart so it was a perfect time to visit. He is encouraging with my business and wanted to help while in town so I accelerated the move-in to take advantage of his muscle. My husband and brother moved lots of heavy boxes in 2 storage places to my store in one day.
I didn't realize I had that much merchandise until it was all in one location! Geez. I had some crazy notion I could slowly move everything on my own in my compact car. That would have taken me months! It was a lot of stuff and I'm so glad that part was over. Then, my brother helped me move some things to the basement and begin unpacking and hanging clothes for 2 days. 4 days later and I'm still hanging and unpacking.
I am really proud of my spring window display though. I estimate I'm about 70% done hanging what I have. I'm looking for a creative way to display the 1000s of socks I have. Any suggestions?
If you are thinking of joining the children's clothing swap club (open to all U.S. residents) this month is the end of low introductory membership prices. Only $4.99/month for online members (those who do all swapping via mail and do not come into the bricks-and-mortar boutique in CT. Monthly rate will increase to $8.99 on May 1st, 2010. Confused? Don't be! Feel free to call 800-385-6080 or email gumdropswap(at)gmail(dot)com.
Think of it like this: For online members, your small membership rate ($5/month) allows you to swap as much as you want. You mail your gently used items to the boutique. I go through your box of unwanted items and credit the account you created at GumdropSwap. You will get an alert letting you know you have credits to shop with (called gumdrops). You use the website to select the clothes your children need now. You can even use your earned gumdrops to pay for your outgoing shipping! I pick your items and pack your box and you will get a box of clean, name brand, new and gently used clothes at your doorstep!
For locals that swap and shop in our boutique, the process is slightly different. You don't have to be a member to shop, but the savings is significant if you do. If you're from CT you probably haven't done much shopping downtown. You have no idea what you're missing! The Arcade Mall is one of the oldest indoor malls in the nation and a thing of beauty now that it has been restored. The glass atrium ceiling is breathtaking.
Non-members typically pay between $5-$25 per garment and do not have the privilege of swapping. If you are local to the CT area, the current rate to join is $9.99/mo if you are swapping for one child and an additional $3/month per child for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th child (no additional charge for more than 4 children!) Rates will increase to $14.99/month for 1st child on May 1, 2010. The additional charge for children 2-4 will not increase. Members pay about half the retail prices that non-members pay. And members get to swap their unwanted children's clothing and items into credits that pay for the things they want. This makes it easy to budget for your children's wardrobe. You know they are going to outgrow things. Once you pay the membership fee, those bags of outgrown clothing you are storing in your basement or attic or closet will buy the things your kids need now. A good estimate is a tall kitchen size garbage bag full of clothes usually earns about 200 gumdrop credits. So, if you swapped that much every three months you are paying $15 (online) and $30+ (local) to spend $200 in the store.
Why the difference? Online members pay for shipping coming and going and don't select the exact garments. Instead, they choose the size, gender and type of garment (i.e. 2T, boys, jeans) and I select the nicest garment that matches that description from the vast merchandise available. I am also guided by the style preferences you specify when you register or when you place your order. If there is anything new with the tags still on, that's what you will receive. Customers describe opening a shipment from GumdropSwap as getting a Christmas gift. I use my years in the art and fashion industry as expertise. Below is a photo of the entrance to the Arcade Mall on Main St. (between Fraiche Burger and McDonalds). Then a view of the corridor you walk through to get to the shops in the mall.
Local members have the advantage of rifling through our racks of merchandise. I encourage 1st time swappers to stay to see how I rate the quality of clothing and what kind of items go to charity. But you can drop off your swap if you do not have time to stay. I will credit your account to spend at a later date. Just want to get rid of the clothes? Come on by, I'll buy them from you.
I know, I know. It sounds to good to be true. Most recyclers do it for our planet. But if the greater good of the world isn't motivation enough, maybe your family needs more of an incentive? Or maybe recycling your household waste is part of your routine or even required where you live. If so, kudos to you! My mayor is pushing the "greening" of my Connecticut city, and I applaud his efforts. I recently discovered a company called RecycleBank that rewards you for recycling by working through/with businesses and municipalities (your town or city). I used the contact us link to request that they contact my mayor because I want this in my city! If I understand the program it works like this: The city provides you with a special receptacle to put your recyclable items in. Your RecycleBank cart will be weighed each week upon pick-up. The weight will then be translated to RecycleBank Points. The more you recycle, the more your household can earn. In a few select communities, households earn rewards based on their equal share of the total amount that their entire community recycles. You earn reward points which you can use to shop with thousands of local and national retailers. You can search retailers by your zip code. There are some big names of national chains participating like Whole Foods, Rite Aid, and CVS...
I think this is such a cool program. I will keep everyone updated if I hear from my mayor or we get this implemented in Bridgeport. We already have weekly pickup but why not get rewarded for it and encourage people who aren't voluntarily participating an incentive to join in. I'm curious if anyone's city is already doing this and how they feel about the program? Please comment!
This video used to be on the website's home page. Some close friends were nice enough to tell me it was a little lengthy. I've been known to be wordy. My name IS Gabby. So I'm putting it here for those who want to "meet" me. It gives a brief history of how the idea for GumdropSwap came about, why I started this service and how to use the site. Enjoy!
We just bought our first home. I am used to having gas heat. Everything runs on electricity in our condo. The first month we were here was November and the bill was $223+ and that was about the max bill we ever got in the old place when we were running window AC units in the worst of summer. I meant to do research then about switching to another provider. My UI bill even mentions a website to do comparisons (http://www.ctenergyinfo.org) Then, we got the next bill, a whopping $384! We've been running the heat a LOT. It's been freezing lately. We just replaced our blower in our heating unit and supposedly had an energy efficient thermostat installed. So, I can't imagine how high it would be if we hadn't made those changes. After getting this bill I finally went to the website and after plugging in my zip code and specifying that it was a residence instead of business I was able to compare the prices of other providers. I chose the 3rd best rate because they use 20% renewable energy as opposed to 12% which was what my UI's rate is and most of the other providers. I then went to that provider's website (www.veridian.com) and was able to switch by filling out a simple form with info form my UI bill. I was expecting lots of paperwork and having to print and mail forms. That was all I had to do? WHEW! What a relief. I should save about 20% and I can't wait to see the difference. I am proud of myself for paying a slightly higher rate to know I am using more renewable energy sources! Yay me!
I started GumdropSwap when I was laid off early in 2009. I was appalled to discover how many people throw away clothes in great condition. Especially when so many families are struggling financially. As a new mom, I know how fast children grow and the strain to keep up with the demand. I wanted to figure out a way for parents to get rid of the things their kids had outgrown and be able to get "new" clothes with minimal cost. I was also determined to have an eco-friendly business. It's an opportunity for them to save money while respecting our planet. I launched the website http://www.gumdropswap.com in September.
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