M is getting to the age where she enjoys toys. We don’t have a lot of toys (and intend to keep it that way), but now that I’m working a little bit, I like for her to have some entertainment during the day. We have a playmat that she LOVES and I really wanted to get her a jumperoo in the next few weeks.

Have you ever bought a jumperoo/exersaucer? Those things are PRICEY. Many are at least $75…FOR A BABY TOY. Yeah, I’m not paying that. My mission? Find one cheaper.

I love Craigslist, but it’s too much of a pain to buy things from there right now. My husband works a lot and now that I have an infant, I’m not taking her to meet a stranger. I decided to check out the consignment stores. I went to 3 stores on Thursday, with a mission. I finally found a store that had THREE used Baby Einstien Musical Motion Jumpers so I wanted to buy one. But um, I forgot I had the stroller in my trunk, so that would’t work. We didn’t make it up to the store on Friday, but my husband said he would come with us on Saturday to buy it. They couldn’t sell THREE of those in less than 48 hours, right?

Wrong. When I got to the store, they were all gone. In fact, they didn’t have ANY jumperoos. Damn. I was bummed.

As I was walking out of the store, we saw someone bringing in a Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo to sell it (it’s nearly $100 new!). I asked my husband how much cash he had, because I WANTED THAT JUMPEROO. He didn’t have any with him, but I had $19 in cash in my purse (and I never carry cash, so it’s amazing that I had that much with me). My husband kept telling me to go talk with the store and ask if I could buy it.

Instead, I went straight to the source. I totally went up to the mom bringing it in and asked her if she’d take $19 for it. I’ve sold to consignments stores before and know that they don’t offer much money and charge the public double or triple what they buy it for. She said “Of course! My kid BARELY used this..it’s nearly brand new!” and she and my husband hauled it into our trunk. It all happened so fast! I gave her the cash, and I was quite pleased with my ability to swing a deal in the parking lot right outside the consignment store. I felt an exhilarating I-got-a-good-deal rush (I’m lame, I know, but I love saving money!)

As we drove away, there were 2 sales people glaring out the window at me. I’m sure they weren’t happy with my negotiating skills since I essentially took away some of their business. Oh well, the Jumperoo was already in my trunk.

Once we got it home, I took a good look at it and it looks like it was never even used. Even if Madeleine hates it, I only spent $19 on it.

I’m now wheelin’ and dealin’ for baby gear in a parking lot….wow.