General discussion - Mom and Dad Esq.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Why put yourself through the public scorn and hatred for some bit of cash?

No one respond to this part of ncs' post. That way she can go back and edit once she realizes "why" isn't the big question. The big question is "do people put themselves through public scorn and hatred for some bit of cash?" Of course, the answer is yes.

Not taking a side in the issue, I'm just a logic timmy.

[OscarCrease]

It seems like quite a few of the regulars on this board are from the SF Bay Area. Any advice on the state of the housing market in the South Bay? Understood that it's expensive as hell; I'm looking for feedback on how much inventory is out there, whether it still takes bidding over the ask to get a place, etc. Also, any insight on specifics regarding Mt. View neighborhoods would be great. We've already decided to go the private school route so at least for now we're not bound by school district requirements. As such, we're not even looking at PA, Los Altos, Menlo, and some of the other truly stratospherically expensive areas but hoping that in the "slums" of Mt. View you can still find a hovel for less than $1MM (ideally, at least 1500 sq. feet in order to squeeze in the 5 of us).

Thanks in advance.

[lookingformarket]

Originally posted by OscarCrease
It seems like quite a few of the regulars on this board are from the SF Bay Area. Any advice on the state of the housing market in the South Bay? Understood that it's expensive as hell; I'm looking for feedback on how much inventory is out there, whether it still takes bidding over the ask to get a place, etc. Also, any insight on specifics regarding Mt. View neighborhoods would be great. We've already decided to go the private school route so at least for now we're not bound by school district requirements. As such, we're not even looking at PA, Los Altos, Menlo, and some of the other truly stratospherically expensive areas but hoping that in the "slums" of Mt. View you can still find a hovel for less than $1MM (ideally, at least 1500 sq. feet in order to squeeze in the 5 of us).

Thanks in advance.

the wall street journal and economist have both recently said that you'd have to be an asshat to but in the SF area these days because of the relative values of renting v. buying. See March 23 WSJ and March 5 economist

Originally posted by OscarCrease
..........you can still find a hovel for less than $1MM (ideally, at least 1500 sq. feet in order to squeeze in the 5 of us).

Jesus. This may be the fattest city in the country, but damn it's affordable.

-T(counting my blessings)L

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by lookingformarket
the wall street journal and economist have both recently said that you'd have to be an asshat to but in the SF area these days because of the relative values of renting v. buying. See March 23 WSJ and March 5 economist

I was saying that two years ago just before I bought. Since then my house has gone up 30% and I've had two years of deductible interest. It's not sustainable, of course, but I'm glad I didn't listen to myself two years ago.

[viet_mom]

My darling cousin is having a baby boy and I want my present for her shower to be nice. She gave me a TON of clothes for Viet Babe. I bought a really cute black and white cow thing that stands up a few feet and can be used as either a hamper or to hold toys (usually a hamper). I'd like to stuff it with a lof of clothes for various ages (or maybe just for the infant stage - doesn't matter - she has nothing). How can I do this without spending a bundle? I know Ebay has the bulk clothing thing going on but darn I used my Paypal limit and I can't get "verified" because Paypal doesn't take verifications from my bank (a huge one) and I'm not opening a new bank account somewhere just for Paypal. Ideas?

[bold_n_brazen]

Originally posted by viet_mom
My darling cousin is having a baby boy and I want my present for her shower to be nice. She gave me a TON of clothes for Viet Babe. I bought a really cute black and white cow thing that stands up a few feet and can be used as either a hamper or to hold toys (usually a hamper). I'd like to stuff it with a lof of clothes for various ages (or maybe just for the infant stage - doesn't matter - she has nothing). How can I do this without spending a bundle? I know Ebay has the bulk clothing thing going on but darn I used my Paypal limit and I can't get "verified" because Paypal doesn't take verifications from my bank (a huge one) and I'm not opening a new bank account somewhere just for Paypal. Ideas?

You do know you can paypal with a credit card, right?

Originally posted by viet_mom
How can I do this without spending a bundle?

OK, I'm cheap, but so what...

Do you have a Marshall's up there? TJ Maxx? Carter's Outlet? Osh Kosh Outlet? Also, last I looked Big Lots had Tyke's (Carter's Brand) infant sleepers for $2.50 - cannot beat that. Sam's/Costco always have good quality baby clothes for a fair price too. And no, they are not name brand, but Walmart baby clothes are really decent - they are cute enough, they wear well, and if they stain, it's not like you are out a lot.

I scored the Lexling some $30 Levi's for $.99 at Ross recently and picked up some Carter's crib sheets for $1.99ea. for the new kiddo; disgusting, dirty, store, but very good prices on baby stuff. Worth a trip if you have one near and some of that Purell hand disinfectant for when you leave.

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by TexLex
Do you have a Marshall's up there? TJ Maxx? Carter's Outlet? Osh Kosh Outlet?

In the last two weeks (since finding out the sex of Number Two), I've spent about $350 on baby clothes. If you want serious bulk (what I've bought would about fill one of those hampers), you're going to spend a chunk no matter what you do (even at $3-5/item, it adds up quickly).

About half of what I've spent was at a resale shop, and half at Old Navy. Resale is great for the littlest sizes because kids wear them for such a short time that they don't show significant wear. I also like it because I am picky about colors (no red and navy for my baby boys--I like Easter egg colors), and you can select from clothes spanning multiple seasons and multiple brands in one place. My favorite score yesterday was a slew of those sacks for newborns at $3 apiece.

Old Navy is great for stocking up on basics like bodysuits and socks (8 pairs for $10 at the moment). I'm also a total sucker for their cloth crib shoes, which are available in a myriad of cute color combinations (plus the more standard tan, white and navy) and are on sale right now. And it's spring, so they have a lot in my favorite Easter-eggy colors.

Good luck!

tm

[Gattigap]

Stolen from another board I frequent, but seemed applicable here.

Your test, should you choose to accept it, is to see how many 5 year old kids you could take on at once. The Rules Are:

• You are in an enclosed area, roughly the size of a basketball court. There are no foreign objects.
  
• You are not allowed to touch a wall.
  
• When you are knocked unconscious, you lose. When they are all knocked unconscious, they lose. Once a kid is knocked unconscious, that kid is "out."
  
• I (or someone else intent on seeing to it you fail) get to choose the kids from a pool that is twice the size of your magic number. The pool will be 50/50 in terms of gender and will have no discernable abnormalities in terms of demographics, other than they are all healthy Americans.
  
• The kids receive one day of training from hand-to-hand combat experts who will train them specifically to team up to take down one adult. You will receive one hour of "counter-tactics" training.
  
• There is no protective padding for any combatant other than the standard-issue cup.
  
• The kids are motivated enough to not get scared, regardless of the bloodshed. Even the very last one will give it his/her best to take you down.

I'd say I could take 20 -- at least for a while -- mostly by playing them off against each other and perhaps swinging one from the foot as a club, to keep a clear circular buffer between me and the mini-combatants.

Mostly, I posted this to simply to see what bilmore's historical limit was.

Gattigap

[viet_mom]

Great infant clothing advice from TexLex and TMdiva

Thanks! This is great. I had totally forgotten Marshalls. I have one less than 10 minutes away. I'm all over that. We don't have a Ross near us but it reminded me that we have Daffy Dan's and it is supposed to have fantastic designer baby clothes marked way way down. I used to shop for hip fashions there as a teen. As for Old Navy, I forgot about them. I am going to check out their "marked way down clearance" section on their website b/c we don't have one too close to us.

As for Paypal, I was using it for years with a credit card. You eventually reach a lifetime limit imposed by Paypal after which you MUST get "verified" through your bank account even if you plan to continue using a credit card. The ridiculous verification process includes you waiting for Paypal to put in 3 small nominal deposits directly into your bank account and then you have to call Paypal and say how much the deposits were and all other nonsense. I kept trying to do this and calling my bank and hearing that I wasn't getting the 3 deposits. I sent numerous emails to Paypal and they ignored them all. I then found out over the Internet that there is a huge group of people who bitch about Paypal because the same thing happened to them: we all have accounts at a particular bank (a big popular one) but Paypal does not allow its verification process with this bank. Instead of telling you that, Paypal just blows you off and you never know why you the verification process isn't working. They are losing so much business! I even called the director of marketing and told him the problem. He did nothing. And, what's more, they won't tell you which banks they DO verify with (in case you feel like opening an account at a new bank that is) because "we're not allowed to give you this information." Okay!

Sorry for the rant.

Originally posted by viet_mom
How can I do this without spending a bundle?

I polled my Mommy Board for you:

Rumor has it that www.oldnavy.com and www.childrensplace.com have $5 flat rate shipping.

Kohls usually has free shipping if you spend enough.

If you go through ebates.com you get a discount from www.oldnavy.com and www.BabyCenter.com.

Also suggested - the overstocks section of www.landsend.com for nice blankets & diaper bags.

Originally posted by viet_mom
Paypal is evil

Bastards. Can't you just open up a new Paypal account under a different Ebay username with a different CC or are they on to that sort of thing somehow?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by viet_mom
Thanks! This is great. I had totally forgotten Marshalls. I have one less than 10 minutes away. I'm all over that. We don't have a Ross near us but it reminded me that we have Daffy Dan's and it is supposed to have fantastic designer baby clothes marked way way down. I used to shop for hip fashions there as a teen. As for Old Navy, I forgot about them. I am going to check out their "marked way down clearance" section on their website b/c we don't have one too close to us.

As for Paypal, I was using it for years with a credit card. You eventually reach a lifetime limit imposed by Paypal after which you MUST get "verified" through your bank account even if you plan to continue using a credit card. The ridiculous verification process includes you waiting for Paypal to put in 3 small nominal deposits directly into your bank account and then you have to call Paypal and say how much the deposits were and all other nonsense. I kept trying to do this and calling my bank and hearing that I wasn't getting the 3 deposits. I sent numerous emails to Paypal and they ignored them all. I then found out over the Internet that there is a huge group of people who bitch about Paypal because the same thing happened to them: we all have accounts at a particular bank (a big popular one) but Paypal does not allow its verification process with this bank. Instead of telling you that, Paypal just blows you off and you never know why you the verification process isn't working. They are losing so much business! I even called the director of marketing and told him the problem. He did nothing. And, what's more, they won't tell you which banks they DO verify with (in case you feel like opening an account at a new bank that is) because "we're not allowed to give you this information." Okay!

Sorry for the rant.

I followed this painful process to get verified. After verification, you end up needing to constantly change their default dinging of your account instead of your credit card - it's a pain in the neck.

Can you just limit yourself to ebay listings that will take other than paypal?

At the same time, I don't think I could live without my ebay/paypal fix. Have you discovered the kids books auctions? There are regular listings where you can get like 100 books and they often go at $20 or so bucks. We weed through them to get the 50 books our kids will enjoy and give the other 50 to a charity. We've bought thousands.

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by TexLex
Also suggested - the overstocks section of www.landsend.com for nice blankets & diaper bags.

Oooh yeah, I'd almost forgotten about this. I've bought only a few clothing items from there, but I did buy a closeout diaper bag a few months ago (I think I may have bought it before I actually got pregnant, which was a bit of a gamble) that I can hardly wait to use. The other item I've really liked from there was a pair of rubber boots--green frog princes, complete with crowns. I just looked and some of the patterned rainboots, in small sizes, are available on overstocks right now.

My first diaper bag I bought at bluefly.com. Five years ago, black diaper bags were few and far between, but bluefly had a Nicole Miller one lined with a really cute print of shoes, for only $30.

tm