Armchair shopping – part 2

There are 2 things that give me a cheap thrill. One is getting a really good discount, and the other is receiving a parcel in the mail. I came home and was delighted to see that the items I ordered in Armchair shopping – part 1 had arrived!

I had ordered from a few different online sites and I used comGateway to ship all my items back. Let me run you through the steps from where I left off in Armchair shopping – part 1. Each time a package arrived at comGateway, I would be alerted via email. They offer 30 days free storage which allows ample time for all the packages to arrive. I then clicked on Ready to Ship and the shipping charges were calculated. Some merchants may not have provided the value of the goods, so you have to input the value. Do check the merchant invoices to ensure that all your items are in order as some merchants split up their delivery.

If you are sharing shipping with friends, it is easy to calculate each person’s share of shipping charges as they display the total weight as well as the breakdown of the different merchants by chargeable weight. Enter any promo code only after payment details. You can use both the 10% discount and the express service (in your welcome pack) at the same time. Just input the promo codes one after another. You will be given the expected delivery date.

The Munchkin Projector and Sound System which I mentioned in Armchair shopping – part 1 costs US$25 with a shipping charge of $12. I just love it! When Kate refuses to go into her room at bedtime especially when there are guests around, my helper will turn it on for her and she will stop crying and get into her crib.

Here’s what I got from See Jane Work. These lovely blue pencils are just perfect for my Family Command Centre.

Basic Pencils – Ocean (Set of 10) $7

I always need to divide my notebooks into different categories but the dividers I buy here are plastic which I don’t like. These are made of paper and I love the assortment of colours! My girls saw these tabs and they all wanted some.

Sticky Tab Markers $8

Every time we go on a family holiday, I have to either verbally tell all of them what to pack or they will ask me and then make their own lists. This Pack This! list will save us a lot of trouble, not to mention help us make sure we have everything we need. I just love lists!

Pack This! Knock Knock Pad $7

In Armchair shopping – part 1, I mentioned that my sister-in-law had been ordering her Aveda products online as they were much cheaper. I ordered the 1 Litre Aveda shampoo and the 200ml conditioner. The shampoo that I got costs US$74, but with a shipping charge of $20, it came up to S$116, which was only 10% cheaper. I was disappointed as the savings was insignificant, and my SIL  concluded that it could be because the Aveda shampoos are priced differently in the US but the price difference here among the ranges are smaller, so she got a better discount for her type of shampoo. However, for the conditioner, I had a good savings of about 40%. It costs US$17 and with a shipping of $4, it came up to $26. 

I also found some other very useful items for Kate. Some of the websites only do wholesale, so I went into Amazon to purchase them.

www.tabletopper.com
When we go out for meals with the grandparents, the meal easily lasts one and a half hours. The only way I can get Kate to sit in her high chair for that long is to give her finger food which she feeds herself with. However, I find that in many restaurants, the high chair is not as clean as I would like it to be. Just last week, I gave her finger food off the high chair table (which I had cleaned with wet wipes) and that evening, she had diarrhoea. My mom was just telling me that I should find a little tray with suction pads that I could stick on the table in front of her. And I found this! It’s a thin sheet of plastic with 2 strips of tape underneath it. I just stick it on the table in front of Kate and she can eat her finger food off it. Apparently this company, Neat Solutions for Kids was started in 1996 when a mom came up with this product after her baby threw the placemat onto the floor and started to eat her finger food off the restaurant table. They come in several different prints.

Baby Einstein Biodegradable Table Topper Disposable Stick-on Placemat US$5 (18 sheets)

Another gripe I had was that sometimes the sides of the high chair is rather sticky or oily, especially in places where it is very crowded and the staff don’t get a chance to give the chairs a good cleaning. I found this high chair cover which simply drapes over the chair! It has 2 holes at the back to insert the safety belt, and 2 holes for her legs to go through. It even has a strap to hang a toy on, and a pocket to store wet wipes. The sides have velcro so you can pull the material over the chair and velcro it all nicely in place. It folds up into a compact built-in pouch, and it is machine-washable. I found this on Amazon. There are a few different brands of high chair covers but I just got the cheapest.

BRICA Deluxe High Chair Cover US$14

www.leachco.com
This company manufactures a wide variety of practical and safety products for babies. It was started by a mom whose son almost fell off a high chair. I purchased the safety strap, which is a wide strap that can be used to fasten baby from almost any chair, including supermarket trolley seats and restaurants. It is handy to take with you everywhere as sometimes you may find that the restaurant highchair has a missing buckle. I have to take it with me all the time as Kate always tries to stand up on the supermarket trolley seat.

Leachco Wrap Strap Plush Anywhere Safety Strap Pink US$13

I have also compiled a list of some other websites:

www.coverplayard.com
For those who travel frequently with young children, this is very useful. It is a slipcover liner for playpens. Cover Play Yard was started by a mom who requested for a play pen for her room when she stayed at a hotel. But when it came, it was so filthy she sent it back. She wondered why no one had designed a slipcover which could be taken off and washed and used again.

www.retract-a-gate.com
This safety gate is retractable! Great to keep out of sight if guests are coming and baby is already in bed. Or for grandma’s place where the toddler only comes over occasionally. It is also suitable for pets. A rather practical item that is not too pricy at $100+.

www.mypreciouskid.com
My Precious Kid produces items designed for special needs children such as Autism safety products and items such as tracking devices, toilet lid locks and toddler harnesses.

www.adenandanais.com
If you like the baby swaddle brand aden + anais at mothercare, you can browse their whole beautiful collection at their website. They even have a Hello Kitty range. They also do printed crib sheets and blankets for bigger kids. Apparently it is endorsed by Kate Middleton! Gorgeous stuff.

www.taurustoy.net
If you are looking for toys and want something similar to lego but more fun, the Block-N-Roll will fit the bill. It’s like a Lego set with a marble course. The kids will have hours of fun creating all sorts of structures with marble courses. This is compatible with other building sets.

www.zometool.com
For something educational, do check out Zometool. With a single set, you can create models from the simple to the profound. It encourages children to create and design, and it is suitable for ages 6 and up. Great for future architects! I’m sure the dads will love to join the kids in this one… which would leave the moms with more ‘me’ time 😉

www.yoyo.com
For a general website for all sorts of stuff for children, you can check this one out. You input perimeters like age, gender and budget to narrow down your search.

www.honest.com
Jessica Alba started this company in 2012 to offer safe, stylish, yet affordable items for baby. She offers natural products for baby, bath, and cleaning.

These are some websites for pricier items… 

www.myblankeeinc.com
My Blankee manufactures blankets and clothes for babies and kids with sensitive skin. It started with the owner’s son being born with eczema and he was allergic to nearly all fabric. His father who was in the textile business made it his mission to find hypoallergenic clothing for his son. Besides clothes and blankets, the company now sells a wide array of products including bibs, towels, pajamas, hats and pillows.

www.ralphlauren.com
Ralph Lauren’s Baby range is just so adorable. I absolutely love the Terry Hooded Towel (under the Personalized Gift section) which you can personalise with the baby’s name. Would make a terrific gift.

www.oliverandadelaide.com
If you’re looking for exquisite gifts or baby shower packages visit this oh-so-lovely site.

Sane tip: Now that I’ve finally gotten into online shopping, I’ve realised that there are a lot of clever products out there which makes our lives easier.

Save tip: It’s cheaper to consolidate your items and ship them back together as the first 0.5kg costs US$11 while every additional 0.5kg costs US$2.85. But remember not to exceed S$400 inclusive of freight charges as GST will be levied. comGateway is offering us 5% off International Shipping charges from now till 31 Dec 2013*. When you first sign up with them, you will be offered a welcome pack which gives you 10% off your first shipping. From your 2nd shipping onwards, you get 5% discount. The promo code can be found in mummywee facebook page. ‘Like’ us to receive future updates. Happy shopping!