The domestically inclined know how to save a dime...

Enter garage sales.

I'm always filled with a mixture of terror and Christmas morning joy on Saturdays. My terror is justified when brightly-colored posters direct me to yard sales where people's garbage bins are dumped on driveways, and each "item" is $10.

But one in three sales have cute young moms who sincerely wish to impart gently used clothes and toys that brought fashion and joy to their babies.

Buying used items cuts back on waste, both on our planet and in our finances. Plus, it's hard to get a better thrill than finding some amazing, organic Zolo Kushie toy rings (pictured below) for 75¢! That's like $40 in savings!

Baby Bug Tambourine- comparable toys start at $13. I got mine for 75¢.

Darcy's adorable new Taggies kitty starts at $15 online. I got mine for 75¢. Steve's new beatbox with Elmo (He plays with it more than the baby) 50¢, down from $10.

Leap Frog busy table- $40. My price-$5. All-terrain vehicle that climbs walls-$35 on Amazon. $3 for me. Bunny-in-a-box is $19 online. I got it for 50¢. Dresses are in perfect condish from Gap and Children's Place. They're at least $15 each in the store, and I got each outfit for 50¢.

So every toy smells and looks new, they get dumped in the wash before playtime begins.

And oh boy, does playtime begin.

Because after saving $219, I feel like doing nothing but getting on the ground and playing with cool new toys.