Best Bargains of 2008 - part 2

In this week’s baby bargainista column, I’d like to welcome the newest Bullough into Jenny’s family - a baby girl born last week - Congratulations Jenny! This week, in the second of a two-part series, Jenny reflects on her best purchases in 2008...

Along with the best buys of last year, I also discovered some fabulous freebies and bargains in 2008. The best of these are related to keeping our 4-year-old busy, engaged, and creatively fulfilled (with bonus points for activities that tire her out so she’ll fall asleep promptly at bedtime).

The first freebie is a simple thing, something available to everyone who lives or works in Toronto, and a benefit that I haven’t taken personal advantage of for years: a library card for the Toronto Public Library. As a child I used to practically live at our local branch, and now I can share that enjoyment with our daughter as she discovers the amazing array of books and DVDs available to her!

Needless to say, you can’t beat the price ($0); and giving our girl the opportunity to browse a multitude of books and movies for free certainly cuts down on the cost of buying new reading material and renting movies at the video store.

Another great bargain we found last year is the kindergym and ballet classes offered by the City of Toronto Parks & Recreation department. At just $29 for 8 weeks, the classes are a perfect way to test the waters of her budding interest in gymnastics and dance without shelling out the big bucks for a full-year program at a privately-run studio.

And best of all, the weekly classes offer enough activity and exercise that by the end of the day she’s exhausted and falls asleep right at bedtime with nary a murmur of complaint, leaving the bulk of the evening free for us to enjoy our few remaining quiet times before the arrival of #2.

What was your best freebie, bargain, or find of 2008?