This is the time of year when many moms start to think about buying Halloween costumes. I’ve already begun asking my son what he wants to be this year, and the resounding answer seems to be Spongebob. I’ve had great luck in previous years buying his Halloween costumes on ebay. While they do sell gently used costumes, most of the ones I’ve purchased for him have been new, such as the policeman’s costume he wore last year, shown in the photo above. This costume cost under $30, including accessories. I’ve found that ebay sellers generally offer much better prices than other stores specializing in costumes, and many times accessories that would normally cost extra are included in the price. All kinds of costumes in all sizes, from infant to adult, are available if you take the time to search. Check them out at ebay.com/halloween+costume and see what you can find.

ebay.com can be a wonderful place to shop for baby and children’s items. In fact, it’s the first place I check when shopping online. Often, sellers on ebay receive new baby and children’s goods in a wholesale lot, which enables them to sell to you, the consumer, much more cheaply than some of the brand-name baby stores. Also, you can find parents who are sellling used baby clothing and baby gear that still has much life left, perfect if you don’t mind second-hand clothing or goods for your baby.

Personally, I always buy my son’s winter outerwear on ebay, second-hand. Winter coats and snowsuits are used for just one season, and hardly show any wear, so they are the perfect item to buy used. I have had much success selling used baby clothes on ebay as well. If you’ve never tried, it doesn’t cost much to sell on ebay, and their interface makes it easy to start selling.

Before buying from any ebay seller, check their feedback. You especially want to pay attention to any negative feedback they’ve received during the past 6 months. I wouldn’t necessarily reject a seller for having negative feedback, but if they repeatedly receive negative feedback about the same thing (for example, slow shipping times, excessive shipping prices, or items with defects) then I would look for another seller.

Also remember to check shipping rates, as some ebay sellers will offer free shipping on larger items that would usually require a high shipping rate. Whatever you’re looking for, ebay.com is a great place to start!