Hi people!! I just found this site, MB, and of course, mail box and have been enjoying. (please disregard if U find any misusage of language or wrong grammer since THIS language is to my second and I have known this language for only little over a decade. Also, please, be careful not to be too much offended with misunderstanding. )

I am a mother of 3-year-old boy living in island of Oahu, Hawaii where is basically "ruralized" with a little bit touch of urbanization. This place is too small to hold all differnt kinds of people from who can easily afford 3-million-$$$ houses to who hardly can support their families by both of parents working with minimum wages. It's like whole United States is concentrated in one small island. My husband and I are probably the " lower-middle":o because we only receive WIC coupons but not food-stamps.
(!!!, but luckily to have a set of cheap PC)


I wonder where parents like us living on the net disscussing about how they survive their life. I was happy when I found the baby bargain book but soon found out those merchandises and brands such as "nationally known" Evenflo, Gerber, and Cosco-Graco weren't readers' favorites and those are the things we were buying for our son. I guess I found a wrong book for myself... As I read throgh, I could tell this book could have a subtitle of " to successful American families".(while we weren't very successful...)

By reading MB and mailbox, I sometimes find parents "like us"; however, most times I see people are talking happily and very normally about "buying $700 crib only for $499!!!".Wow!! That's really a money saving and good for budget cutting...

Is there anybody buying baby crib about $100 or less around when they are safe enough and available? Or, anybody buying Gerber's baby underwear?? I think there "should be", and how come those stories are not found anywhere?

Forgot to tell you that I am a Japanese originally came from Japan, where a lot of American people still believe "everyone has nice life", and married to American. (I am originally from 'average-incomed' family whose parents are both university professors.)
I have seen a lot of Japanese mothers "have to spend $$$, in fact \\\," in Japan where most baby products are pricey( but most times neatly made) and much less inexpensive products are available. But they even love the bulky and simple American products. I also don't see any problem any big-compaby made baby products sold elsewhere in the US and not only to that, they are very inexpensive; however it seems like certain people avoiding buying those products saying because they are cheaply made, doesn't last long, or shrink after wash.
But,Hey, how about products we, adults, are using? Are ones we using not cheaply made, last long, or got no shrink after washing? In fact, baby products don't have to last so long when they are safe enough, I believe. (If they do, I won't be able to giving to charity or throw away!!)Babies won't use them forever, right?
Adding to that, my son now 3 yrs have grown with those mass-products with no problem and is very good in his health.( I also want to add that I was "even" using some products rated D or F like Kolcraft's infant seat and stroller which I compared to other products (not only price) and thought pretty good when I purchased them. (I am pretty picky and spend ' horrible hours' when I shop.)

Well, I have spent too long to write this message and now I forgot what I really wanted to write. Hahaha. Also, staying in the cheap condo (here in Hawaii, there are more cheaply built condo than nice, luxuryly ones) without airconditioner (the board of this building doesn't allow us to have airconditioners and to your suprise, a lot of condos here restrict tenants to have one.) in 80some degree outside and room facing to West are really killing my thoughts.

I learned and understood a good lesson that there are absolutely "more than several" American standards for different level of people but I just wanted to hear about much kinds of products from much diffent points of view. I hope I will be able to see and learn that here on this site.

Thanx for reading my long message!!
And did you get any idea that Hawaii is not really a paradise?
(It's a very 'living hell' in all ways if U don't have $$$. You will see hundreds of luxury cars going on streets right next to your junk.)oops, yours was the nice one next to MY junk...sorry...

Have a nice baby-time to all!!!