How to Ball on A $50 Budget At Belden Village Mall – Did you know you could ball on a budget and give your kids THE BEST experience at Belden Village Mall, every time you visit? Newsymom mama, Melissa, takes you through her step-by-step trip with four-year-old Xiomara to help score you the best deals and shares hacks to having the best time with your kiddos, over and over again! Learn more right here on Newsymom!
Alright, you’ve got $50 and need to know the best way to spend it to have a phenomenal time with your kiddos. This was me… on Tuesday this week! And after our festivities, Xiomara (my four-year-old) told me it was the BEST DAY EVER. She lit up brighter than our Christmas tree!
How’d I do it? Let me share the hacks I used to give my daughter an experience to remember at Belden Village Mall! (As told by me AND Xiomara…)
Stop #1 – The Children’s Place (AKA “The Kid’s Clothes Store”)
Okay, so Z has an obsession with pink and pretty dresses. Luckily enough, The Children’s Place was running a sale of 40% off this floral dress she ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH. I mean, I knew when I held it up to show her that she would like it, but the energy I received was tripled! We HAD to get it.
On top of that, the t-shirts are so stinkin’ cute and SO many had sparkles! (She’s obsessed with shiny things.) The prices are incredibly reasonable and you could get a solid wardrobe for your kids shopping here during sales! Guess where we’re coming back for back-to-school shopping during tax-free weekend on August 4th-6th?
Here’s the hack: Shop during the weekdays when the mall isn’t as busy to see what sales are going on to bring in customers.
Stop #2 – Macy’s (AKA “The Shiny Dress Store”)
Once upon a time long ago, I used to work for Macy’s in the Merchandising department (when I lived in Arizona). I started as their Christmas-time temporary help decorating trees, moved into merchandising, and eventually into the men’s department. I actually had an enjoyable time working there and learned so much about color theory, and how to make things “look pretty”, so that love passed onto Xiomara. We love visiting Macy’s.
Xiomara loves walking in and seeing the beautiful, shiny dresses right by the entrance door. It makes me smile to see her spraying on the perfumes, looking at the sparkly jewelry, and riding the escalator upstairs to see the Toys R Us toy section! She’s the girliest girl, and I encourage her to be authentically her!
A perk for me is visiting the Macy’s Backstage area upstairs. You can find INSANE deals on bags, wallets, spa stuff, makeup, decor, shoes… You name it, they’ve got it! A few of my most recent purchases: a Nautica wallet for $10, a scalp-massaging Wet brush for $5, and a mug (for my growing mug collection) for $6! Don’t just take my word for it – go upstairs and have a look.
Here’s the hack: Visit the Macy’s Backstage area upstairs to save $$$ on things you need for the kids, yourself, presents, home, and more!
Stop #3 – Build-A-Bear (AKA “BUILDIN BEAR”)
Moms, pay attention to this hack: Build-A-Bear has a Pay Your Age program where you get their birthday bear that costs the age your child is turning! For Z’s birthday, she got the Birthday Bear for $4! If your little one is turning two, then it’s $2. If they’re turning seven, it’s $7. The bear normally costs $14.
This experience was so much better, and we let her splurge on her bear choice. She walked out with her $30 bear a smiling, shining star, and felt like royalty when she got pictures with her bear in front of their mural and by the large bear at the entrance. Every experience at BAB is incredible as we watch her eyes light up when they do the heart routine together at the stuffing counter!
Here’s the hack: Visit BAB for their Pay Your Age program during your child’s birthday month to save $$$.
NAP BREAK AT CENTER COURT
JUST KIDDING
Stop #4 – Bath and Body Works (AKA “The Smell-Good Store”)
We hit this store every time we come to Belden Village Mall, without fail. Why? Xiomara loves going to every display, spraying the testers on those little strips of paper, and “collecting her smells”.
This is a free activity to do, but I normally splurge when they have their Semi-Annual Sale. (Their hand sanitizers are my go-to buy since I have the purse charm to hold them. I’m always having Z sanitize her hands before eating throughout the day.)
Here’s the hack: Watch your child’s joy as they go throughout the store “collecting their smells” and shop during sales. (Their email blasts are actually super helpful for highlighting this.)
Stop #5 – Claire’s (AKA “The Purple Store” or “Mommy’s Favorite Color Store”)
It warms my heart that Xiomara shares with everyone that purple is my favorite color. It shows she’s listening to the things that I say when most of the day she ignores my instructions to clean her room or give me ten minutes to do some laundry.
Claire’s normally has discounted items on displays in the back so you have to bob and weave through the store to get to it. But you could save lots of money getting items off that rack than throughout the store while “in season”.
Here’s the hack: Head straight to the back of the store to see what items are discounted from the previous season or phased out.
Stop #6 – Lovisa (AKA “The Sparkly Store”)
If I had to assign a song to Xiomara when she’s shopping throughout Lovisa, I would pick “Rich Girl” by Gwen Stefani. She’s on a MISSION when in “the sparkly store”. Anything pink or sparkly is already in her hands!
Here’s the hack: When you need accessories like earrings, necklaces, headpieces, etc… Jump straight to Lovisa! They’re perfect for dressing up your outfit with the hottest, low-cost accessories to wow people at weddings and events!
Last Stop – Dinner Time: The Klatt Family Way
How many times have you argued with your partner and kids about what you’re in the mood for at dinner?
This was definitely us until we came up with a new rule to help our sanity:
Every time we argue about what we want to eat, we go to Belden Village Mall’s Food Court.
Why?
We implemented a revolutionary way to “have our cake and eat it, too”. Normally when we’re arguing about what we’re in the mood for, it’s because we want different cuisines. When we go to the food court, we buy something from each of our favorite restaurants (and share if we want a taste of something different)!
Since Xiomara doesn’t eat a lot (and it’s a constant battle getting her to eat), Alex and I will get something from each different restaurant in the mall and share it with each other. It’s a win-win! We all get what we want in the end and can save money since we aren’t driving around to a bunch of different places.
Here’s a challenge for you: The next time you argue about what you want for dinner, try having dinner The Klatt Family Way. Visit the food court at the mall! It’s got a variety of cuisines in one place.
Here’s A Challenge For You: Give Your Kids More Memories
We should strive every day to give our kids the greatest memories! What new ways can you have fun at Belden Village Mall? Share it with us to help get the word out to other moms!
Until next time,
Melissa & Xiomara
