VarageSale Survey Finds 40% of Parents Have Cut Back On Grocery Bills to Raise Kids

The Virtual Garage Sale for Your Phone Launches New Communities and Partners With First Book Canada to Donate Books to Schools Across Ontario

TORONTO, Aug. 4, 2015 /CNW/ - VarageSale (www.varagesale.com), the virtual garage sale on your phone, has just launched 24 new Ontario communities and now covers the entire Toronto and Ottawa areas and is available throughout  Ontario. The app provides a trusted and family-friendly environment where families can buy and sell affordable secondhand items in their neighbourhoods.

The newly launched communities serve the following areas: North York and surrounding areas, Toronto Downtown and Midtown, Toronto East End, Toronto West End, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, Ottawa, Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills, Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Brantford, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Belleville, Kingston, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay.

VarageSale was founded by former elementary school teacher and Chief Customer Officer Tami Zuckerman, so the company makes helping kids in need a priority. To celebrate its grand opening in Ontario, VarageSale is partnering with First Book Canada to provide books to local schools. When any new or existing community reaches its membership goals, VarageSale will donate $2,500 worth of new books to schools in that community. If each new community hits its goal, VarageSale will be donating 30,000 books across Ontario.

"As a former teacher, early literacy has always been a passion of mine, so I couldn't be happier that we are getting behind this very important initiative," said Zuckerman. "I was shocked to learn that almost 25% of Canadian households don't have a single book. Simply by using VarageSale to buy and sell items locally, members can also help kids in their communities."

To mark the Ontario launch, VarageSale surveyed 500 local parents and found some interesting data about their shopping and spending habits.

• In today's economy, Ontario families are strapped for cash and looking for ways to save money:
  •  40% of parents have cut back on grocery bills to raise their kids
  • More than 1 in 3 parents (36%) have argued with their partners about the cost of items for their children
  • 1 in 5 Ontario parents (20%) would rather count calories than manage the family budget
  • Nearly three-quarters of parents (73%) are willing to purchase gently used clothing and other items for their children to save money
    
    
• Back-to-school season is a particularly expensive and stressful time for Ontario families:
  • 1 in 5 parents (19%) would rather get a root canal than go back-to-school shopping
  • More than half of parents (55%) wish they could put back-to-school shopping money toward a vacation instead
  • Half of Ontario parents (49%) consider back-to-school shopping to be one of the most expensive times of the year for their families
  • 42% of Ontario parents say at least half of their back-to-school shopping budget goes toward clothing
    
    
• Ontario families have many unnecessary items in their homes that they could be selling:
  • Nearly half (44%) of kids don't wear even half of the clothing in their closet
  • More than 2 in 3 (67%) of kids don't play with even half of their toys
  • 85% of parents think their kids have more toys than they need
  • 2 in 3 parents (65%) have argued with their partners about clutter around the house

Since launching in 2012, VarageSale has helped families find great deals at a fraction of the retail price, make money by decluttering their homes and selling unused items and make new friends along the way. Users can shop with confidence by browsing member profiles to see real names and photos that have been vetted by local admins. Millions of members in local, family-friendly communities across the U.S., Canada and around the globe use VarageSale for free at VarageSale.com and on the mobile app, available on iOS and Android devices.

About VarageSale
VarageSale is the virtual garage sale where families can buy and sell items and connect with their neighbors. It has millions of members exchanging millions of messages per month in local, family-friendly communities across the United States, Canada and beyond. VarageSale is free to use at VarageSale.com and on the mobile app, which is available on iOS and Android devices. The company is based in Toronto and funded by investors including Sequoia Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners. For more information, visit http://www.varagesale.com.

SOURCE VarageSale

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