Who makes the purchasing decisions at your house? Unless it’s a “Boilermate” (whatever that is) for our heating system, I make virtually all of the decisions as a mom and wife in my house. And I do quite a bit of research before making these decisions.

New York Times writer and author, Lisa Belkin’s recent Motherlode post, "On Picking Products, Moms Rule” underscores how important Moms are to the economy and how much we do our research.

I’ve turned to Mommy Blogs to find the safest, most easy to use car seats, the most practical double stroller (well, practical and somewhat cool) and BPA-free cups and baby bottles. The other preschool moms and kids influence which snacks and snack containers we pack in our lunch boxes. This is why I was coerced into buying a Goldfish shaped container and a Wonder Bread sandwich carrier.

My newspaper and magazine research has helped me learn how to read labels and buy the healthiest whole grain bread, hormone free milk and environmentally friendly detergent. I have also been known to buy ready-made chicken nuggets at the grocery store (after my kids loved them at a playdate) and chips and French onion dip for the Book Club Ladies. I get great ideas for wine and appetizers and desserts from my Bunko group and of course food bloggers like my other New York Times favorite, Bitten.

I sort through our kids clothes each season and move things from the Target winter bins to the summer bins and the grow into bins and the outgrown bins, a system I learned from my first baby playgroup. I watch for sales to stock up on pajamas and socks and splurge on Hanna Andersson and full priced Petit Bateau from time to time. My best friend, knowing my taste, tips me off on good toddler boy bargains (like long sleeved tees at Crewcuts at the end of the summer.

Some of my mom friends are married to Metrosexuals, but not me. I buy ties, shirts and blazers (asking my friends married to Metrosexuals for ideas on where to shop) and chose the drycleaner who cleans them (from my yoga teacher’s recommendation). And as Faith Popcorn says in the Belkin story, I buy the razor blades and shaving cream.

I get cases of wine delivered (from a former co-worker’s wine supplier, Howie) negotiate our cable and phone package and chose our oil delivery company because I trusted the salesperson who came to our door and explained their services.

I read Cookie and Parents Magazine for ideas on kids birthday presents and try to remember to buy my friends, family and yes, in-laws, their birthday cards and gifts.

Belkin is right, moms do rule when it comes to picking products. But we do our research.