I've had great luck finding good quality toys, clothes, and baby items at consignment sales. They really help us keep our kid-related expenses within budget. Here are some things I've learned from shopping at consignment sales.
2. Know your prices. This is the same for buying anything. You can't know a good deal when you see one if you don't know what things sell for. Familiarize yourself with the retail prices of items on your list before you go.
3. Bigger items are where you'll see the biggest savings. Saving 75% on a high chair or stroller will help you out a lot more than 75% on a pair of pants. It takes much more time to look through racks of clothes than to size up a row of high chairs and pick one, so these are the things I put at the top of my priority list. I bought our baby swing for $10 and one of our baby carriers for $20 at consignment sales. Each item individually was over $100 retail so that saved us a lot. Both of these items were things that I put at the top of my list and picked up as soon as I got inside. Which brings me to number 4...
4. Get there early. If possible, be there when the doors open. If you want to get a deal on a big ticket item, you have to be there when the doors open. People I've seen have been pretty polite, but they definitely power walk over to whatever they're interested in to snag it and big items like strollers go first.
5. Carefully look over items before purchasing. Look for stains, holes, and missing pieces. Kids are tough on their clothes and toys. If the item has a defect, are you still willing to purchase it and is the condition reflected in the price? I'm pretty picky about clothing being in excellent condition, but am willing to purchase toys that aren't perfect as long as they're still functional and a reasonable price.
This weekend was one of the biggest consignment sales in my area. Here are some of my finds.
The first thing on my list was a tricycle so I headed for the outdoor toys first. This Radio Flyer trike was a steal for $10 and my son is loving it! Retail price for new is about $50.
My next priority was a toy barn. My little guy loves animals and he's been learning all of the sounds the farm animals make, so I knew he'd love one. Thankfully toy barns are red and easy to spot! I picked up this beautiful wood Melissa and Doug barn and animals for $8. Brand new these are about $40.
Next on the list was was shoes. I found these two pairs of Stride Rite shoes for $5 each. I can get new Stride Rite shoes for about $25 at the outlet store.
One pair was even brand new with the box included! They're 3 sizes too big for my little guy, but the thing about kids is that they're always growing! We will need them eventually and the price was right.
Clothes are always last on my list. I find it relatively easy to find affordable clothes for my son other ways so I'm happy to let others look first and make my way over to clothes after I have the other things I'm looking for and the crowd has hopefully thinned a little.
At these sales I look for nicer pieces like dress clothes and quality brands like Gap, Gymboree, and Oshkosh. I know that I can find play clothes for reasonable prices at the thrift stores or even retail stores if I really need them. Something I try to do when shopping is to buy outfits rather than individual pieces. Some people sell items as a set, but most don't so you have to match things together on your own. Here's what I found.
Hmm, I guess it is easy to see that I like green, blue, and plaid! At least they'll mix and match well! I paid $23 for 6 pairs of shorts and 5 tshirts.
After I went through my list I took some time to wander a little and look through the rest of the sale. I found some great stuff! Here are some of my favorite unexpected buys.
This Tigger costume was $8. So cute and a great price! It probably won't fit this coming Halloween, but it will be perfect for the next year.
I also happened to spot this Little People nativity set for $5. It is missing a few pieces, but has Mary, Joseph, and Jesus so it works for me! This was something I tried to find last year for Christmas but couldn't find for a price I was willing to pay. $5 was perfect!
I found some other little miscellaneous things like books, DVDs, and puzzles. All in all it was a great trip and I'm especially happy that my son has a trike to ride outside this summer and a great start on summer clothes. Now we just need some sunshine so that we can get out in the fresh air!
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