Comments on: Consignment Sales: Yard Sale Saturday

By: Deirdre

Deirdre — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 02:19:13 +0000

Back when my middle schoolers were babies and we were particularly poor (what exactly does that mean anyhow!), I frequented thrift stores in Tucson with great stuff all betw. 50 cents and $1.50. HOWEVER the staff stapled all the tags on. Not good b/c the staples left holes often in the clothing so I spent time artfully sewing up the holes. Now we do a lot of hand me downs (I keep anything that I want to use again.) and consignment sales. For boys: In my experience it is pretty easy to find them 2nd hand clothing that reaches my standards until they reach about size 5 and then it gets increasingly difficult. My best luck for my size 6 and larger boy clothes has been at Children’s Place and their outlets. I can often get pants for 4 to 7 dollars new and shirts for 3 to 6 dollars. It is all new and about the same price as used quality stuff from a consignment sale. If you get a Place Credit Card you can get 10% off every purchase and in combo with the coupons they send you frequently that are for 15% off all purchases, you end up getting 25% off your whole purchase. Some of my two cents! I could go on and on about saving on kids’ clothes, but I will spare you all! LOL.

By: Kimberly @ Raising Olives

Kimberly @ Raising Olives — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:27:08 +0000

Hmm. I wonder if it has anything to do with that legislation that will require lead testing for ANYTHING sold for children.

Back when that was in the news I did hear that thrift shops would simply stop selling children’s items.

By: Kimberly @ Raising Olives

Kimberly @ Raising Olives — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:25:22 +0000

I’ve had other people recommend the pre-sale. Of course since I went during the half-off sale I didn’t spend more than $3 for anything, but I was told I would have had more selection at those low prices if I’d shopped the pre-sale.

By: Kimberly @ Raising Olives

Kimberly @ Raising Olives — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:24:03 +0000

We actually had a Mom-to-Mom sale in the last town that we lived. I LOVED it. The yard sales in that small town were not worth the effort, but I was able to completely clothe my kids (everyone was younger then) at that sale. Here is the link to one of the sales that I went to this year Duck, Duck, Goose .

By: Beth

Beth — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 02:39:27 +0000

You may want to see (if your schedule permits) if they have open volunteering. I go to a consignment in my area that is only open twice a year that allows you to shop early if you volunteer 12 hours for them. Shopping early is great because it allows you to snag up something before anyone else can get to it.

Example: I purchased a baby swing for $8 in the pre-sale. It was the least expensive swing on the floor and there was another, identical for $60. If I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to shop early, I would’ve probably paid $30 for a similar swing and thought that was a good deal.

I ended up spending less than $60 when it was said and done, (preparing for my first baby) and I was able to get everything I needed. If I wouldn’t have volunteered, I would’ve spent the same amount on much less.

-Beth

By the way, I just found your blog today and I am appreciate all of the wonderful information and am warmed by the goodness of your family.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 19:44:35 +0000

We have great thrift stores here. I wait for the days where certain tagged clothes are $0.50 to $1.00. Each week they change the color, so eventually I can pick through all the clothes for cheap. I do sell my kids non-stained clothes at the consignment sales twice a year and make between $200 to $400 each time, which is our vacation money! I price the clothes way higher than yard sale prices, but have been very successful at selling for those prices. It is way more organized than a yard sale, so I think people are willing to pay more to have it all conveniently located by sizes and sex. So that is how I do it, buy my kids clothes cheap at thrift stores and resell them for more!

By: chantelle

chantelle — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:53:00 +0000

I find that consignment sales are much more expensive. I can usually find quality pieces of clothing at garage sales for under a dollar. The consignment sales that I have tried are usually four or five dollars for each piece of clothing.

By: mary

mary — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:42:23 +0000

My daughter is my first and I try to find as much as I can at garage sales. I shop for the next two sizes. I then go to the two consignment sales that have the best prices and get what I was unable to find. I have found that garage sales are much cheeper but I have not be able to find all the stuff we need.

By: CookieMonsterKatrina

CookieMonsterKatrina — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:04:03 +0000

Oh, I forgot to mention that my local thrift stores have completely stopped selling children’s clothing. It was always a hot selling item. I’m totally mystified as to what they are doing with their donations of useable children’s clothing.

By: CookieMonsterKatrina

CookieMonsterKatrina — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:01:27 +0000

I’ve tried consignment stores before but thought, like you, that the prices were too high. I’ve not paid any attention to whethere they were having any special sales or not. Now I’ll have to look and see.

I was blessed to get hand-me-downs from my stepmother for my son for the first three years of his life. It saved me hundreds of dollars a year. But, after he reached 4T size the hand-me-downs got less and less. My younger brothers got much harder on their clothes.

By: Lorie

Lorie — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 09:10:56 +0000

There are tons of consignment sales in Nashville (usually Thurs. or Fri. through Sat.) but I rarely participate in those. I think if you were looking for some nice outfits for little kids, mostly girls, that you’d be able to find them at consignment sales if you went early enough. Yes, you’d pay more than at yard sales but less than at department stores unless you happened to find a really good clearance sale. I actually consign in Paducah, Ky where my mom and grandmother live. They buy most of the kids clothes there really cheap. That sale actually runs for two weeks, one week regular price, the second week is half price. I think garage sales are good if you have the time/energy to go.

By: Celee

Celee — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 21:04:39 +0000

I’m not the best at saving money when it comes to my girls, but I shop cheap for the boys. I’ve been amazed at what nice new clothes I can find for my boys on final markdown sales at Target and Sears. We also use Sears Kids Advantage, or whatever that club is called, so anytime my boys get a hole in their pants or jeans I can exchange them for a new pair for free. This way we end up getting 3-4 pairs of jeans, or more when you consider handing them down to the next boy, for $12.95, not bad. I buy lots of shirts for my almost 4 yr old for 2.50-3.50 at Sears or Target on sale- brand new with collars. We have a big second-hand store for kids here in town, but I’ve found I can find them cheaper and new on sale at Sears and Target. I do use the second-hand store for boys shoes.

By: Valerie

Valerie — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 19:25:12 +0000

My boys are grown now, but when they were little I got *all* of their clothes used; either from friends, thrift stores or garage sales. I don’t tend to shop at consignment stores because the prices are high compared to garage sales and regular thrift stores.

For instance, last year I got enough clothes for my friend’s new baby to take the kid all the way to age 2, for $37. 5 BOXES of clothes, mostly in perfect condition, some brand new. The folks having the garage sale had twins, so I even took the doubles out and sent them to work with my hubby for one of the new moms there.

Up until my boys were in their teens, I could find all their clothes used, and cheap. Once they got older I had more trouble finding the clothes in their sizes locally, so I looked on ebay for jeans, etc.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 03:31:44 +0000

I have begun shopping and now consigning at the mega consignment sales. The closest one is sponsored by a local church’s day school. My experience is that when I went to the huge one up in Birmingham, I would plan what I needed in what sizes and then look for the best items in the styles I liked at the best prices. (I would buy the $2 – $4 pairs of jeans or capri pants and leave the $5 – $10 pairs on the racks.)

Now that I have begun consigning, I find the best prices are in the pre-sale. I consigned and worked a 4 hour shift and then got to shop the day prior to the public. I needed to almost completely outfit my 4.5 year old for the summer, and needed a good bit for my 2 year old as well. I know that I stayed under $50 for the 4 year old and under $30 for the 2 year old. I spent another $40 or $50, but that was mostly for birthday presents.

I definitely recommend consigning and shopping the pre-sale. I would have spent twice as much if I had waited for the first day’s sale prices.

By: Holly

Holly — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 19:01:51 +0000

In our area we have Mom-to-Mom sales. They are like indoor garage sales for kids clothing/toys/baby gear (like car seats and strollers and such). You can browse 25, 50 even upward to 100 tables that mom’s rent out and display their gently used clothing on. I do awesome at these! We have 4 boys and while I definitely find it easier to get “little” boys clothes and sizes, I have hit sales where the boys wore a 10-12-14-16 and everything is name brand and 1-2 dollars an item!! I only shop the stores anymore for hard to find items and matching things. I’ve never heard of week-long consignment shop sales??! Maybe you’ve never heard of Mom-to-Mom sales

By: Heidi

Heidi — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 16:34:30 +0000

I do find getting boys clothes consignment and garage sale more difficult. I think it is because boys are so much harder on their clothes in general!

By: Helen

Helen — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 16:19:47 +0000

At our local semi-annual consignment sale, the only way you can find any deals is if you sell stuff and then get to go on “seller’s night” before it opens to the general public. Even then, you have to be first in line if you want a real bargain. I think it’s a much better deal and less stressful to go to yard sales and/or buy new at the end of season.

By: Melodie

Melodie — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:30:42 +0000

I too have problems finding second hand clothes for my boys. I even have trouble finding new clothes for them that are masculine. I know their little boys but….lol
Good post, I like this idea!

By: Bekki

Bekki — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:24:46 +0000

I sell my children’s things at a consignment sale. I make more money than I would at a yard sale or selling to a shop.

I don’t think people buy as much for boys to begin with so there is never very much to choose from anf they destroy most things! I usually buy my boys clothes at Gymboree and Old Navy at the end of season for 4 to 5 dollars an item. Pricer that other places but at least it will last. My boys wear the same size also so I don’t have the privelge of hand me downs.

These sales are quite popular here, both with sellers and buyers. I can work a 3 hour shift and get 70 percent of my sales, shop early, and make money. It’s very enticing for not much work.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:29:40 +0000

I have been purchasing the majority of my kids’ clothes at a mega consignment sale that is held twice per year. I have been shopping and selling at this same sale for about 8 years.

The prices are definitely higher at the consignment sale than a yard sale. In our area the prices at this large sale are higher than at the smaller church sponsored consignment sales.

BUT, for me it is worth the convenience of being able to get so much at once. I don’t like going to yard sales. (Gasp. I want to like them, but I don’t )

And yes, it is much harder finding good used boys’ clothes.

By: Melissa Multitasking Mama

Melissa Multitasking Mama — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:05:06 +0000

My boys are so hard on clothes..I can rarely hand them down from one boy to the other- shirts sometimes but pants and shorts, hardly ever.

By: Leigh

Leigh — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 11:44:42 +0000

My size 4T grandson’s wardrobe is mostly thrift store. Very good quality, name brands. His little Christian K3-12 grade school only allows collared shirts and dress pants (in otherwords no jeans or tshirts). Once school year end and it daycare only they can wear shorts and tshirts. Average price is $2.99. It is hard to find second hand blue jeans though. Guess cause boys are rougher on them. We are finding though that our thrift store has raised prices for womens clothes. I wait for the item to go to 70%off.
I used to participate in the church consignments but didnt like the $12.00 advertisement fee.
Thanks for the reminder..we have a new consignment shop here in town and I need to get busy getting my clothes together ince the weather is warmer moms will be looking for spring clothes.