Consignment Shopping and Garage Sales

I love bargains! As you may already know, I consign our clothes, and do most of our clothing shopping second hand. Click on the clothing label for more on the subject.

This weekend was the Spring Little Lambs sale. This is a fund raising consignment sale for a local church. I participated in the sale for the first time last fall. I explained the sale in Consigning for a Cause back then. It is a wonderful ministry and place to buy and sell your children's clothing.

As I was sorting clothes to sell earlier in the week, I kept a list of items that the kids would need for winter. Most of the kids were fairly well set, except for Vivian (18 months.) I waited to shop at the sale until Saturday, partially because that was the first time I could finagle it to shop without the little kids, but mostly because many of the items are marked 1/2 off on Saturday. Yes, I am that cheap that I wait for consignment store price to be marked 1/2 off before I buy!

Kellen (9) and Lydia (5) went with me and oh, did we find the deals! I did stick to my list, only buying items that were really needed. I think Lydia was hoping to pick up some jewelry, but that was not on the list! We did find 8 pairs of shoes, 6 pairs of pants, 3 jumpers, 4 sweaters, 2 long sleeved shirts, one Christmas dress, 6 pairs of socks, and 3 pairs of tights, all in like new to good condition for a whopping total of $56! Have I mentioned I love consignment shopping?

When I have a morning of garage sale or consignment shopping, I like to pick out the best deal. It was a hard choice. I was sure it was going to be these Skechers shoes I found for Kellen. They look like new. A similar shoe sells for $39 on their website. Consignment price $3!

That would have been the deal of the day, except we decided to stop at two garage sales on the way home. We found a few things at the first one, but it was the second one where I found the items that I was most excited for.

Tim (dh) is tall. It is hard to find pants for him that are on clearance or on sale. I almost never find them second hand. The second sale had three pairs of like new Docker's Dress Pants that retail around $40, for $2.50 each. That fabulous price along with the thrill of a rare find made that the deal of the day!

I was also selling clothing at the consignment sale, so the real question is did I make more than I spent? I didn't make as much as I did last sale. Thirty percent of the sale proceeds go to the ministry. After that, and the five dollar fee paid at the beginning of the sale, I came out about $15 ahead after all my purchases. Of course, I would have liked to made more, but closets were cleaned out, my children are fairly well set for winter, money went to a good cause and it was worthwhile to me.