I LOVE consignment sales! One of the frustrating things about trying to dress small children is the fact that they outgrow all of those expensive, super-cute outfits really quickly! Consignment sales are a great way to not only save money buying kids' clothes, but MAKE money as well!

Every spring and fall I get all of the clothes my kids have outgrown ready to sell. They have to be washed, ironed, tagged, hung, and sized- a lot of work, I'll admit- but when it is all said and done, I get a great check that I then put back into their wardrobes. The money I make selling their clothes is, for the most part, the money I spend buying new ones. My husband admires this because it is like my first initial "clothes" investment gets recycled twice a year, which REALLY saves us a ton of money! I like to buy a mix of new items and consignment sale items.

The great thing about consignment sales is that you find a lot of name-brand clothes in great shape at a fraction of the cost. Since kids outgrow items so quickly, they don't have a lot of time to ruin their clothes. Most consignment sales are also very picky about what they accept- clothes that are ripped, stained, or out-of-date are typically not accepted. This ensures that you find a lot of great clothes at a very reasonable cost.

When you sell at consignment sales, you typically get 70-80% of your sales back, while the hosting church/ministry/organization receives the other 20-30%. You pick your own prices, label your items, and drop them off- and they do all the "selling" work for you. You also typically make more money back this way than a regular consignment store- and definitely more than a yard sale.

Things to remember about shopping at consignment sales:
-Go early for the best selection!
-It's okay to be choosy. If I don't love it, I don't buy it.
-Try to think if what you are purchasing is actually a good price for that item. Many people overprice their items, when you could typically get those items for close to the same price at a regualr store sale, brand-new.
-The sales are done seasonally.
-You can often find clothes for juniors as well as maternity clothes, making this a great way to shop for back-to-school items as well as expensive pregnancy gear.
-If you are buying large items and baby gear, keep in mind that many items get recalled, and some of them get sold at consignment sales anyways. Be aware of current safety standards and recalls- otherwise, stay away from cribs and car seats.
-Many sales also offer books, DVDs, toys, and homeschool curriculum in addition to clothes!

Things to remember about selling at consignment sales:
-Your clothes need to be in like-new condition- don't waste your time tagging items that have stains or look dated. Many times they will be pulled off the rack- if not, they probably still won't sell.
 -Don't try to sell summer clothes in winter sales and vice versa. They probably won't be allowed, but they definitely won't sell. 
-Be reasonable when pricing your clothes, Yes, you want to make a profit- but if you price them too high, they won't sell! A good rule of thumb is 1/3 of the original cost for name-brand items, but it differs for each article of clothing. You can charge a little more for good name-brands. I try to think, "Would I pay this much for this item, used?"
-Some sales charge administrative fees in addition to their 20-30%.
-Register early to sell! Spots are limited and fill up quickly!
-Sometimes volunteering is a great way to not only ensure a spot, but can also get you "passes" into pre-sales as well as  other perks.
-You have to be available to pick up your items, but you can also choose to have them donated to another ministry- most sales have this option. Once they have been donated, though, they are gone.
-Many hosting churches and organization let you write off their 20-30% on your taxes as a tax-deductible donation.

A great place to see all of the current and upcoming sales in your area is the Bargain Watcher. There might be others for others areas of the country. I would check it often, especially in early summer and in January/February for upcoming sales.
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Here is a great tip I got from a reader, Rachel F.,  last night as part of an entry into our giveaway- I like it so much that I asked if I could use it! (See? I told you that your tips could apear here! ;) ) So here it is:

I make all my own baby food for next to nothing! I invested about $2 for a steamer insert for my pot. I start when I'm pregnant, buying fruits and vegetables in season at their rock-bottom prices. I wash the veggies, then throw them in the steamer in my pot with about an inch of water and steam until the veggies are tender. Then toss them in the blender and puree until smooth. Pour into ice cube trays and let freeze. Remove the cubes and seal in a freezer bag. Two cubes is one serving. I let the fruit ripen as I usually would, and when it's very soft, throw it in the blender, then freeze it in ice cube trays. Since I start when I'm pregnant, by the time the baby is ready to eat solids I've made baby food from fruits and veggies in every season. My kids have devoured peaches, strawberries, green beans, pears, peas, blueberries, plums, bananas, apples, squash, pumpkin, etc. To make all the "stage 1" baby food, I typically spend less than $10, and it is about a six-month supply. When your baby can eat chunky food, I don't buy the pre-packaged meals. I take whatever we eat for dinner and if there are leftovers I throw them in the food processor, pulse a few times, then either store it in the fridge or freeze it in the ice cube trays. And it costs me nothing, because I'm using just little bits of leftovers of food that I've already made. When I first started making my own baby food, I thought it would be a major hassle, but it really wasn't. Most of the stage 1 food is made before the baby is even born, and the rest of the stuff takes less than 5 minutes during after-dinner clean-up once a week or so. It's nice to know your baby is eating healthily, and I love to save the money!

Thanks you so much, Rachel F., for sharing this tip with our Fab Steals and Deals community!!
Do you have a tip that you would like to share? Let me know, and it could appear here!
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