Tips for Post Consignment Sale Shopping

Thrifty Thursday 
You may think that once you've shopped a consignment sale, you've done everything you can to save money.  However, I've found a few more ways to maximize your savings.  

1. Find out where they donate left over items:  If you notice, many consignment sales donate clothes that are left over after their sale.  After having been at the Moncure sale in line at closing time several times, I've seen on average about 30 lawn and leaf size bags filled to go out for donations.

I was lucky enough to be standing in line waiting to checkout the second time I went to the Moncure sale and overheard another shopper asking where the items that didn't sell were donated.  Much to my surprise, the volunteer told the other shopper they were donated to the Goodwill behind the school.  Huzzah.  I knew I could check there the following week for more deals.  The Goodwill stores in my area sell baby items except dresses for .99 cents each.  If they have a noodle in the color of the week, they are half off.  Even if they are regularly priced, when you bring a donation, you get a coupon for 20% off all regularly priced items.  So, shopping at Goodwill, the most I would spend on a new item for my little one is .80 cents.  Often an even better bargain than a consignment sale.

Due to the volume of donations they receive after a consignment sale, all the merchandise doesn't go out the first week.  So, you can often pick up deals for several weeks after the sale.

This is my Goodwill haul the week after the last Moncure sale.  I got 3 shirts, 2 pair of pants, 1 onesie, and a pair of pajamas for less than $5.  Yay!

2. Save your hangers: If you plan on consigning in the future which you probably should, many sales require you to place clothing items on your own hangers.  Sadly, kid size hangers aren't much cheaper than adult hangers.  If you save the ones you get at sales and stores when buying new if they will allow you, that will provide a good start to your collection.  

3. Save your safety pins: While safety pins aren't expensive per se, every little bit of savings helps.  For most people who will be consigning at a sale, you will need to invest in hangers, safety pins, clear packing tape, ink, paper, and gallon size ziploc baggies.  Little savings though can help.  I keep all my safety pins in a quart food storage container where little hands won't get to them.

Weecycled Fredericksburg Haul

Where I live, Weecycled is the biggest consignment sale.  It was my introduction to consignment sales when my daughter was just days old.

 I had been shopping for clothes for my little one at thrift and consignment stores throughout my pregnancy to be prepared.  However, after reading other mamas advice and being told my daughter would probably be close to 8 lbs when she arrived, I avoided purchasing hardly any newborn clothes.  I think i had 2 onesies, 3 sleepers, and a hat.  Imagine my surprise when I delivered a 6 lb 6 oz little one who quickly went down to 5 lbs 10 oz.  Even her newborn clothes looked big on her.

I mean look at those leg holes.  That was before she lost several more ounces the morning after she was born at the hospital.  We needed to get some more newborn clothes quickly.  Since I had been out of work on medical leave due to complications during my third trimester, our budget for new clothes for her was severely limited.  Luckily, DB's parents had been shopping at Weecycled's Stafford sale for a few years for his niece.  Thankfully, they picked up a some more sleepers for her the day after we got home from the hospital at the Weecycled sale that we were lucky enough to have the weekend after her birth.  I wasn't quite up to shopping or even walking yet.  Somehow, I got up the energy to hit the sale with DB 2 days later for their half off sale.  

That was the beginning of what now is a seasonal obsession.  So far this season, I've been to 4 consignment sales including one more I will post about after this.  I still have 4 more consignment sales I plan to shop.  

Weecycled Wardrobe's Fredericksburg sale is huge.  As my consignment sale style has evolved, I've learned that I don't prefer these large for profit consignment sales.  Additionally, unlike any other consignment sales I frequent, Weecycled has a minimum consignors can charge of $4.  This means even on half off days, the minimum you will spend per item is $2.  So, you are best served by purchasing bundled items.  

This is an Infantino Sling Rider that is recalled.  I have mixed feelings about this particular purchase.  I am seriously saddened that a for profit consignment sale specializing in children's goods would sell an item that not only was recalled but was also associated with the death of at least 3 infants.  It is illegal to sell recalled items.  I would feel awful if I saw this item and passed it by knowing that some other parent might buy it to use for their little one.  

The upside of me purchasing this,though, isn't just getting it off the market to prevent it from possibly injuring another child.   Owners of the recalled sling, can reach out to Infantino following the directions here to return the necessary portion of the sling to receive a different product in return.  Currently, they are offering a high chair cover or one of their mei tais.  The mei tai, of course, would be my recommendation as it is a well loved carrier in the babywearing community. 

 Their mei tais usually retail for around $35.  I picked up the Sling Rider for $2.  

This is an example of buying a bundle of items to get a better deal.  For $2, I picked up two 2 shirts and a skirt that will be perfect for Fourth of July, Memorial Day, or even Flag Day.

I am a huge football fan especially of the Dallas Cowboys.  Unfortunately, NFL licensed apparel is way too expensive for my taste brand new usually $20 or more for a single onesie.  DB's parents are huge Redskins fans, sadly.  So, I am always on the lookout for some Cowboys clothes to balance out all the Skins onesies we've been given.  So, I was thrilled to pick up this 12 month onesie and 18 month dress for just $2.

This bundle of wooden puzzles includes 4 puzzles one of which is the Melissa and Doug Dress up Teddy Bear Puzzle with 45 interchangeable pieces to change the both their expressions and moods.  Awesome buy at just $2 considering these puzzles run anywhere from $7.99 to $14.99 each new.

This bundle was two pair of 18 month jeans for $2 one of which had an adjustable waist which are more difficult to find but needed for my little one's skinny waist.

Melissa and Doug Alphabet puzzle $2.  Of course, I love wooden puzzles; but I especially love that the peekaboo for O is an octopus.  I am always on the lookout for items featuring octopuses since they are her father's favorite.

Osh Kosh and Hanna Anderson tops for $2 for the bundle.

Ralph Lauren dress for $2.50.

Collection of Bear Board Books including I Love You Through and Through, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, and We're going on a Bear Hunt for $2.

Two Spring outfits for $3.

My First Words Book from the Your Baby Can Read Series for $2.50.

Brown size 5 shoes for $2.  

Vegetable Ragout with Greens and Bulgur

Meatless Monday 

This recipe was born out of my desire to use up last bits of produce, but it turned out so well, that it will definitely be added to our rotation of dinner entrees.  I had 1 red brick sweet potato and half a bag of mixed greens(turnip greens, collard greens, and kale) and felt like doing something different but hearty as we seemed to be having the last blast of winter.

1-8.8 ounce package of quick cook bulgur

2 cups of greens

1 quart of tomato sauce(I used some I had canned last summer that already had onions, garlic, and basil.  If you use store bought, I would recommend adding onions while cooking the greens.)

approx 3-4 lbs root veggies I used enough to fill a half sheet pan or the equivalent of 2 potatoes, 1 white sweet potato, 2 carrots, 1 red brick sweet potato, 1/2 a rutabaga.  parsnips, turnips, celery root, etc would also work well.

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup of water

1 tablespoon minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp paprika

olive oil

1 tsp garlic and herb seasoning

1. Cut all the veggies into 1-2 inch cubes.

2, Roast the veggies in the oven at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

3, Add oil to a pot, and saute the greens with the garlic.

4. Add the tomato sauce, spices, lemon juice, water, and bulgur to the pot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer for ten minutes.

5. Add your root veggies once they are done roasting.

Moms of Multiples Consignment Sale Haul

Two weekends ago, I attended our local moms of multiples consignment sale.  Moms of multiple consignment sales are pretty common nationwide.  This was my first time attending one of their sales.  Despite the sale being the smallest I've attended,  I was able to snag a few great deals.

This sale also happened to be one of the sales where it pays to get all the info about the sale in advance as they did charge a small fee for using a credit card.  So, to maximize savings, I grabbed cash to bring with me.

The Melissa and Doug wooden toys have been huge hits all having been played with every single days since I picked them up.  The first Elmo didn't work, but I wasn't terribly upset for only $1.  I wasn't sure when I saw it if it just needed its batteries replaced when I saw it at the sale.  She still tries to haul it around the house, and this way I don't have to worry about her breaking it in the process.

Left swimsuit $1.50 and Right $1

Melissa and Doug Rainbow Gear Caterpillar $1

Sesame Street Traveling Potty Seat $3

Melissa and Doug Wooden Sound Puzzle $1

Baby Doll Feeding Accessories $1.50

Robeez shoes $2.50 and Burgundy Shoes .50 cents

Toddler Hooded Beach Towel $1.50

 Elmo $1

18 month leggings $.50

Hokey Pokey Elmo $1

 Melissa and Doug Noah's Ark $3

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Ball $.50

Free 8x10 print at Walgreens through 3/28

If you're like me, you've probably been taking lots of pictures of your little one recently between St. Patrick's Day and all of the Easter festivities.  Walgreen has a special deal to help out mamas like us.  Head over to Walgreens.com. For just today and tomorrow, you can order an 8x10 picture for free with online checkout.  If you pick store pickup, you can get it completely free.   Pretty sure, I'm going to crop this one and use it for my free print.  Hurry,  This offer expires tomorrow.

Check out Walmart's Pajama Clearance

Rarely will you hear me recommend shopping at Walmart.  Beyond any moral argument, I get better deals sticking with Aldi, Wegmans, or Target depending on what I'm looking for.  However, another mama posted in a local facebook group I am a part of that Walmart had tons of PJs clearanced for super cheap prices.  This is an example of the importance of mom networking.  I can't guarantee they will be available for the same price at your local Walmart, but I know people have found them at more than one local Walmart for these prices.  I'd say at these prices, it's worth a trip to see.  At these prices, I was able to grab many of these brand new for equivalent prices to what I would pay for them used at a consignment sale.

Elmo 2 piece set size 12 month for $3.

Gerber 2 packs of fleece footies for $2.50 making it $1.25 a pair of footies.  These originally retailed for $9.99.

Carter's fleece footies $2 a pair both size 18 month. These originally retailed for $7.44.

More fleece footies by Carter's for $2 a pair.  

Garanimals sweatpants for $1.  Garanimals tights for $1.50 each; originally $6.98.

2 piece character pajamas with fleece bottoms size 5T for $2,50 each.

Hat and glove set for $2; originally $6.98.

Moncure Elementary's 2nd Helping Consignment Sale's Haul

This past Saturday was the first consignment sale of the season.  It also happens to be my favorite of the local consignment sales.  It is a smaller consignment sale that benefits a local elementary school's PTO.  This sale is the consignment sale with the largest return for consignors with the potential for almost 80% of sales if you volunteer.  As a result,  I find the prices to be cheapest at this sale in comparison to other sales in the area.  I've purchased several items for 25 or 50 cents at this sale through the years.

When I say it was the first consignment sale of the season, I mean they really beat other area sales by almost 3 weeks.  This did seem to play a role in selection as they had quite a turnout.  The half off period runs from 12:30-2 pm.  When I arrived at 12:19, there were already 13 people in line in front of me which I've never seen before.

This is usually the sale where I pick up wooden puzzles for a quarter, hand puppets, finger puppets, and other cool items.  Sadly, I didn't have as much luck in this area this time.  I still feel I got some good deals, but I will have to keep looking for some of the specific items I'm searching for.  All together, I spent $17.

Here's my haul.

A pair of ministar 12-18 month shoes with owls on them for .50 cents.  A pair of 18-24 month loafers from Old Navy for .50 cents.  They really looked unworn.  A pair of size 6 Crocs with removable fleece lining, so they can be worn year round for $1.50.

Set of Clifford books for $1.  Since it was only $1, I wasn't disappointed the set only had 3 of the  4 books in the set.  We have already read these books several times, and LB loves carrying around the case since it has a handle on top.   

Children's place tights for .50 cents.  4 pair of Hanes socks for .50 cents.

Carter's sleeveless size 12 month polo for .50 cents.  OkieDokie size 12 month dress for $1.

Carter's bathing suit coverup for $1.50, and Old Navy capris for .50 cents.

Carter's size 18 month tunic for $1.50.  Christmas shirt with a huge bow that happened to be brand new for $1.50.

Tommy Hilfiger size 3t dress for $2.50.

24 month khakis and leggings for .50 cents each.

These items were all for my niece.  The bags each contain 2 piece pajama sets for .75 cents each.  One pair was a Halloween set, and the others have ballerinas on them.  The shirt and khakis were .50 cents each.  Funny thing is I bought the same top last year at a different sale for my daughter in size 18 months.

I like that the receipt is so detailed.  You can use it of documentation for tax purposes per the cashiers.  I was saddened by the spelling error of a cashier, however.  

All in all, I would sale it was a respectable haul for consignment shopping.  I don't mind just picking up a few pieces at a time since I plan to hit up a couple of sales.

The fall sale has been announced for October 15th in case you are local.