I have always been a huge fan of buying baby & kids clothes cheap at 2nd hand stores. They grow out of them WAY to quick to spend a fortune on them and boy, can they get messy! Especially babies. Babies can go through like 6 outfits a day….if you’re lucky.
When we found out we were having a granddaughter, Nana immediately went to work stocking her wardrobe & baby gear. I was amazed at some of the fabulous bargains that I found. We knew that we would be purchasing the Chicco Cortina Keyfit Travel System and we would need an extra base for my car. They run anywhere from $59 to $79 new. One day, at the local thrift store I couldn’t believe my eyes! A brand new in the box, plastic and tags still in tact, Keyfit base was sitting right there on the shelf for…wait for it…..$19.95!!! I grabbed that bad boy up and guarded it with my life until we got out of the store. SCORE!! We’ve also found a brand new in the box Fisher-Price Rainforest Bouncer for $15 and more nearly new Gymboree than you can shake a stick at!
They key to buying 2nd hand clothes is to make extra sure that they are stain and hole free. Make sure all the snaps, buttons, zippers, etc.. are in good working condition. If you can’t use it, it wasn’t a bargain. We’ve taken everything home and soaked it in Oxiclean and washed it in the washer so germs and cooties don’t worry me a bit.
What’s the difference between a thrift store, resale store & consignment store? A lot! Here are the differences that I have found. If you know of others, please do share by posting a comment.
Thrift Stores
They are usually the low of the low. You often have to search between the scuz to find something good but have no fear, there is usually something exciting to be found. Thrift stores take donations. That usually means they sell anything from housewares to granny panties. Eww! If you’re thorough in your search, you can often find a gem for a steal. Thrift stores usually have the lowest prices of the 3 types of 2nd hand stores.
Consignment Shops
Consignment shops are great for moms with little ones because you can sell your clothes through them. Consignment shops take your items on consignment and when they sell, they add a percentage of the profit into an account for you. You can usually choose to spend your profit in their store or ask for it in the form of cash or a check. Consignment shops are more picky about what they will put on their racks. They want a nice looking store with items that will sell. You can find some really nice items, especially for kids and earn a little cash as well.
Resale Stores
Resale stores generally pay you up front for your items. They are the most picky of the 3 because if the items don’t sell, they are out of luck. They lose the money that they paid you for the item(s). I have found resale stores to be higher in price but still such a bargain for what you get. They won’t take in stained or broken items so there is less to weed through. They generally have a lot more name brands than the other 2 types of 2nd hand stores as well.
More places to find second hand clothes for great prices.
- Garage Sales
- Ebay
- Friends & Family
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