Thrift Store Shopping!

I've always loved a good bargain ... and I've always loved taking something old and making it new. When I was a little kid I used to love reading The Boxcar Children. They would go to the dump and rummage through old stuff ... and they always found something worthwhile! While in college I would go to Goodwill and Christian Help (local thrift stores out West) for furniture, clothes, kitchen items, etc. It saved me tons of money, I still looked fashionable (you won't believe what people give away), and I was reducing my carbon footprint. Instead of paying $70 for a pair of shoes, I might pay $10.

Now that we've started a family (and especially since K is attending school part-time and I am staying home with Little Bear), shopping smart is more important than ever. Luckily, baby consignment stores are growing in number. There are two in our town - and many more in most larger cities. Here's what I love about baby consignment stores: almost everything they sell is brand new. Why? Two reasons, mainly: 1) because babies grow so darned fast that they only get to wear an outfit several times before they are too big for it! and 2) everyone loves to buy gifts for a new baby ... and items are often duplicated, unnecessary, or simply not something the parents will use.

Here are a few practically new items we've bought at consignments shops at less than half the retail value: Kelty Baby Backpack (tags still attached!), Ergo Baby Carrier Infant Insert (for our next baby ... someday), Robeez baby shoes, baby seat, BabyLegs, and a brand new leather/lambs wool snow jumper from Macy's! Here are items I've seen but haven't bought: jogging strollers, bassinets, co-sleepers, Ergo Baby Carriers, baby tubs, exersaucers, Baby Einstein DVDs, highchairs, brand new bottles and pacifiers, cloth diapers and diaper covers ... the list goes on and on and on.

Just yesterday I found a brand new Ergo Baby Carrier in the box for less than $60. They retail for around $120 on Amazon.com. Of course the trick with consignment shops is you never know what they are going to have - or when they are going to get something new. So just popping in every now and then is a must. Every once in a while a store will take your name down if you are looking for a certain item. K and I did this for the Baby Kelty Backpack. We lucked out and they called us 2 days later (which they admitted was highly unusual ... but it's worth a try).

In Little Bear's first 7 months of life, I've probably saved $300 from shopping at consignment stores. Also, I have a whole box of unused or barely used items I will be taking in next month to sell/trade-in - another benefit to consignment shopping. By trading in items that you no longer are using, you can usually get either cash - or credit at the store.

And for those of you that don't have a little one yet but just got invited to your 3rd baby shower this year ... I recommend making a trip to the consignment store! You'll save yourself a ton of money, and no-one even has to know (unless of course you are like me and like to brag about these sorts of things!).