Second-Hand Clothes, First-Class Style
Consignment shopping can be fun as well as rewarding. I was first introduced to consignment shopping when I was pregnant with my daughter, about 12 years ago. The trend of buying second-hand items was just beginning. I started shopping at a store that sells consigned women's and children's clothes, toys, and baby furniture. At first I just bought some baby clothes there and marveled at how inexpensive they were (1/3 or less of retail prices). As my daughter got older I didn't have any little girls to give her clothes to, so I started consigning her clothes. The consignment store decided how much the clothes should sell for, and after the clothes had sold, they gave me 30 to 50% of the purchase price. For just a few items that might only add up to a couple of dollars, but if you make a practice of taking in all of your children's outgrown clothes, it can add up quickly. Where I shop, they will either give you the cash when the item sells, or they will hold your money "on account" so that when you buy something there in the future, your purchase is subtracted from your account.
After I had started consigning my daughter's clothes and realizing the benefits I was receiving (when you both buy and sell items at consignment stores, you get the benefit of low prices, your children get the benefit of wearing the clothes until they quickly outgrow them, and then you get to re-sell the clothes, making a profit that almost equals the value of buying the clothes in the first place!), I started going through my dressers and closet and realized how many clothes I had that I never wore. I was a little reluctant at first to get rid of so many clothes, but I took a deep breath, and consigned them. I ended up bringing home at least $50 for a couple of grocery bags full of clothes. I realized that I could use that money to buy new (used) clothes that I really would wear, and that no money would have left my pocket! That's when the adventure really began. As time went on, I got braver and braver about simplifying my life and getting rid of all of the things I didn't want or need anymore. Have you ever paid a lot of money for an outfit and then didn't like it after all? Of course you have! Many times people are reluctant to part with clothes that they paid a lot for and never wear (maybe because it shrunk the first time you washed it). Consignment shopping takes all of the guilt away. The first step is to let go of the guilt and get rid of the clothes. When you start buying your clothes at consignment stores, that guilt is never there. If you decide you don't like something you bought there, take it back and consign it. You didn't pay much for it in the first place, and you can use the money you get from consigning it to buy something else.
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