Second or third time's the charm (and much less $$)!
By mommyboo
@mommyboo (13174)
United States
August 16, 2008 8:19pm CST
Back to school shopping, a kid's enthusiasm, a parent's depression over the cost lol! I've got a secret, I like to go junking. I recently bought 4 pairs of boutique brand (bongo, children's place, gymboree) jeans and the most darling pair of brown cords with appliqued flowers, a skirt, and several shirts for my daughter and spent less than $25. I also found myself a pair of black cords and a pair of denim capris - about $7 for BOTH. If I bought these at a department store, it would have been over $300 for all this stuff!
Do you go junking or secondhand? If you do, what second or third time 'charms' have you discovered? If you don't, try it sometime. While it does take more time than traditional shopping because you have to weed through the undesirables, it can be worth it in the end because I have found some almost new or actual new clothing for a fraction of the cost. I actually love 'preowned' jeans and pants, for me this means if they fit when I try them on, they will always fit. My favorite pairs of jeans that I own are secondhand, and as long as I take care of them, they last 10 years or longer.
If you don't junk or secondhand shop, do you do ebay? I do that occasionally for things but when you add in shipping costs, sometimes that can rival retail after you see how how some auctions go.
2 people like this
4 responses
@checapricorn (16060)
• United States
17 Aug 08
Hi mommyboo,
I always love second hand since I can get a lot with my money compared if I will shop in the mall..lol! I have purses, shoes,tops which are second hand but if there are huge sales in the malls, I love it too!
3 people like this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
17 Aug 08
Sometimes the sales are good enough that they rival what the secondhand shops offer. It's also nice to have gift cards or coupons like what comes in the mail sometimes to entice you to go to the sale. $10 or $15 off a sale of $40 is a nice savings, especially if things are already 15-50% off.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
17 Aug 08
I don't second hand shop now, but I use to when my son was small. Consignment stores are great for little kids. As he has gotten older I find it harder to find good deals on clothing he likes. I do use ebay a lot and always get a good deal. For example, I won an auction and got 2 pairs of school khaki shorts - one with tags the other was new & happened to be Tommy Hilfiger (not that I care but when do you get designewr that cheap?)- for $6.00! Cheapest retail price I found was $7.95 each, before tax.
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@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
17 Aug 08
When I do go, I have to have extra time so I can browse, I think I was in the store for over an hour. I let my daughter push the cart and I had promised her playtime at McDonald's afterwards. She was pretty good. I think my time to buy her stuff secondhand is limited though, once she gets much beyond the SMALL little girls' sizes, it's less likely to find good quality designer clothing that hasn't been worn out. I don't mind getting things that seem used for myself, but I have different standards for my clothing and I'm not growing. If I grow out of my clothes now, there's a problem lol.
Nice auction win! I've seen some really cute stuff on ebay but most of the best ones go sky high and I back out of deciding to bid. I see no reason to pay $1 less than I could get something for if I drove to Gymboree once I add the shipping.
2 people like this
@crazy_ol_lady (1014)
• United States
18 Aug 08
Hi Mommyboo,
Secon-hand shopping can be an adventure to emjoy. The secret treasures are endless, and the bargains are to die for. I like to go shopping at second-hand stores for a variety of things, from housewares to clothes and books. Why pay full price if you don't have to? Since I have some time on my hands now and then I go looking for stuff that I can use.
I understand the broken in sense of buying used. It makes it nice to know they won't shrink anymore, and if they fit good, they will continue to fit good. My grandchildren like to go shopping there too. It is a real adventure for them. It makes my day to see them find something they are really interested in. It is also a good experience for them.
Have a nice day..
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@gemini_rose (16264)
•
17 Aug 08
Oh yes I do the charity shops and ebay! I have had some great stuff from these places. I always manage to pick up brand new designer clothes for a fraction of the original cost for both myself and my daughter.
Unfortunately though I have noticed on my last visit to my local charity shops that they are trying to be clever now. All there brand name or designer goods both new and secondhand are becoming quite expensive, and some of the things are not much less in price than I would pay buying brand new! Shocking really. But ebay still has some hidden gems on there, its just a case of sitting and browsing through them all!
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@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
17 Aug 08
Really? Maybe it depends on the shop you go to. I think the Goodwill is more expensive than the other thrift store I frequent, but just a little bit. I usually donate my clothing to the Goodwill regardless even if I don't get in there very often to look. The clothes I got for my daughter ranged from about $2.99 down to 99 cents per item, and one was a tag that was half off, making it about 75 cents. Having been at the mall recently, I know I got those clothes for pennies on the dollar, and I always check the seams and make sure there are no holes or rips or stains. I have also shopped early, I have some size 4 and 5 slim jeans stored away for my daughter that I bought two years ago when she was still wearing size 2T. When I find new jeans on sale for less than $7, I have no choice! I'm hoping to find her some cute little boots on my next shopping trip.
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