What $117.74 bought me today

A new fall wardrobe for my two little darlings, including:
-One super-cute green corduroy jacket
-2 dresses
-4 skirts
-6 pants
-11 tops
-3 pairs of pajamas
-2 wooden puzzles
-2 extra large Princess coloring books

I went to a huge baby/kid consignment sale for the first time this spring here in Owasso. It was like entering a whole new world. I found some great stuff for cheap. So when I heard about the fall sale, my ears perked up. I decided that I wanted to get more involved, so I prepared about 20 items to consign and also signed up to volunteer. Volunteering entailed passing out flyers and 300 postcards to local businesses and delivering a home-cooked meal one night for other volunteers who are working at the sale. No sweat. In return, you make 5% more on your consignments and you get to shop earlier than other people (which is key, I've discovered, in the consignment world).

Spending more than $100 on kid's clothing in one shot might seem like a small fortune to some, but if I had bought all that I did new, it would have cost at least double, or more, than what I paid. Each clothing item cost about $4. But that doesn't include the items that I consigned, from which I expect to get $50. Factoring all that in, I got some really cute stuff for the girls for about $2 a pop. I wish I knew where my camera is hiding so I could take pictures of my spoils. A majority of the stuff I bought came from stores like Children's Place, Gap, Old Navy, Carter's - some of my personal kid favorites - and I don't mention that to sound like a brand snob, but just to show that the clothes you can find at these sales are in style, cute stuff you'd find hanging on the racks in those same stores, but for a much higher price.

It's taken me three years to get to this point. Not everything I buy for my babies has to be brand spankin' new. I don't know how many of Isabelle and Eliza's brand-new shirts have been stained in the first few minutes of wearing them. I don't need or want that added stress in my life. If my girls spill on, rip, grass stain, or otherwise destroy an article of clothing that was handed down or bought for cheap, I can roll with that a lot easier than if it were new.

This is how I see it now (and you're free to disagree with me): Just as brand-new cars lose value the minute they're driven off the lot, brand-new clothes lose much of their initial value the first time they're worn, washed and dried, or get ketchup/grape juice/chocolate milk/various bodily fluids(etc. etc. etc. etc...) spilled all over them.

If you're a mom of young kids wanting to save some pennies, you should definitely check this website out.