Do you want to save $1100 in one day?

Are you interested? Do you want to know how I saved over $1100 in only one day? It doesn't require that you sell a new product, invest in anything, or do anything illegal! I simply shopped for my daughter's entire spring/summer wardrobe at a consignment sale and sold my children's outgrown clothing in the process! See, it's that easy.

In central and northwest Arkansas there are sales called Rhea Lana or Duck, Duck, Goose (central AR only) that are these amazing, large consignment sales for kids' clothing, toys, and baby equipment. They offer a good selection, so that it is realistic to purchase a large amount of your child's wardrobe with used clothing. Although other items are sold, I have pretty much stopped shopping for anything but shoes and clothing since we have plenty of toys, and it already takes me three hours just to shop for the clothing, and that is all I can do after teaching all day!

The NW Arkansas Rhea Lana sale was this week. I entered in 100 items of Hudson's and Arden's outgrown clothing to sell. As of this morning, my share of the profits (consignors get 70%) was $250. Yea!

Since I consigned clothing to sell, I got to shop at the presale event which is before the sale opens to the general public. Yes, it is tiring, crowded, and hot, but the dollar savings make a couple of hours and a headache well worth it. You won't be able to find as many good items if you wait until the sale opens publically since a lot will already be picked over. Unfortunately, the consignment sales are really only that lucrative for girls up to around size 7 or boys up to size 4. Once boys start school, their clothes are really not able to be resold well due to wear and tear. I am easily able to buy Arden's entire wardrobe at the two Rhea Lana sales held each year in my area. I stick to name brands for the most part, and then I look to make sure the item is free of stains or a lot of wash wear. However, I'm not too picky about colors, patterns, or trying to find certain lines from Gymboree. I'm about practical (ie: what can she wear to daycare every day?).

This sale I purchased 72 items at the presale and then went back this morning to the 1/2 price sale and bought 20 more items. My total purchases cost $415 which totals to $4.51 average per item! This included two smocked dresses, 3 pairs of Stride Rite shoes, and mostly Gymboree/Children's Place/Gap clothes.

Now, let's do the math for real savings. If I purchased 92 items at retail stores, even on "good" sales, I would probably spend at least $14/item on average to get that many items in the right sizes. That would total $1288. Then, let's subtract what I actually spent at the sale which was $420. That leaves a difference of $873 in SAVINGS for purchasing the same number of clothes! Better yet, let's add to that savings the profit that I earned from selling my clothing at the same event which was $250. So, my total "savings + profit" for this weekend was $1123! Pretty amazing, isn't it.

So, for those of you who think consignment shopping is just too much work, you ought to try it at least once. Here is the break-down of how much time it cost me to participate:
1) hanging old clothes and pricing them online - 3 hours (for 100 items)
2) putting on labels that I printed at home and pinning on the sales tags - 1 1/2 hours
3) checking in my items to sell at the sale - 1 1/2 hours
4) shopping at the sales - 4 hours (includes two trips)
TOTAL: 10 hours labor

If my "savings + profit" was $1123 divided by 10 hours of labor/shopping time, I just made $112 per hour for my time. Yes, I think it is worth the effort. Don't you?