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6/14/11 12:12 P

Goodwill is my FAVORITE place to shop. I hate clothes shopping as it is, but knowing that i might be spending a lot less $ on clothes helps me to be willing to shop more often.

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1/12/11 3:20 P

Two ways to SAVE: Sell and Buy!
This is a great time of the year to clear the clutter in your closets!

Do you have clothes laying around your house that you haven’t worn in over a year? Maybe you’re more organized than that and have them in tubs or boxes but they’re just taking up space in your garage? Maybe you don’t know what to do with them and you hate garage sales. Don’t worry; there is a solution.

Consignment shops are stores that specialize in selling used clothing and occasionally other items, too. My guess is there’s probably one in your area somewhere. There are tons of them popping up ever since the economy slid downhill. What they do is take your unwanted clothing, display it in their store and give you a percentage of the profit if it sells! Sounds easy enough, right?

Every consignment shop is different and has its own rules and guidelines to follow. My suggestion would be to call around and ask what percentage they offer, what their requirements are and then compare them if you have more than one option.

Another good idea would be to visit the shop and check out their prices. See if you would be happy getting that amount for your clothing. Almost always your stuff will be marked higher than what you would mark it at a garage sale. So not only do you make more, you are also saved the time and energy that a garage sale requires!

Most shops offer at least 50% of the selling price which is a really good deal. Sometimes they offer you a higher percentage if you use your income as store credit. Let’s say you sell 10 items and your total profit is $20 at 50%. If the store has a 75% store credit policy this means if you spend your income in their store, they’re actually giving you $30 instead of just $20!

Consignment and resale shops are not only a great way to sell your clothes, but also a great place to shop. You can usually save over half of the retail price by getting it used. Sometimes, you can even find brand-new items for a fraction of the cost they were in the store!

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4/29/10 4:02 P

On learning to sew:
Also contact shops in your area that sell sewing machines they may have classes or know people who will do in home instruction...

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Posts: 53
4/28/10 8:57 P

Learn to sew. I can't emphasize this enough. You don't need a fancy, expensive machine, or years of practice, or a genius IQ. In fact, you don't even have to be able to thread a needle; they have cheap little doohickies now that do it for you.
There are online instructions for almost every kind of sewing, including videos (Check "sewing tutorials" on youtube). If you don't work well with that kind of teaching, your school district may have , or be willing to start, sewing classes in an evening adult education setting. Another way to learn is simply to contact your nearest old folk's home and ask if there's a lonely person there who knows sewing or mending. You will bring joy and purpose to an empty life, and get instruction that would cost you the Earth at a sewing store.

Posts: 53
4/28/10 8:55 P

Learn mending. I've bought $80.00 pants for $8.00 because the zipper was broken. One of my all-time favorite dresses is on its second bodice, and a third one is waiting its turn. (I'm hard on bodices; I spill when cooking). Oh, yes- look up "stain removal" online.

Edited by: UNAWICCA at: 6/14/2011 (16:04)

Posts: 8,113
3/29/10 2:21 P

Take advantage of pre-season discounts. Most stores will put out last season’s clothes during the current season and mark them down to 50-75% off the sale prices just to get rid of them.
Don't be afraid to look through those clearance racks!

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3/29/10 11:12 A

Thrifts stores have been becoming alot more popular, check for ANY in your area. Many GoodWill stores now have "frequent buyer" cards, so if you spend $20 or more you receive discount pricing on everything. PLUS you receive email coupons!
One major Department store that I know of takes in clothing at least twice a year for Goodwill - and many stores are now sending items in instead of storing or disposing of them.

Garage sales are another good way to save on clothing, especially for children.

Any other ideas??

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