Another way to reduce your household budget is thrift shopping. Clothes are a necessity to your family, but when kids are at their rapid growth years, you find yourself buying clothes almost yearly. With consignment shopping, you can save a lot of money and get some great deals at the same time. Here are some thrift shopping tips to help you out:
1. Know What and Where to Find Clothes
Search for clothes that are occasionally used by the family such as winter clothes, party clothes and other clothes you think you and your kids will only use a number of times. Look for thrift shops around your area to know which ones have better items in different categories. For example, one shop may have well-designed dresses while another has a great selection of kids' apparel.
2. Spend Enough Time to Shop
There are a lot of clothes displayed in a thrift store, so give yourself some time to look at the racks of clothing so you don't miss any great finds. Pick the ones that catch your fancy, but don't overlook other items. You may not realize that some designs that you thought will not suit you, will actually make you look amazing.
3. Stock Up on Clothes for Kids
Kids grow fast, so you should stock up on their clothes when you find great deals. Get clothes a size or two bigger than the current size of your kids.
4. Take Note of Sale and Stocking Days
Ask for the stocking and sale days of your favorite thrift shops. These are significant days to shop because new items arrive and you can get incredible value for your money.
5. Look for High-End Clothing
Most high-end signature brands are made of good quality clothing material. When you go to consignment stores, search for branded items first. Don't forget to explore the lesser known brands as well. You never know what great items you can find at bargain prices. A thrift store in an upscale neighborhood is more likely to carry an abundance of high-end clothing.
6. Be Creative
If you do come across a dress or a blouse you adore but in a bigger size, don't despair. If it's too big for you, alter it to fit. You can even add or redesign the item to make it look better. Thrift stores offer a lot of styles to choose from, including outdated clothes that might be making a comeback.
7. Check Items
Now that you have chosen your items, don't forget to inspect them. Areas need to be scanned are the buttons, button holes and hemlines. If they can still be repaired, you can purchase the item. Also check for holes, stains, stretched clothing, loose seams and colors. These are the factors you need to consider in thrift shopping, because the clothes can range from almost new to thoroughly used.
Thrift shopping is not just for the moms at home, but for most people who are seeking ways to save money. The next time you plan to acquire clothes on a budget, you might want to give thrift shopping a try.
