Shopping consignment sales for Christmas presents

Many of our friends and family have asked us what we are getting the girls for Christmas.  I sometimes think they look at me like I'm a horrible mom when I say nothing.  First of all the girls are 2 years old and 9 months.  Let's be honest here...they REEEEAAAALLLLY don't need a whole lot, but we also have a lot of friends and family who have already purchased them clothes and toys galore. So this holiday season we have not gone to Toys R Us once or any other children's retail store.  However, we have bought them quite a bit throughout the year in different consignment sales.  I thought it would be a neat project to look up retail prices for everything I have bought for the girls and my nephews and compare to what I actually paid for it and add up my savings.  Before I begin, I want to stress how picky I am with all my stuff.  I am EXTREMELY picky but the reason I love shopping consignment sales is because if the sale organizer is good, he/she is going to be OVER THE TOP picky on what they accept in the sale.  Everything has to be in great, like new, and working condition.  It truly is a great way save money in these tough economic times and an easy way to make some if you are a consignor. 

So let's do the math.  I bought my nephew a Harley Davidson motorcycle glider that retails for $139 for $25.  I bought Emery a vtech "mobigo" with two games for $15.  A mobigo retails for $55 and each game retails for $19.99.  As well as:
A huge Nemo stuffed animal retails for $25 and purchased for $5
A huge Scooby Doo stuffed animal which retails for $15 and purchased for $5
A princess theme laptop.  Retails for $25 purchased for $8
Cinderella dvd.  Retails for $20, purchased for $5
Tons of play food.  retails roughly $30, purchased for $2
IKEA Duktig Child Kids Cookware Pots Pans Play Set.  Retails for $15, purchased for $4
We also went ahead and bought Emery her first "real" bike with training wheels and that was the only gift I purchased for full retail price.  Looking at all the numbers I figured out that we saved $295 on Christmas gifts just by shopping ahead at consignment sales!!! 

Now do you see why I love children's semi-annual consignment sales?!  My only hope to try to make my customers as happy as these other sale organizers have made me.  If you are interested in finding out more about our sale, look us up at www.hautetotstn.com and please help us spread the word!  Happy Holidays to all!