by Hannah Walton aka The Cheapskate Mom

 This article about Cheap Back To School Shopping is in two parts: first I want to talk about some creative back to school shopping tips for kids – and then interview Alison from children's clothing consignment shop Dashing Bee for some consignment shopping and selling tips!

Creative Ways To Save Money on Back To School Shopping for the Kids:

1. Back To School Shopping on Ebay
If you buy from trusted sellers, you can save a lot of money by using Ebay for brand name and trendy clothes that will hold up to the seasons. Shop Ebay for brand name coats, shoes and backpacks to save a lot of money!

2. Back To School Shopping on Craigslist
If you prefer to see and touch an item before you buy it, make sure to check out the Craigslist Kids section to see what's available near you (this is especially a great way to do back to school shopping if you live in or near a city!). Lots of moms want to unload outgrown clothing and make a little extra money.

3.Back To School Swap Party
Similar to a clothing swap party, get a group of gals together and have them bring stuff – clothes, shoes, bags, coats, accessories, notebooks, you name it – to a back to school clothing swap party. Use facebook or craigslist to spread the word!

4. Back To School Shopping Post on Facebook or Twitter
If you know you just have to have a Patagonia coat for your little one – try posting about it on Facebook or Twitter with something simple like "Looking to buy a patagonia coat – size 12" – you might be surprised at the responses you get!

5. Back to School Consignment Shopping:
I love buying second-hand consigned clothing – the fact that consignment shopping has gone virtual with childrens consignment shops like Dashing Bee is – to a cheapskate like me – epic. Consignment shopping is great for saving money on back to school clothes …. You can browse the selection of used but awesome clothing from the comfort of your sofa instead of dragging the kids out to the store … awesome. What I love best about consignment shopping is the fact that you can get brand name clothing for A WHOLE LOT LESS – and kids clothing is perfect for consignment because they grow so quickly!

 

I had the pleasure of interviewing Alison from Dashing Bee for her tips on consignment clothing shopping!

What does consignment mean?

It seems that the biggest misconception about consignment shopping is that everything for sale is junk. Dashing Bee has a very high standard for the quality of our merchandise. Each item must be in excellent condition or you won't see it on our website. For example, the clothing must be in style with no stains, holes or tears.

First, it is important to be familiar with the brands. If you know that Ralph Lauren runs small and gently used items have been washed already, then you also know you have to adjust the size you buy accordingly. 

The most important tip for moms who are reselling their clothing is to ask themselves "would I buy this secondhand?" if an item is stained, worn-out, torn or otherwise very "loved," it's unlikely that anyone would be interested in purchasing it. Also, if you know that you will eventually want to sell your child's outgrown clothing, store it in labeled containers by size and season, and fold it neatly to avoid wrinkles. 

Dashing Bee sells clothing for infants and children from newborn through size 14. We have an extensive inventory that grows almost daily and a loyal customer base, many of whom shop with us over and over again. In today's economy nothing makes more sense than saving money…and with Dashing Bee, you can do that without compromising on the brands you love. Please like us on Facebook and join our mailing list for Early Access to Sales and Coupon Codes! www.facebook.com/dashingbee and http://www.dashingbee.com/newsletter
 

Thanks so much , Alison!
I had the pleasure of reviewing a Dashing Bee outfit – check out this post - and I have to say the service was excellent, shipping was fast, and the clothes rocked!