Money Saving Mom®

Guest post from Kim of Thrifty Little Mom

Do you love kid’s consignment sales as much as I do? They give me a bigger shopping adrenaline rush than I get on Black Friday.

In the last 5 years I’ve learned a thing or two about scoring amazing deals at kid’s consignment sales and today I want to pass that wisdom on to you:

1. Get Into the Pre-sale

A pre-sale is when the sale organizers open the doors for a select few before they open them to the general public. The crowd is smaller, the environment is more relaxed and you get a choice of the best priced items in the best condition.

Typically, to get into a pre-sale you have to: be a seller, donate money, or volunteer for a shift.

2. Shop Prepared

Build your shopping list throughout the year. I keep a handy electronic list going at all times, and when I see or think of an item I’d really like my kid to have, I add it to the list on my phone. That way when the next sale comes around I know that I’m looking for.

Whatever the item, I can usually track it down between one or two of these sales and get an incredible deal on it. It’s kind of fun — like a scavenger hunt!

3. Compare Prices

Don’t just buy the first toy you see. More than likely there will be about 10 duplicates of the same toy all marked at different prices. When you find several of one item, compare the prices and condition and take the one marked at the best price.

4. Bring Cash

Often these sales are small businesses or non-profits who get hit with heavy fees for processing credit or debit cards. I always bring cash to avoid having a $1-$2 charge added to my bill.

This also keeps me from overspending. I give myself a cash only budget in order to make sure that I don’t spend more than that at the sale. It’s easy to get carried away!

5. Shop the Half Price Day

At most consignment sales, the last day is also ½ price day. You just look at the tag and if it’s marked “Yes” under “½ price” you know that it will be 50% at check-out. This is typically when I rack up on clothing, yet it often includes toys, shoes and other items at the sale.

Not all sellers participate in the half-price sale but there are enough who do that makes it worth it to head to the event on the last day.

As you begin your bargain hunting this Kid’s Consignment sale season I hope you will find these tips helpful and that you save yourself some big bucks!

Kim Anderson is a house spouse, mom, and blogger at Thrifty Little Mom. Her blog focuses on inspiring others to pursue financial freedom while finding joy in frugal living.  She lives in Atlanta, GA with her electrical engineer husband, 3-year-old son and a Beagle named Bit.

photo source

Guest post from Sarah

About one year ago, my husband and I began experimenting with ways to supplement our income. As a long-time MoneySavingMom.com follower, I felt that I had a pretty good handle on a number of legitimate money-making ideas and began trying them, with varying degrees of success.

However, since I work full-time as a middle school teacher and am a mother to three children under the age of six, time is at a premium. I really wanted a more passive stream of income that would allow me to spend my evening and weekend hours how I wanted to — with my family.

That’s when I discovered Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT), a website that allows teachers to sell lesson plans, worksheets, and more. Teachers earn 60% of the profit off each item they sell. If they choose to upgrade from a Basic Seller account (by paying $59.95 a year), they can earn greater profit. Teachers are paid each month through a PayPal account.

Aha! I already had boxes and computer files full of worksheets, quizzes, lesson plans, and novel units that I had created over my years of teaching. Why not turn them into passive income?

I did… and have learned a few things along the way:

1. Strive For Quality Not Quantity

This may seem obvious, but it is actually the most important tip. Make sure that your products are high quality, interesting, user-friendly, and kid-tested. Check for spelling and grammar errors. No one will want to buy a worksheet with typos on it!

2. Create Unique Content

Try to find a niche area. Do a quick search of the TPT site and see how many items come up that are similar to yours. If the market is already flooded with “Frozen” themed addition practice, this may not be a good money-maker.

I’ve personally had success with novel units. For example, I had previously created a novel packet for the book, “A Boy At War”. A search showed that there were only two other unit packets for the novel, so I tweaked mine and posted it. It has been one of my biggest sellers.

3. Choose The Right Price

Pricing can be tricky. You want to demonstrate confidence in the value of your product, but you don’t want to scare customers away. First, search for similar products to see how they are priced.

Next, put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. How much would you be willing to spend on your product?

Finally, adjust. If something isn’t selling, have a sale to see if customers will buy it at a reduced price.

4. Utilize Pinterest

Whenever you post a new product, there is a sidebar that asks if you would like to Pin it. Always say yes! This allows your product to enter a new market and attract more customers.

There are also Collaborative Pinterest Threads on TPT. You pin another seller’s items to your board, and they will do the same for you.

I have found that, with a little up-front work, Teachers Pay Teachers is a great way to utilize my talents and gain a passive source of income.

Sarah Wright teaches middle school on purpose and loves it! She is wife to Dan and mom to three children under the age of six. In her spare time she loves to read — setting a reading goal of 100 books this year. She encourages her students to set their own “ridiculously big” goals and chase after them.