Family

Family.com Household How to Shop Secondhand for the Holidays

Spring To-Do's

It's Tax Time!

How to Shop Secondhand for the Holidays

The what, when and why of secondhand shopping

By Elizabeth Weiss McGolerick

From our provider:

Whether or not you're feeling the money pinch during the holidays, it's always a good idea to consider shopping secondhand for decorations, gifts and especially clothes for growing children. But consignment shops and sales can be daunting. Where do you begin? How can you know what to steer clear of and what to snatch up quickly?

Shannon Wilburn, the president and co-founder of Just Between Friends, the nation's leading children's and maternity consignment sales event franchise, has some answers.

What you should buy secondhand

"Depending on the consignment store or sales event, you can find just about everything you need for the holidays, especially clothes," says Wilburn, particularly holiday outfits for boys and girls of all ages. "Because holiday outfits are something kids typically wear once, you can find 'like new' for 50 to 90 percent off retail," she explains. You could also get lucky and find clothing that's never been worn with the tags still on them. "Check the hem lines, look at buttons and seams and look closely at the colors."

Similarly, winter clothes are another great consignment-store find – they're necessities, but you sure don't want to pay full price when your child will just need a new set next year. "From snow pants to jackets to boots, you can save a bundle buying 'gently used' items," says Wilburn.

When kids think Christmas, they think toys – but for parents, this is where the price isn't always right. "You can really save money on toys, especially items for toddlers and little ones," Wilburn says. Moms often consign gently used and never used toys that their kids received as gifts but never used. "Other great finds include DVDs and electronic games for Nintendo DS or Playstation." As always, anytime you buy used baby gear, be sure to check the recall list.

And if you want to add a little extra holiday spirit to your home this year, secondhand stores often have new or like new decorations available: candlesticks, ornaments, stockings, wreaths and lights.

When you should buy secondhand

While shopping early is obviously the best policy for all holiday shopping, Mondays are a great day for hitting up the secondhand shops. "They often have new items that people brought in over the weekend," Wilburn explains.

If you can swing it, she also recommends shopping mid-morning or early afternoon to avoid the lunch or after-school rush. And if there's a special consignment event happening in your neighborhood, Wilburn suggests volunteering or consigning; participants typically get a chance to shop early and really snag the best finds.

Why you should buy secondhand

If you've never shopped secondhand before, there's no better time to start – especially since, these days, saving money is rather in style. "I think shoppers are pleasantly surprised when they find the great quality and deals at consignment events and shops. Once you see what you can save it can be tough to go back to retail," says Wilburn. "The key is looking for a quality store or event where they inspect items and set guidelines or standards. If not, you may feel like you're digging through items at a garage sale."

See more on SheKnows.com: