Zoobilee and Beastly Beers

It's that time of year again. Kids Zoobilee kicks off the summer on June 5th, 2010, from 6-8:30pm at the Sedgwick County Zoo. Buy your tickets ahead of time for a $2 discount, and to beat the wait. Last year there were a reported 2000 people in attendance.
This is Kids' Zoobilee's 12th year of fun, entertainment, and delicious food and drinks all with the wonderful Sedgwick County Zoo serving as your backdrop.

Beastly Beers is a beer tasting event, aimed at adults 21 and over. It includes a zoo tour, and a variety of beers cutely customized with animals on the labels. Said to be a casual event, and sounds like a great date night activity to me! -June 11, at 6pm.

How to Make Money with Resale

Part one of my consignment/resale story covered how to find the best deals and the best places to shop, Part 2 is how to make the most profit for your items should you choose to consign or resell your items.

So you've cleaned out your closets. Now you have some items you would like to make a little more money than you would at a garage sale, or just don't like the hassle of a garage sale. What to look at for your best chance of success:

Age: clothing shouldn't be more than 2-5 years of age.

Clean: Free of stains, tears, or wear. No fading, pulling or piling. Freshly washed and clean. Clothing from the home of a smoker or a home obviously with pets, can usually decline interest in your items. When you are considering an item to consign, ask yourself, "would I buy this in this condition?"  The newer the appearance the better chance of selling quickly. Also anything with personalization such as monogramming or a size that has been altered may not be acceptable and difficult to sell.  Each owner may have their own opinion on this.

Delivery: Check with the store you would like to take your items to and find out how they like the items presented when brought in. Do you have to make an appointment?  Do you leave the items and come back? Do they want all items hung and ironed?  Or are totes, boxes or bags okay? 

Note:  If you are consigning childrens' items, be aware that there have been a large amount of recalls in the past year that may apply to something you own.  It primarily is the responsibility of the shop to be familiar with what has been recalled, but if you are aware, please refrain from reselling or donating the item.  If it's not safe for your children, it wouldn't be safe for others, even if given to them. The exception would be if there had been addition of retrofit kits or repair kits.  Any baby gear also could be at risk of recall, and any car seat that has been involved in any type of accident is not resell-able, and should be disposed of properly.  If you have an item that you are unsure of you can go to www.cpsc.gov to check your item.

Once you've discovered your treasures, time to decide where to take them.  If you have shopped in a consignment/resale store and you like the merchandise they carry there is a good chance that your items would sell well there. Be familiar with their policy, is it consignment or do they pay out for your items?  Consignment means that you get a percentage of what the item sells for once it sells. Average range for most shops are 40-50% of the final sale price. Most stores will price and inventory the items for you, then give you a consignor account. There should be a legal contract that you will sign that will cover all of the consignor details, and your agreement with the shop.  Once you consign your items with the store, they then have the right to price or mark down, include in sales or offer discounts in order to get the items sold. Some places allow only a certain amount of selling time on the floor before the items are then donated or returned to the owner.  All stores have their own policy on this. Ask before you leave your items if you have items you think you may want back. 

Stores that payout for items will go through your items and then offer you a price for what they are interested in.  On average you can expect around $2 per item depending on the condition and brand.  Or about 20% of the resale price. Typically resale shops are less picky on what they sell and take in. I have found some still really want the age of the items to be 2 years or newer at some of the more trendier stores.

Next is payment.  Find out when the consignment store will pay you and what the policy is for checking account balances and getting checks.  Some have strict days of the month or week, while others will let you check your running balance at any time.  This is the fun part as you will start to see your efforts pile up and your clothing turn into an investment. Consignment selling and resale is a smart, profitable way to recycle your clothing and make a little extra money on your unused possessions.

Good luck and happy selling!
Read my story on how to get the best shopping experience from resale and consignment stores here.

pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray.......

Ever wish God was a dial-up God? Like a hotline where you just order up whatever blessing you or your loved ones are needing.  I was thinking about all the prayers that I have sent out the past few days.  Prayers for friends with ailing health, failing marriages, safety in travel and field trips and sickness with their kids. Family in the hospital, family with friends in the hospital. and then all the simple, and not so simple I give to God to take care of for myself and my family.  Does God ever just get tired of hearing it all, thinking, "yeah yeah yeah, don't worry I gotcha covered!!"  Kind of an amazing thought, isn't it? The fact that God really does have us all covered.  Not just covered in Grace, but covered in the fact that through it all there is a plan that will go as planned. There was a recent conversation on the radio the other day about whether praying or prayer requests made any difference to God's plan. After all, He is supposed to have this all worked out all ready, right?  By definition, prayer is defined as our "conversation with God-in praise, thanksgiving, or intercession".  I especially like what James 5:13 says about the power of prayer: "are any of you suffering hardships? you should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises." [Pray when things are bad, pray when things are good.]
Jesus said to his disciples in Mark 12:24 "I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours"  [You have to believe it is from God for it to happen.]
Romans 12:12 "Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying". [Never give up.]
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 "Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
That one sounds pretty clear to me. 
So okay, I won't worry about trying to find a quicker way to get God to hear my requests, for I know that He wants me to ask, and ask again and ask again.  And to always be grateful. Even when it doesn't come as quickly as I am able to see it.
Have a blessed weekend, and keep praying!!
Chandra

Consignment Shopping tips for the Savvy Mom

In this economy, getting the best value for your dollar can make a huge difference on your budget.
I have been involved in consignment shopping and selling for the past 5 years.  Now working for my favorite consignment store I have fully learned some tips for both sides of consignment, and am so excited to share with you some of my tips for success!

Tips for Shopping:
1. DON'T know what you are looking for:  So maybe you're after some shorts for your little one. Or maybe you're needing a dress or formal for yourself for a party.  First off, clear your mind of anything you think you want to find. The trick to consignment shopping, and any used shopping, is to be open to what is there.The world of resale shopping can be colorful and diverse. It's quite possible that there will be endless trends and options available for you to consider. If it's vintage you are after, then there are great stores that are knowledgeable in finding a specific decade. My best finds have been the items I wasn't expecting or looking for.

2. Find your honey hole.  There are more and more resale shops popping up now due to the slagging economy. Almost everyone is looking to make money or save money.  Scrutinize the condition of the store when you visit for the first time. How are the racks arranged? Is everything easy to locate and does there look like there is an order to the inventory? Are the tags clearly marked and pricing easy to understand? Is the type and condition of the merchandise comparable to the price you are willing to pay for the item? Are the staff attentive and friendly? If it is a store specifically for children, are they kid friendly? These kind of qualities are important especially if you will be consigning merchandise there. If you see lots of cute things that you like in your sizes this probably means they have consigners that have the merchandise you would buy and that means, you scored!!!

2. Shop regularly and shop often.  Once you find the store that you like the merchandise selection and condition, stop by at least once or twice a month and cruise the racks.  Look for the gold and be ready to buy. You won't always find what you want when you need it, unless you have a good relationship with the store, I'll cover that a little later.  If it's overall savings on yours or your children's wardrobe, consignment/resale shopping is a cumulative result. The more you accumulate, the better your satisfaction with used clothing shopping.  Don't be afraid to mix up your options with consignment, specialty, thrift and garage sales.  The more you shop, the more opportunities for great finds.  Just tell your husband I said so. ;)
 (wink)

3. Be Familiar:  Once you find a store you like, get to know the employees and owners. They are trained to learn what repeat customers like and sizes they are after and can get you first dibs when new merchandise arrives. Sign up for any email or mailing lists that can get you into exclusive and "season change" sales, or special VIP discounts. Knowledge is power.

4. Know your brands.  Part of being a good resale consumer is knowing a good find when you see one. Know what brands are hot, and what is not. There are a few things to look at:  Age, condition, cleanliness, and price. Expect to pay at least 30% of new and up to 50% for an item. If something is not up to par with the price, such as a small spot or tear, don't be afraid to ask for a small percentage off the price, just be willing to buy it and keep it.  No returns.


Read "How to Make Money with Resale" here.

Bath and Body Works has a great coupon today to inspire some Mother's Day Gift ideas. Click this link to print one out or get a coupon code.
Happy Mothers Day! 

craziness ensues...

As of two weeks ago I am officially a "working mom" again, with an actual set schedule besides the flexible schedule I had before.  It was refreshing the first week, challenging the second, exhausting now going on the third. I've had childcare debates, childcare hires, childcare fires, and back on the childcare hunt once again. Working itself has not really not been my issue as you can tell.  I love being back in the "adult world", (even if it is for a childrens store). I love for the chance to socialize and talk to other Mom's, We all have the same laughter, and tears, and seem to always try to master it ALL!  As all you Mom's out there know, even as outside employment, or career goals are important, your kids will still rank number one.  Even when ready to get away from it all, it's always nice to come home where you're the only one who can make it better, or keep it together. Even when far from home, home is never far from mind. 
My goals always come down to balance, and life is really just a never ending chain of balancing. Just when you think you get the missing link in to make everything work just right;  you realize you need a couple more links.
Being gone from my "Mom Job" for 30-40 hours a week, has been an adjustment. Part of me mourns the comfort of the life I managed so well, but yearns for the freedom and identity of being me again, and getting to contribute financially to my family.  You do have to let go of the ideals you had for your life before and redesign your life, a piece at a time. It won't work though without cooperation and communication from every member involved. Because at the end of the day, that's what it really is about.
This weekend is Mother's Day. Usually I love any holiday that gives me an excuse to get gifts, or give gifts. But this year, with me returning to work, and watching my own mother almost loose her mother, I have come to look at this day as a chance to give Mom's the respect and adoration and gratefulness they so rightfully deserve.  We are expected to do it all, be everything and get it out the door and on time. I love the challenges that Motherhood has brought me so far, and I look forward to the rest of the journey.  Not only will I thank my Mom on this day, I will feel thankful, that I am a Mom.