EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS
Don’t think that you can’t get cash for second-hand clothes because you can if you know how to turn used clothes into money back in your pocket.
These days your options span from selling second-hand clothes online to having customers come to your home for a garage sale to visiting a consignment store.
There was a time a couple of years ago when we shopped second-hand clothing stores because it was cheaper to buy clothes that were used rather than buying them new.
The problem is that so many people are now frequenting these shops that prices have gone up exponentially to the point where you have to justify a purchase price.
My new motto is “just because it’s used doesn’t mean it’s a bargain price” and it’s true, if you know your prices when you shop second-hand shops. You will be shocked at some of the prices these days although if you go to the right places you can still save some money.
Going into Value Village used to be a fun trip for us because we would try to see if we could find good quality items that we would have to pay out the nose for at the mall or other shops for dirt cheap.
I can’t tell you how many times a week our phone rings with an organization asking to pick up used clothing which they sell for profit. There’s certainly money to be made in the second-hand clothing industry these days.
We were very successful on many occasions even finding brand new clothing items with the tags still on them for prices you just couldn’t pass up. It used to be that garage sales had the best deals on used clothing and other items but it seemed that during the off-season it was best to shop second-hand. That’s not so much the case anymore.
Consignment stores are nothing new and were shops that people knew about but not many people shopped in them. These days it’s the other way around and everyone knows what a consignment store is and loves to shop at them.
You can easily find vintage clothing for a fraction of the price. The kicker here is that people make money from their used clothes and so cash for clothes is now exploding.
Donate
Why donate when you can get cash for clothes that are used? I know it sounds silly that you would just give your clothes away for free when you can get cash for them. Not everyone cares to make money by selling their used clothing but the reality is not everyone has money sitting in the bank waiting for someone to spend it.
Sure donating is a great way to give back to those that are in need but if you have debt that you are struggling to pay back or other financial problems and you can get cash for clothes you would normally donate why wouldn’t you?
The big fashion these days is finding used clothes for a great deal and it’s not just the people who are struggling to make ends meet it’s the people with good incomes who are saying they want in on the savings too.
Second-hand clothes
If you’ve ever asked yourself “where can I sell second-hand clothes?” there are a few popular options for you that I will talk about today.
The above question is what one fan emailed me about because she says she has 3 children and a basement full of baby and toddler clothing. She bought some of the clothing used and other items were bought full-price at fashion clothing stores for kids which cost her quite a bit of money.
She said if she can get cash for clothes rather than giving them away she could put that money to good use, maybe into the kid’s college fund. Good point. Why not recycle the money that she spent by making someone else rich. I’m not joking either.
Starting a second-hand clothing store might be a smart idea according to my wife who was out shopping with her friend for second-hand baby clothes at a consignment baby store.
My wife said when she entered the store it was a floor to ceiling shop full of baby and toddler clothes and everything else under the sun that you would need for a child. One thing she noticed right off the hop was the prices.
She was shocked at the prices of second-hand items in the store. One top that you could easily find on sale at Old Navy was costing $5.50 not to mention the bins of shoes. Here’s the funny part.
While looking through the used shoes a few pairs from the dollar store came into view of my wife. She said that she had seen them for $1 at the Dollar store. When she flipped the shoe over the second-hand store was selling them for $6.50 a pair. OMG.
When my wife brought this to the attention to the store worker she shrugged it off and said the prices were generated by a computer. So, if you don’t know what you are buying you could be blowing more money than you really need to.
Not only did my wife find that doozy of a deal she listened and watched. This shop accepts any type of baby or toddler clothing in which you can get cash for clothes that you were likely going to donate. The women and men were piling through the door with boxes of items and once you take your cheese counter ticket number they call you up to go through your items.
They check to make sure everything is in good shape and tell you how much they will give you per item. Don’t be shocked when I tell you they only give you $0.50 for tops and $0.75 for name brand jeans.
Oh ya, my wife was amazed because if you think you are going to get rich from getting cash for clothes you were going to give away think again.
Sure it’s money you wouldn’t have had but they turn around and sell that top you got $0.50 for $5.50. The profit on the clothing and baby items in this shop is enormous. A baby bath that are a dime a dozen online sell for $3-$5 for a bog standard tub but in the second-hand shop some beat up tubs were selling for $12.
Know your prices
While roaming around different stores recently I would look in to check the prices on some of the baby items and bath tubs can range in price from $15-$50 even cheaper if you watch for sales.
Baby onesies Carter brand with a zipper were on sale brand new for $6.99 at Sears reg $12.99 or you could buy them second-hand for $6.00+ at the second-hand store. Makes you wonder if they are hoping you don’t shop retail believing the prices are too expensive.
It’s no wonder more and more of these shops are turning up around town but are they the best place to shop for second-hand clothes?
I doubt it’s because more and more moms and dads are fighting back with the high prices at these second-hand shops by starting their own groups online and of course the traditional summer garage sales.
If you want to buy second-hand go where the prices are reasonable. Sure, you may find items at the second-hand store that are cheaper but if a majority of what you buy is close to retail when on sale are you really saving much?
Since this shopping trip my wife and I have been closely watching online sites to see where you can get cash for clothes and whether prices were better moving away from the second-hand store and you better believe they are.
The top two places were Facebook and garage sales to score the best deals if buying and selling your second-hand clothes for cash. If you want freebies well you’d better stick to freecycle.
Below are a few places you can get cash for second-hand clothes if you really want to sell them to make some money back but remember just because you sell second-hand clothes doesn’t mean the prices are the best to buy them.
The second-hand shop
Not all second-hand shops will offer cash for clothes but like the baby shop I talked about above you can earn some money back if you bring in all the items that are collecting dust in your home. I can’t promise you big bucks but you will likely get something even if you were given the items for free.
Are you looking to get rid of clothing and any other clutter in your home? Look no further than the social network giant, Facebook. There are so many groups that have been started for each city by people just like you who want to sell items.
If you have kids who have outgrown their clothes and you want to get cash for second-hand clothes get involved with these Facebook auction pages and see the money start to pile up.
You may even score more cash doing it this way rather than spending your time and gas going to a second-hand shop who offers you a small cut of the sale like above. Keep in mind not all second-hand shops may be like that one but it’s best to ring them up first to ask questions.
I didn’t explore further if other social media outlets like Twitter or Google Plus etc. have groups where you can get cash for clothes although it wouldn’t surprise me.
Consignment store
A consignment store is similar to the second-hand store above although I’ve seen more consignment stores accept adult and youth clothing over baby clothing and items. You may also find different styles of consignment stores such as clothing only or furniture only.
These shops will go over the items you bring in and they know the original price and will offer you a cut. They turn around and sell the item for profit. It’s a win-win situation like above but don’t expect to get rich.
I know my wife’s friend had a wedding dress that she had paid over $2000 for and a wedding consignment store offered her $150 dollars for it. You can bet they would turn around and sell it for 3 times as much.
Garage sale
It’s that time of year where garage sales are popping up every weekend. I always have people coming to CBB to find out more information on how to price items for a garage sale and that tells me it’s no easy task. I have shared my tips on how to buy and sell at a garage sale in the past but to be honest it’s not that hard as long as you know your prices. Garage sales weren’t meant to make you rich but if you sell your items for a reasonable price people will buy them.
We have seen on many occasions tables and racks filled with adult and kids clothing and prices that you just can’t beat. The best part is you can haggle with the seller because they want cash for clothes and you want to pay the least amount.
Negotiating is something you don’t get in second-hand shops or consignment stores that I’m aware of but you can haggle on Facebook depending on the group you join as they all have different rules.
What we learned from this quick research project over the past month is that if you want to get cash for second-hand clothes you no longer want you can easily make some money but you won’t be sailing off to the Caribbean with the profits. Explore all of your options first and knowing your prices are the key factors to take away from this post.
Have you got cash for clothes at a second-hand or consignment shop?
Do you use Facebook to buy and sell items?
What other tips can you share for the readers that I may have missed?
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Photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Supertrooper
Changeroo Canada is a Canadian online store that buys and resells like-new children’s clothing at 75% off the new retail price. 😉
Does Canada have “the bins”? The Goodwill bins are the last stop in the US for things from Goodwill. Everything is by the pound. There are a surprising amount of good things to be had there. I never hit the clothing (I’m somewhat of an odd size) but some of the people I know managed to pull out decent silk from there. Clothing, housewares, etc. are all sold by the pound, bringing the price down dramatically.
We have Goodwill stores yes and we go in them almost monthly to look around. We find all sorts. I don’t mind finding tops but I buy my jeans new because I’m just picky about the way they feel. It’s on the odd occasion I find a t-shirt I like. My wife finds all sorts.
Thrift stores have become so expensive anymore. I’ve found that much of the used cloths are not much cheaper than what you would pay for new cloths on the discount rack in the stores themselves.
Great article and tips, though!
I agree with you Terry. We are very selective now with what we buy second-hand.
Does Canada have “the bins”? The Goodwill bins are the last stop in the US for things from Goodwill. Everything is by the pound. There are a surprising amount of good things to be had there. I never hit the clothing (I’m somewhat of an odd size) but some of the people I know managed to pull out decent silk from there. Clothing, housewares, etc. are all sold by the pound, bringing the price down dramatically.
We have donation bins all around or you can simply drop off to the Goodwill or any other second-hand shop. 🙂
Seems it’s definitely worth it sell old clothes these days, and a variety of ways to do it. Surely for families of several children this will prove a clever little earner in the long run, instead of simply disposing or donating old rags and baby grows etc.
And I found it hilarious that the worker in the at the second-hand store thought that prices are just randomly generated by computers. It’s the merchandisers and marketing teams that decide on the that.
Sounds like they had to justify the price BUT they didn’t give a rats about it because they shrugged it off like someone will pay the money for them. In all honesty, someone likely will. Sad but true.
Wow, I must be old school. You’ve really opened my eyes. Although I don’t have a problem shopping for used clothes, I think I would feel funny about selling my own. It’s like I want to be frugal but charitable at the same time. Maybe I will see about doing some consignment selling for some good quality pieces. Baby steps.
There’s nothing wrong with being charitable but more and more people are realizing they can make money from selling their clothes so why give them away for free especially if they have bills to pay. I can see their point but ultimately it’s up to the seller.
Don’t forget Ebay! If ever I have some nice items that still have a lot of wear left in them, I list them on Ebay. I’ve had pretty good luck making money that way, but it’s a little more time-consuming to sell clothing that way. It can be worth it, though. Last month I made something like $55 selling 3-4 items on Ebay.
Excellent point Dee.. see this is why I love comments from the fans. I don’t really use EBAY and probably why I didn’t think of it. Do you pay for shipping on the clothes?
There are several consignment shops in my area that deal with high end clothing only (designer brands or boutique clothing). I love shopping there because I can typically find a great deal each time. I do sell my clothing as well. They do not offer money back though. They offer store credit, which I find nice. I can just recycle. When one of my items “sell,” I can replace it with a new item from that store. It works well.
You know if you are a regular shopper at the place then the in-store credit is great for them because they are still making the money where you get the clothes. Smart on them and you if that works for you. You can find some great pieces if you look but the prices need to be reasonable for used clothes.
When he was working, hubby went to the SA thrift store for t shirts to wear under his uniform. He was in sanitation so there is a lot of chemicals being used, and this was really hard on the t-shirts. So getting them for a couple of dollars was good. Once he wore them to work a while the only thing the shirts were any good for was as rags. There is a second hand place beside the thrift store and he has picked up things there but anything from there goes straight to the laundry first as she burns a lot of incense in the store and the stuff stinks!!!
My sister-in-law loves kijiji for everything. I’ve never tried it myself. Now that the kids are all adult we don’t have the outgrown clothes to deal with… Our daughter trades off clothes with friends that also have kids so that’s how she clears out the grandson’s stuff and gets new for him. She’s not making money doing that but she isn’t spending much to keep him in clothes either…it works for her…
We always wash anything that comes home second-hand. I’ve found so much at the thrift store even clothes to do yard work instead of ruining my everyday clothes. Do you prefer the thrift store over value village? Do you have a bible for missions where you live?
We have the thrift store and a place called Pass It On…..but I don’t care to go in there. The smell of incense gives me a head ache… Those are the only 2 places in town here. I don’t know where the nearest Value Village is, likely London so I’ve never been. My late MIL used to love the place but that was back when the prices were more reasonable from what I’ve heard about it. Stratford has a thrift store, Goodwill and a re-store place that Habitat for Humanity has.
Another great option I’ve just learned about recently is Trend Trunk! You can list your items for sale, people can purchase right through the site, and they actually will provide you with a printable pre-paid Canada Post shipping label once you’ve sold to ship it off to the new owner!
We have an ongoing promo running with them where you can get a free gift credit when you sign up if you wanted to check it out!
http://www.savebiglivebetter.com/2013/12/freebie-instant-win-trend-trunk-gift-card-giveaway.html
Thanks for sharing that Julia I was not aware of that.