Being a parent is a rewarding, lifelong experience. But it’s not easy, and it’s certainly not cheap.
Whether you’re a parent to one child or many, the costs of bringing up said child can quickly grow to exorbitant levels.
There’s formula and diapers for all things baby for newborns. There are toys, day care, team signup fees, and the dreaded “school shopping” sessions as they age.
They are always growing, always changing, and always, always needing something. From birth till graduation and beyond—the best thing to happen in your life will also be the most expensive.
One ever-present need will be clothing. Outfitting a child isn’t cheap. Now imagine having to do so with a large family, in today’s economy. Can you hear your purses and wallets crying yet?
If only there was a way to stretch those child wardrobe dollars. But wait, there is. There are actually a number of options locally, and beyond, that help current or prospective parents do just that.
Yes, these are businesses, and their ultimate goal is to make money, but in doing so, they also provide a major benefit to all parents looking to ease their financial burdens when it comes to clothing their kids.
Chains like Once Upon a Child at The Highlands, along with locally-owned businesses like Bullfrogs & Butterflies in the Elm Grove section of Wheeling, and The Bird’s Nest in Shadyside, to name a few, serve as upscale consignment shops, offering gently used, and sometimes even unworn, clothing, shoes, and other accessories for babies, and growing children.
From preemies and newborns clear through high school-aged children, these stores make shopping affordable for parents. Instead of shopping for one or two items, customers routinely can purchase nearly an entire wardrobe for similar prices.
And they do.
“I shop at Once Upon a Child Pretty Frequently. I love that place,” said Wheeling resident Joey Yoho. “You can walk out of there with a whole bag of clothes for the price of what you pay for two outfits at Walmart.”
Where you can really save is when outfitting a baby. Yours truly discovered that within the last few months.
Saving the Money
Once Upon a Child (“OUaC”)’s rows of shelves are separated by gender and also by size. There’s also a section for shoes, sleepers, toys, accessories, and things like strollers, cribs, bouncers, and other needed items.
In the back, there is what I refer to as the “wall of onesies,” separated by size and color. All the short-sleeve onesies are $1 apiece, as are pants of similar sizes, also separated by size and color. It’s easy to pair matching colors and outfits for $2. That’s a whole week’s worth of outfits for $14; a whole month for $60.
That’s quite the cost savings even for one child. Now imagine having more.
“I have eight children now and am in a much better spot financially than when I first become a parent, but I still continue to shop at resale and consignment stores,” Wheeling resident Brittni Scott remarked. “We are able to save so much money compared to shopping retail. They carry popular, quality “in-style” brands, which is especially important to older kids.”
Scott says she gives each of her children a back-to-school budget to shop with. Inevitably, the children choose resale and consignment shops so they can get the most “bang for their buck”.
In turn, money she and her family might have spent on shoes can go toward other expenses, like extracurricular activities, dance classes, or even vacations. The savings allow parents to spread what large or little wealth they have to spend, all the while not sacrificing quality.
“I would recommend all parents shop there,” said Monica Hollen from Wintersville. “For first-time parents, you get so many clothes as gifts, but will inevitably find those “gaps” in the wardrobe, and OUaC is perfect for that.
“For long-time parents, you can keep up with growing children, ruined clothing, and current trends, all for a very reasonable price.
“I honestly don’t know how anyone affords to do that at full price in this economy.”
Jamilynn Mitchell of Bellaire agrees. She’s been able to outfit her son entirely with items purchased at Once Upon.
“Shopping there has enabled me to buy him a wider variety of clothes and shoes,” Mitchell said. “They run deals all the time, and with the prices already being so low, I am able to get him more.”
Name Brands and Quality Items
There was always a running joke when shopping at a store like Gabriel’s growing up. You could find some great items at good prices, just make sure everything was spelled properly. It happens and you knew to look for it. It was part of the adventure.
No such adventures at these resale and consignment shops.
Yes, these are second-hand items being purchased, but for the most part, the stores do an excellent job of ensuring the quality of these used items before reselling them.
“The quality of the items in these stores are always great,” Scott said. “The stores seem to be very selective in that they are only taking/purchasing items that are in good quality and current styles.”
And keep in mind, there are plenty of name-brand items to be had. Just take a look at the shoe bins.
Personally, I’m not going to pay retail costs for a pair of baby Jordan shoes that my daughter will outgrow in months, let alone years. But, if I can get the same pair of shoes for significantly less, then that purchase is far more palatable. I made such a purchase the other day.
I’m not alone. Customers at places like Once Upon a Child and stores like it have come to appreciate the purchasing power provided. Brands like Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Carters, and a host of others, can be purchased in larger amounts.
“With shopping these types of stores, I have been able to buy big-name brands for a third of the cost,” said Wheeling’s Brenna Moore Dietrich. “Being able to sell and trade in things my kids have outgrown has also allowed me to have almost like free money toward shoes and clothes, even toys.”
The Resell
Ah yes, the resell. These are resale and consignment shops, after all. The merchandise must come from somewhere.
Customers are able to bring their own gently used items in to sell to the stores, which most, not all, but most use to purchase new items for their children at said stores.
In polling shoppers on Facebook, a few mentioned they weren’t overly impressed with OUaC’s prices offered for their clothes.
It’s not quite as bad as say, comparing OUaC to the GameStop of the children’s clothing world, but what parent wouldn’t want to receive more cash back for the haul of clothes they bring in to be sold?
In these instances, it’s often better to shop at the locally-owned shops that seem to be able to offer a better deal.
Overall, these resale and consignment hops provide a lifeline for parents trying to make their money work best for them. Given how fast children age and grow out of clothing, or wear it out, it only makes sense to find ways to be able to afford quality clothing in larger quantities.
So, if you haven’t had the opportunity to check out any of these above-mentioned shops, or ones similar, definitely do so. Your pocketbook will thank you, as will your children.
And spread the word, so all parents can benefit.
“Oh my, YES!,” said Dietrich when asked if she’d recommend these types of shops to other parents. “I tell everyone.”
