My week rocked.

This has been quite a week. I got a freelance writing gig for Savvy Source and iVegasDad gave me his props:

I’ve got 13 posts to write this weekend for Savvy Source, so I’ll be a busy beaver. If you have ideas or recommendations for stuff to do with preschool-aged kids in Vegas (ages 2-6) drop me a line.

While I’m writing, please check out my awardees. My day is not complete without perusing the goings-on at:
Jen on the Edge
Zip ‘n’ Tizzy
Notes from the Trenches
Saintseester Says
Mommy is Moody
and because I needed a little testosterone on my list:
Backpacking Dad

Fear and Parenting Reviews: Back to School Edition, Part III

The back-to-school fun continues. (Here’s part I and part II.) While Boo started classes this week, most schools will open their doors next week. So I’m not too late, am I?

6. Why buy new?
I’m a huge fan of consignment shops. I’ve used them since I was pregnant with Boo for everything from clothes to toys to maternity wear and potty seats. I rarely buy holiday dresses retail. Why should I when I can buy one another little girl wore once or twice for pictures and holiday religious services or dinner at grandma’s? They’re great for Halloween costumes and dancewear too. I’ve bought and sold, used credits and taken the cash (you’ll get a better deal with the credits and most stores will keep them on file for you).

My advice? Find the consignment store closest to the nicest neighborhoods in your town. Many suburban divas don’t bat an eyelash at dropping $40 on toddler corduroy pants because of the Tommy Hilfiger flag on the hem. I can pick them up for $3.99 (or less at the end-of-season sale where I pack them away for the next year).

If you’re in Vegas, I recommend two shops in parcicular: Kid to Kid and Children’s Orchard. Both are franchises of national chains, so you can probably find one in your area.

I’ve been going to Kid to Kid for years. It’s well stocked and I can usually find lots of stuff that we don’t really need, but I can fully justify because the prices are so reasonable. Fumiko (the owner/manager of the Vegas shop) keeps the inventory rotating, so you can find new stuff every week. They even have a kid pen where you can plop down little Susie to play so you don’t have to play the “Drop that now!”-”Don’t put that in your mouth”-”No, we’re not buying that today” game while you shop.

They have a nice customer loyalty program (get a stamp on your card for every visit when you spend $10 or more).

If you’re looking to sell, make sure you call and make an appointment first. Bring stuff in clean and well-organized and you’ll get through quicker. Of course, I wish their buy-back prices were higher, and that they had more buy-back hours on weekends for moms like me who can’t come in on weekdays. We made a stop there the other day and got some good buys including:

For Doodle:

• Carter’s Jammies – $3.99
• Children’s Place Sweater (the bargain of the day) – $1.00
• Elmo Jammies – $2.99

For Boo:

• Ballet Skirt (new) – $8.99
• Pink Corduroy Jumper and Turtleneck with Embroidered Detail – $7.50 (this was a huge steal!)
• Disney Sleeping Beauty Track Suit – $7.99 (there’s no escaping the Princess Industrial Complex!)

Children’s Orchard *has been in Vegas for awhile, but they recently opened a new store in the Summerlin ‘hood.* I was really impressed with the layout of the store and the incredible stock they had available. If you’re looking for used school uniforms, head here first. They have every private school in the north and west sections of the city covered. I met the owner and her sister/manager who were friendly, courteous and very helpful.

I liked their kids play area better (and so did Boo). I also liked that they kept their sorting/processing area out of view, making the store’s aesthetic less cluttered and claustrophobic. They also had a good customer punch-card program

My one beef was that, while they had the sizes well sorted, boys and girls’ apparel were often on the same rack. No big deal when you’re looking for dresses, but when you’re squeezing through racks of jeans, it can be a pain in the neck to push/pull/shove your way through to find something that doesn’t have Dora embroidered on the hem.

Here are our finds from the trip:

For Doodle:

• Fisher-Price Royal Sounds Potty – $12.99
• Children’s Place Sweater – $5.99
• Reverseable Jacket – $4.99

For Boo:

• Tommy Hilfiger Summer Dress – $9.99

*Note: The Childrens’ Orchard national PR people contacted me and asked me to check it out. I was already planning this post, so I was happy to oblige, but didn’t tell them when I’d be stopping by nor did I identify myself until after I completed my purchase, as I felt obliged to explain why I was taking pictures).

Kid to Kid was certainly busier the day I visted, but I think that’s largely because she’s been there for so long and has a high repeat-customer base. Children’s Orchard will do well if they can get enough traffic into their location, which is set back from the street and sandwiched between Grape Street Cafe and an Allstate Insurance Claims Office (not exactly businesses that drive the demographic to their doors during open hours).

If you’re looking for a non-franchise shop, check out Kid Around. We stopped by during their posted business hours, but the doors were locked and they had their “Sorry we’re closed” sign up. I hope they were just closed temporarily, but I suspect the economy and their location (next to a large Goodwill thrift store) has gotten the best of them. I’ll check another day and let you know.

So, before you hit the mall, head to a consignment shop near you, it’s better for the environment and better for your pocketbook.