I'm not a fan of consignment shops - there aren't many nearby that are really good. I have found good deals selling and buying books at the one here in the village but that's about all. But I love the thrift shops. I donate a lot of things there and do shop there. There are some good deals to be found there. If you know your prices and have time and patience, you can find some awesome deals! You can even find brand new items with the tags still on them!! Like the $60 pants my DH found and paid $7 for or the $35 sweater (still being sold in stores) my DD found that we paid $4 for.

It just takes patience to go through the clothes to find the good ones that aren't stretched out or too faded. I found jeans are a tough one to get to fit right because they usually have been washed so many times the sizes are tricky (hope that makes sense). However, recently I gained weight (ugh) and my jeans no longer fit. There was no way I was going to buy new jeans in a size I didn't want to wear. I bought two pairs for $12 at the thrift store and now that they are too big on me I'll just re-donate them and not feel like I've wasted my money.

The Goodwill here in town that just opened sells new household items as well. But I found they actually cost more than in the regular stores! I've also seen the items I donated on the shelves at a price much higher than I feel they are worth. For example the mug I paid $1 for they were selling for $3. Or the three 15 year old canisters that cost $20 brand new, they were selling for $8 each. Obviously, they are just trying to raise some extra funds for much needed services they provide to the blind.