Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Time to Prep for Spring Sales!

Thursday it's supposed to be 70 degrees here in Maryland. On the wind you can catch the scent of Febreeze and plastic clothing racks. Yes, the spring consignment sale market is almost here, and I wanted to post some resources for your prep work.

In January I posted about creating a Consignment Sale plan. Here are some addendums.

Don't know what size to plan for? Check out the excellent Neiman Marcus Chart that provides sizing guidelines by weight and height. My boys are at the top of the toddler clothes already, and this general guideline helps me prepare to buy the right sizes in the right numbers. The boys are already well into the 4T range which we have some of, and they sprout in the summertime! I plan to buy a few (25%) shorts in 4T, and the rest in 5T. Imagine my surprise to discover there is no 6T.

Surprisingly, 4 & 5 boys (XS) is the same as the toddler, except that the boys' clothes are made slimmer because they shouldn't have to accommodate a diaper.

The sales start in late February and run through mid-April, at which point Yardselling starts. Totswap in Columbia is this weekend! Go to the Wilde Lake Shopping Center in Columbia for some great deals! I love Totswap because they're so well organized. They even have a list online of all the non-profit consignment sales in the DC Metro Area!

CAMOM's sale is St. Patrick's Day! If your kids are growing fast, then you'll want to wait until this sale for some great deals and fine merchandise, plus two or three of everything! Cradlerock Elementary school, Saturday March 17, 2012, 8a-1p.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Today's Best Deal! 2/19/12

Everyone knows President's Day is the best sale since New Year's. What I just saw was that Maryland has a tax holiday this weekend, 2/18 -2/20 on qualifying Energy Star Replacement appliances. There is also a $100 rebate offer from Pepco and BGE (if one is your service provider).

The State website reads:

Additionally, there will be a tax-free three-day weekend during which the sales and use tax will not apply to the sale of any Energy Star Product listed below, or solar water heater. This tax-free weekend will occur the weekend of February 18, 2012, through February 20, 2012.

Energy Star Product means an air conditioner, clothes washer or dryer, furnace, heat pump, standard size refrigerator, compact fluorescent light bulb, dehumidifier, or programmable thermostat that has been designated as meeting or exceeding the applicable Energy Star Efficiency requirements developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.


Maryland's next Tax Holiday -- "Shop Maryland Week" -- is August 14-20, 2012. Maryland rarely runs these, and didn't run one at all in 2009. So take advantage!