Poppin Some Tags: Back to School Bargains

There’s no better way to stretch you back-to-school dollars than to shop consignment/resale stores. Parents know how fast pre-teens and teens seem to grow, and most don’t want to pay full-price retail for items they’re going to out-grow in just a few months.

The Hanger consignment store (in the Byerly’s strip mall downtown Chanhassen) receives like-new (sometimes with tags still on) items daily and they are usually priced at 50-80% off of what you’d pay in retail stores.  Averaging hundreds of new items weekly, it’s easy to find something that will fit your budget and the wide range of styles for pre-teen (starting at size 10 and up) through size 16 adult women and 34/L for men.

I started shopping for my 15-year-old daughter at The Hanger and was able to find 5 items totally $80, including an on-trend army-green BCBG jacket. These items if purchased new would cost more than $200. Brand-specific shoppers can likely find Coach shoes (pictured) and Ugg boots later in the season, as well as Lululemon, Miss Me, and don’t forget homecoming dresses.

Odds are that you and/or your children have items in the closet that are no longer being worn. Go through your closet and decide what to take to the consignment store: usually on-trend, no holes/stains/smells, and within the past 2-3 years (why not earn some $ on great things that someone else will love?),  and what to donate – there’s a new Goodwill conveniently located in Chanhassen off of Highway 5.

Adults can also find great bargains at The Hanger as well as other local Lake Minnetonka-area consignment stores Encore (downtown Excelsior), and if you love boutique and vintage shopping, give Beeline in Deephaven (Minnetonka Blvd.) a try!