Budget Shopping at the NCT Nearly New Sale
By BabyGeek on Sep 22, 2008 in Budget Tips | comments(0)
Kat writes…
The Nearly New season is upon us and here is a guide to getting your money’s worth on a budget.
The NCT Nearly New Sale is a bi-annual event usually held in Spring and Autumn each year. It gives local parents the opportunity to sell items in good condition and buy bagfuls more. The NCT take an approximately 30% cut of the sale price which, with the door money, supports their excellent charity work. If you are a member you will be given priority entrance over other shoppers (in my view this is worth the membership fee alone!). Find out about your nearest sales here.
In my experience these sales are a brilliant event where you can stock up on essentials at bargain prices. They are also a total bun fight so be prepared for a crush and use your elbows to get to the bargains. Here are a few handy dos and don’ts of shopping the sale:
- Do volunteer - not only are you helping a local charity but you generally get first dibs!
- Do get there early - if you are a member you get priority entrance and the early bird catches the worm.
- Do make a list - know what you are looking for so you can shop efficiently after all you are not there to browse.
- Do take a shopping buddy - you can double team and work different sections at the same time (heading towards the large items first can pay off).
- Do take a bag - an Ikea bag (or three) is perfect. Often the ones they give out are hard to lug round the sale and never big enough.
- Do have a budget in mind - it is very easy to go crazy so set a limit! If you want to be strict, only take that amount of cash.
- Do check out prices on Ebay - if you are looking for a big item check the prices on Ebay and in the paper to give you an idea of what’s out there.
- Do think about the next six months - that is how long it is until the next sale. If you’re buying toys think about how old they will be in six months time, ditto clothes. Also, think about the season, it may not be cold yet but in another month it will be so some warm clothes will be handy.
- Do go through your bag before you pay - make sure you’re happy with your picks and the prices. Ask yourself twice if the item is worth the price and put back what isn’t.
- Do sell - make some money from things you no longer need!
- Do go to more than one sale - if there are several in your area maximise your chances of getting everything you need by working them all.
- Don’t take a baby - like a bear pit it is no place for a child and they will only get in the way of your shopping. You can always leave them outside with Papa if you don’t want to be far away.
- Don’t get stuff for the sake of it - you will only end up with a bag of unused clutter.
You can expect to find some great gems and generally the stuff there falls into these categories: Baby / Children’s Clothes, Toys, Maternity Wear, Children’s Books, Pregnancy & Parenting Books, Large Equipment and General Accessories. I’ve not seen any electricals and I think this is because of laws surrounding second hand electrical goods. Prams seem to be traded on a notice board from what I’ve experienced. Most of what you find lives up to the nearly new title but do check your choices as people can be cheeky with what they send and the price they put on it.
The NCT Nearly New Sale goes on my calendar as soon as I know when it is as by saving on the basics I can afford to splurge an a few extras. Most importantly, you are supporting a worthwhile charity which has changed the way women are treated during childbirth and provides essential support to new mothers with services like their Breastfeeding Counselors. Find out more about the organisation on the NCT website.
