When you live on the prairie, your outing of the day can often be going to the local grocery. It used to be for me meeting a friend or two at Starbuck’s, Caribou Coffee, Babb’s, Moxie Java or Luna. I had FIVE coffee hang outs before moving to the prairie. Options are limited on the prairie but we do go to one another’s homes and once in awhile go out for pizza. But most of my weekly outings are to the grocery store, post office and bank. At least until I go back to work. Sometimes I miss coffee shop outings and since last summer my outing has been to drive 27 miles to a nearby town to a consignment shop. Not just any consignment shop though. It has a coffee shop in it. Not just a pot of coffee on the burner, small town coffee shop. I can get a good espresso or latte there. And a blueberry muffin. Plus I can sit at a little table with a bit of coffee shop ambiance and feel like it is indeed an outing more than buying bananas at the grocery store.

I began boxing up things to bring to the consignment shop last year and was pleased with the $68 and $56 checks I later received the mail. I bought coffee when I visited the store but no other purchases. I was never and still am not much of a thrift store shopper. I hate the smell of them and I like to buy new things and remember I like brands. Sometimes in college my friends would come home with thrift store finds for me and that was okay if I hadn’t actually had to go and shop for them. I would rather find a NEW bargain at TJ Maxx or by clicking on the “sale” icon on the Nordstrom’s web site. But this consignment shop is particular and picky about what they take at their store and change out their inventory often.

So I began making a few purchases. First it was mirrors that Nathan hung for me in our home. The mirrors earned a few compliments and no one noticed that indeed I bought them at a consignment shop. Well I have since ventured out and bought more items. As my mom says “this is great way to raise kids” when she visited the store with me a few weeks ago. I have credit for the things I have brought there (mostly clothes that no longer fit Hunter, sweaters Nathan has had in closet since college and clothes I have not worn in a year or more) and can use my credit to buy items–including lattes.

Hunter wore his first ever consignment shop shirt the other day. An Abercrombie & Fitch polo shirt for $4. It was my first clothing purchase. He did not seem to mind at all! I still am going to stay away from most clothing purchases at the consignment store because I still like new items best and if I am going with in excellent condition used clothing for play clothes for our kids…Ebay is my preferred seller. But a deal is a deal. $4 for Abercrombie & Fitch??? Great deal for Hunter and for his mama.

Also on our outing the other day, Elissa found the above “back packs” as she calls them full of pretend food. She already has plenty of pretend food but these were especially attractive to her because they had ketchup in them! So for $2.25 they were added to our purchases. My best deal so far though is…

The bench I wanted from Ethan Allen to go in our mudroom is $729. The bench I bought for our mudroom was $24.50. With some fresh paint it will be perfect. My outings to the consignment shop will continue, no longer just for the coffee but also for bargains too.

When you live on the prairie, your outing of the day can often be going to the local grocery. It used to be for me meeting a friend or two at Starbuck’s, Caribou Coffee, Babb’s, Moxie Java or Luna. I had FIVE coffee hang outs before moving to the prairie. Options are limited on the prairie but we do go to one another’s homes and once in awhile go out for pizza. But most of my weekly outings are to the grocery store, post office and bank. At least until I go back to work. Sometimes I miss coffee shop outings and since last summer my outing has been to drive 27 miles to a nearby town to a consignment shop. Not just any consignment shop though. It has a coffee shop in it. Not just a pot of coffee on the burner, small town coffee shop. I can get a good espresso or latte there. And a blueberry muffin. Plus I can sit at a little table with a bit of coffee shop ambiance and feel like it is indeed an outing more than buying bananas at the grocery store.

I began boxing up things to bring to the consignment shop last year and was pleased with the $68 and $56 checks I later received the mail. I bought coffee when I visited the store but no other purchases. I was never and still am not much of a thrift store shopper. I hate the smell of them and I like to buy new things and remember I like brands. Sometimes in college my friends would come home with thrift store finds for me and that was okay if I hadn’t actually had to go and shop for them. I would rather find a NEW bargain at TJ Maxx or by clicking on the “sale” icon on the Nordstrom’s web site. But this consignment shop is particular and picky about what they take at their store and change out their inventory often.

So I began making a few purchases. First it was mirrors that Nathan hung for me in our home. The mirrors earned a few compliments and no one noticed that indeed I bought them at a consignment shop. Well I have since ventured out and bought more items. As my mom says “this is great way to raise kids” when she visited the store with me a few weeks ago. I have credit for the things I have brought there (mostly clothes that no longer fit Hunter, sweaters Nathan has had in closet since college and clothes I have not worn in a year or more) and can use my credit to buy items–including lattes.

Hunter wore his first ever consignment shop shirt the other day. An Abercrombie & Fitch polo shirt for $4. It was my first clothing purchase. He did not seem to mind at all! I still am going to stay away from most clothing purchases at the consignment store because I still like new items best and if I am going with in excellent condition used clothing for play clothes for our kids…Ebay is my preferred seller. But a deal is a deal. $4 for Abercrombie & Fitch??? Great deal for Hunter and for his mama.

Also on our outing the other day, Elissa found the above “back packs” as she calls them full of pretend food. She already has plenty of pretend food but these were especially attractive to her because they had ketchup in them! So for $2.25 they were added to our purchases. My best deal so far though is…

The bench I wanted from Ethan Allen to go in our mudroom is $729. The bench I bought for our mudroom was $24.50. With some fresh paint it will be perfect. My outings to the consignment shop will continue, no longer just for the coffee but also for bargains too.