Lesson #3: We all have different reasons for attending the HEAV Convention!
Unlike the majority of women attending the HEAV Convention, the Used Curriculum Sale (UCS) was not on my "Top Ten" list for attending the HEAV Convention. After reading various blogs and then the posts/tips on the HEAV Facebook page, I often wondered if I would still get my money's worth out of Convention if I did not attend the UCS but I was afraid to publicly ask that question. It seemed like many women prepared, planned and lived for the UCS and I didn't want to be a killjoy. It ended up being a worry that should never have been a worry--there's soooo much to Convention apart from the UCS, but the UCS is also a great complement to the Convention as well!
Our curriculum company, Sonlight, gives us "everything but the pencil" for each school year so we didn't need anything from the UCS. Yet a week before Convention, I was introduced to "How Great Thou Art" by Barry Stebbing. I thought it would be a great fit for our unartistic family and figured maybe we could find a deal on it at the UCS.
Thanks to another blogger, I learned about checking the UCS inventory beforehand to see what was available. There were multiple sets of pattern blocks (which I also had my eye on) and six copies of "How Great Thou Art"...perfect!! However, by the number of people at the Convention, I knew that by Friday at 1:30 p.m. (my entry time), everything would be picked through and I'd be lucky if I found the art book or pattern blocks! As I started to stress over it, God kept reassuring me that He knew what we needed/wanted and that He would provide through the UCS if it was meant to be. It was hard to let go and trust that fact but God definitely provided in His way!
It really helped writing down the original prices of the items that we were interested in pre-Convention because I wasn't prepared for how varied the prices were at the UCS. There were some genuine yard-sale prices that made you want to shout "Woohoo!" over finding a great deal. But then there were other prices that made you quickly drop the item back on the table and ask, "Seriously?"
There were three copies of "How Great Thou Art" left at 1:30 p.m. The highest-priced copy was $25 and the lowest was $15. The only difference between the books (all in great condition) was that the $15 book had a different binding and it even came with the paint cards (wow!!). The original price for book and paint cards were $50 (before S&H). I also learned that there is a Friday price and a Saturday price on most items. On some things, you can save a lot on Saturday but you risk the item not being there...it's a total gamble.
My favorite part of the UCS was the game table where I found super-cheap (and complete) board games for my child for $1-$2 each. These games became his promised Convention "souvenir" = perfect!
After being blocked by rolly carts and being surrounded by mass organized chaos and serious shoppers (which I was not one of them), I was ready for the solace of the workshops! The savings on the art book and games totally justified the 45-minute wait in the check-out line and first UCS experience!!
All in all, the UCS is a great Convention stop if it's your thing. For me, it was a good reminder as to why our family enjoys the convenience of a boxed curriculum, but I totally appreciated the deal on the art book and having a new resource for board games! The UCS is definitely worth checking out regardless of your needs...there is definitely something for everyone there (even if it's just finding a good book to read on the way back home)!
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