On A Budget::Thrift Shops

When my children were young, I shopped at thrift shops all the time. They grew out of their clothes so fast, I just couldn't bring myself to pay full price for things they'd get to wear once or twice. Long ago they started shopping for themselves and I forgot all about the thrift shops.

And then, a few months back, I asked you how you save money and you responded with some wonderful ideas! Among them, you mentioned thrift shops.

Today and tomorrow I'm sharing thrifting tips, offered by my friends Ina and Simone. They had such wonderful advice that I've decided to feature Ina's answers today, and Simone's answers tomorrow.

This is Ina. She is very cool, don't you think?

Read on, my thrifty friends! Read on!

Thrifty Thoughts from Ina (with one parenthetical anecdote from me):

I learned how to shop at thrift stores from a very wealthy colleague who can afford to pay full price for anything, but prefers to shop at thrift stores because of the savings it provides.

1. Go often. Donations come in frequently. You may not find what you’re looking for on your first visit, but don’t let that deter you. Check back to see what’s new.
2. Rethink your expectations. Many of the items at thrift stores are high end , so don’t think it’s just like getting your big brother’s hand-me-downs. Our local Nordstrom store regularly delivers unsold inventory to be sold at our local thrift store. (Here's my one parenthetical anecdote: When I visited my local consignment shop, I discovered a beautiful silk blouse from J Crew for five dollars! Yes. Five dollars!)
3. Expand your horizons. There is a “thrift shop” equivalent for just about every aspect of your life. For example, don’t forget garage sales! Many wonderful treasures, including appliances, jackets, and tools. And, I buy bread & snacks at the local discount distributor where they sell "outdated" bread, cupcakes, pitas, designer coffee, etc. All of this stuff can be frozen for later use. For books, I shop at a used book store, where I use credit for books I’ve donated.

I have saved lots of money, I look professional in my law firm (even with my purple streaks in my hair), and I get lots of compliments!

So there you have it! Don't forget to come back tomorrow to read Simone's wise and wonderful words of advice, including thoughts on making money by thrifting!

And...I'll share what I bought when I went to my local consignment store. Until then, hop over and visit Ina, where you'll get a glimpse into her always wonderful world in Alaska!

Today, I leave you with this question...when it comes to the world of thrifting, do consignment stores count? And one more thing...is "thrifting" a word, or did I make that up?