Thrifting in March

It may not be a newsflash to many of my thrifty friends that the least expensive way to acquire needed housewares & clothing is to hit the summer yard sales & rummage sales. Items are often priced at 25-50 cents and that beats (brutally. with a stick.) the newly sky high prices at chain thrift stores like Value Village. For instance, we saw a used wool jacket for $75 at our local VV store the other day. And other items that can be found (sure, on clearance) at a Target for $6 marked up to $8. What's up with their new pricing system?

Anyway, If you're in the Seattle area the Goodwill Outlet is a good option for the winter months when yard sales are few and far between. Like a yard sale, you have to sort through so if you're in a time crunch & need something specific- it's probably not a good bet. But, if you're willing to dig & enjoy the experience of sorting & sifting (like at a big rummage sale) you should check it out. Clothing, shoes & linens are weighed out by the pound at checkout. My purchase yesterday averaged out to be about 50 cents per item. As good as a yard sale!

It's fun to go with a friend because you don't feel so silly going off to a corner to try on clothes over your own clothes. And an honest friend is a great mirror. I spent $14 on clothes for myself yesterday & this is what I came home with:

A nice plain white IKEA style white curtain
A stripey play apron for a friend's little girl
Beautiful pendleton wool blanket
wool socks
wool doily for an art project
summer dress
sweater dress
puffer vest
silk long underwear
pirate tights
2 pairs of lounging around pants
riding breeches
3 long sleeve & 2 short sleeve t-shirts
2 sweaters
6 cardigans (don't judge me- I love cardigans)

28 items- $14 spent- 50 cents per item- Score!

My tips for visiting The Outlet:

1. Wear clothes that are easy to slip other clothes on top of for trying on items.
2. Go with a friend.
3. Expect to take a shower after- sometimes you can get grimy going through the bins.
4. Wear slip off shoes so it's easy to try shoes on.
5. Set a time limit. It's easy to space out in there & turn into a shopping zombie.
6. Closely examine each item before purchase for stains, tears & imperfections.
7. Pay attention to shopping etiquette and don't crowd other shoppers or pile your discards on their sort pile- some people scavenge for a living & the Outlet is their bread & butter.

Mission Statement

I waste money on stuff I don't need. That, predatory lending practices & a naive belief in the American dream have landed me in my present financial situation. Big debt. Medium income. And the thing about it that's a real bummer is that I would like to start planning my future with my Sweetie but we don't have the resources to do that. I feel bitter about it when I'm getting housewarming & wedding invitations & birth announcements from my peers. I sometimes wish I had made different financial choices. But I'm certainly not a victim. I can lay down in the bed I made or claw myself out of the hole I dug. I prefer to claw. So that's what this year is about. Making different financial choices.

One thing I can control is buying stuff I don't need. How much money could I save in a year by treating every spending decision (even the little ones) with care? I'm dedicating myself to a year of spending money only on the things I truly need. I'll be making major cuts to my grocery budget, entertainment budget & overall living expenses. I will document everything here, interview my favorite thrifty friends & hopefully spread the message that every cent adds up to your future resources. How much could I squirrel away spending a whole year living frugally? This year will be my experiment.

I want to warn readers that every method I write about in this blog may not be rosy & printable in a women's home magazine. This is the opposite of those features you see written about "making a family meal for $10 or less". This is more raw. This is about meals for $1. This is about outfits for $1. This is about what you can find to eat in your front yard. This is about stretching a dollar to lengths that may not always be mainstream. Join me.