Shop 'til U Drop - 4 Men, Women & Children

Shop 'til U Drop - 4 Men, Women & Children

Like any red-blooded American woman, I love to shop.  Actually, like any woman anywhere, we are gatherers. This can frequently come into conflict w/ my equally strong urge to save money...but it doesn't have to.  In this post, I will share some of my secrets to buying what you need without busting your budget.   

Note that since you guys are usually more focused on the bottom line, I hope you will enjoy this post, and if your female partner adopts some of these suggestions, please express appreciation in an appropriate way.

My ex-husband once told me I was a hero to his co-workers because of my thrift.  Too bad he couldn't demonstrate I was a hero to him!  But I digress...

First, a few traditional shopping rules.  What is the return policy?  Nobody is perfect.  We all make mistakes, but this doesn't doom you to fiscal failure.  If you change your mind, or the purchase doesn't live up to its promise, bring it back.  There's no shame in changing your mind or in getting what you paid for.

Similarly, you should inquire about the store's policy of price adjustments.  I first learn this years ago when I was young and foolish and spent $100 for a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses at Macy's.  A week later, a Macy's flyer advertised the sunglasses for $70.  I went back to the store and politely explained that I loved the sunglasses, but if I had waited a week I would have paid a lot less.  They promptly refunded my $30 (plus tax)!

Reputable retailers usually have a price adjustment policy, and I would be wary of those who don't.  It can range from 7 days to 60 days or more, but you need to ask what it is.  As a variation on this theme, I bought a TV for my daughter's room this past Christmas at P.C. Richard, which is a fabulous place to purchase electronics, but that's another blog!  I did my homework and ordered a 28 inch Samsung HDTV.  A week later, a competitor advertised a larger 32 inch Samsung HDTV for the same price.  I returned to P.C. Richard and didn't get any money back, but I got a larger TV for the same price.  My daughter was thrilled!

Remember that if you are using a credit card for your purchase, only use one that gives you a reward.  See my previous blog on credit to see how I keep track of the highest reward cards. Sine cards change rewards quarterly, so at the end of this month there should be new categories.  You may want to plan your purchases accordingly.

O.K. if your are still with me, a warning that now is the part of the blog that separates the men from the boys - thrift shops!  If you are a city dweller, there are dozens of thrift shops where you can find incredible deals on everything from furniture, housewares, toys and of course clothing.  At first, you may find thrift shopping intimidating, but with a little deep breathing (always helpful) and planning, you may learn to enjoy it!

Menswear is, in my opinion, the best thrift shop deal going.  As a BMOC, my 22 year old son wears a lot of ties and I hope he is not embarrassed when I reveal that I have never paid more that $5 for a 100% silk designer tie.  He prefers Jerry Garcia, but I've also found Brooks Brothers, Gucci, Armani, Ermenegildo, etc. for $5. 

A few years ago, good friends came to visit from upstate New York.  Their daughter's boyfriend needed a tuxedo to wear to his brother's upcoming wedding.  I took them to one of my favorite, large thrift shops - Goodwill on Second Avenue, which helpfully divides their clothing by color - and in about an hour, he found a tuxedo he said fit him like it was tailor made.  He paid $35!  

The key to successful thrift shopping is planning.  If you need a wool skirt to wear to dinner tomorrow night, it is highly unlikely that you will find it so quickly.  On the other hand, if you'd like a wool skirt to complete your work wardrobe and you shop in thrift stores periodically, you could end up buying a gorgeous designer skirt for $15.

Thrift shops, like retailers, need to "move the merch" so, like retailers, they have sales.  One of my favorite thrift stores, the Arthritis Foundation Thrift Store on Third Avenue @ 80th Street in Manhattan, always has 1 particular color tag on sale for 50% off.  At the Arthritis Thrift Store I once bought a pair of unworn Tony Lama cowboy boots that had been put on sale there for $37.50!! Had I not fallen immediately in love w/ my new boots, I could have sold them on Ebay - which many people do - for many times this price. 

It helps to know your sizes when thrift shopping, though items are not divided by size, so you need to try things on.  Men know their shirt, pants and blazer sizes because they are conveniently measured in inches.  Ladies, you may want to measure the waistband of a skirt and a pair of pants that fit.  Then you can carry a tape measure in your bag and use it to cut down on the number of items you have to try on in the thrift store!

Kids do very well in thrift stores as well - not shopping - but with clothes and toys.  Children grow alarmingly fast and many items, especially special occasion frippery, have usually only been worn once.  I bought my daughter's First Communion dress at a thrift shop, as well as every blazer my son wore until age 16.  And toys!  New or old, Legos are legos.  Put them in a net bag and throw them in the dishwasher.  Stuffed animals go in the washing machine and dryer, with your thrift clothing finds.  

Thanks to our formerly bustling economy, thrift items today are in so much better shape than they were a mere generation ago.  Our depression-era grandparents wasted nothing and used items until they were thread-bare.  Today in the thrift shop, it is not unusual to find things that are brand new w/ the tags on.

Thrift shopping is to me the ultimate recycling and if you've been following me for a while you know how important I believe this is.  Having minimal sewing skills is a plus when thrift shopping, but reasonable tailoring is available if you find a drop dead designer piece!

I'd love to hear about your thrift shop finds and strategies!  Please sign in and post your thoughts on this blog.

Next time, surprises at the dollar store and updating your credit cards.

Keep calm & carry on...Lori Bores

<script>

  (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){

  (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),

  m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)

  })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');

  ga('create', 'UA-41457707-1', 'almostfreeny.blogspot.com');

  ga('send', 'pageview');

</script>