Champagne Taste, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Budget
August 22, 2005
I am a bit of a snob.
There I said it. Though it stinks to have good taste and no means to satisfy it. Good taste, my own personal beast of burden.
This is especially true when it comes to clothing. My general rule is that if a store has shopping carts and sells toilet paper, I don’t buy clothes there.
I have also never liked shopping at consignment shops. It’s a combination of the crowded hodge podge of clothing, the smell of different peoples detergents all mixed together, and the fact that all the stuff has been used, or “previously worn” as the sign at a local consignment shop states. I have no problem buying previously read books though, so we will often go just to browse the huge bookcases.
The few times that I have wandered over and looked at the clothing I generally haven’t been impressed with the condition of the clothes or the price. I’ve bought things here and there, but mostly I avoid even looking.
This weekend that all changed. I was lured over to the other side by a brightly colored sign.
In doing so, I discovered something new about myself. As much as I loathe buying used clothing for my kids, I love bargains more. When I saw a sign over the racks of clothing that said everything with a red dot sticker was $1, well I couldn’t help but look. I fully expected to find used, stained, ugly crap for that price, but I was wrong.
$1 for an item of clothing, like an adorable GAP dress, or Gymboree sweater! Why that is practically like having clothing that is disposable! It’s less than a cup of coffee! Look how excited I am! Look at my over use of explanation points!
Soon I’ll be one of those women at the grocery store with a little accordion file envelope filled with coupons and calculator. Okay, maybe not.
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Ah yes, I remember getting two Kelly’s Kids dresses for my middle child–in perfect condition, hardly worn–for $7 each. They are $30 new on the LOW end.
But I hate consignment shops, too. Mostly because my backside is big and I am afraid of knocking over racks (no, really).
August 22nd, 2005 at 3:25 pmYep the smell of consignment stores is enough to turn me off most of the time too, although I did venture in one last year to find something to make ds’s Halloween costume. I’ve hit the jackpot a few times at a garage sale. Maybe you should give that a try. At least the smell won’t get to you?????:-)
August 22nd, 2005 at 3:44 pmOh my Lord, I have an accordian file! I eat lunch at 11! Sometimes at 10:55! I’M TURNING INTO AN OLD LADY AT THE RIPE OLD AGE OF 26!
August 22nd, 2005 at 3:59 pmHey, here’s to accordian coupon folders! When my kids were small, I used them all the time and saved at least $10 every time I shopped for groceries. I couldn’t pass up those $.75-$1.00 coupons.
August 22nd, 2005 at 4:23 pmI actually love clipping coupons, but HATE standing in the grocery store trying to figure out where this or that coupon actually IS. It infuriates me.
I also hate fighting crowds of people for stuff, which is the main reason why I avoid consignment shops. In the spring, though, I went to visit my parents and found this consignment shop near their house that only sells stuff that people have never worn or barely worn but wish to sell. So I got an Ann Taylor NEW sweater set for $25. And a pair of Banana Republic slacks for $15. And these were new with tags. Amazing!
Now if only I could find one of those in Boston.
August 22nd, 2005 at 5:27 pmI have seven kiddos, and have found great stuff at thrift stores, even. Last Easter, I got all their dress clothes, all seven of them, for $40. These were nice, new looking, good brands and ohhh, what a bargain. Now play clothes tend to be less nice, but then, when my kids trash those, I don’t blink an eye at throwing away a too stained shirt that cost me 88 cents.
August 22nd, 2005 at 5:32 pmI can not turn down a bargain. This spring I picked up a bunch of hardly worn dresses for my 2yo for $3/each. Gymboree, Gap…even a Nordstroms. It was also a super place to get some play jeans for my kids before we hit the ranch. 50 cents each. I love consignment stores!
August 22nd, 2005 at 6:22 pmHehe! I always feel like a dork, but I HAVE the coupon book!
Well, I did feel pretty good this week when I got five boxes of cereal for .20 cents a box. Kind of made up for the dorky feeling. LOL!
(Wow! You get to buy Pabst????)
August 22nd, 2005 at 6:34 pmThere is only ONE used clothing store I will shop in and its the BEST one around… Value Village (Do you have those in the USofA?)
Anyway, the organize it by size, gender, colour and type. Its all clean and doesnt have the crappy spots all over them… or at least rarely.
My daughters have been dressed for years in Laura Ashley, the Gap, Gymboree, Osh Kosh and various other unafforable items because of this store.
Everyone asks me where I find the money to dress my girls that way… and I am like “I get ‘em used” and they are stunned. Thank goodness I have all girls so that i can pass the items down through the ranks ;o)
August 22nd, 2005 at 8:15 pmLOL! I have not a only a coupon book but a whole file system! I mean, think briefcase style coupon carrier. And I alphabetize and paperclip like brands together. I save at LEAST $30 a week on groceries.
And I only have 2 kids! Think about how bad it will be with more! LOL!
But it’s all about the bargains baby- I get to save more to go shopping with later. Although it’s not clothes it’s the garden center for me.
August 22nd, 2005 at 9:17 pmsigh
I wish I lived in a town large enough to get a paper, let alone coupons! Enjoy the gems, ladies! LOL
My son tells me his sweaty feet smell like popcorn. My mother tells me the consignment shop smells like popcorn. It’s hard to go . . . but I do because I’m insane for cheap, nice clothes! Such vanity.
August 22nd, 2005 at 9:38 pmSecond hand and clearance is the only way I can keep myself dressed in anything decent!
August 22nd, 2005 at 9:54 pmI think the part that bothers me the most is the smell…. and thinking that I don’t know who was in the clothing or what they did. It just gives me the creeps
August 23rd, 2005 at 10:07 amWhat’s next…yoga?!
August 23rd, 2005 at 11:50 amI need to find a new consignment store - ours is too expensive. I can get better deals at Marshalls for the most part.
But don’t diss Costco for clothes - My girls’ easter dresses were Laura Ashley from there.
And I had an accordian file and lost it. I need a new one.
August 24th, 2005 at 7:20 amI don’t have kids and for the first year of our marriage I did the whole accordion file and coupon thing. Well, we’re now at year three and I”m going to start it back up. Here’s hoping I save more than the cost of the Chicago Trib on Sunday
August 25th, 2005 at 9:56 amThe problem I have with coupons is that I end up spending more money to use them because they are for things I wouldn’t ordinarily use. Also whenever I have had them I forget to use them, or I can’t find the item, it just isn’t worth it to me.
our costco doesn’t sell clothing
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