Skip to main content

I'm a thrift-a-holic!


I have a confession: I love thrift, consignment, and discount stores.

I love scouring the racks in search of a great find. All of the items in this photo I purchased today for $30.71. That's four nice tops I can wear for any occasion (work, social dates, church), plus two dressy pairs of shoes and a snazzy, versatile bag. Wow.

Some shoppers would pay $30.71 for one of the tops alone, but I can no longer justify paying full price for any article of clothing or accessory, knowing that I can find something comparable at a thrift, consignment, or discount store such as TJ Maxx. I have found countless name brand items, and many items with tags still attached!

What is required to make the transition from full price shopper to successful thrifter? A thrifter must understand that he/she will find way more outdated pieces than desirable ones and be patient. A successful thrifter also must accept the fact that the clothes once graced someone else's closet. Personally, this concept doesn't bother me once I run the clothes through my washing machine once. Most importantly, a thrifter must be willing to take some time to search through racks (I actually enjoy this part!). I don't recommend thrifting to those who don't already find shopping entertaining or to those who find shopping in regular stores irritating.

Where are these stores located? Believe it or not, thrift and consignment stores are everywhere. They don't always stand out as you're driving because they are usually in lower-end shopping centers or "off the beaten path" locations. However, with a little researching, you will find a plethora. Goodwill, Plato's Closet, Tuesday Morning, Value Village, and the Atlanta Union Mission Thrift Store are all within a few miles of my house, plus TJ Maxx and Marshalls, of course.

A bonus is that almost all of these stores sell more than clothes and accessories - most sell housewares, furniture, toys, books, and CDs.

As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoy shopping in these stores and enjoy my purchases for years to come. I highly recommend it to others who enjoy shopping and introducting new items into their wardrobes without busting their budgets. Happy thrifting!

Comments

  1. LivingABonaFideLifeAugust 3, 2011 at 7:46 AM

    awesome! I need to get better about this, I get really inpatient :) You got some great deals!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Olivia Kate Update

We expected a routine appointment. Last April, the cardiology team told us that we did not have to return for another check-up on the hole in Olivia's heart for a full year. This was music to a mom's and dad's ears! Since her pediatrician had noticed the severe murmur in her heartbeat when she was just four days old, we'd visited the cardiologist office several times to monitor any changes in heart function. So far, it seemed that this hole was not causing any problems, and the doctors said that it might even close on its own. The ultrasounds of Olivia's heart today revealed a different story, unfortunately. The left side of her heart has enlarged slightly over the last year, which tells us that this precious organ is under a bit of stress due to the turbulence of the extra blood flowing in and out of the hole. The first cardiologist who reviewed the ultrasounds with us today told us what we really did not want to hear: Olivia is heading down the path that req
10 comments
Read more

What's Real

I struggle with mental illness. Like many others, I can't really define myself as falling cleanly into one category or give myself a specific diagnosis. Mine has manifested in different ways during different seasons of my life: sometimes it's anxiety, but other times it's depression, disordered eating, obsessive compulsion or a cocktail of these. Regardless, it's there, and while I experience a lot of happiness in my life, there's also some inner turmoil that I fight to keep at bay. Why am I telling you this? It's certainly not for pity or to draw attention to myself. I'm guessing that many people reading this also struggle, but others may not. For both parties, I want to take a stab at normalizing mental illness and I also want to point out a few things I've found to be true: - Mental illness is not limited to a certain stereotype. Depression doesn't just affect teenagers who prefer dark clothes and hooded jackets! It's not just the poor, ju
5 comments
Read more

Not a Disappointment

I recently received some disappointing news, which led to an awesome, very deep talk with my husband. Interestingly, through this conversation, God revealed that I have been believing a significant lie: that I am a disappointment to several key people. I realized that I have been believing that I am a disappointment to my husband, co-workers, and some friends. I have been hearing lies about my weaknesses as a wife (ex: my cooking skills), my abilites at work (not good enough), and how good of a friend I am to certain people (ex: I don't reach out to them enough, I'm too focused on myself, etc.). The enemy has been working to convince me that I'm a disappointment to some of the people I hold dearest. And I haven't been making him work very hard - I've fallen for his schemes hook, line, and sinker. For a while, I've had a hard time understanding why I feel I am a self-confident person, yet I struggle with insecurities in so many areas. God showed me that it&
5 comments
Read more