Thrift Shopping Your Way to Wealth
Filed under Blogs, Decorating, Fashion, Garage Sales, Recycling
People often question why I continue to thrift shop … after all, I have more than everything I need. I guess it boils down to my love of the hunt. I love to scour the thrift shops and garage sales for items that can be made into something else. I enjoy creating new things out of old or used items. After all, I am a Diva and I love to change my environment … often.
I’m past worrying about whether I’ve made a purchasing mistake because I hold a Diva Sale at least once a year where I sell my “mistakes” and items I’ve simply grown tired of.
Another defining reason I shop thrift is knowing that I am saving so much money. In addition, recycling everything I own keeps my stuff out of our landfills.
On a recent “sale” shopping week I recorded my purchases and calculated the difference between what I paid during the 50% off sale, what I would have paid at normal thrift store prices and what retail would have cost me. I was astonished…
| Item | Retail | Thrift | 1/2 price Sale | ||||||
| Cousances Cast Iron Vintage Blue Deep Skillet | $109.99 | $ 9.99 | $ 4.99 | ||||||
| Cousances Cast Iron Vintage Blue Omelet Fry Pan | $ 9.99 | $ 6.99 | $ 3.49 | ||||||
| Pfaltzgraff Gravy Boat | $ 7.99 | $ 3.99 | $ .99 | ||||||
| Smoothie Freeze juicer | $ 29.99 | $ 12.99 | $ 6.49 | ||||||
| CX-CD241 Portable CD with AM/FM Stereo Tuner | $ 29.99 | $ 6.99 | $ 3.49 | ||||||
| Audio phase CD and Cassette player/2 speakers | $ 59.95 | $ 24.99 | $ 12.49 | ||||||
| Video tape rewind component | $ 15.99 | $ 3.99 | $ 1.99 | ||||||
| Glass Storage Jar | $ 9.99 | $ 3.99 | $ 1.99 | ||||||
| Drawer Divider | $ 5.99 | $ 1.99 | $ 0.99 | ||||||
| Men’s Red Handkerchief | $ 4.99 | $ 0.99 | $ 0.49 | ||||||
| Auto Flashlight | . | $ 4.99 | $ .99 | $0.49 | |||||
| 6 – Faux Leather placemats (Bed, Bath & Beyond | $ 35.94 | $11.94 | $5.94 | ||||||
| Ceramic Box | $ 9.00 | $ 2.99 | $1.49 | ||||||
| Long black scarf | $ 9.99 | $ 1.99 | $0.99 | ||||||
| 3 – Dinosaur Eggs | $ 9.99 | $ 2.97 | $1.47 | ||||||
| 2 – Decorative throw pillows | $ 32.00 | $ 8.00 | $4.00 | ||||||
| 7 – (Tag-on new) pairs underwear | $ 41.93 | $ 13.93 | $6.93 | ||||||
| 5 – Variety Cooking Utensils | $ 9.99 | $ 2.45 | $1.20 | ||||||
| 2-Books | $ 49.90 | $ 6.00 | $3.00 | ||||||
| 7 – CD’s | $ 90.30 | $ 14.00 | $7.00 | ||||||
| Crazy Horse Ski Sweater | $ 24.99 | $ 4.99 | $2.49 | ||||||
| 2 piece silk PJ set by Cerie | $ 15.99 | $ 4.99 | $2.49 | ||||||
| Wise World Sweatshirt | $ 32.99 | $ 4.99 | $2.49 | ||||||
| Pair (NEW) Diane Gillman Jeans | $ 46.00 | $ 8.99 | $ .99 | ||||||
| Pair Liz Claiborne Jeans | $ 28.99 | $ 5.99 | $ .99 | ||||||
| Pair ETHYL Vintage Jeans | $ 32.00 | $ 5.99 | $ .99 | ||||||
| Pair Faded Glory Black Denim jeans | $ 14.99 | $ 5.99 | $ .99 | ||||||
Totals $824.84 $184.09 $79.17
I call this type of smart shopping “investing”! Not only am I investing in my home and wardrobe, I am making wise purchases that can be sold at my “Diva Sales” after I’m finished with them or have found something better. This way my merchandise is almost always recycled and I often recoup my investment. I have started to put the difference between what I pay thrift and what my items would have cost retail into a savings account. To hell with retirement! I am dying to take a trip; Africa is calling me, Victoria Island is my spring fantasy and Australia is beckoning me . . .
