Okay, so I am extremely thrifty....if there is a way to get something cheaper, I'm going to find it! In this post I will let you in on the sacred secrets to getting what you want...for less!! Woohoo!
FIRST I need to get ya in the right mindset with one key principle:
Saving money means sacrificing immediacy. Most stores and sellers thrive off of your willingness to splurge and pay the extra required to take the product you want home same day. You pay for convenience. Period.
Here are my tips for thrifty livin'!
1) Off-brand and name brand items (especially food) have very little differences....except for their price tags.
I know someone who worked for Aunt Millie's Bread Company. He said that the only difference between the name brand bread and the off brand bread was the bags they packaged the loaves in. Sara Lee and Spartan brand bread came out of the same batch. Don't be deceived by the flashier wrappings and higher prices....
2) The internet!!!!
Odds are, it's always gonna be cheaper on the magical internet! I tried on a coat at Tj Maxx the other night (already reasonably priced anyway).....then I went home and bought the same exact coat for $10 cheaper online. Why not!? :D
3) Perfume wearers....I'm about to rock your world!
Okay, so perfume is ridiculously priced! I wore Victoria's Secret body spray for years due to the fact that I didn't want to pay $50+ for a couple ounces of smelly liquid. So, I did some research and hit the jackpot!!! TESTERS. You can buy the same exact perfume you love for a fraction of the price....and I mean brand new, brand name, perfume! The only difference is the packaging. Sometimes testers will come without a pretty cap and be put in a plain box instead of the fancy store-shelf boxes. I have done this with high quality results! Let me give you an example comparing the perfume I use at Ulta, and then at Overstock.com. (make sure to read the reviews and observe the ratings beforehand though, there are some scammy people out there, like with anything....but Overstock does a good job in general)
Ulta's Listing
Overstock's Listing
4) The problem with consignment...
Consignment shops are high priced thrift stores. You pay extra for the neat displays and quality used items all in one accessible place when you go to consignment stores. Now they are great, don't get me wrong....but I, as a student, don't have $40 to put towards a pair of USED jeans! The employees at consignment stores are also educated on the value of certain brands and will price them accordingly. If you have extra time to sift through racks.....head over to Goodwill or Salvation army. You can find designer clothing lumped in with the cheapo brands for the same exact price! Why? They don't sort by value, they sort by type of item...shirts are shirts, pants are pants, and with such high volumes of merchandise coming in, they don't have time to research the value of each item. If you put in the work and take time to search.....you'll get some great stuff!!! For instance, at this moment I am wearing a big cozy, like-new Eddie Bauer scarf that retailed for $50... that I paid $3 dollars for at Goodwill. It's my fav scarf! Here is the link to the exact product if you don't believe me. <3
Eddie Bauer Scarf Listing
My $3.00 Scarf in the color (Smoke)
5) Shampoo cost cutting trick that is actually healthier for you hair!
Ready?.....baking soda!!! Baking soda is like what...$0.75 for a box? So cheap! Bu it also is great for your hair! There are whole articles dedicated to the "no-poo" challenge where people give up traditional shampoo and switch to this method. Many store bought shampoos actually dry your scalp which causes it to create more oils to compensate....which results in, you guessed it, the need to use more of that highly advertised shampoo you just used bought for $10. Baking soda cleans thoroughly while not stripping or drying...or adding extra oils. All you need is a spoonful, and then enough water added in order to create a paste, and you are ready to go! It doesn't lather, so that freaks people out.....but lathering (getting all soapy and foamy) is not necessary to get clean....in fact, shampoos that don't lather as well are actually better for you!! <3 I'll link one article below. :)
6) Jewelry (the non-precious kind)
Costume and statement jewelry is stupidly priced. I mean, $20 for a pair of plastic stones hanging from some mystery-metal earring posts? NO THANK YOU. I always hit up ForeverXXI for my jewelry needs. They are superrrrrr inexpensive and bring the same quality to the table as say...kohls does for their "faux" jewelry. I don't mind spending $4 for mystery metal in that case. ;)
7) Text Books....
Your college bookstore is about the priciest place you could ever buy text books. And if you're like me, you don't really have any emotional attachment to your books....nor do you have a desire to keep them around after the class has ended. RENT THEM. There are many wonderful websites that are dedicated to getting you used books to buy, or rent. I have saved hundreds this way...the best thing is that they pay the return shipping and everything for rentals!! I use Chegg.com for the most part, link is below.
Well....I hope these little tips have been helpful! Saving money is all about thinking outside of the box! Good luck! <3
