One of the best ways I know to save money is to shop consignment/Goodwill/thrift stores. You can find so many bargains, you will be amazed at how much money you can save. Many people say shopping at these types of stores are “too much trouble/effort/takes too much time”. Somehow the same people who say that still find hours upon hours per year to shop in the mall/at department stores however!
Great quality exists at absurdly low prices, if you shop at the right places. You really do not need to spend a lot to look like you did. I think many people would be surprised to know how little I pay for most of my clothes. On our recent cruise I received numerous compliments on a skirt, and on both of the dresses that I wore for the “dress up” dinners onboard. I had paid $10 for the skirt and $30 for one of the dresses, purchasing both at a local consignment shop (U-turn). And I paid $25 for the other dress at Divine Consign (a local traveling consignment sale). Grand total for all 3 items was $65, while I could have easily spent that much on just one item if I had gone to a boutique or a department store.
It is HIGHLY unusual for me to spend more than $20-40 for an item of clothing. (The one exception I have to make is for pants. Because I am 6’2″ it is very difficult for me to find pants at regular stores, much less at consignment or thrift stores, so I do have to pay more for those.) I just went to Goodwill the other day and found 7 tops that fit well and that I liked. One even still had all the tags on it, so had never been worn. Total price for the 7 tops was $42!
But don’t limit your consignment/thrift store shopping to just clothing. You can also find seasonal decor, housewares, books, small electronics, lamps and furniture at a fraction of retail cost. When I was at Goodwill I also found an adorable Thanksgiving table decor item for $6.99 that still had the Kohl’s price tag of $16.99 on it. And I needed some more baskets for shoe covers at my listings, so I bought two, at $1.99 each. I would have easily paid $7-$12 per basket at Target or Walmart.
And keep in mind that you can also turn your unwanted items into cash. When we moved and no longer had a place for some art, I sold it through a consignment store. Facebook groups are also another great way to sell things you no longer want or need, along with being a great place to find bargains as a purchaser. I have sold chairs and lamps that I had no room for in the new house through a Facebook group, and among other items, I have purchased a refrigerator, a kitchen island, a patio table and 6 chairs, and our front porch swing, all at greatly reduced prices. In fact I did not even pay $450 for all of those items combined.
Bottom line, you can save a lot of money by checking thrift and consignment shops and resale groups first. Why pay retail if you don’t have to? Save that money instead!