Frugal Friendzies

The Finale.... Or Is It?

2011-09-09T11:47:00.000-04:00

A year has passed. The end of the Thrift Store Diet has arrived, and most unexpectedly too. We wanted it to be grand. We would have loved to showcase something awesome about our journey like the total amount of money we saved this year. Or some super awesome thrifty find that trumps all others. But when we really think about it, the reason there's nothing too grand in our challenge's finale, is because thrifting has seriously become our way of life. When shopping, we think in terms of thrift stores and the day-to-day wonderments they can provide each of us with. And sometimes, there's just nothin' "grand" to report about that! For us, the finale is all about the fact that we indeed rose to meet our goal and our challenge.

Even more importantly, we can look back over the year and see how drastically each of our lives have changed. Through it all, SalVal, Goodwill, and our favorite second-hand sources have never let us down! Adele's biggest news this year was all about a baby on the way. And all of her favorite local thrift stores (and friends) provided her both maternity and baby items on the cheap. In fact, Adele can honestly say that to date, she has NOT spent a DIME on baby clothes (and probably roughly 90% of baby items overall) OR maternity clothes outside of second-hand sources. *glee* And for those interested, Adele is now 34wks along. :)

Sarah Jane's happenings include both a major move to a new state (where many a thrifting adventure remains to be discovered!) AND some more recent excitement that will also provide her with more thrifting opportunities. Sarah Jane is super thrilled to announce the grandest news of all in this, our final *official* post, that she is 12wks pregnant with a little, squirmy bundle of joy of her very own! (She has been a bit under the weather with some bad bad morning sickness for the past several weeks, and that is one of the reasons for the general lack of posts.)

So the two besties and Frugal Friendzies move on to mommyhood together in the coming year. And in the midst of all of these life-altering changes, we are both committed to continue updating this blog as we go, to show you what wonderful ways you can still be super frugal and still have the best-dressed kid in the neighborhood! No longer does our official challenge remain in place; however, we both know that shopping retail will never feel quite the same again, and so this blog (and our lifestyle) must go on! Continue to check in on us now and then to see what local treasures we've uncovered as thrifters, besties, and mommas.

Before we close out this year, here's just a few more pics of the very latest finds...mostly baby-related at this point....so that you all may be reminded of just how wonderful and rewarding the thrill of the thrift can be!

Tired Adele at her baby shower sporting a consignment store find: Motherhood Maternity dress for $8.00.

gDiapers cloth diaper loot. Got 10 of these babies (8 with liners included) for $80 on Craig's list (second-hand). They retail for ~$18 each!

All my second-hand baby clothes finds. Found at yard sales, thrift stores, and a few hand-me-downs. All in excellent condition, and ALL gender neutral. Has actually been super easy to find quality second-hand baby clothes around central PA. Don't think I could ever shop retail for this stuff!

Here's a closer picture of the clothing piles. Since this was taken, a few more items have made it to the stash as well including some more clothes and many fun baby toys for mere change!

Since I'll have a newborn this winter, I HAD to snag this great find at a local consignment store. It was $9, is adorable suede with a matching hat, and is fuzzy on the inside.

Here's a close-up of the hat that came with it.

And the best part is, it's Baby Gap brand, which means it retails for a LOT more than $9! :)

Here's a baby bathtub I found for $8 at a local consignment shop. It retails for around $20.

This Boppy I found at a yard sale for a mere $.50. Yes, FIFTY cents! It is in very good condition and came with the cover pictured.

See? It's legit!

I know it's not fully assembled here, but this is a year-old Graco brand Pack-N-Play I got for $80 (with a wipe warmer thrown in as well). This would retail for over $120 easily. And despite being used for multiple babies, it looks like it's in brand new condition.

And with that, our year-long challenge officially comes to and end. To recap: neither Adele nor Sarah Jane has bought ANY clothing or accessories (barring shoes, if you recall ;-)) from retail since September 9, 2010. We have even extended our thrifting beyond our original goal to include basically finding ANYTHING we needed second-hand if possible (especially baby items as of late). We hope, through this little journey, that we have shown you how the world of frugality is accessible, practical, and worth every penny! Happy thrifting, fellow frugal friendzies!!

~The Frugal Friendzies :)

Moving to Georgia, and decorating from GoodWill :)

2011-07-29T13:17:00.000-04:00

So it has been a little crazy the last few months, as can be evidenced by our lack of posts. Not to worry, this does not mean we have abandoned our challenge! On the contrary, we still have about a month and a half to go and we're still going strong. (Oh, and I should mention, Adele has not had to buy ONE piece of new maternity clothing, wow!)

Adele has been quite busy with her job and preparing for the arrival of her little bundle of joy, and I and my husband made a rather unexpected and quick move to Georgia from Illinois in mid-June. Now that we are pretty much settled in though, I thought I would put up some pictures of our thrifty Georgia finds for our new place. (By the way, we LOVE Georgia so far!)

We found this solid wood table and six chairs at our local Goodwill for $159! It even has an extension, but I didn't put it in for the picture. It's in great condition, and we think it might be mahogany even- what a deal! As you can see, Zsa Zsa likes it too ;)

I snagged this adorable little side-table at the same GoodWill for only $4.94! Oh, and the antique teapot I picked up for only $4.99 at another local thrift shoppe.

I have always wanted a papasan chair, and now I finally have one. We got everything you see in this picture from Craigslist for only $75, brand new condition, and they delivered it to us! This is from Pier 1 Imports, by the way, and had we bought this all new, it would have cost us $225!

The cushions are reversible, and this is a picture of the other side. Pretty cool, huh?

I didn't include this in the picture, but we picked up an empty papasan frame and ottoman from GoodWill for only $16, (usually this is about $115 for just the frame and ottoman new), so all we had to do was buy cushions, which we got at a discount with coupons the post office sent us with our change of address packet :) We would have probably had to spend several hundred more dollars had we decorated our apartment with new furniture. Needless to say, my husband is very, very happy with his frugal, deal-finding wife :)

Frugal Furry Friends

2011-06-29T22:14:00.001-04:00

Well, faithful readers, it has been a bit of a hiatus for us Frugal Friends, has it not? Major (but wonderful!) life changes have been taking place, and hanging out at local thrift stores had taken a temporary backseat. Not to worry! The Friendzies have not been idle! In fact, we think we've been even MORE creative. We want to bring you a variety of ways to live a thrifty life, and so, today's post was born.

Both Sarah Jane and Adele are in love with pets. But our furry friends happen to also be frugal finds. We wanted to share our pet adoption/rescue stories, and a few from fellow frugal friends of ours, to help you all see yet another way to serve, help, and stay thrifty!

I, Adele, have two dogs my husband and I adopted after we bought our house. Our first adoption was through "a friend of a friend" who was needing to move into a smaller apartment. Henry, her 30lb. hound-y mut, needed a new home. Henry had entered the SPCA system around the age of 1. We don't really know what his background is before that. At the SPCA he was neutered and caught up to date on all of his shots. From age 1-3, he lived with the "friend of a friend" of ours, and around age 3, we adopted him through the SPCA. Since he had previously been an SPCA dog, we had to continue to include them in any change of owners that occurred...kind of like selling someone a car and switching over the title, I guess. There was really minimal paperwork involved, overall. Took one evening. We were fortunate because the previous owners gave Henry to us for free, which is the frugalest way to come to possess ANYTHING! While Henry has some bad habits still in need of breaking, he is a totally unique, intuitive, smart pup who loves us dearly. Our house would not be the same without him!

Our second dog, Loki, came to us this past year when he was around 1yo. He's a pit bull, Rottweiler mix, from what we're told. While that particular mix scared me a little at first, I'm a TOTAL convert now! Cameron's boss saw Loki at a local pitbull rally through the Bad Press organization and thought he would be perfect for our family. (Bad Press is basically an organization dedicated to spreading the truth about how wonderful misunderstood dog breeds are, dispelling myths about said breeds, and rescuing mistreated/abandoned dogs when necessary.) Loki had been owned by a nice couple who lived in a "bad part of town." He spent his puppyhood meeting all the neighbors and being showered with love and affection. He also grew up with another dog by his side, so he was used to sharing the love. He was kept up to date with shots, and was neutered young. When his owners needed to move into subsidized housing, there was no more room for dogs. So Loki ended up with Bad Press, and was shown off at all of their events and rallies. After we made contact with Bad Press, we had a few meet-and-greet sessions with Loki, and then with Henry and Loki, and our decision was quickly made! We got Loki for free as well, and following minimal paperwork and a few "house checks" by Bad Press (their policy), Loki was in his forever home. He is the BEST dog ever! He loves people, naps, and pleasing everyone. He still has a little puppy left in him, so he can occasionally get himself in trouble, but that is really rare for him (and makes his mommy proud!). He may be 60+lbs, but he sure thinks he's the most loveable lap dog there ever was! (And we tend to agree! ;))

Here's Mr. Loki (with Henry perched in the background). We love his one floppy ear and overall adorableness. (Like, how he's sitting half on his dog bed?!) What a ham!

Sleepy little Henry...on the rare occasion that he's sleeping! Love how tightly he can curl himself up (and believe me, he curls up tighter than this even!)

I, Sarah Jane, adopted a kitty a few months after I got married. Originally my husband had wanted a dog, but after writing a pros and cons list with for dogs v. cats, we both decided a cat would better suit our situation Anyways, I found her at the local shelter, and we immediately bonded in the "meet and play" room, not to mention the shelter worker informed me they put down cats EVER day (she said this while Zsa Zsa was on my lap making a desperate attempt to snuggle into me and be petted as much as possible). She was sweet sweet sweet from day one, and my husband, who was a bit cat skeptical at first since he had never owned one, was very quickly won over. We named her Zsa Zsa. She's a beautiful smoky tabby, and very plush. She's a wonderful pet in pretty much every way, easy to care for and very clean, and she is so bonded to both my husband and myself that she gets depressed if we even go away for the weekend. Zsa Zsa only cost us $60 to adopt and that fee included the adoption fee itself, spaying, micro-chipping, shots, and a flee treatment. So, in truth, this "fee" was a real steal, considering what it would have cost to get all of that done for a non-adopted pet. Normally $60 wouldn't even cover the total cost of spaying. She came to us in great health and litterbox trained, with no behavioral issues whatsoever. In fact, the shelter she came from was a "high kill" shelter and they told me that it is the "cream of the crop" animals that make it to the adoption floor. The rest are simply put down because they don't have enought room or resources. The good news for frugal consumers is that through adoption like this, you will most likely be getting a top-notch animal (since the less desirable ones don't make the cut). The other great thing is that in adopting an established, adult animal, their personality is generally set. So, what you see is what you get when you're picking out your pet. If the animal can be calm and well-behaved in the stressful environment of a shelter, you will find that personality sticks around when you bring your pet home. One other perk we found through adoption - when we took Zsa Zsa for her first vet appointment, the vet in our area waved the first visit fee because we had adopted her. So in the end we saved even more money than we anticipated.

Doing what she does best -- napping!

Lacey, a friend of both of ours from college adopted a dog with her fiance this past year. Lacey wrote a little blurb for our blog about her pup, Crosby.
Kurt & I adopted our dog from Cast Away Critters. He and his siblings were actually featured on the show Animal Hoarders too, if you've ever heard of it. His former owner had around 10 grown mastiffs, including his parents and then 4 puppies (one of which is him). He was rescued along with his brother and two sisters. He was about 8-9 weeks old when we got him and is now about 11 months old. He is a mastiff-boxer mix, mostly mastiff, 1/8 boxer. We named him Crosby (after Sidney Crosby a Pittsburgh Penguins hockey player). I haven't heard anything about his brothers or sisters, so not sure how they are doing. He is a great dog though, very friendly and loving. He likes to snuggle, even though his just as big as me now, haha. He loves going to the dog park and playing with other dogs. I would definitely recommend adopting to anyone interested in getting a pet.

Crosby as a pup. Cute as always!

Crosby making sure Lacey behaves!

One of Adele's friends, Liz, adopted a dog this past year. Dena is a retired greyhound that Liz and her husband found through a local greyhound "rescue." They had some of the typical paperwork to fill out, a fee of a around a couple hundred dollars for the adoption, and had to meet a few requirements with their housing, family situation, etc. But to them, this is a small amount of work for the great reward of giving a dog a "forever home." Soon after they adopted her, Dena developed bone cancer in one of her legs and had to have it amputated. Who knows the kind of situation she would have been in if it weren't for faithful, dedicated owners to see her through the whole ordeal. Today, Dena's thriving as a three-legging wonder woman!

Despite the blurry pic, you can see Dena's playful side clearly!


She just wants to be close to you all the time!

Sarah Jane's friend, Janet, wanted to share about her pup, Lola. Lola came from the same shelter Zsa Zsa did, so the benefits of her adoption are similar (up to date on shots, spayed, micro-chipped, flee treatment, etc.). Her adoption fee was under $90 for all of this!

Little Lola peeking out of the shop window.

Oh, Lola!

Another couple, Arka and Swati, actually adopted two cats after meeting Zsa Zsa and seeing how great (and cute!) she was. They adopted their cats, Chica and Cienna, from a no-kill shelter, and only spent $60 per cat for everything- spaying, microchipping, shots and a flea treatment. Seriously, even only from a financial perspective, adoption is way superior to a pet store, breeder, or even a free puppy or kitten! Here are Cienna (calico) and Chica:

There are so many loveable furry friendzies out there who need the security of a forever home. We hope we've clearly shown you all just how secure, cost effective, and just plain rewarding adopting pets can be.

Save money, and save a life.

Your bank account's best friend

2011-04-29T17:38:00.000-04:00

Although we are only constrained to purchasing clothing for our year-long challenge (which is more than half-way over, by the way), the sweetness of the never-ending cheap finds at our neighborhood thrifty haunts has inevitably caused thrifting to spill over into almost every area of our lives. Other than groceries and underthings, thrift stores are now our first stop shop, and we think that if you follow the tips and tricks to thrifting listed in this blog, you can make them your first stop too. Seriously, why, in this economy, (which will probably only start to get worse since the U.S. is now over 14 trillion dollars in debt), would you waste precious money by paying full retail price that you could otherwise be *hopefully* using to quickly pay down any personal debt you have? We know we kinda indirectly say this a lot, but to be more clear: thrift stores are located all over America and are your bank account's best friend, so utilize them!

We try to list most of the items that we find on this blog, but the fact is, we now buy so many of our day-to-day items second hand that we really doubted you wanted to hear about the ironing boards, candles, wrapping paper, random cups etc etc.... that we pick up as we need. We have become so used to thrifting that we now find ourselves in the Wal-Mart turning down $10 lamps and such because we think "I can probably find something just like this for $2 at SalVal." The best part is, we usually can.

So, here are some more of the useful and trendy things we regularly find:

Three pretty medium sized tins, each $0.50 from a garage sale and Salvation Army.

$2.00 Fossil brand crossbody purse at Salvation Army in absolute brand new condition.

Huge purses are really in right now, and this $4.99 lilac (no brand) bag from
GoodWill was a pretty fashionable find.

Super cute black purse with roses, can we say "date night?"- $4.99 (no brand) at GoodWill

I wish I could get a better picture- the fabric is diaphanous and oh so pretty. Oh, I'm also
wearing a White and Black brand shirt I paid $8.49 for at G.W. Boutique.

Brand new Minnetonka sandals- super comfy and only $14.99 at a local consignment shoppe

This has since been played with, but when found at Salvation Army for $3.99, it was in
its original shrink-wrap!

Mr. Coffee 4 cup coffee maker- $3.50 at Salvation Army. Picture is proof that it works!
Cute little cups- $0.99 each at GoodWill.

Antique Bavarian teacups!

2011-04-19T16:14:00.000-04:00

It's always the times when I (Sarah Jane) am out thrifting just for fun, not looking for anything specific, when I run across the most amazing treasures. A couple of weeks ago I was at the GoodWill in the "bric-a-brac" section when a gleam of gold caught my eye. In the corner of one of the shelves sat several antique-looking teacups and matching saucers, just calling out to be admired. Upon a delicate closer inspection, I found that they were indeed from Bavaria, gold-gilded, and each one was different from the other. Being a tea lover, antique lover, and general lover of the thrill of finding something that is probably worth a lot more than the $0.49 per teacup price tag, I bought the seven oldest-looking and prettiest cup and saucer sets and four biscuit plates. All in all I paid about $8 for the whole lot. I have not yet decided what to do with them all, and if I weren't living in a small apartment, I would buy a pretty wooden shelf and display them in my dining room. I wish I owned a little tea shoppe, they would be perfect as decoration there. I might just use them myself- anyone want to have a tea party? The brands on the bottom are Thomas Ivory, Bavaria; AL-KA Kunst Kronach, Bavaria; Eschenbach, Bavaria; and Johann Haviland, Bavaria. Here are a few pictures I took of them. Aren't they just darling?

The teacup was $0.49, the saucer was $0.49, and the biscuit plate/lunch plate was just $0.69. See what beautiful condition they are in too? I just love when I find things like this!

Here are all seven of the teacups and their matching saucers.

The four plates with the GoodWill price tags still on as proof :)

You just never know what you're going to find!

The New Addition

2011-03-30T12:39:00.000-04:00

The Frugal Friendzies have some BIG news for this month: A new little friendzie is on the way! I (Adele) am almost 11 weeks pregnant, and now on the hunt for some baby-related frugal finds of my own. Recently, I scored some great finds at a local consignment shoppe. My challenge is that we aren't planning to find out the gender of the baby, so the stuff I purchase generally has to be gender-neutral. That's why I've started shopping early! Also a challenge will be finding adequate maternity wear. My goal is to find as much as possible from second-hand sources....and we'll just have to play it by ear based on what I find. Thankfully, two friends of mine have passed on all of their maternity wear, so if it all fits, I should be mostly set! Can't beat freebies! ;)

Now, here's this month's finds:

Here we have a 3-piece Carter's ensemble. Got it on *sale* for $4.49. And this was the most expensive baby buy of the day! Practically brand new condition as well.

Here's a close-up of the froggies on the above outfit. I just love frogs!

Carter's onesie for $2.24 (on *sale* also!). It's light green with a little teddy bear on the front.

Light yellow Carter's onesie for $2.59. Has two teddies hugging on the front.

These are little Carters pants that came with one of the onesies above, but I thought they could go with a couple different outfits. They have little yellow and green bears and animals on them.

This Carters outfit was just $2.63. And for being white and yellow, there's not a stain or mark on it!

The front of the above outfit. *cuteness*

And yet another Carters outfit. This one was $3.59. It's white and light green with giraffes.

Here's the close-up of the giraffe above.


And finally, the cute cute CUTE little slippers I found for $1.99 and $2.59. If you can't tell, one pair is duckies and the other is bunnies.

Now we just need the baby to get here to model all these adorable (and frugal!) finds! At least I know my baby can be well dressed on a dime.

Jacklyn's Sweet Find

2011-03-04T15:34:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine (Adele), Jacklyn, recently emailed an AWESOME furniture find from a local PA thrift store. Here's the pic:

Found at Blue Mountain Thrift Store, Cleona, PA

This brown leather sofa retails for around $2000. Jacklyn picked it up for a mere $450!! (Purse not included ;-)) She tells us it is in "new" condition -- no scratches or marks. The best part? It's a sleeper sofa! AND, the mattress was still in the original plastic wrap! What a fabulous deal! The Frugal Friendzies are a little bit jealous.

Keep your finds coming, fellow thrifters!

The Latest Finds

2011-02-23T07:31:00.000-05:00

My closet is getting nicely filled out from this thrift store diet- so filled out in fact that I don't really need much more! However, being an avid shopper, I do manage to find the occasional items I just can't pass up.

Fossil watch- brand new with leather band and the plastic protector still on the back- $15 at local consignment shoppe. Mom's Christmas present :)

Trying to look more serious and model-ey in an Ann Taylor Loft cardigan I got for $4.00 at a local consignment shoppe. You can't see it well in this picture, but the top collar has a silk ribbon design all the way around.

Lilac Banana Republic shirt- $5.60 at Wannabe's Upscale Resale!

Pretty ivory scarf- $1.50 at Salvation Army

Hardcover and in good condition! $1.00 each at Mission Mart

So don't forget to keep looking and thrifting...there's bound to be a hidden treasure out there for you!

Merry Wind and thrifty recycling

2011-02-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

In December Adele and I stopped in to our favorite Tea Shoppe in central Pennsylvania- One Good Woman. (If you are ever in Camp Hill, PA, you must stop in, it's truly one of the jewels of the area!) While shopping, we happened to find out that one of the employees, Merry Wind, has started her own business called Next Life Design. She uses old sweaters and suits she's not using anymore or clothes from thrift stores to make pillows, handbags, scarves, and tea cozies. We thought that was pretty green and pretty thrifty! She also creates soft and sentimental pillows upon request from loved ones' clothing. Oh, and because all of her pieces are made from old clothing, everything is machine washable! We at Frugal Friendzies thought this frugal innovator well worth a post of her own. Here are some pictures we snapped:

The artiste with her creations

More pillows!

Two of her tea cozies. Note the large selection of delectable tea in the background :)

So, if you ever have the chance, stop on in, get some great tea, fresh ground coffee, and one of Merry's awesome creations!

Lauren's Finds

2011-02-03T15:13:00.000-05:00

Lauren is my (Adele's) friend, a mommy-to-be, and a fellow thrifter. She's located in the Philadelphia area, and boy, has she found a goldmine! She sent us a bunch of info about a second-hand shop near her called The Nesting House. It specifically sells baby and children's items (both new and used), including *gently* used cloth diapers! (And here at Frugal Friendzies, we're huge fans of cloth diapering, so this is an AWESOME find for Lauren!) Cloth diapering can be pricey in terns of start-up costs, so kudos to Lauren for finding a frugal way to make it happen! She got a variety of used items for her little Tidbit, and here's what she sent pics of:

Carter's brand Little Layette sleeper with hat, booties, and bib - tags still attached! Originally $17 - got it for $6.

Inserts for Fuzzibunz cloth diapers. Cotton inserts were $.50 each - and their more expensive hemp friends were $2 each. Lauren says cotton inserts found online go for around $9 for a 3 pack and hemp liners about $15 for a 3 pack.

In Lauren's words: "gently (and for something that holds poop, I mean gently) used Fuzzibunz brand diapers." She got them for $4 each. They retail for $17 - $20 depending on the store and quantity you buy them in.

Way to go, Lauren! You sure did hit a baby jackpot! The Frugal Friendzies wish we lived near Philly to have access to this awesome store. Maybe we'll get to take a visit out there some day. ;)

The Peda's Finds

2011-01-28T17:04:00.000-05:00

Sickness and work have overwhelmed one or both of us friendzies for the month. Hence the posting delay. But here we go with our first official "guest finds" post! Sarah Jane's sweet cousin and her husband have been out and about thrifting around Central PA and found a couple of great, non-clothing-related steals! First:

Here, Brian is modeling skis and poles found at the Blue Mountain Thrift Store. Poles = $6, Skis = $8.

And their second frugal find:

Dresser and mirror from SalVal for $79. And in great condition, Erin tells us.

Awesome finds, Erin and Brian! And to all of our frugal friends out there, keep the pics coming our way (frugalfriendzies@gmail.com) so we can feature YOUR thriftiness too!

New Year, New Ideas

2011-01-06T13:50:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the new year! If you haven't committed to a great resolution or goal yet for this year, we (of course) would suggest you consider a thrifty challenge of your own. With that spirit in mind, the Frugal Friendzies want to extend our blog posts to you, our loyal fans. We have decided to include our readers' frugal finds along with our own. SO, send us what you've got! We want to hear from you!

You can reach us at frugalfriendzies@gmail.com. Send us pictures, and any information you'd like us to share regarding your finds. We'd love to see what you can come up with, be it clothes, household items, gifts, or something totally and completely unique! Only rule is it all HAS to be second hand, naturally. ;)

Ready? GO! We're excited to show off as much thriftiness as we can this new year.

~The Frugal Friendzies

The Real Deal

2010-12-23T19:30:00.000-05:00

Here it is, fellow frugal folks! The link to our debut on local television: http://www.abc27.com/Global/story.asp?S=13727094. Enjoy reading snippets from the interview and watching the segment that aired on TV this week.

May our story inspire you all to more frugal endeavors! Happy Holidays!

~The Frugal Friendzies

News! News!

2010-12-21T14:50:00.000-05:00

Attention all Frugal Friendzies fans in the central PA area!!!

Tomorrow, Wednesday, December 22, ABC27 News will air an interview of the Frugal Friendzies on the 5:00pm news! Tune in to see us talk about our blog, our challenge, and our love of thrifting!

And if you happen to miss the segment, ABC27 tells us that the clip will be available online for viewing on Dec. 23rd. Make sure you check it out!

Merry Christmas, and Happy Thrifting!

Love,
The Frugal Friendzies

Home for the holidays :)

2010-12-15T23:11:00.000-05:00

A thrifty blog shouldn't look shabby! So, to spice things up, here are some fun pictures of our latest finds. And the best part for these besties: Sarah Jane's "home" for the holidays and we can thrift together for the first time since we started this in September! : D


Just a nice, basic GAP T-shirt. Can't get enough GAP!! Especially not for $2.99!

Henry can't keep his paws off of good deals either. ;) What you can't see in this pic is the cute, rope-like detailing along the bust and necklines. SalVal find for $2.99...and it's Ann Taylor!

This long sweater has the label torn out, but it is soo warm, soft, and light that I think it's cashmere! SalVal for $4.00!
The pants are actually a chocolate corduroy, and are from The Limited originally. Super warm, which I need for winter.
Only $4.99 at the Salvation Army :) Btw, as always, both pieces were in perfect condition.

tag of above pants

Got this super velvet coat at Salvation Army for $24.99. The tag was ripped out though, so I
don't know the brand :(

Franco Sarto large purse/carry-on sized bag. Totally like-new condition!!! Salvation Army for $5.99.

My (Sarah Jane's) beauteous sister Rebekah got this cute and warm BMoss sweater for $4.00 at Salvation Army.

Rebekah also got this vintage 80's cashmere sweater for $2.50 at SalVal.

My (Sarah Jane) brother Ben got himself a vintage sweater for $4.00 at SalVal.

Found this wallet (in unused condition!) made of Eel skin at Salvation Army!!

Wet Seal hot pink pumps, $7.99 at Salvation Army.

My (Sarah Jane) Mom even found a cute new sweater (Relativity brand) for $4.99 at SalVal.

Fun little Christmas find. These gold nesting boxes (perfect for gift giving OR decorating!) were $0.49 for all four at SalVal.

We are having so much fun being together for the holidays, not to mention winning over family members to the idea of shopping at thrift stores!

Black Friday at the thrift store!

2010-12-02T12:23:00.000-05:00

This Black Friday Salvation Army had a 50% off sale. Yay! People were literally leaving the store with arms and carts full of huge bags of clothing and what-not. I (Sarah Jane) also braved it and did a little shopping myself. Got a few sweet deals, and here are the pictures to prove it. The tag says the original price, but I paid half that because of the sale.

Tulle brand long sweater, tags still on, paid $1.75.

Gap brand super soft striped sweater, $1.50

close up of the tag

Gap brand jeans (these go for at least $50 new, by the way) $1.75.

New York and Company wool dress coat, $7.50. This was my best find.

Gap brand black cardigan, $1.50.

Forever 21 super cute shirt- $1.50

No label shirt- $1.50.

By the way, any spots seen in pictures on the clothes are from my camera, the clothes themselves are in very good condition.

November's Find of the Month- Gucci!

2010-11-29T00:31:00.000-05:00

This month's find absolutely proves that anything is possible at a thrift store. I (Sarah Jane) found a genuine Gucci purse in great condition for $11.00 at a local Salvation Army. If you didn't know, Gucci's go for upwards of $1000 new, and are usually found used on ebay for anywhere from $150-$500. This is a designer brand celebrities choose. Here are some pics I snapped with my phone.

Yesiree looks like the genuine article to me, the GG design is even, and the label "Gucci" is everywhere, on the hardware and on the fabric inside.

*One quick tip when shopping for purses especially- if you're not sure whether it's the genuine article or not, always count on designer arrogance. If it's the real deal, it should say the brand name on the inside tag and on the hardwear (the metal buttons) at a bare minimum. Brand names cost a lot more but are usually attractive because they're a status symbol, so companies are proud to slap their label all over their product. For example, if a purse looks like it's Coach brand and even has C's all over the outside, but inside just has a blank tab where the Coach label should be, it's a fake.

This Week's Finds

2010-11-10T14:52:00.001-05:00

With all of this thrift store dieting, I (Adele) am quickly accumulating a complete wardrobe. My closet is really stuffed! (Yes, yes, I must work harder at weeding out in the near future so that others may have the luck of finding MY great cast-off clothes at a local thrift store!) So lately, my shopping has been "slowing down" as I really don't need to buy a lot of clothing. I've been trying to focus on filling in some wardrobe gaps with nicer/dressier shirts, well-fitting khaki and non-black dress pants, and skirts beyond the basic black. I've also been making some headway on Christmas gifts, but I can't post those pics for fear of the recipient(s) seeing them ahead of time!

Lately, I've been having the best luck at consignment shops. I'm still giving the good ole SalVal and Goodwill a chance, but this week I didn't happen to find anything I needed at those thrift stores. I hit up three consignment stores successfully, though! So, I'd say this week turned out rather frugally! But I'll let you, dear reader, be the judge:

Ann Taylor Loft. It has a turtle neck and, though the picture doesn't really show it, it has little puffs on the bottoms of the sleeves. Thought it would be a fun, basic shirt to add to my "dressier" collection. Snagged this for $10.

For those that know me best, I am a self-proclaimed Gap-a-holic. I *heart* Gap! So when I found this purple Gap henley for a mere $6, I HAD to have it.

Calvin Klein jeans. Like-new condition...I couldn't find ANY evidence that they have ever been worn before. Retails for $50 a pair. Got these for $14.

Another sweet dress shirt find! This blouse is Worthington brand (JC Penney). I was drawn to the unique sleeves (shown above up close) and the lovely purple color. At first I wasn't so sure it was "me," though. But THEN, I realized the price -- $2.50. SOLD.

[Even Henry is impressed with the awesomeness of thrifting! ;)]

These tweed pants are H&M brand. For me, they replace an awesome pair of pants I had to part with because they were too big. :( This "new" pair is brownish in color and, as you can see, has some lovely stitching detail. I LOVE the straight, wide legs and linen-like feeling they have. I also love that they only cost me $13.50.

New York & Company Stretch "dressy" shirt. I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first, but once I tried it on, I found it to be very flattering. The sleeves are wide and flowy, the waistline hits just right, and there's a lovely tie in the back that extends from the black waistband. But perhaps the most attractive aspect of this shirt is the price. $3.00. Yep. Three. Dollars. Yay.

Here you can see the shirt's pattern a little better. Black and white is SO easy, and SO chic. You can accessorize with practically anything when you dress in neutrals, so I find a moderate amount of black and white to be a budget-friendly choice in my wardrobe.

Ok, this shirt is already one of my favorites. Banana Republic. Jewel green (picture doesn't do the color justice). Fun neckline. The comfort of a casual cotton T-shirt, yet stylish enough to be dressed up. All for a mere $2!

Here's another "dressed up" version of a cotton T. The brand - The Limited. The fun ruffles are understated enough for me not to feel like one giant frill. The color is a nice, neutral oatmeal. Even the sleeves are detailed nicely. Got this one for just $4.25.

Random find of the day - $3 gold hoop for my cartilage piercing. I have needed a new, quality hoop for a while now, so it was nice to come across this.

Also picked up a few decorations today for a steal. The grapes are actually a set of 3 individual floral picks for use in a wreath (or whatever!). They were $2. I love them because they're versatile throughout the seasons and they've got frosty beads on them. It's the little things...

This is one of the Christmas wall-hangings. I just loved the vintage-y-ness of them!

Here's the other wall-hanging. Got both for 6.50. *smile*

This is a Pier One pillow that I've seen in the retail store many times and always wished I could buy. I just couldn't justify spending $35 on one pillow. Just my luck, I didn't have to after all! Though priced at a hefty $18, this pillow IS in perfect condition and has been the object of my affection for quite some time. The "expense" was worth it for me. :)

Here's a floor lamp I snagged when it was on sale for $18. It's wrought iron, and the shade is still in the packaging. Now I have to decide a) where to put it, and b) if I should paint it. Opinions??

A close-up of the lamp base. Lovely, isn't it?

Just one more post to prove that the title of thrift store "diet" may just be misleading. The Frugal Friendzies have found themselves fattening up their wardrobes, expanding their clothing choices, and in no way noticeably depleting their checking accounts. I guess the "diet" really lies in the fact that we're supposedly limiting our shopping choices, but in case you can't tell, we sure aren't feeling deprived!

More great staple items for less!

2010-11-07T18:17:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to show you some more of the basic, yet stylish staple clothing items that can be had from thrift stores. Don't make the mistake of thinking of thrift stores as places you go to get only quirky or vintage accent pieces (although those things abound there too). I can now honestly say that the majority of my wardrobe is made up of pieces I bought second-hand, and by majority I mean about 65-70%. How awesome is that? Here are some of the great clothes I have found recently, and all in excellent condition of course :)

These jeans are New York and Company brand, and fit like a dream! Found them at Salvation Army for $3.20.

"Manhattan Chinos" from New York and Company, $8.99 at
Wannabe's Upscale Resale Shoppe.

Adorable Forever 21 dress, $9.00 at Wannabe's Upscale Resale.

Mix It (JcPenney's I think) brand 3/4 coat, $4.99 at Goodwill

I don't know why the color isn't showing up, but there are also shades of teal
in this. I just loved the interesting design. It's Target Brand, found at GoodWill for $3.49.

New York and Company violet ruffled shirt, $2.90 at Salvation Army. Looks
super classy :)

Found these awesome, warm BareTraps boots at GoodWill for only $5.99. They are genuine leather!! with a faux-fur lining and look as if they have only been worn once, if at all. I actually had to grab them from a lady who literally was taking all the boots on the wrack and piling them into her arms. She wasn't even trying them on, just grabbing and piling. I reached for these just before she did and she stood really close next to me as I tried them on. She kept making hinting comments about how nice they were. I threw them in my cart after a quick try-on and got away from her as politely (but as quickly) as I could. She was a little scary.

My husband really liked this sweater when I tried it on because it's such a pretty,
happy yellow. It's New York and Co. The pic doesn't do it justice. It's very soft and warm I might add.
Snagged this for $3.00 at Salvation Army.

Okay this I bought for $2.00 at Salvation Army on a whim- it's gold and
different and I didn't have anything like it. The label says Henry New York.

I know it's not summer, but this was adorable and very soft! It actually didn't have any
label inside except the size, so not sure where it's from. It was $3.49 at GoodWill.

Final tally of the clothes on this page: $47.15 for 2 pairs of pants, 1 coat, 1 pair of leather boots, 1 dress, and 5 shirts. Not too shabby!

Adele and I really actually need a couple mannequins to fully show off how cute all these clothes are, and show you all the chic everyday outfits we now regularly put together from entirely thrift store-bought finds. So far it's two months in, and we are dressing better than when we started.

For the Babes

2010-10-27T16:22:00.001-04:00

Thrifting, if we haven't made it perfectly clear yet, is beneficial for the whole family. This week, I (Adele) set out to prove that once again. I hit up a local SalVal that I hadn't been to before, not knowing what goodness would await me. While there, I honed in on the massive baby section, as one of my husband's co-workers is pregnant and on the lookout for baby girl clothes. Oh, and as an added bonus, it was "50% off day" at SalVal! I admit, I went a little crazy. :) As the following pictures will show, I made off with a tremendous amount of baby clothing for a steal - ~$37!!! Many name-brand outfits can cost nearly that much -- for just one outfit! And, to make the financial blow even worse, baby clothing is quickly outgrown (and/or stained) and needs to be replaced frequently. Everything I found today carried a brand name that I recognized, yet none of the clothing cost me over $2.50 per piece! With that in mind, the Frugal Friendzies strongly stress the notion of being consistently frugal in the area of baby (and children's) clothing. And to make it easier to convince our readers, here's a visual sampling of what you just might find in your quest for frugality:

A selection of 13 onesies I picked up today. They range in size newborn to ~6mo.

Some cute little shirts/sweaters (they each snap shut) and three pairs of the same style pants in different colors.

Two adorable skirts no baby girl should be without.

Found this top and matching jeans on two different racks. Pays to search carefully!

Eyelet lace dress and bloomers. The collar is light pick with embroidered daisies. SO sweet!

Four dresses that were too dear to pass up!

Green gingham dress with embroidered pink flowers. Cuteness.

Pink eyelet halter dress. Sassy!

Gerber brand terry cloth bath blanket. Most expensive purchase here (I think around $6), but a necessity for a freshly-washed baby!

My favorite find of the bunch - GAP baby brand terry cloth zippered onsies/hoodie/cover up? Looks so snuggly! I want one!

Here's a shot of everything. All for $37!

So next time you're faced with a baby shower, pregnancy, or gift dilemma for a baby, give a thrift store the chance to help you out. We bet you won't regret it.

The Ten Commandments of Thrift Store Shopping

2010-10-27T14:30:00.000-04:00

For any of you who walk into thrift stores and immediately become overwhelmed and want to run because of all the seeming chaos, this post is for you.

For any of you who love the concept of thrift store shopping, but never seem to be able to find anything good yourself, this post is for you.

And lastly, for any of you who just plain don't think you have the patience to go through what seems like a myriad of racks and shelves, this post is for you.

We feel as though we have proved so far with pictures that great finds can be found at thrift stores quite frequently, if you just know how to shop :)

1. Have a plan: make a list of specific items you need so that when you walk into a store, you can go right to the sections where those items would be found. Don't waste time or money in the coats section when you came in for a black pair of pants. If you don't find what you need after a thorough scan, leave. If you want, you can head to the next nearest thrift store and do the same thing, or keep visiting throughout the week, depending on how dire your need is. Thrift stores get new stuff every day, so you're sure to find what you're looking for eventually.

2. Scan for labels first: Let's face it, you want still want quality items for your money, so why spend $5 on a Wal-Mart brand shirt at Salvation Army that would cost about $10-12 new anyways, only to have it fade and look like junk after two washings? To do really fast, effective clothes shopping, go to the section with the item you want in your size, and do a quick but thorough label scan. Don't even glance at the clothes themselves, just the labels. Only when you find a good label- The Limited, Express, Liz Claiborne, Calvin Klein, Gap, etc... should you pick up an item and look it over, try it on, etc... You can do this with purses too, btw.

3. Let others do the shopping for you: If you don't have a lot of time or patience, go to the fitting rooms and look through the rack of clothes outside that people have brought back to try on themselves but put back because they didn't fit. Some of our best finds have been hanging on that "didn't fit" rack because other people had already gone and sorted out the good stuff for us!

4. Never buy on a whim: Keep this rule in mind always: the whole point of shopping at thrift stores is to save money. We know how very tempting it is to buy something you don't need or will never wear at a thrift store solely because it's much cheaper than it would cost new. Doing this frequently can get you into trouble, because then you can buy too many such items and they sit in your closet untouched for a year until you end up dropping them off at a thrift store yourself. You may as well have made a donation to charity.

5. Thoroughly examine before you buy: Thrift stores run on donations, and sometimes people donate things because there is something wrong with them. Always always look over any item for rips, stains, missing buttons, etc, because in most stores all sales are final. Most times little defects are fixable: buttons can easily be replaced and OxyClean can get out most stains, but it's a good idea to perform a good inspection/fixability evaluation before buying.

6. Buy a complete outfit: This rule kinda goes along with rule #4, and really actually applies to clothing shopping at any store. Unless you know you have something at home that a will match that pea-green Calvin Klein skirt with a paisley pattern that's "Wow! only $3.00," leave it on the rack, or it will hang in your closet unworn forever. If you do find something you really really love but don't have anything to match at home, don't leave the store until you find something else to match with it. Buying a complete outfit ensures that you will actually wear your items and therefore get your money's worth.

7. Shop sales first: Thrift shoppes almost always have some type of rotating sales, whether it be tag color sales or category sales (for example all baby clothes 40% off on Wednesdays). To get even more bang for your buck, look through the stuff on sale that day before browsing anything else. Sometimes there is even a weekly schedule of different sales at the front register, so write the schedule down and try shop on the day that the items you want will be on sale.

8. Know all the stores in your area: Just like you usually know all the Wal-marts and grocery stores in your area, you should make it a point to know all the thrift stores in your area. Thrift stores can oft-times be a hodge-podge treasure trove of all sorts of things, but their inventory rotates all the time, and they only have what is donated to them. If you're like us and need staple clothing items from them, you need a broad base to shop from.

9. Find stores in the richer sections of town: Rich people buy a lot of nice, fashionable, expensive things, only lightly use each thing because they have so many nice things, and when the next fashion comes around or they get sick of said things, they buy more fashionable, expensive things, donate the items they don't want any more, and the cycle continues. They usually donate to the stores closest to where they live, and that is why you, my friend, should find these stores and shop there, now! We are willing to bet money that the GoodWills and Salvation Army stores in Beverly Hills regularly have Gucci purses and Jimmy Choo shoes.

10. Don't sweat your purchase mistakes: And finally, one of the best and most financially comforting things about thrift shopping is that even if you do occasionally end up buying a shirt that you really liked but never wore because it never went with anything, or a bought lamp you brought home and your husband said was ugly, the fact is you probably only wasted a few dollars, so don't sweat it.

Hope this helps, and happy thrifting!

-The Frugal Friendzies

This Week's Loot

2010-10-18T16:35:00.000-04:00

I (Adele) went on a thrifting spree this week. I hit up four local thrift stores in a matter of two afternoons looking for the perfect finds. Unfortunately, these trips didn't yield many stellar finds, but I attribute that fact to a few reasons:

1) I was rushed both days. I didn't explore as thoroughly as I could have. Therefore, I didn't maximize my chances of finding all the diamonds in the rough.
2) My wardrobe and home is basically complete. I don't need a ton of clothes or things for our house. So I'm pretty picky when I'm out thrifting. Even at rock-bottom prices, if I don't 100% need it, it's a waste of money to buy it.
3) Selection just plain might be slim. The pickings could be as slim as they appear. Selection will vary throughout the year, so I will have to try these stores again and again. Hopefully with more patience and more time in the future.

As for the stores I utilized this week, I hit up a rather large Community Aid (basically like Salval or Goodwill), a Goodwill, and two consignment shops (Making Sense, and Hello, Gorgeous).

Here's the loot:

Found at Hello, Gorgeous for $9! (Tag said $18, and it was a tag that was half price that day. Score!) Simple, vintage, cotton dress.


I'm not really a "dress" girl, but this thing fits to a T, and I think will be a nice variation within my wardrobe.

So the one article of clothing I've been on the hunt for is a pair of well-fitting khakis/brown pants. And, as a side note, I happen to LOVE/ADORE/OBSESS OVER Gap brand clothing.

Perfect condition, GAP Stretch khakis. Perfect fit. Perfect cuffed hem and tab-front waist. Perfect price at Making Sense: $9.60. Even at the GAP outlet, it is highly unlikely (read: never happens!) to find such nice pants under $15, let alone under $10! So, YAY!

Not so flattering in picture form, but I promise, this blouse looks great on! It's silk (brand: August Silk) with cap sleeves and a fun pattern. I needed to add to my "dress shirt" repertoire, and I think this little number does the trick nicely.

Originally, this shirt retails for $58. I know this because the tags were ALL still on it. The $19.99 tag is from Boscovs, where this shirt evidently went on sale. I took it home for a mere $5. Yes, FIVE dollars. That, my frugal friends, is over 90% off of the original retail price. *smile*

I love red. I have, for whatever reason, practically NO red stuff in my closet. I had to remedy this fact immediately. I wanted a red shirt, specifically, and one that was basic, comfy, and flattering. What luck when I stumbled across this perfect match to my criteria.

Express brand. Found at Making Sense for $4.80. So, naturally, buying it made a LOT of sense to me. ;)

Also, non-clothing related, I found CDs at Goodwill and many pretty storage tins at Hello, Gorgeous. Those will make an appearance in another post, I'm sure. :)

Happy thrifting!

Accessorize on a dime!

2010-10-14T12:52:00.000-04:00

Ahh accessories- purses, high heels, scarves, jewelry.... those little extra things that we feel we have to have as women that sometimes can put a strain on the budget. Hubby dear doesn't always understand why we simply must must have a purse to match each outfit, or 20 pairs of shoes. Let's face it, unlike men, we can't get away with only owning a pair of church shoes, casual shoes, and sneakers like they seem to be able to do. Joyously, not only are the clothes very worth browsing through in thrift stores, but there are usually several racks of purses and at least one jewelry counter to go through that abound with little treasures for the diligent scavenger. In our opinion, there is no reason to have any "discussions" over spending money on earrings and such when a girl can find most anything right at her local thrift store. Check out a few of our lucky finds:

These shoes were picked up at a local consignment shop in PA. They're Fioni (Payless brand), perfect condition, and $7.00. They were bought to match a dress also purchased at the same consignment shop. And a matching purse was also found there, but I have since sent it on to SalVal, so I don't have a picture. Just goes to show, you can find a whole fancy outfit in one Thrift Store.

This purse is Steve Madden, found at a local consignment shop when I discovered at the last minute that I needed a gold handbag to match a dress I was wearing to a friend's wedding. The strap is removable, and the purse looks brand new. Sadly, I don't remember exactly what I paid for it, but I do know it wasn't more than $5.00. Can't beat that!

Got these cute little shoes at Salvation Army for $2.99. They're Fioni (Payless brand). They have since been used, but they were in perfect condition, they looked as if they had never even been worn.

As seen before, the infamous Guess watch, only $5.97 at GoodWill. Wild Rose big stud earrings: $1.00 at Salvation Army. Beaded indie bracelets: $1.25 at Salvation Army.

This is a medium sized mint condition Chanel makeup bag. It was just 43 cents at Salvation Army. Yes, I realize these usually come free with the purchase of makeup, but that makeup is expensive and I didn't have to buy it to get the bag :) These are so handy for traveling too, because they're usually pretty waterproof.

Yes, this is a Tommy Hilfiger Iconic handbag. There are no marks or stains on it at all except a pen explosion ink stain on one area of an inside corner. The ink is dry, didn't leak through to the outside, and no one ever cares about the inside of a purse anyways. This sweet little find was at Salvation Army for $3.00.

Found this Guess brand watch at GoodWill for only $6.99. It is working, and just has a few minor scratches on the one side of the metal band, but it's really mod looking, lightweight and awesome! I bet I can get it buffed, but even if I don't, the pics don't do it justice, it's very chic.

Hollister genuine leather belt, GoodWill for only $1.49.

Accessorize all you want ladies, and have fun doing it!

A little wardrobe evidence for the skeptics ;)

2010-10-12T14:16:00.000-04:00

My (Sarah Jane) sister and one of my brothers are very skeptical about me only getting my clothes at thrift stores. My sister even went so far as to say that she thinks thrift stores are dirty and that she usually never finds anything that's good quality, but only goes there for weird random vintagey (is that a word?) stuff. My brother didn't go so far as to say they were dirty, but he said that he could never find anything he really needed, just cool but not necessarily essential stuff. Well my dear siblings, this post is for you, and for anyone else out there who thinks thrift stores only have old worn-out junk. I am going to just list a bunch of pictures and descriptions of clothes that I have found in my local thrifty haunts solely in the last 2 months that are really nice quality and very useful for everyday wear. The most ironic thing about this whole experiment is that my wardrobe has actually drastically improved since starting it. Isn't that hilarious? So, here are some of the nifty things which now hang in my closet. The best part is, the very most I paid for any single piece, ladies and gentlemen, was only $4.00.

I got both of these at Salvation Army, they were super cute, in perfect condition and match really well. The shirt is Express Design and was $2.50, and the buttons are red crystal. The skirt is Basil and Maude and was $1.75. As soon as I find one of those plastic mannequins I will buy it to show my finds off better!

I am really proud of this little piece. I found it at GoodWill for $3.49. It was so cute with the stripes down the sides and so soft and comfortable! It's 100% knit cotton and I fell in love. It had a bunch of stains on the front- looked like strawberry ice cream or something, but with a little soak in OxyClean and a quick wash it is now flawless, as you can see!

This shirt is Old Navy and had a really cute back, and since I do feel like this about my sweet husband, I bought it :) It was $3.49 at GoodWill.

I was looking for a cute black skirt and boy did I find a sweet deal! This is Gap and wool and I only paid $2.49 for it at GoodWill. It's in perfect condition, there might be some fuzz on it in the picture though, and the color is darker in real life.

This blue wool sweater is Abercrombie and Fitch brand and is wonderfully warm and cozy. I paid $4.00 for it at GoodWill. The dark chocolate skirt is Isaac Mizrahi for Target, and it was $1.50 at Salvation Army. It's made from kinda thick fabric, and I think with tights and Ugg boots it's a stylish winter combo, personally.

This is a Forever 21 Asian Kimono-style wide-armed wrap-around shirt. It was $1.99 at Community Aid.

This skirt is Ash and Sara, and was $2.00 at Mission Mart. I loved the detailed beading and overall flowiness.

These Ann Taylor Loft pants are soooo comfortable, but they are deceptively tailored to be worn with either dressy or casual tops and shoes. My hubby even said they were sexy! They are on my top 5 list of favorite clothes. Got them at Salvation Army for $1.99.

Okay, so let's tally up the total: $25.20 (not including tax) for 3 shirts, 2 sweaters, 3 skirts and 1 pair of pants. Even if you shop sale at Old Navy right after Christmas you're not going to get such a huge amount of clothing for so little a price. Is anyone convinced yet? Oh and by the way, none of this stuff was even ripped or stained or looked very worn at all but the Gap sweater, which was easy to remedy. I have loads more stuff to post, but I just wanted to show off a few of my findings. I have to admit, doing this thrift store diet is really really fun!

Odds & Ends

2010-10-09T22:16:00.000-04:00

Although the main focus of this blog is obviously maintaining a deceptively cheap yet super chic wardrobe, we felt we may as well show you some of the cool other stuff that can be had from shopping second hand. Myriads of dishes, pillows, blankets, shoes, books, dvds, toys, matresses, dressers, coffee makers, etc etc... await you! Basically anything is a possibility, which is what, in my mind, makes thrift store [hunting] shopping absolutely exhilerating! Sifting through a pile of hodgepodge pillows and randomly finding an great one that perfectly matches one's living room decor gives us a thrill! Here is just a little smattering of some of the neat stuff we found that we might have ended up buying anyway from a retail store for much more.

Tea/spice tins: always handy for holding loose tea, flour, sugar, cinnamon sticks, coffee, cardamom or even hair supplies. Most of these were no more than $1. I think a couple of them were even only 49 cents at the Salvation Army.

Pillows, votive candle holders and little porcelain goodies: The pillow was $3.50 from GoodWill, the flower candle votives $1.99 and metal candle holder 49 cents from Salvation Army. The little porcelain box was 99 cents and it holds bobby pins great :)

CD's: You can find anything from Rihanna to Beethoven, and all for a little bit of pocket change. These were $1.99 from GoodWill.