Thrifting!

     This week I am so excited about sleeping under my new blanket from the Thaxton Mall (Dollar Gen.) It's one of those so-soft velvety almost furry feeling ones, in a pretty latte tan color that goes with my bedroom quilt. I've seen these blankets at places like Kirklands or Bed Bath and Beyond, but I was never willing to part with megabucks for one that was only throw-sized. Thaxton Mall had them for $25, and it's HUGE! Covers my whole bed! And not too heavy to pick up and tote to the couch to continue my snuggling pleasure in there :) I'm telling you, folks, cheap ain't always a negative term.
     My awesome friend Lauren is the thrifting QUEEN. No joke. It's my plan for us to retire and open a thrift store, so I can get in on all these great things she finds firsthand haha. After hearing for years the benefits of cruising the cheapo depot store circuit and making weekly shopping trips to the Goodwill, I decided to try it out - if maybe not weekly to start with!
     My big thing is finding cheap accessories and jewelry - I like to splurge on nice basic clothing pieces and add to them to make outfits, and decorating things. I also collect glass - as in cut crystal - wine glasses, serving pieces, bowls...I think it's the Southern in me coming out. I think every Southern woman should have a good set of china, pretty serving dishes for family gatherings and church suppers, and a set of wine glasses for when you want to feel fancy, even if it's only with sweet tea.

     I shop for certain things in certain stores. Oxford Goodwill I don't get to visit much, but I usually find pretty glass and decorating things there. In Tupelo I rarely visit the Goodwill because its too far for me to visit on my lunch, but I'll probably be going as I start Christmas shopping - gosh, is it really that time again? Ugh. TJMaxx is just across the street from work...highly dangerous. I can find just about anything there. My latest score was a Columbia fleece jacket for $25! Hobby Lobby is across the street too, and I have to just exercise self control with them, especially this time of year. They ALWAYS have a sale, and you can ALWAYS find something you want. I love the Dollar Tree, surprisingly. They have some strange things, but sometimes it's things you're like 'Okay, wow, I pay three and four dollars for this at WalMart,' or wherever you shop. Especially storage containers, candy, school supplies, cleaning products, dishes... Best find there: a retracting iPhone/USB charger. $1.
     As for finding sales and getting deals, one big secret really is being a repeat customer. Go back to a store every week or every other week and you start to see things being marked down and eventually moving out to clearance. The salespeople remember you too, and they'll tell you about upcoming deals and sometimes even hand out coupons!

     The other secret is to be creative. So what if that shirt is missing a button or a belt - if it's $2, you can sew on a new button or mix and match your own belts, and an even better one at that. Lots of times jewelry or purses are clearanced because they're 'broken' when all they really need is to have a clasp fixed or a ring replaced, or a decal glued back on. I bought a really expensive Guess purse once on clearance for $20 because the decal had come off leaving just a bare silver plate on the purse front. I hunted around and found an earring that looked like a buckle, and glued it on there. Looked better than the real thing, for $2 of work.

The earring I found to replace the missing decal

Finished product! And this purse still looks good after having it for about a year now :)