(click here to see video)


I WANT TO STAY ON BUDGET!  I NEED TO LOOK GOOD!
I WANT TO SAVE MONEY!  I ABSOLUTELY NEED THOSE SHOES!

It's like a constant battle for most women and many men, wanting to save money, but finding ourselves thrown completely off target when we see something we really want in a store or online.  So if this sounds familiar, you're definitely not alone.  Some really tough life circumstances have taught me that I can have both, but it's all about how I approach things.

About 10 years ago, I left my full time job as an Architect to begin a family; this meant that all my lunchtime shopping trips at the Galleria were going to have to stop.  However, having kids did not take away my desire to shop.  It may have even increased because of the stress of raising kids.  So, what is a girl to do?  Well, that's when I discovered thrift stores.  If you've never thrifted before, I know your face probably just contorted and you threw me a mean side eye, but consider it for just one moment.  I just thrifted a pair of Ann Taylor pants with the tags still on for $2.  I have resold many thrifted items on Ebay and Depop for profit which adds to my income rather than taking away.  And my favorite: the odds of someone showing up to an event with the same outfit as me is highly improbable.  I bet your eyes aren't rolled so far in your head anymore. Well even if they are, it's certainly worth a try.

If you've already been to a couple thrift stores, you may be wondering where I find all the stuff that can't be found in thrift stores.  Well, about 90% of my wardrobe is thrifted, but that's where inexpensive sites like Zaful.com come in.  I tend to look for things like shoes, handbags, and momentary trends.  In hind site, I look back on all the trendy items I bought at the mall and all the money I've waisted and it puts a knot in my stomach.  Especially since having kids: my size has gone up and down so much you'd think I was a carnival ride.  Honestly, my personal style is off the charts compared to what it was back then because I don't have a bunch of manikins telling me how to dress, so I have to just be me.  It has been a tough lesson, but I've learned that decreasing my budget is a great way to stay on budget!

Check out the video link above for examples of things I thrifted and items I've gotten from Zaful.com.