The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: madmax on June 09, 2013, 11:15:21 PM
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Just dragged the missus against her will to a thrift store for the first time (she positively refuses to wear anything used and we were supposed to be shopping for me). Couldn't get her on board with even buying used clothing for me so we decided to draw a line and buy new in the future. Wondering how many of you feel the same way as her and should we be feeling really guilty about buying new clothes? We don't really buy a lot of clothes - our budget is $ 50 a month for both of us (including makeup for her and winter clothes).
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If it's non-negotiable on her part, don't waste time feeling guilty about it. Just look for other ways to save. The way I see it, mustachianism isn't just about saving money, it's about deciding what sort of lifestyle is important to each of us personally, and finding a way to live it. Try to find some other way to get her on board, the last thing you want to do is alienate her from the whole concept of mustachianism.
ETA I buy used clothing all the time, there's some great hardly worn good quality stuff out there, but I accept that some people just can't do it, just like I can't touch frogs (Eeeew, creepy things haha)
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Oh, I never thought that there existed people who cared about used clothing :-/ Most of my second-hand clothes are way better quality than the clothes I buy new. All my favourite clothes are second-hand, so I can't imagine NOT wearing my favourite clothes.
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My first time visiting downscale thrift stores was as a teenager, looking for Hallowe'en costumes. I was always turned off by the smell. They reeked of dead, old people. But a few years later as a university student, the price was just right for my budget. Most of my outfits are a mix of quality secondhand and new clothing from Hong Kong 'export shops' [clothing for western markets at 80%-90% off the retail price]. I just ensure everything's well washed before wearing.
Clothing production makes so much waste: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1964887/ it's good for many reasons to buy secondhand. But it's not for everyone - my husband has a hard time with the idea of secondhand clothes for him. Still breaking him in ;)
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Why not buy them yourself? I have a hard time buying nice clothes without some female input, but jeans I can manage.
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Hmm, apparently I'm the first to not shop thrift stores. It's not actually "No way", it's more that I just don't shop at them, nothing against them or used clothes. I hate shopping so much in the first place, and my tastes are so fickle(not to mention sizing requirements for my main enemy - pants[large thighs + 34/32]) that I don't expend the effort when I do decide to go shopping. I don't go to Ross much either because it feels like a futile effort.
and as for shirts, I usually just wear t-shirts, and I've taken to supporting online groups that I enjoy such as podcast t-shirts, and online comics like XKCD and TheOatmeal.
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In upscale neighborhoods, used clothing can be exceptional values.
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Some thrift stores are better than others, in terms of the quality of clothing available, but most still have that smell. I've had to take a few items to the dry cleaners just to get the smell out, but the price was right even with that additional expense.
I do have to be in a certain mood to shop in thrift stores, though, as it can take awhile and sometimes the hunt yields nothing. I would never buy bras or lingerie from one, but most of us draw a line somewhere.
I agree with lizzigee that if it's that big of a deal, she can simply save in other areas without anyone feeling guilty about it. But why can't you go there without her?
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Everything I've bought from charity shops so far has been designer brand, in excellent condition at great prices. I would hold off if the clothes had a dead person smell though. So far in my experience I can't complain. Also buying second hand for me allows me to buy something I probably wouldn't buy full price in case I decided I didn't like it to much.
Also I've only really bought stuff for work (shirts) so far, with the exception of a smart/casual top.
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I feel like you should add an "occasionally" or "only for certain items" option. The thrift stores in my area are great for home and kitchen items but useless for clothing*. The consignment stores are much better and I do frequent them from time to time, usually for shirts or something "fun". There are several great consignment shops in the area that I don't hesitate to buy from. Most of the time when I need to purchase a piece of clothing it is to fill a specific gap in the wardrobe. I find that hunting online for the perfect gap filler reduces clothing purchases overall.
*If I was willing to spend hours hunting there are treasures to be found, but hunting makes me miserable and my time already spread thin. The upscale area clothing is distributed among the area's Goodwill's so even the "nice" Goodwill isn't all that great for someone in their 20s.
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In our area, the thrift shop options are limited. Our local economy is very tight - so, not much true quality stuff to find. I admit, I'd have a bit of trouble buying clothes there (though I did get great dishes for a party last year). Recently I discovered that buying clothes on ebay can be a great deal! Especially clothes for a special occasion - seemingly limitless selection and some great deals for clothes still with tags on!
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Thrift stores are great. I don't buy my jeans from them usually, but for golf shirts and button up shirts and also for suits the thrift store is the best place if you are patient and willing to look through alot of stuff.
My dad taught me how to flip thrift store clothes on ebay about 12 years ago, it helped me through some rough times in college. He does that full time, specializing in mens suits. If I need something, like some shirts or work pants, I just tell him to look for some for when when he's out shopping and he has no problem finding the stuff for a couple dollars a piece.
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Let me get this straight: your wife is so offended by the thought of someone else wearing clothing before she does that you are not allowed to save 80% or more of your clothing budget by buying items for yourself that could possibly have been worn by another person?
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If money smelled bad, would you leave it for someone else?
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I've never had good luck buying clothes for myself at thrift stores...despite trying, I've only found two shirts that were good at a thrift store. I'm a tall fat woman, so size is an issue. But just about all my kid's clothes are second hand. I make a lot of my own clothes, and I've had some luck finding men's shirts that I can cut up and use as fabric to make shirts for myself.
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I absolutely hate going shopping, and hate clothes shopping the most. I don't like to part with my hard-earned cash, prefer to spend my free time doing other things, and feel horrible about the environmental impact of our consumerist society. Maybe the environmental issue would resonate with your wife.
I only buy clothes when they need to be replaced due to stains that don't come out or tears that can't be mended. Luckily we have several thrift stores within walking distance of my house. I check the thrift stores first. If I don't find what I need, I buy it on sale or at a discount store (e.g., Target, Marshalls, Ross). I never ever buy clothes at full price. I've found some really good quality clothes at thrift stores. I save lots of money, help the environment, and contribute towards a worthy cause. Any thrift store smell comes out in the wash or with a home dry-cleaning kit.
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I don't go to thrift stores very often because my allergies go haywire when I'm there. However, my mom frequents the best thrift stores in our area, and often finds me things. Brand name shoes, cashmere sweaters, dress pants, high end purses, etc. Lots of times, they still have tags on or were obviously a gift and never worn.
If left totally to my own devices, though, I mainly buy things at Gap/Old Navy, because I have an Old Navy Visa that we use all the time and most of our clothes end up being free with all the points we earn.
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Just dragged the missus against her will to a thrift store for the first time (she positively refuses to wear anything used and we were supposed to be shopping for me). Couldn't get her on board with even buying used clothing for me so we decided to draw a line and buy new in the future. Wondering how many of you feel the same way as her and should we be feeling really guilty about buying new clothes? We don't really buy a lot of clothes - our budget is $ 50 a month for both of us (including makeup for her and winter clothes).
So you allow $600 for clothes/etc between the two of you (this is about 5x what I spend annually, by the way). You are willing to go to thrift stores but she is not. So I would allot these funds separately - you have x dollars, she has y dollars to spend in this category. Do not simply give her 2/3 or more of this category just because she is unwilling to buy used - the amount should be split reasonably. You need new clothes (presumably for your job, etc) and so does she. Let her spend her amount wherever she wishes, while you do the same. You will get massively more bang for your buck, and I would demonstrate this to her. Bring home the quality clothes and let her know the total cost for your haul. Lead by example on this one. Over time her opinion will hopefully change.
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I buy underwear and socks new, his work boots, and professional shoes with extreme arch support for me. Otherwise? Thrift stores only. Men's clothing is harder in our rural area; if it gets to a thrift store where we live, it's well and truly worn out because the majority of men in our area do heavy labor, either farming or mill work.
So I check thrift stores when we have to go somewhere else for his clothes, and my mother, who lives in a much more urban area, presents him with several work pants and shirts from her local thrift stores every Christmas. I'm a shameless clotheshorse, and we come in under $200 annually for the two of us.
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99% of the time we shop thrift stores. I like the hunt (only if I'm by myself). But we did finally go to Kohls recently to get some nice pieces and some underwear. I definitely shop thrift stores for our 19 month old. Why in the world would we buy one outfit that costs $20 when I can score ~5 outfits at a thrift store for the same $20? Kids grow so fast.
We scored 5 or 6 huge garbage bags full of baby-toddler clothes through a facebook group a while back. $45 for all of it. I think each piece came out to a quarter or less. And ebay is also a good way to score nice items.
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@ Zoe
good for you for getting your kids clothes at thrift stores! If only I had been not so stupid when my kids were babies - oh what I could do with all the money that I spent at Gymboree!! What was i thinking? Had I saved instead of spent that money - college would probably be paid for for them. Makes me a bit sick to think of it now....
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On Earth Day this year I 'joined' the Compact. (Didn't really formally join). I have promised not to buy anything new for a year and it's going GREAT! I may just live this way forever. I like the hunt involved with buying good quality used items. I've been looking everywhere for a tricycle for my son. Finally found one on Craigslist for $25. Brand new it would cost $70. Cha-ching!
I love that I will never have to step foot in a mall again this year!
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I hate the mall. Omg.
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I'm tall and thin, and picky with fit and style so despite my best efforts to find clothes at thrift stores it just doesn't happen. I've gotten some belts and household stuff but clothes aren't worth the effort to me. I buy new stuff with sales/coupons. Got four pairs of (right fit, right size, non-faded) pants from the Gap for less than $15 each after coupons recently and didn't have to dig through 75 pairs of fuddy-duddy pants to find them. I hit TJ Maxx for dress shirts and find them for under $20 each usually.
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I do a mix of thrift shopping, consignment shopping and new. I'm an attorney so I have to look sharp and professional. I'm also tall and lean with long arms and legs so it can be very hard to find blouses, jackets and pants that are long enough. Plus, I'm a posh chica and I like to look good.
All that said, when I was in law school (2008 - 2011) I found a couple of thrift stores on the border of the very affluent part of town and scored some great deals on Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, Calvin Klein, and Talbots clothing. I have a gorgeous silk-blend Talbots jackets that cost $6.00. I have no qualms about pairing that jacket with a pair of slacks that I bought new.
I also have a good tailor and once I learned how to assess whether an article of clothing had enough room to let out the sleeves or hem, I could buy beautiful things cheaply and have them let out for a small cost and still be way ahead.
I also go to a clothing swap once each year where people take 20 items they don't wear and can leave with 20 new items. LOVE that.
My next step.... learn to sew.
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I think your budget for clothes is not huge for two people and if she really does not want to then she shouldn't. However, if you want to try shopping at thrift stores maybe you should just go without her.
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I can spend hours at a thrift store and not find anything that both looks good and fits well, so I buy used clothes from eBay. I buy new clothes from Marshall's/TJ Maxx or 50%+ off sales at other stores.
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Like some others here, I have some fitting issues that makes it hard to find clothes that fit at thrift stores (or regular stores for that matter). I'm not buying any more clothes in 2013, but when I do, I hope to gain inspiration from Refashionista, http://refashionista.net/ (http://refashionista.net/), who buys crazy articles of clothing at thrift stores for rock bottom prices and makes them into entirely new pieces of clothing. I already have a sewing machine, so with a little bravery I think I can make this work...
There are other blogs that cover refashioning too-- Google if you want some inspiration.
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And just the kind of face punch we needed/expected from MMM. :)
To answer some of the questions above, yes I am open to buying used. Wife doesn't like either of us to wear used clothes. It's not about her not going with me to a thrift store - she doesn't want me to buy used even if I go by myself. It might be a cultural thing too - she is from a culture where people do not buy used anything (cars, clothes, houses etc) and was completely incredulous when I first brought up the idea of buying used.
Considering that we rank about five on a Mustachian scale of 10, I'm going to just improve in the other areas of our life like housing and vacations and then try to bring up this topic again when we are leading a much more frugal lifestyle
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Our bodies are 100% previously used atoms, gifts from the stars.
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I agree wholeheartedly
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My mom loves thrift stores, so whenever I see her, she's always got 1-2 new finds to give me. Otherwise, I make most of my clothes (knit sweaters, sewn dress slacks). I do end up needing some new socks and undies about once a year, and I need to replace my black Merrill shoes about once every 1.5-2 years. (I need comfy standing shoes for work.)
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We buy a lot of our clothes used. It's much easier for me than DH though. I'm tiny, and it's easy to cut things down to my size. Even when I buy new I have to shorten pants.
DH though has a 48 inch waist, very large muscular thighs, and wears a 50 or 52 jacket. That's fairly hard to find at a thrift store. Although every time I'm in there I check and sometimes get lucky. Usually only with shirts and jackets, pants for him are always from specialty large men's stores, or (strangely enough) Walmart online.
About the smell, thrift clothes just have to go through the wash at least once before they are wearable. If they don't survive normal washing, I don't keep them.
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i don't like thrift stores. the idea of wearing people's clothes i don't know skeeves me out. i do however participate in clothes swaps and get hand me downs from people i do know. my girlfriends and i do a swap about every 3 months, its like free shopping.
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You do know when you buy clothes off the rack, possibly dozens of people have tried it on, without it having been washed before YOU try it on?
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I've tried thrift/consignment stores a lot, and I never walk away with much. I think I don't like digging around?? If I need new black pants in my size, I like going to the department store and seeing the huge variety and picking what looks best on me. I justify it with watching for sales and using coupons on top (damage is minimized as much as possible). On the flip side of this, a few years ago when I went the way of MMM I decided to consign many stacks (probably underestimating) of clothes I had been hoarding. The proceeds (several hundreds of dollars, both happy and sad to say) I was allowed to use on new clothes as I needed them. The idea being I would eventually reduce my closet to the things I actually wear and no new money spent unless I am so far basic that there is nothing left to consign but I need something. My dream is to one day actually fit all my clothes in half of my shared closet with hubby.
As for children's clothes, I tried consignment and got annoyed that the prices weren't lower than the normal stores. By watching sales/clearance racks and using coupons (Macy's and BRU are the best for this, believe it), you can get pants, shirts, shorts, etc. for $2 each or less AND get to buy in many sizes with lots of variety in styles. With a few hundred bucks, I already bought everything my son needs until he is 6 (he is only 20-months right now) and this includes shoes and winter coats!
I would like to add a thought from my husband. Be careful buying used shoes. If the shoes are really worn, you can do a lot of damage to your feet and that will cost you far more in "life" than the few bucks you save with consignment shoes.
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Is it your choice of used clothes that she takes issue with, or the overall concept no matter whether it's' NWT or not?
We buy 80% of our toddler's clothes at consignment sales twice a year. The other 20% are end-of-season clearance, new clothes. My price point is $4 or less (except for jackets ($10-$15) and shoes (we usually buy new)).
I would be miserable shopping for clothes for myself in a thrift store, as there is just about 1% chance I'd be able to find pants that fit. I need the guides for the cut of the pants to help me find the right one. I usually buy 2 pairs of the same pants if I find a style that fits without needing alteration. I'm not saying it couldn't be done, but I just don't have the time.
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My husband and I shop thrift stores all the time with no problem. However I would never, never buy used shoes. They can't be washed. I also check new shoes for signs that they may have been worn and returned. I don't care that people may have tried them on a bunch of times, but the possibility that they walked any great distance or sweat in them just creeps me out.
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To those complaining about the smell - If you made your own laundry detergent, you would know exactly how to get around that ;)
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I shop almost exclusively at thrift stores. Only things I don't buy there are socks and undies. Shoes are hard to find because of my odd size, but if I found them I'd buy them!
Just an FYI on the smell: The smell at the Goodwill? It's the disinfectant the clothes are treated with prior to sale. Feel better! Stinky clothes are germ free clothes, LOL:)
Sometimes it can take more than one wash to get the scent out, but I finally figured out to put vinegar and baking soda with the homemade detergent to boost it and it works great.
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Almost all of my casual clothing is from thrift shops, name brands of very high quality. Right now I have on a Coldwater Creek jacket and olive green casual slacks (Jones New York) that were blue tag specials at Goodwill, $5 for both. I get compliments every time I wear them. As soon as I got them home, I washed them, and now they smell like everything else I wear. My favorite cashmere sweater I bought at a rather eccentric dollar store that sold unclaimed dry cleaning for $1 a piece. Shoes and work clothes I usually buy at outlet sales, but I have a thrifted black and white plaid skirt that I wear all the time with a high-end blazer and everyone assumes I bought them as a set. I probably have to try on 20 things for every one thing I buy, but that happens to me in regular stores, too. Or it did last time I went.
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Like others have already mentioned, thrift store shopping is very occasional for me. Sometimes something might catch my eye but I don't go there specifically to shop for clothing. It's not worth my time to sift through it all for the diamond in the rough. Instead, I buy new clothing and hold on to it for a long time.
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Keep in mind that thrift stores vary widely:
- I've been to some Goodwills that definitely have a smell . . . and you have to sort through a dozen junky items to find one that's remotely decent.
- The new Goodwill near me is different -- perhaps better management? -- in that it gives the impression of being quite clean and well-organized. It's much nicer than others.
- If you have a Plato's Closet near you, it's downright boutique-like. We travel a good 45 minutes to visit the one adjacent to a nearby university. The best times are Christmas and late April/early May, both times when college students are cleaning out their rooms and going home. The selection of jeans is wonderful! Ditto for semi-formal dresses.
- Similarly, many children's consignment stores are wonderful. I rarely ever bought anything new for my children 'til they reached the age when kids stop growing . . . and start wearing things out.
And I'll close with a story:
When I was expecting my first child, I shopped heavily at consignment stores and yard sales, and I put together a nice maternity wardrobe for very little money. I really did have nice things: good dresses for work, a denim jumper that I wore constantly, and a couple pairs of nice maternity shorts. I even had excellent luck finding nursing nightgowns. When I surveyed my maternity wardrobe, however, I had one pair of shorts with no matching shirt. So I went to Target and bought ONE tee-shirt to match. Aside from under garments, this was literally the ONLY item of maternity clothing I purchased new . . . and when I washed it, it shrank. I had exactly ONE WEARING from that shirt. I was very disappointed, and it strengthened my resolve to buy used in the future. In contrast, the used maternity things I bought lasted very well. I don't recall a single item being ruined or worn out in two pregnancies.
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Just dragged the missus against her will to a thrift store for the first time (she positively refuses to wear anything used and we were supposed to be shopping for me). Couldn't get her on board with even buying used clothing for me so we decided to draw a line and buy new in the future. Wondering how many of you feel the same way as her and should we be feeling really guilty about buying new clothes? We don't really buy a lot of clothes - our budget is $ 50 a month for both of us (including makeup for her and winter clothes).
Let me ask...does she mind WHERE you buy brand new clothing, and/or how much you paid for it? Because some people might freak out over buying the EXACT SAME THING if it was on clearance.
Anyways, you can often find really nice clothing at thrift stores with the tag still on them (I'm guessing sometimes it makes better financial sense for a store to donate and get a tax credit based on the full retail value, than discount even further). That may be a way to ease her into it...get lucky and find some nice clothes with the tag still somewhat intact (may be ripped or marked throuh...but with tag = just as new as in a retail store). Once she's comfortable with 100% new, maybe you can ease her into "looks brand new."
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I do shop at thrift stores. I have done so since I was in high school (past 20 years). My kids almost exclusively wear hand me downs and thrifted items. I always try to find what we need used first.
My husband was skeptical about wearing second hand, but he did eventually change his mind. He has a very small wardrobe. He only keeps 3 or possibly four pairs of pants and 3 pairs of shorts, and wears them until they are totally worn out. I cant remember the last time I bought him shirts. Sometimes he gets them for xmas from family, and again, he has a stack of maybe, 8-10, that he rotates and wears until they are unwearable. Well, last year, his shorts had all met their end, so I picked him up 4 pairs of cargo shorts at the Village Discout Outlet, at half off day, for 1.50 a pair. He is wearing them this year also. His shorts usually last 4 years or so.
This past weekend the Village Discount had all their stores 50% off everything. I got my daughter approx 25 pcs of clothing, pants, shorts, tops, plus my son needed swim trunks and a swim shirt ( I even found him some very nice, new looking and feeling boxer briefs for 45 cents each) for about 50$. Both of them should be completely set until winter. and I have a couple of bins of hand me downs for my son to grow into.
There are a couple of brands of pants that I know I like and I know what size works for me, and I managed to find several, which is unusual for me. But I did go to 3 of the outlets all told. I also found several shirts that were good, and even a swimsuit! and the swimsuit fit! (none of these stores have changing rooms, so you have to just guess-which is why I really try to only go on half off sale day, to limit my risk)
I will buy new underwear, new socks (although 3 out of 4 of us dont like to wear socks) and new shoes when necessary.
This is the first year Im tracking, but I think we will come in under 400$ for all 4 of us for the whole year.
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Just another thought:
If you guys have a local GoodWill Outlet - that is my store of choice. I don't like trying on clothing in the store - I'd rather wash it first and I'm super frugal. I don't want to spend $7 on something that may not fit. The Goodwill Outlet is per pound. You sort through large bins. I'll pick up 10 items, it'll cost me $14. Usually I'll hit on at least half - it terms of how they fit. The remaining items are either resold through a local group I participate in or dropped at the local regular Goodwill. For which they give me a 30% off my next regular purchase.
Goodwill Outlets don't just sell clothes, but also household items, dvds, etc. I get whole seasons of tv shows for $3.99.
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You could get around this by agreeing to cut the clothing/makeup budget by 30%... it doesn't matter where she spends her money as long as she comes in under that number, right?
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I shop at thrift stores all the time. Mainly at goodwill, or when I lived in Alabama, at America's Best Thrift Store. ABTS was awesome. I got shirts for $1-3, and really nice dress pants for around $7. I never really bought jeans though, they are hard to find the right fit without trying them on. Also, in the Seattle area there is an annual garage sale in Renton and it's $10 for however many clothes you can stuff in a big garbage bag (I managed over 65 shirts).
On the other hand, my husband absolutely will not wear clothes from other people (besides family). I had bought him some nice shirts off eBay but he won't even touch them (though he wears all me and my sister's old t shirts, it's pretty goofy to see him wearing high school girl swim tees). I think wearing someone's old clothes is just an idea some people can't get over. As long as she sticks to the budget, it's not necessarily a problem and once she sees the amount and quality of stuff you can get for much cheaper, maybe she'll be more willing to try (I wish that would happen with my husband, but he doesn't care about having only 10 shirts).
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That is a good point... as a bloke I have 3 of pairs of shorts, a pair of jeans, a dozen T-shirts, a couple of polo-shirts, a couple of summer shirts, a spring/fall jacket and a winter jacket. The 1-2 things I replace each year are hardly breaking the bank.
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You do know when you buy clothes off the rack, possibly dozens of people have tried it on, without it having been washed before YOU try it on?
yep. it freaks me out. weird ocd thing i have. i actually get most of my clothes from my mom's store where they come straight from the manufacturer. where i also know that tons of people i don't know are touching them, i just pretend they aren't. don't even get me started on underwear, i've been skeeved since friends of mine in college would buy, wear, and return victoria's secret stuff, without washing it. ick
all that being said, i'm in the i really dislike shopping camp like a few others. i basically have staples in my closet, nothing very trendy.
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Thrift stores are great for clothes. I've probably spent $40 on the clothes in the past year, and everything I got there has been better quality than some of the junk I've bought brand new. It's hard to buy new when a $3 shirt is nicer than a $20 shirt.
Thrift stores are also great for furniture if you know where to go. We furnished our entire house (fancy glass kitchen table, fancy glass coffee table, two outrageously comfortable leather couches, two mattresses and box springs, a few chairs, some lamps, a desk, a dresser, and a file cabinet) for about a grand split across four people. And everything was basically brand new, and very fancy looking. My parents came over and were genuinely confused that we "could afford all this".
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Being a tradesman and farmer my work clothes have been thrift for ages. I've even been shifting over to buying my regular clothes thrift. The way I see it the used clothes will actually be cleaner than most things you touch on a daily basis. We live in a sea of germs, no way around it. ;) Just throw the clothes in the wash and you're good to go.
Underwear and socks are bought new and a worn for the long haul.
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Some people have mentioned fit issues as their reason for not buying used. In fact, for me it's the complete opposite: I'm fairly thin but have very muscular legs, to the extent that I have problems getting my thighs into not only skinny jeans but often wider cuts as well such as boot cuts... In thrift shops, due to the wide variety of brands available, I can always be sure to find a few pairs of pants that fit, whereas I've spent entire days trying on all of the pants in all of the stores in Montreal's downtown shopping district and in multiple malls with absolutely no luck.
Plus, my jeans all tend to wear out in a matter of months no matter where I buy them, so there's no point spending more than $10 per pair...
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There is really nothing wrong in buying secondhand items from thrift stores. For me it is even more wise to buy items there since it doesn't only let you spend less money but in a way you get to contribute as well to the benefit of the environment since you can lessen on the use of the natural resources that were used for creating the item.
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I've tried shopping at thrift stores, but in addition to the bad smell (our Goodwill), the clutter of the stores get to me (Goodwill, Buffalo Exchange, Plato's Closet- everywhere I've been...). It stresses me out. The same reason I can't go into a Kohl's. Everything is too close together, the racks are so hodge podge. It's just too much.
Add in that I'm in between sizes and I despise shopping and the thrift store experience is a bit of a nightmare for me. Just not getting clothes except when absolutely necessary has been my main technique. And then I shop online, order way more than I need, and return- getting to select in the comfort of my home.
However, I will say the Schoola.com deal posted here was a great experience for me. Everything came in such great shape I would have never known it was used. It all smelled great. The fact you can't sort by size on their website bothered me, but it was otherwise easy to navigate. I am not sure I will use them a lot in the future, because I thought it was really lucky so many of the things I ordered fit, and not being able to return is a bit of an issue- but I really liked them. Of course, this doesn't help for men's clothing.
And so far, all my baby clothes have come from garage sales. I hope to keep that up for awhile.
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I have purchased thrift store clothing before, especially when losing weight when you go through a few sizes.
Generally though, I hate to shop, and thrift stores are bad because I cannot find anything. And they are pretty expensive here.
I still browse sometimes, but prefer to not buy clothing.
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I've always been a thrift shop person - but only in the last year got over my no used bras rule. I guess because we call it "underwear" they are associated with that whole other level of germs. I finally figured out though that arm pit sweat is probably 1000 times more gross than boob sweat, so if I'm buying used shirts I may as well get bras too.
I'm a hard to fit size that target or kmart stores don't carry, and I need sports bras with actual cup sizes because S, M, and L makes no sense. The rare store that does carry my size seems to think that charging $50-90 per bra if I have a large chest and small back is reasonable. Since I want 8-10 regular bras, and the same in sports bras so I can live for a week or so before doing laundry, that would run me $1000 or so. Or I can pick them up at thrift shops where miraculously other people my size really do exist, for $1-$5 per bra. For a $900 savings, I am fine with running them through the wash once before I wear them.
The math - since most of my paycheck goes direct deposit to retirement, my take home pay is a couple cents below $3 per pay period. It would take a little over 2 years for me to save enough take home pay for one new bra, vs. 1 week for a thrift shop one, or a little over a day if I catch them in the dollar day sales.
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Every non-sock-or-underwear article of clothing in my closet was either from the thrift store, or a gift (one or two things). I buy cheapo new shoes (16.99 at Costco). I just bought new shoes, my first clothing purchase of 2015. I should come in well under my $50/yr "goal." I went straight from parents-buy-me-clothes-through-high-schoolish to now-all-my-stuff-comes-from-thrift-stores.
My girlfriend has been spending a lot more than that over the past year, but that's because every purchase has been a size smaller than the last. So, a very good reason to be going through a lot of clothes.
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I've always been a thrift shop person - but only in the last year got over my no used bras rule. I guess because we call it "underwear" they are associated with that whole other level of germs. I finally figured out though that arm pit sweat is probably 1000 times more gross than boob sweat, so if I'm buying used shirts I may as well get bras too.
I'm a hard to fit size that target or kmart stores don't carry, and I need sports bras with actual cup sizes because S, M, and L makes no sense. The rare store that does carry my size seems to think that charging $50-90 per bra if I have a large chest and small back is reasonable. Since I want 8-10 regular bras, and the same in sports bras so I can live for a week or so before doing laundry, that would run me $1000 or so. Or I can pick them up at thrift shops where miraculously other people my size really do exist, for $1-$5 per bra. For a $900 savings, I am fine with running them through the wash once before I wear them.
The math - since most of my paycheck goes direct deposit to retirement, my take home pay is a couple cents below $3 per pay period. It would take a little over 2 years for me to save enough take home pay for one new bra, vs. 1 week for a thrift shop one, or a little over a day if I catch them in the dollar day sales.
Are the used bras you are finding still supportive and in good shape? I find that the material wears out.
Also- where are you buying the hypothetical new bras? Mine cost less than $15!
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If you are a weird size, you're stuck buying from specialty retailers, who charge $100/bra and their products rarely go on sale. If you are a 34B cheap bras are an option. For a 30G, they generally aren't.
That's the problem exactly. Dillards in Ohio has a good selection, and I've driven there from Michigan (an hour each way on top of the bra cost itself!) to find something that fits and is supportive. Stores around here don't stock anything in a 34 above a C, even victoria's secret was a complete waste of time for me. But at thriftshops I've seen all sizes, even one near me has a selection of 32J's - I considered buying them just to resell, but then didn't want the hassle.
If they aren't new quality (no stretched out elastic) I'm not going to buy them but sometimes they look like they've barely been worn, and some have tags still. When you find one that's perfect, it's like finding 50 bucks lying at the side of the road.
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Wow color me shocked it is easier to find a difficult bra size used than new.
I had no idea.
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A good 80% of my wardrobe comes from thrift stores. I live really close to a fantastic Goodwill, and I shop there regulary, probably more than I should...
I started here in Canada tho, when I was living in Italy there were very few second-hand stores, and they're considered the last step before homelessness - you'd go there only if it's the only option for you.
And when we donate clothes to the churches, we openly say "giving clothes to the missions" because the common assumption is that they get sent to charity in South America or Africa.
ETA: I just talk to my french-born boyfriend, he says french people have the same attitude towards used clothing, so maybe it's a cultural thing.
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There is a really great ladies consignment store close to my place. They only accept "high end" gently, used items and they donate the rest. Everything I have bought has been in pristine condition.
90% of my kid's clothes has been hand-me-downs. I tried a consignment sale, but it was WORSE than Winner's. I was appalled people's greediness.
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Why not buy them yourself? I have a hard time buying nice clothes without some female input, but jeans I can manage.
I can get rugged, thick denim jeans brand new in the exact size I need from Costco for $13. Thin, half-used jeans in the thrift store are $5-$10. Not really seeing a value there, as the lifespan will be dramatically less.
Other stuff I typically get at 80+% off at department stores brand new, often stacking a coupon on top of that (ie $10 off $30 or whatever). I recently threw away some receipts where I had purchased over $300-$500 (retail suggested) in clothes at 95+% off from department stores. So, $400 list price, paying less than $20. Used to be able to do some really brutal stuff in JC Penney on the right weekends - that went away 2 reorgs ago.
Current target is Kohl's: I will get a $10 "Spend on anything" coupon in the mail, then stack with a $10 off $30 coupon and select items from sale or clearance. For good selection/specific need for the toddler, I'll get 6 of the ($12 on sale for $5) items to total $30. Then use $10 off $30 from my coupon app to get down to $20. Then use the $10 "use on anything" coupon to get down to $10. That's $72 "list price" for $10, or roughly 86% off. $1.67 per brand new toddler item (pants, shirts.)
However, if you don't mind the thinner selection, hit the 80% off racks to get up to your $30. Then use the $10 off $30, then use the $10 off anything.
Kohl's is walking distance from my work ;)
Frankly, thrift stores are often not a good enough value for me. But then again, the thrift stores (and semiannual kids consignment events) are pretty crummy/expensive around here.
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My wife prefers new as well but sometimes I can get her to browse the goodwill or salvation thrift store. About half the time we shop thrift we walk out empty handed. But sometimes it's fun to hunt the thrift shops if we're in the mood.
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You do know when you buy clothes off the rack, possibly dozens of people have tried it on, without it having been washed before YOU try it on?
Thanks. I now have the creepy crawlies, big time.
(you're right, btw)
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I've never had good luck buying clothes for myself at thrift stores...despite trying, I've only found two shirts that were good at a thrift store. I'm a tall fat woman, so size is an issue. But just about all my kid's clothes are second hand. I make a lot of my own clothes, and I've had some luck finding men's shirts that I can cut up and use as fabric to make shirts for myself.
I find the exact opposite.
I have found more custom made and Tall Girl clothing at the thrift store than I can find clothes that fit in other stores, barring a couple of brand names that "almost" fit right. I usually need blazer sleeves let out or hems taken down. I also have a lot of success for casual size 10 shoes... hard to find anywhere else but european sizes in town. Note, this is at the equivalent of good will, not the consignment fashion stores.
What I like is a rack of 30-40 slacks, all different styles, lined up and in my size. It is SO FAST to try on 8 pairs of pants to find the one pair that works / fits. At the other stores, I need to spend hours looking for clothing in my size that I like.
I have been on the hunt for a nice, flowing, lighter weight sweater for airplane travel. Three months in, and nothing is showing up at the local thrift stores. So I started to look at full price... guess what, I can't find anything there either. I will wait and just keep looking.
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I'm unsuccessful with thrift shops for two reasons.
1. We live in a LCOL suburb, and some residents are on the low socioeconomic side of things. Our thrift stores are very picked over.
2. I'm bad at shopping. Truly terrible at the spontaneous picking out of clothes. I need a picture in my head (or better yet, a picture on my phone!) of the item I want and what it will go with in my wardrobe. Then I set about finding it lightly used on eBay. (I'm currently waiting on two jumpers I bought on eBay last week for five per cent of the RRP.)
I've had a couple of failures - didn't fit or didn't suit - but I just re-sell or give away.
So, yes to used clothing, no to thrift store clothing. I didn't vote.
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I don't bother anymore since we moved back to an area with a really tight used clothing market. Anything that makes it to a thrift shop is well and truly worn out, plus it's 10 year out of fashion. I clothed my kids in about 90% used clothing when they were small. However, once you get past the preschooler stage, kids clothes get worn out (stained, torn, etc) before the kid outgrows them.
Instead, I make most of my own clothing from fabric I know will hold up. I wash the fabric before I cut into it, so when I make the item I know it won't shrink, or run, or do anything weird. The kids clothes are either handmade,r bought on clearance from one of the many outlet stores near us or bought from Costco.
I despise shopping and would rather work longer than spend extra time in thrift shops.
We did however, recently buy some hamster cages for the kids new pets from thrift shops. That was well worth the time spent since we got them for 25% off. This allowed the kids to buy them with their allowance without having to save for 6 months.
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WE are blessed with some awesome thrift stores in our community. There are a lot of rich folks that move to lake communities and apparently die shortly there after leaving lots of new designer clothes for us poor folks. The thrift stores support things like the homeless shelter, dog shelter, woman's shelter etc...
So today I am wearing a nice pair of slacks, nice name brand shirt, fancy shoes. I bought my belt and underpants new. Total wardrobe cost $20, $8 excluding the belt. I stop in about every other week and browse the thrift store and buy when the good stull is there. Shoes are the hardest for me to come by but I've been very lucky this year.
So yeah, USED is where it is at. Can't stand to pay retail for new every again.
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I get my clothes new, but the real trick is to stop buying clothes. We basically just buy socks and underwear at this point.
I think most people could last at least a few years on what they have, especially once they switch to hanging everything to dry.
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I'm a thrift store convert.
The idea used to gross me out. Then when I needed to buy a few shirts I didn't intend to keep very long (after shoulder surgery I needed more button-down shirts during recovery), a friend took me to the thrift store to help. I had previously noticed some of her beautiful dresses, and she said she got them at the thrift store. She helped me find 4-5 shirts. A couple of years later, I still wear two of them.
This spring when I had sadly gained a few pounds and needed shorts for vacation, I went to the thrift store and bought 3-4 pairs for $4 each. Certainly better than spending $60-$100 for new clothes. Now my lower-size shorts fit again. I can't bring myself to spend full-price for clothing now, except for shoes, socks and underwear.
If you go to a Goodwill in a nice neighborhood, you are not unlikely to find fancy designer clothes, sometimes with the tags still on.
What culture does your wife come from, that used clothes are so horrible? And does she feel the same way about wanting fancy vacations, cars, etc? Will she drive a used car?
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I've gotten some good clothes from thrift stores, but I haven't shopped there in a long time. Mainly--I just hate shopping. Also, the way all different styles are mixed together means a lot of searching to find something I like, which uses up my limited shopping energy. I prefer to buy clothes online once I've found a size and brand that works for me (and a good enough sale). Maybe one of these days I'll go again.
If my weight were changing, or something like that, I'd definitely go the thrift store route.
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In the last three years, I spent $50 for several shirts at Ross, $8 for two shirts at Target, and $10 for 16 pairs of socks. The pre-owned stuff was in great condition, looked nice, and nothing seemed wrong with them, so why not?
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I tend to shop at Ross or TJ Maxx or Marshalls, stores like that. Similar pricing in my area, and I tend to find a better selection for my age group. It would be different if I were near thift stores with better goods, but I'm in a pretty low income area, and most stuff tends to be "old lady clothes".
I have nothing against thrift clothes, just no good options up here for me. Still end up there sometimes though, and recently got a bunch of used clothes through Schoola using a free deal going around the forums (yay $50 free clothes!)