Sense & Centsibility Blog

My 'Goodwill Hunting' Experiment

The days of making sure I had a new outfit every weekend to wear out on the town are long gone, believe you me. I am a recovering spend-aholic and former DMP client. But don't get me wrong, my gravestone will hopefully read, among other notables: "1959-2059 Here lies Carla. She was always fashion eccentric forward!"

My experiment

So avoiding my previous tendencies to overdo it I try to shop sales and, more specifically, thrift stores. I went Goodwill shopping over the weekend and for $30 - I kid you not - I walked out with 5 complete mix and match outfits still with their brand name price tags attached! This is the time of year when stores unload their excess cute-ables to the thrift stores and the selection is amazing.

Monday morning...post-shopping tripThrift store

Since I ADORE compliments, I wondered if my work peeps would think these new duds were as cute as I hoped they were. After all, I have experimented in life plenty with fashion choices that cost me way more than $30 (and my pride), so what did I have to lose?

Ten minutes into Monday I hear, "Cute skirt! Where did you get that?!" Bam. And because everything else in that bag was just as marvelous, I knew my experiment was heading in the right direction.

You can do it, too

Are you craving a wardrobe pick-me-up or two? But especially after the holidays your budget has been pulled tighter than a Hollywood face-lift? Join me in the 'Goodwill Hunting Experiment'. (Or insert thrift store of your choice here.)

I get that sometimes it can be hard to shop if you don't know what you're looking for. So if you need outfit ideas, check out Pinterest or Google 'outfit ideas' and watch the thousand of results come back. Or, think about what basics you need or colors you might want to spice up your wardrobe. Follow your fashion sense and wait for the accolades to roll in, you fashion-forward, budget-savvy shopper!

For more helpful tips, check out When a sale is not a good deal and How to save money on date night.

Still paying off those holiday debts? You may be able to pay them off faster and save money in interest on a Debt Management Plan. The first step is a free session with a financial counselor  to see if a DMP is right for you. Call us for your free session at 888.577.2227 or GET STARTED ONLINE at your convenience.

Author Carla Melander is a DMP Specialist with LSS Financial Counseling.