Tip of the Day: Try a different size.

Have you ever done this?  When shopping at thrift stores or Target's clearance sections, I am much more willing to try different sizes.  I guess it's because I'll be paying 75% less than I normally would, and if it's a close fit, I'll give it a go.

I've worn every size from:

Children's 12, 14, 16
Women's 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Medium, etc.

You'd be surprised.  I am not a big person, but I'm not a teeny tiny one, either, so I was surprised when I found I could wear some children's shirts (they're marked XL in the kid's section).  Same thing applies to kid's shoes.  Often, they'll be cuter and cheaper than the women's shoes, and sizes range up to an 8!

I also found that a lot of medium shirts fit just fine.  I like to accessorize with belts and sweaters anyway, so something a little bigger can actually look quite cute!  So try a different size.  You may surprise yourself!

Tip of the Day: Don't Forget Macy's

You read the title right--Macy's.  The department store.  The one with new stuff in it.

I ventured into the Black Friday world for the first time in my life this weekend, and this is what I found:

$2-$5 DVDs from Walmart
$5 Long-sleeved shirts from Old Navy
$2 Panties (ooh-la-la) from Target
$2.50 Barbies (princess ones) and Polly's (again, princess) from Macy's

Many of these items are Christmas gifts, so I didn't mind shopping a little, but what surprised me was that I saved the most at Macy's, of all places.  The Barbies and Polly's were brand spankin' new!  Walmart was a nightmare, and I will never go there again on Black Friday, and Old Navy was just fun (Target is always a good staple, though their sales weren't that great this time).

So don't forget Macy's, folks.  Thrifting snobbery works both ways:).

Check out my cousin's find.

My cousin, Rochelle, bought this at a thrift store and coated it with spray paint to make a very cute laundry hamper.  You just never know what you can create . . .

Tip of the Day: Towels re-visited

I never ended up buying towels at the thrift store, mostly because I re-discovered one of the secret gems of thrifting:  the dollar store.  Bad taste, you say?  Nothing of quality there?  Not so.  Here are a list of things I found today:

Towels (small, not fancy, but for our budget, they work great as guest towels in a pinch)
"Silver"ware (yeah, definitely not real silver, but again, good for Thanksgiving when there are a lot of people)
Gift bags--enormous gift bags (and lots and lots of wrapping paper accessories)
Nail polish
Place mats
Hot pad
Hangers
Stocking Stuffers (tons and tons of those)

And more . . .

So the tip is once again to humble yourself and take a peek.  You'd be surprised . . .

Tip of the Day: Towels, anyone?

There are a few things I simply will not buy at thrift stores, no matter what.  Underwear and swimwear are definitely on that list.  But what about linens?

It gets tricky there.  I'm hesitant when it comes to bedwear (oh, you bet I just made that word up).  You never know . . .  and we'll leave it at that.  But a good, bleached towel just doesn't make me cringe.  To each his own, right?  So I'm off this week to find some towels.  I'll report when I return!