Commerce No. 3: Beyond the Thrift Store

On paper, our clothes budget currently amounts to all of nothing. In reality, it’s a bit more than that, but not by much. It kind of runs on an “as needed” basis. And when you think about it, there are really few clothing items that you actually need. (I’m sorry, Anthro, but it’s true. I don’t need an $80 t-shirt, no matter how fabulous and hip it will make me look.)

Consequently, my days are severely lacking in trophy-wife-esque shopping sprees. (Although I am a little crazy about stalking the Daily Deal sites. Rue La La or design/story, anyone?) We do have some large thrift stores in the area that I like to dig through, but when they come up short, here are my top three favorite sources for clothes on the cheap:

1. Sisters

Sister V. was a fashionista long before Mama V. stopped bribing me with action figures to go clothes shopping. She remains at the forefront of Hartford fashion to this day. And since I’ve received her hand-me-downs since Day One, why not now? (Thankfully, just like her four year-old counterpart, she continues to remain very generous with her belongings. Thank you, Er. I wore my new pink shirt the other day. Perfect.) Unfortunately, there’s no way my boats/feet will ever fit into her shoes and her pants have to pass as capris, but shirts, sweaters, dresses, and skirts are pretty much interchangeable between the two of us. And thankfully, Bert's sister has the same size feet as me. Yay for free Merrils! ;)

Granted, not everyone is blessed to have awesome and similarly-sized sisters, but the same idea could work with your mother (Mama V. also benefits from the Sister V. closet clean outs.), friends, or co-workers. Try holding a clothing swap or offer to let someone dig through your Goodwill bag before you drop it off. They just might return the favor next time.

2. Target Clearance Rack

As a very general and loose rule – more like a guideline, maybe – I don’t buy clothes at Target. The quality just isn’t there and I’d rather buy one piece that will last over five pieces that will fall apart/pill up/look worn after five washes. BUT – and here’s where the loophole comes in – I have found some awesome deals combining clearance sales with Target coupons. This method is touch-and-go and takes patience, but for someone who pretty much lives in t-shirts (<$1) and jeans (Free!), it’s worth it to grab a few cheap extras every now and then.

3. Consignment Shops

Consignment shops provide two ways to find a great deal. One, you can find brand-name merchandise on the cheap (especially if it’s been sitting in the store for awhile), and two, you can bring in your own clothes for cash or store credit. (Local stores tend to stick with store credit. National chains like Clothes Mentor or Plato's Closet usually give cash.) Many stores also carry home and decorative items, which creates a great way to “regift” less-than-stellar presents without being caught in the act. (I don’t know this from experience, of course. It just seems like it would be a resourceful thing to do. If you were into that. Which I’m not.) Before I drop off a bag of clothes at Goodwill (but after Mama and Sister V. have taken the obligatory peek), I usually stop and see if my favorite consignment shops are interested in anything. Sometimes it's yes and sometimes it's no - for some bizarre reason, Mama V. had a heck of a time trying to resell my wedding shoes - but I think it's worth the extra leg work. (And I have the free Ralph jeans to prove it!) Now if only more of them carried Menswear...

What about you? Where do you shop on the cheap?