12 Jan How Not to Waste Money By Thrift Shopping Excessively

My name is Patrice and I’m a thriftaholic. Well, that statement used to be true. But I’ve been delivert!!!

I know plenty of thrift shoppers who are proud thriftaholics. While it can be a savvy shopper badge of honor to say, “it only cost me $2,” the truth is you may actually be wasting money with excessive thrift shopping.

Let’s start with a general definition of a thriftaholic: you’re on a first name basis with thrift store employees, you thrift shop three or more times a week and/or you’ve repeatedly been late to work or social engagements because you lost track of time while thrifting

You know I’m all for a deal {that’s what my entire fashionable career is devoted to!}, but as I stated in my Thrifty Threads 365 recap, I realized how important it is to be super selective with purchases. The reason I was able to just spend $233 a year on clothing is because I didn’t buy every cute and/or cheap garment I came across.

The bottom line is the $2 shirts or $5 dresses start to rack up and before you know it, you’ve spent $50+ on a single trip to the thrift shop. Also, since the inventory at thrift stores is ever changing, it’s not unheard of for many thrifters to hit the stores multiple times a week. And that’s where you really start to spend excessively.

Anyone can argue that it’s still a fashion steal because you’re not paying anywhere near the full retail value. For some people that’s justification enough. But I think it’s still a quick way to overspend and even become a fashion hoarder. Most people only wear 20 percent of their wardrobe, so those clothes will most likely go unworn.

So how do you combat excessive thrift shopping?

Have a Thrift Wish List
I’ve blogged about this before and talk about it extensively in my book, but I can stress how important a thrift wish list is. It’s exactly what it sounds like: items you want to find at the thrift shop. It can be a simple memo note stored in your phone or an actual written list. Since thrift shops have unpredictable inventory, the list shouldn’t be super specific and high on details, but a general outline. A few items on my thrift wish list include a lace dress, lug sole boots, statement black blazer and white jeans. It’s another means of helping you shop with a purpose so you don’t wander the store aimlessly or spend unnecessarily. So even if you didn’t plan a thrift trip {hey, impromptu shopping happens!}, having a thrift wish list on hand will keep you in check.

Shop with a Purpose
Why are you shopping? This is pretty simple, but are you actually looking for an outfit for a special occasion? Do you need a winter coat because your current one isn’t warm enough? Have you lost weight and need new pants? When you’re shopping “just because,” it’s the equivalent of going grocery shopping while you’re hungry. You’ll start buying all types of stuff you would have normally overlooked. Shop when you need to and when you’re in the right frame of mind {i.e. no retail therapy}.

Donate Seasonally
It’s easy to forget what you have in your closet when it’s so jam packed. If you haven’t worn a garment all season, let it go and donate to your favorite thrift store! A lighter closet will leave you with the pieces you really love, actually wear and you’ll start looking at your clothes as something more than just random fabric on hangers. Also, donating clothes gives you good thrift karma.
I promise you’ll be more selective about what you buy because you’re more interested in quality, not quantity.

These are just some tips I’ve used over the years to curb my expensive thrift habit. Of course I still have occasions where I spent a few dollars more than expected, but overall I can say those moments are rare.

Are you a thriftaholic? Do you use any of the tips above to shop selectively? What’s your typical thrift shopping budget?

Photo: 1