My First Experiment in Couponing

Hey y'all! 
     I only have about a month until I move out, so my quest for savings is in high gear! I told you in my last (and first) post the reasons that I love thrifting so much. Unfortunately for me, you can't buy everything at the thrift store (or at least you shouldn't). Things like food, makeup, and toiletries can add up pretty quickly, so today I decided to take my first whack at what I like to think of as a close sister-activity to thrifting- couponing! When TLC's hit show Extreme Couponing debuted in December 2010 it quickly fascinated millions of viewers with the art of saving, myself included. While many sprang into action and started clipping coupons right away, I was not so quick to save. Not having to pay for my own groceries, I used coupons here and there where it was convenient, but never paid much attention (I know, selfish). Now that I'm preparing to pay my own way, I started doing some research on how to save. Enter; the Krazy Coupon Lady! Unfortunately as I write this, the 'About' page of the Krazy Coupon Lady's site is down, so I'm not able to provide you with much info. Joanie Demer, featured on the aforementioned show, has created her own site The Krazy Coupon Lady to help others achieve the same 'Krazy' savings that she thrives on. The site features everything from tips for beginners to deals of the week, and even links to print your own coupons from featured websites. I'll write more once I've made couponing more of a habit, but for now I wanted to share with you the results of my first 'haul' (and trust me, this is nothing!)

                                                               All of this cost me $2.76!

All of these were free!

Using the Krazy Coupon Lady's site, I was able to score coupons that got me free Oreos (yum!) and ballpoint pens. Because I had a  negative $0.24 charge on my oreo purchase at Rite Aid, I got to pick out another item to use the 24 cents on. I picked out gum on sale (2/$2.00) and later realized that the cashier had accidentally rung one of my dollar coupons twice, resulting in me only being charged $.76 for the gum and cookies total, Score! Then at target I used a coupon to score the free ballpoint pens, as well as another coupon I'd printed from KCL giving me $3 off on any purchase of Mossimo clothing. I chose this tank top, which was already marked down from $8 to $5, giving me a total after the coupon of $2 for an adorable striped tank. I was extra happy about this one because even though I thrift most of my clothing, I prefer to buy the basics like tank tops and plain tee's new (I'll post a blog later on buying new at the thrift store-it does happen!). My final freebie was a Physician's Formula liquid eyeliner and lash booster. I stumbled across this one on my own when searching google for a coupon on my favorite concealer, and found a 'try me free' offer on the Physician's Formula Website (note the sticker on the box). I did have to pay for it at the store, but tomorrow I'll mail in my receipt and sticker for a full rebate. Moral of the story- don't be afraid to search for coupons on your favorite brands! So that's my score for the day-not bad for my first time couponing! 

TwoTip: Print out a few coupons for products you won't be using and seek out a few strangers who are buying those products in the store. Share the savings and they'll be thrilled with your random act of kindness!

Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Have any of y'all tried couponing? Tell me about your best scores! Thanks for reading, and have a blessed day!:)

-Madeline

8 Reasons to Go Thrifting

Hey y'all, happy Thursday and welcome to fish out of water!

   One thing almost everyone I know knows about me is that I LOVE thrift stores. I can probably be found a minimum of twice a week digging through the racks at salvation army, goodwill, and other local thrift shops to find treasure, whether shopping for myself, finding clothes for my friends, or snapping up new merchandise to sell on my ebay accounts. I also know there are quite a few people who squirm at the idea of shopping in a thrift store- and I can't say that I blame them. Unless you've tried it out before, you may be party to the common misconception that thrift stores are full of clothes that absolutely no one wants. You know, the moth-eaten, catastrophically stained, can't-get-the-smell-out-of, poorly made, shredded-to-bits, incredibly itchy sweaters that were hiding under the bed of some poor old cat lady until the day that she died? Yeah, not the case. Although it may require some digging to find exactly what you're looking for, and you're sure to find a few unsavory pieces along the way, most thrift stores are home to loads of totally usable, fashionable items of clothing. Just because it's at the store doesn't mean no one wants it, it means somebody didn't. And you know what they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure (in this case, a woman's treasure). So, here are a handful of my favorite reasons that everyone should try thrifting at least once (and why I'm certain that once is enough to get almost anyone hooked). Enjoy!

1. It's CHEAP! -Hello, do you need any other reason? If you want to revamp your wardrobe for the spring or summer, chances are you don't want to spend all of your hard earned paycheck on new clothes. So you give yourself a $40 budget to spend on some new things. What does that get you? 
At Nordstrom or Macys: let's be real, you get one cute top (one of their lower-end brands) unless you go sifting through the clearance racks, where you could maybe find two within your budget. 
At Forever 21 or Target:  We'll say two new tops or a pair of shorts and a cami, even though a lot of tops will cost you around $25 at these stores. 
At a thrift store: any number of possibilities! Friday I went to goodwill and for $37 I bought- mint condition, rare reebok tennis shoes ($5.50, to sell), Vera Wang (yes, vera wang!) ballgown ($12, I want to keep, but probably going to sell), vintage Liz Claiborne purse ($6, keep), brand new with tags target sundress ($5, keep, they are STILL selling this dress for $20 on clearance), brand new with hygenic liner in place target bikini bottoms ($3.50, keep), dvd of Blue Crush ($3, keeping it), and vhs tapes of Dirty Dancing and X Men ($1 each, keeping). Obviously, a lot more bang for my buck- and these were high dollar items for me. If I was shopping for just casual spring clothes, I'd probably end up with something like 10 shirts at $3 apiece (that's overstating what I would normally spend on a shirt- I like to shop on half off day;) ) a new bag at $5, and new jeans at $5. 

2. If you are In Transition- No one likes having to buy 'fat jeans', but for some of us girls it's just a reality every once in awhile. The good news is that it stinks a little less when you're getting them for a bargain. This can help out in a lot of situations- whether you're pregnant and on a slim budget for maternity clothes (most thrift stores have entire sections full of these clothes- and most of them are still in great shape because they've only been worn for a few months!), have gained a little weight and want something with a little more room, or are like me and losing weight and don't want to spend a lot on the 'in between' sizes that you'll be wearing until you reach your goal weight. 

3. If you want Something Unique- thrift stores are great for this! In some cities where there aren't a ton of options shopping wise, or when you just aren't into the season's trends, a thrift shop is a great place to find something that suits your personal style and adds a little flair to your wardrobe. You're likely to find plenty of items that have been bought in other cities and made their way to your hometown, as well as decades-old vintage finds that you wouldn't be able to find elsewhere without paying an arm and a leg. 

4. If regular stores Don't carry your size- If you're very small, large, tall, or short, you can often find it hard to find your size in anything without it costing you quite a bit of cash. The good news is that most thrift stores don't discriminate size when pricing their items, so you have the ability to save a lot of money if you find your size. Odd sizes also tend to stick around awhile longer, giving you a better chance at finding these specialty items for a bargain

5. If you're Only Going to Wear it Once- Things like theme outfits, Halloween costumes, and party dresses are fun to shop for, but who wants to pay top dollar for an outfit that is likely to be worn a handful of times or less? Thrift stores are a great, wallet friendly option when you are looking for an item that you won't get much use out of. I've found great deals on costumes by Leg Avenue and name-brand dresses that I couldn't have afforded at full price. 

6. It's Eco Friendly- If saving the environment is your thing, then you should definitely be thrifting. I've never been particularly concerned with this topic (though I do recycle and buy organic when I can) but it is definitely a plus to reuse old clothes instead of going out and buying new ones. It keeps old clothes out of landfills and cuts down on waste that comes from the packaging on new purchases.

7. It's People Friendly-Not all thrift stores are totally non-profit or charitable organizations, but the vast majority of stores donate at least part of your purchase to a charity of some kind. The American Cancer Society has thrift stores to support treatment and research, the Salvation Army helps the homeless, Goodwill provides job training to the unemployed, and the D.A.V. provides help to disabled American veterans. You can help any number of causes depending the stores at which you choose to shop. 

8. It's Exciting!- Because you never know what you're going to find, thrifters often describe shopping as a 'treasure hunt'. Ever felt that sinking feeling when you saw the price tag on a beautiful item? That feeling is almost nonexistent at a thrift store! While once in awhile even thrift store prices seem unreasonable, but you can almost always afford exactly what you want without any stress.

TwoTip: Share the love by cleaning out your own closet and donating to your local thrift store! The clothing you aren't using could be just what someone else needs, and you'll be furthering the cause of whichever charity the store supports

Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

I hope if you haven't been thrifting before this post has encouraged you to give it a shot! If you are a thrifter, what are your favorite reasons for thrifting? Let me know!
-Madeline