1. You discuss being frugal but lately you have been showcasing several subscription boxes and other purchases which don't seem to be such frugal choices.
I think that it is okay to splurge sometimes. Not if it means using a credit card or forgoing bills in order to do so, mind you, but all work and no play can make life dull.
With that said, I never pay full price for the subscription boxes that I review here on the blog. There are so many referral codes out there that when I want to try a new box I use a code to often get the box half price. I give my honest opinion in my reviews so if it is a product that I really enjoy many of my readers decide to try it out for themselves. Since *some* places let you earn referral credits I often earn free boxes thanks to my dear readers. There are some benefits to having a blog with great readers, after all!
I always disclose if there is a referral link in my post in case someone would prefer to not buy through a referral link. It's usually a win-win situation though since most referral links also include a discount for those who click through it.
2. If I shopped at Goodwill or St. Vincent De Paul I wouldn't tell anyone that. Wouldn't you prefer people not know that?
No. Seriously, some of the purchases I make at these stores would be frivolous or a waste of money had I paid full price for them. For example - the Hanna Andersson moccasins I found the other day. They were worth the $1 price I paid but I would never spend $20 for them and I wouldn't want someone to think I did! I love shopping thrift stores and touting the great finds within them. After all, it is a smart way to shop and there is nothing to be ashamed of in that!
3. You seem to really like brand name items. Wouldn't it be wiser to purchase off brand things to save money?
The items I purchase are almost always used so it often ends up being less expensive than off brand items when purchased new. I can buy a Baby Gap outfit for $1 at a garage sale or spend $8 for an outfit at Walmart. Because the Baby Gap outfit holds up much better than the Walmart outfit I can then sell it once the baby out grows it (often for more than I paid) but the Walmart outfit is often faded by that time or has loose strings, buttons, etc.
Better brands often do hold up better than the less expensive ones. If both my boys can get use out of an item of clothing and then I can still sell it then it is a better product than an off brand item.
So, yes, I am excited to find Robeez shoes at St. Vincent for 95 cents when they originally cost $35 and I know my baby can get use out of them and I can still pass them on afterwards. If something is cute and a good price I will pick it up no matter what the brand. My kids wear a whole mix of brand/off brand names.
I wouldn't consider myself a brand snob, per say, but I get more excited about a $1 find on a Fossil purse than a generic one.
When it comes to groceries or household products I will generally buy what is on sale. There are a few brands of items that seem to be superior to off brands and I do stick with those (dishwasher detergent is one of them) but otherwise I could care less about those types of brands.
Why would you not tell people you shop at Goodwill? Are you supposed to be ashamed of it or something? Those are the purchases I talk most about! It doesn't take anything to go to the store and pick something up for full price, but finding something great at the thrift store for a few dollars is, to me, something to talk up.
ReplyDeleteAs for the boxes, I figure that's your money and your business. But I did assume they were good deals.
We mostly do generics, but there are some things that name brand just works better. Dishwasher detergent is the big one for us, too.
There is no reason why you should have to justify how or where you spend your money or be ashamed of where you shop. I, personally, do not shop at thrift stores and have never bought a piece of used clothing and probably never will but I rarely pay full price for anything. We do stop at garage sales and I always look for books, cds and movies but as you know, you never know what you will find. One of the best deals we found was a new light for our front porch. It was brand new in the box. The woman said her husband had bought it 2 yrs before and never got around to putting it up so she was getting rid of it. We paid $12 for it and would have paid well over fifty if we had bought it new. I don't mind bragging about that! I see no difference in you sharing your $1 shoe find than my telling you that last week I paid $150 for a $300 Coach purse at the outlet store. A bargain is a bargain!! Sharon
ReplyDeleteI suppose some people think that if you shop at a thrift store that you must be poor?! Go figure! lol
ReplyDeleteWhy can't I ever find anything at Goodwill? And I doing it wrong?? Tell me your secrets!
ReplyDeleteRamblings of a Suburban Mom
I actually don't have good luck at Goodwill for the most part. The prices seem to be quite high and the selection not so great. I find that charity shops such as St. Vincent De Paul and the Salvation Army (and local shops...such as those that support teen pregnancy or local animal shelters) are usually the best!
ReplyDeleteDig through bins and scour the shelves. Don't give up - sometimes the selection is very sparse and other times you end up finding a treasure! Garage sales are the next best thing, too!