Frugality and shopping are generally at odds with one another, so if you have a shopping addiction, it can make sticking to a budget difficult unless you can develop some self-control. As a fresh college graduate and a shopping addict, I know that my basic needs must come first, but it’s simply unrealistic to say that I’ll completely cut shopping out of my life. Food and shelter keep me alive, but shopping keeps me happy, so in my opinion, it counts as an emotional need. But, I still have to balance my desire for new jeans and my desire for dinner and Wifi, so here are a few frugal tips I’ve learned to keep my addiction in check.
I’m sure you’ve heard the classic, “shop the sales” sermon (so many times) that never seems to work because the reduced prices cause you to buy even more items. (I feel your pain and guilt) Instead, here are some real, tried and true strategies you can use that will actually work with your lifestyle.
Buy secondhand.
I would kill for a pair of brand-new, iconic Tory Burch riding boots, but the $500 price tag is more than my rent, so that’s not going to be a possibility for a while. Luckily for me, I can still buy designer items for up to 80% off the original price at consignment shops, like Plato’s Closet, or online at places, like thredup.com and liketwice.com. The items might be from last season or may have small defects, but really, who cares? Nobody else will ever know but you.
Leave the credit card at home.
You may take all the right steps and set a shopping budget for yourself of $150 a month, but as soon as you go to the mall with some friends and you find a jaw-dropping dress and a pair of killer shoes at Anthropologie, all of it goes out the window and you end up spending $400 that day. Then you hate yourself later. End this vicious cycle by not even bringing your credit/debit card with you, so you don’t have the option of going over your budget. Only bring cash and tell your friends to not even give you the option of borrowing money from them.
Only buy items you can’t live without.
I haven’t done my yearly closet purge yet, so it’s completely overflowing with clothes and shoes from last twelve months. I probably already have three of four times as many clothes as normal people, so as a result, I try to only buy items I am in love with as to not fill up my closet anymore. This method is easier than you think. If you’re trying on clothes and you don’t instantly fall in love with something, don’t get it. If you kind of like it or you are trying to convince yourself that you like it, don’t get it. Trust me, it will sit in the back of your closet for eternity (probably with the tag still attached).
Swap with friends.
If you’re lucky enough to be friends with other girls who are the same size as you, you have an amazing opportunity to score new outfits and get rid of things you never wear--all for free! Start by cleaning out your closet and follow the one year rule: if you haven’t worn it in the past year, toss it out. Then, call up a friend to do the same thing and swap clothes with each other. I’ve done this several times with one of my close friends and I’ve always ended up with several really cute pieces that I had been eyeing in her closet for the longest time. If there are any pieces that are unwanted by either of you, donate them to charity.
