being frugal: shopping for clothes.

Like I stated in my last post, I think people who claim to have gotten a "good deal" on a shirt that's $30.00 are ridiculous. So today, I'm going to tell you how I shop for most of my clothes. I have a friend, Brynn, who has made a goal to only buy clothes that are on sale. Genius!

My strategies for shopping can be put into a few rules, and here they are:

1. Before anything, check out the clearance rack. Yeah, it's messy and most of the clothes there are XXL, but more often than not, this is where I find some of my favorite clothes. It takes a little more time to skim through all the clothes to find your size and something you think is cute, but it's worth it. Target (my favorite store) usually has clearance racks on sale for 30%, 50% and 75% off the regular price. Holla!
2. Shop at second-hand stores. My favorite is Deseret Industries. Although most of the clothes here are pretty ugly, smell funky, and have shoulder pads, if you look hard enough, you can really find some great stuff. Just make sure you wash them before you wear them.
3. Really think about what you're buying. Ask yourself, "Will I like this in a year from now?" "Will this fit me in a year from now?" "Will I end up giving this away?" "Is this price worth the number of times I will wear this?" If you think you won't like it in a while, don't get it.
4. Don't shop the latest trends. I hate trends for this reason: they go out of style SOOO quick. If you buy something because it's in style, chances are you'll hate it when the trend ends. Buy clothes that YOU like; shop for YOURSELF. I try to avoid asking my girl friends if they like the shirt I want to buy, simply because their taste is different than mine. If you're going to ask peoples' opinions, make sure you follow your own when all is said and done.
5. If, while trying on clothes, you like parts of it, and dislike parts of it, it's probably not worth getting. To me, new clothes seem exciting, but when I've had them for a while, they become usual, and you notice the faults more. Don't buy something unless you love every bit of it.

Today, I went shopping at the DI (Deseret Industries). I was on a roll. Sometimes you can find a whole bunch of stuff there, and sometimes you can't find anything. Today was a good day at the DI. Here are all my finds:

I love the pattern on this shirt, and I love the fact that it's a button-up.

I was surprised to see that it fit well! $4.00

The color of this shirt is what first caught my attention. Then I saw

the stripes. I am really into stripes lately. I also love how far the sleeves come down.

I am not a fan of cap sleeves. $2.00

I loved the clasp on this belt. It reminds me of something someone would

wear in the 1940's for a day out on the town. $3.00

This belt was cool. That's really all there is to it. $3.00

And this belt reminded me of something someone would wear in the 1940's for

a day out on the sail boat! Ever since I got back from my honeymoon, I have been

longing for the ocean! I love it! Anything nautical that I can wear, I probably

will for the next little while. $3.00

And, because I'm married and like to make my apartment look nice, I got these little

yellow ceramic dishes, because they're cute. And yes, I do have a Buddah statue

displayed in my apartment. $1.00 for the pair

Since the DI doesn't charge you sales tax, my total for all of this was $16.00. See?! You CAN be frugal. $30.00 shirt my butt...

being frugal: cheap activities.

My friend, Emily, recently said to me, "I need some lessons from you on how to be cheap." Delighted, I quickly started brainstorming on advice I could give her on how to be "cheap."

You see, I hate spending money, but I love buying new things. This used to be a problem for me, until I realized, "Dude, I can still buy things, and not spend very much money!" It always bugs me when people claim they're frugal when they spend $30.00 on a shirt. For rizzle? I could buy, like, 6 pizzas with that! That could feed me for weeks!

If you're newly married, or if you're a poor college student, or both, or if you just don't want to spend $30.00 on a shirt, keep reading; this blog is for you. I've taught myself how to get the most of my money, how to get things for cheap, and how to save money I would've otherwise spent.

Today, I want to make a list of fun things to do--whether you're a college student, married, or whatever--that cost little to no money. AWESOME.

1. See a movie at the dollar theater. Who wants to spend $8.00-$10.00 on a movie when you can just wait a few weeks and see it for $1.00? Sometimes they even have student discounts, and you can see the movie for less than a dollar!
2. Go on a hike. What could be better than being in the great outdoors and exercising at the same time? Pack some snacks, take your camera, and you're set to have a good time.
3. Get some friends together and do a service project. If you have a good attitude, they can be a lot of fun! Visit people in the hospital, rake someones leaves, tend a child.
4. Tye dye! If you get enough people to do it and split the cost of the kit, it'll be super cheap, and you'll look like a hippie afterwards! Sweet!
5. Play board games. They're fun with lots of people.
6. Play night games! Buy a bunch of glow sticks (I just got a pack of 15 for $1.00 at Target last night!), cut them open and splatter them all over yourself, and play night games to your heart's content!
7. Draw with sidewalk chalk. Outline peoples' bodies, draw pictures of flowers and happiness, even play hopscotch.
8. Volunteer somewhere. A few years ago, I volunteered at the Humanitarian Center and put together survival kits for people in other countries. It was a blast!
9. Go ice blocking. There's nothing like sliding down a big hill with a cold bum.
10. Paint your nails. Eat snacks while you do it. Emily and I like to call this, "Nums and Nails."
11. Go window shopping. Sometimes when I'm itching to buy something, this satisfies the need. Plus, it's fun.
12. Wash your car. Best thing ever! Free car wash, and it usually turns into an awesome water fight.
13. Make a music video with your friends. You'll probably laugh your head off at it a few years down the road, just like Emily and I did.
14. Go on a picnic. This idea is just fantastic. That's that.
15. Fly kites. Whenever I do this, I always end up laughing hysterically.

Those are just a few ideas I've got up my sleeves. When you don't have money to spend, you need to use your creativity. It makes it fun.