Thrifty. Frugal. Cheap.

Jan 3 2012
Originally uploaded by thehousewherewelive

If you know us, then you probably are already aware of our thrifty nature. Never ones to purchase items at full retail price, we have spent hours days scouring thrift stores, stopping at rummage sales, and sitting at auctions all in the name of a good deal. A great majority of our home furnishings, clothing (especially the kids’) and entertainment has been previously loved, and we like it that way. There is no worry when something gets ripped, broken or scratched, because we didn’t spend a lot on it to begin with. We also find great pleasure searching for bargains, and although our families are probably tired of all the trinkets and gag gifts that migrate their way on holidays, I don’t anticipate us stopping anytime soon. Which brings me to the point of this post.

In 2012 I’m going to try and document or keep a log of sorts of the items we buy secondhand and the amount we spend. I’m curious to see where we end up at the end of the year, and I’m wondering if I can roughly calculate how much we save versus buying retail. I’m not sure I have the time or energy to go that far – just sayin’ it’d be interesting.

Yesterday was my first trip out. I visited one Goodwill, a home décor consignment store, the ReStore, and a local shop that is near and dear to my heart due to its blanket pricing system. Example: all kids’ clothing size 6x and under is 25 cents per item. Seriously 25 cents! Adult sweaters are $1.00! This has contributed to the 3 garbage bags of felted wool sweaters in my crafty room, but I digress…

Here’s a look at the loot from January 3, 2012. You should be able to scroll over the items and see the cost per store.

Total spent: $21.36