Have you joined the The Frugal Navy Wife on Facebook? Join over 19,000 others, make friends and share deals you find!
Retail shopping, even if you have mastered shopping sales with retailer coupons and clearance, you still have to change your mindset for thrift store shopping.
In my world thrifting is a must. With 2 kids 16 months apart, oh and they are a boy and a girl, we go through kids clothes pretty fast. My daughter is soooo hard on sleepers, busting zippers and poking her toes through the seems at the foot, we go through them fast. My son is, well, a boy and is messy. Then you add in hubby and myself and thrifting at least for clothes is a must. Now lets not forget about all the birthdays (if you have kids in school you have to think of all the parties they will be invited too as well), holidays, graduations and more. If you have growing kids it’s almost certain you will need new winter coats for them each year. Now if you have your retail mind-set you have the pressure to get these things as you need them. We all know added pressure means more money.
With thrifting you have to look at it differently. You buy things as they come up because they won’t be there when you want or need them. Such as that great cast iron Dutch oven for $5, your mom loves cooking and loves her cast iron skillet, can you imagine how much a cast iron dutch oven costs online? Well one just like mine recently sold for $250! Now Imagine shipping on something like that! So I bet paying that $5, 6 months in advance and storing that gift doesn’t seem that bad now huh?
Now my daughter is switching to a ‘big girl bed’ soon. So I start looking A four-poster bed and frame for $9.99. Check! But wait! There’s a separate matching dresser and bedside table for $50. The bed and dresser may not match now, but they would look great in ivory! This set would have cost a few hundred dollars retail. But cost me $59.99 + a can of paint and a few hours work. Not bad huh? (hey ok so the four poster bed is more my dream and not suitable for my toddler coming from a crib but who says I can’t store it till she is ready?! Yeah my hubby said so 
)
Two gorgeous cashmere sweaters, free of moth holes, $2.99 each?? Here’s the kicker a vintage Oscar De la Renta Dress for …. $6!! How much is a vintage Oscar De la Renta Dress? $350 up to $3,000!! Well over at Green Eggs and Ham she got this Emerald Green Vintage Oscar De La Renta Dress for only $6!! Here is the exact same dress for $340!!
So to get started on that change of mindset the best thing you can do is make a list of things you want or need. I keep mine on my phone so I always have it with me. I have a list of what clothes my kids need, things we need for the house, idea themes for each room in the house, and who’s birthdays we have yet to buy for. I suggest you start with the given, birthdays, holidays and big events (graduations ect) to get you started. Also jot down some ideas for those events. You have to keep an open mind but these ideas will give you a starting point.
