Forget Retail! Save Hundreds in Clothing Purchases!

Once I discovered alternative ways in finding quality clothing for myself and my family, I often marvel at retail clothing stores and the people who shop there. This is not an attempt to humiliate or depreciate any person who shops or works or owns a retail clothing store. I, too, at one time relied exclusively on retail to buy new clothes.

Then money became more and more scarce. And I stopped buying clothes so my growing family could continue to buy clothes. And then my clothes got holes and faded and ripped from over-use and I realized I HAD to buy some newer clothes.

Now for years, I had known about stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army, but it never occurred to me that I would ever actually have to be a patron of these stores. You see, I was prideful. And I think that's the point. Sure, I rationalized it in my head, saying, Well, you need to be below a certain income level to be allowed to shop in those stores. No. It was pride all along.

So now there I was, pretending to be a professional in a semi-professional work setting with clothes 8, 9, 10 years old, some of them literally falling off my back. So I sucked it up, left my pride at the door and went into my local Goodwill.

I was shocked and amazed! I was expecting some sort of high-end garage sale, but I saw organization and departments and some really good deals. In where I was looking, Men's shirts, I saw brands like Eddie Bauer, Van Heusen, and the like going for $3 a shirt. Originally, I'm sure they were $30 or $40 or more. Do you see what I'm talking about now? And, on more than one occassion, I have found some really nice shirts not only in my size but BRAND NEW! I knew this because some stores put a large size sticker that runs along the length of pants or a shirt, and the garment didn't have that "worn look."

Our local Salvation Army store is about 5 times the size of our Goodwill. The prices are higher, but the selection is obviously bigger and better. Not only are there clothes, but they had shoes, dishes, furniture, toys, dresses, hats, you name it. And if you have clothes and stuff you want to get rid of and don't want to go through the hassle of having a garage sale, give it to Goodwill! They'll take most anything! They give you a receipt for the re-sellable value of the items and you can use that as a charitable write-off on your taxes. This is a win-win, folks!

I could go on and on about the value of these stores. If you have kids, please, for heaven's sake, don't buy new!!! Your kids will outgrow their clothes in 6 months, if not sooner! Why pay hundreds of dollars on expendable clothes? Goodwill and Salvation Army have plenty of kids' clothes too. And infant clothes. And shoes. Need I say more?

So, SUCK IT UP! No one can control where and how much you spend your money but you! Leave your pride at the door and get some great deals at your local second hand shop. Tell me about your best deal from Goodwill.