Thrifting can create bad habits

[Tammy]

Seriously, I think I have a problem.  I know I have a problem.  Ever since I started the wonderful world of thrifting, the passion has moved into using coupons when I grocery shop.  The get it free or very cheap is such a fun game but it's creating problems.  I always spend and buy more than I wanted to because of the great deals I can find using this coupon or looking in the clearance bin.  Yesterday I wanted to get cat & dog food and a bottle of rootbeer and ended up spending $35.00.  My cabinets are stuffed, I have no room for anything else.  But it's that darn game of couponing and what a 'good deal this is' that gets me every time.  I honestly think I'm going to have to tell my husband what we need and start sitting in the car anymore.   

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Thrifting does rather tap into hoarding mentality. And maybe that ol' primeval hunting and gathering :-) You're not alone!

[MrsGoodwill]

Oh me, oh my. I don't have the same kind of issue you have because there are so few things that I buy that actually have coupons available for them. I tend to buy a lot of naturals and organics. If only I could get some coupons!

Me, I'm a "rescuer". I am not as bad as I used to be, but there was a time when I would buy things that I didn't really want/need just because I *knew* they were good quality. If I saw something vintage, I couldn't pass it by because I felt like it was being "unappreciated" just sitting there in the thrift.

One big clear-out cured me of that problem! I sold some of my hoardings on ebay, but the rest went right back to the thrifts!

Now I won't buy anything unless it's something I really want/need or it's something I am buying for someone else.

[Tammy]

It's great to be thrifty and save money but I'm to the point anymore that I'm buying at the grocery store and wasting money because eventially the same stuff will go back on sale again.  Several years ago our Krogers would have special sale days and double all coupons up to $1.50 & I cleaned up.  I stock piled so well that I didn't have to buy shampoo or deoderant for almost a year or more!   Krogers now will only double a .50 coupon and then you can only use 2 like coupons so the majority of the "fun" has gone out of it.  I'm still trying to play the game but I need to use up all that I've got here first.   

Thrift store wise, I tend to be more careful but even then I find myself turning around and putting some of that same stuff back in a box to take to Goodwill later on. 

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

It's so funny because I JUST wrote about this very thing on my blog over the weekend-- I'm in the process of the kind of clear-out that Mrs. Goodwill was talking about, because I realized that being up to my neck in vintage china was slightly excessive.

You can read the post here if you like-- it's called "Dish and Dish-honesty"--

http://web.mac.com/thriftshopromantic/iWeb/The_Thrift_Shop_Romantic/Dish_honesty.html

[MrsGoodwill]

It's so funny because I JUST wrote about this very thing on my blog over the weekend...

Excellent post! You gave me a good chuckle!

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Cool-- I figure if others can get a chuckle out of my obsessions and neurosis, then it's all good. 

[Cookie]

I think the secret with coupons is waiting until the item is on sale and then using the coupon, too, for a double whammy.  Otherwise, it seems like the store brand of dish soap or whatever will always be cheaper.  I use coupons sometimes if they jump into my hand, but I used to be fanatic about it, too, until I realized I was spending way too much time watching for sales and going to different stores just to save $2.00 when I was wasting my valuable time.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I think the secret with coupons is waiting until the item is on sale and then using the coupon, too, for a double whammy.  Otherwise, it seems like the store brand of dish soap or whatever will always be cheaper.  I use coupons sometimes if they jump into my hand, but I used to be fanatic about it, too, until I realized I was spending way too much time watching for sales and going to different stores just to save $2.00 when I was wasting my valuable time.

My mother was a champion of sales and coupons.  Raising 3 kids in the 70's and 80's I remember she would save coupons and often get items for free.  She would go in on a 1/2 price sale and then drop down a double coupon.  She used to shop at 4 or 5 different stores and only buy sale items at each store.  Mom could do it because she was a housewife and didn't have a job, but doing it now seems almost impossible.

-Jay

[alexandra]

For me, thrifting is entertainment...an a frugal way to get by. Yes, I've become a bit of a hoarder, but I think that's just a small side issue.

The biggest thing, is that I am able to supply myself with all of the clothing and housewares we need, and most of the clothing my husband needs on 20 bucks a week.  That means we spend 1K per year on cookware, most housewares, nearly all of our clothes (plus copious numbers of shoes and purses), gifts (christmas, birthdays, etc.) -- and I get the entertainment factor too.  I don't just spend my 20 at thrifts, as I stock up on soap and other supplies at Big Lots and other discounters.  I *do* hoard soap and other high quality products if they are available at huge savings.

This is all done without using a single credit card.

To me, this all seems to be rather economical... making it a "habit" I can live with.

Thriftily,
Alexandra
www.livingwithoutmoney.blogspot.com

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

It's wonderful, Alexandra, how you have your budget and have found clever ways to really stick to it-- and still have fun and not feel like you're deprived. It's inspirational!

[OldBlueJeanz]

That's great Alexandria, and very similar to my own situation. I can't even imagine all the money I've saved over the years by shopping in thrift stores. When I have to shop in regular stores and see how much retail prices are it scares the heck out of me!  Especially clothing! I just can't bring myself to pay those prices all the time, only if I am looking for something special and can't find it in a thrift store. But chances are I will find what I'm lookng for or a good enough substitute!

So as far as thrifting creating a bad habit of overshopping, in my case I see it as a good habit of overshopping in the right places! My overshopping adds up to only a small fraction of what some others spend who don't thrift shop. I guess if you add it all up it's a good bad habit

[ChrisMiss]

Thrifting has saved us many dollars and I've had so much fun doing it.  Before thrift stores I used to try and find those bargains in clothing for the family.  I loved shopping at certain outlet stores to find a great deal.  I can totally empathize with buying something because it's such a great deal. 

Tammy perhaps if you used Alexandra's technique of limiting yourself to a certain amount of money per week that might help you not to go "crazy" with coupons and sales.  Maybe even putting the money in an envelope, not taking your checkbook or debit card would help you to not overspend on sales.  By limiting yourself to spending only what is in your envelope you'll still have the fun of shopping but will feel that you're more in control of your spending.  I've had to drastically put myself on a budget several times and using the cash in the envelope helps a lot. 

[Cookie]

I am a sucker for the buy-one-get-one-free thing they have in our supermarket all the time.  I only take advantage when it's things I want, but lately they've had Special K and Cheerios and all these cereals buy one get one free that I would normally get anyway, so how can I resist when cereal is up to $4.00 a box?  I've got about 8 boxes on top of the fridge now, and I restrained myself from buying more the other day because I know Good Buddy will have a heart attack if I buy any more boxes...but it won't go to waste, you know?  I WILL eat it all eventually.  Okay, I've already rationalized buying more.  Can you see how quickly that happened?  Must...resist....

[Jay2TheRescue]

I usually buy cereal at Big Lots.  You can usually get Kashi for $1.99 - $2.50/bx there.  I like Kashi because it does not have the really bad stuff like High Fructose Corn Syurp.  I never pay more than $2.50 for a box of cereal unless I treat myself to a box of Count Chocula, but that's really bad because of the corn syurp, so I only buy it 2 or 3 times a year.

-Jay

I am a sucker for the buy-one-get-one-free thing they have in our supermarket all the time.  I only take advantage when it's things I want, but lately they've had Special K and Cheerios and all these cereals buy one get one free that I would normally get anyway, so how can I resist when cereal is up to $4.00 a box?  I've got about 8 boxes on top of the fridge now, and I restrained myself from buying more the other day because I know Good Buddy will have a heart attack if I buy any more boxes...but it won't go to waste, you know?  I WILL eat it all eventually.  Okay, I've already rationalized buying more.  Can you see how quickly that happened?  Must...resist....