Going into debt this Christmas season? If so, you’re in very good company. However, comma, considering the state of the economy, this isn’t the wisest idea we’ve ever had, all going into debt at the same time like this.
Debt, in general, is to be avoided if at all possible, right?
Many of us who are trying to avoid debt, then, will decide to spend only what we can afford, which may not be all that much. That is good and well, but what if we think of something that seems so “perfect” for someone that is out of our range in terms price?
Well, I am not the Queen of Frugal by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know that living on a modest single income is one-part science and two-parts art.
So let’s talk.
Second-Hand Stores and Sales
I have a friend who dresses her children entirely from garage sales, paying about half a dollar per item. This is a great deal, but I personally have neither the time {nor the inclination, truth be told} to designate much time to shopping. Also, if you are going from sale to sale weekend after weekend, you’d need to count the cost of your gas and figure out if you are really saving much.
Every city is different when it comes to second-hand options. So probably the first thing to do, if you don’t know how to shop second-hand, is to find someone in your geographical area who knows the ropes. They will tell you where the best zip codes are for garage sales, which thrift stores are worth visiting {and which never have anything good in them}, and pretty soon you’ll know what you should do.
In our area, we have a twice-per-year gigantic city-wide consignment sale. I have spoken with people who have similar events in their area, such as clothing swaps which were so big that they were held at the local fair grounds! If you have an event like this, learn to use it with forethought. In other words: bring a list. This past year, I bought everything I needed for all of my children for winter at our consignment sale. Because I also consigned, I bought all of their winter clothes (including jackets for those who needed them) for about $40 after profits.
Taking a list of everything you need will help a whole lot. In addition to this, try and think about Christmas, even if the sale is in September. Our local sale had piles of toys and games, and I included on my list what I thought certain children would like for Christmas, just in case. I only found a couple items that fit the bill, but that still meant I spent less on new items at Christmas.
CraigsList
Learning to shop on CraigsList has really been my life saver, though. If you have one in your area, learn to use it! Each search you do on CraigsList generates an RSS feed, which you can then subscribe to using your feed reader, or probably your fancy phone if you have one. This will help you find what you are looking for without spending hours online digging through categories to shop. Recently, we wanted to give a bicycle to one of our daughters for Christmas, because hers had broken beyond repair. I did a search, subscribed to the feed and then…waited. It took three weeks to find what we were looking for in size, shape, color, and price. But we found it! And often these things are very gently used. Things do not have to seem second-hand when they are purchased this way.
This is how we bought our other daughter’s bike last year {with a helmet thrown in for free!}. This is how we bought our son’s Kindle {also for Christmas, so if you see him, keep it a secret}. It’s how we bought my dad a new Christmas tree. It is how I’m currently shopping for an XXL doghouse to serve as shelter for our goats.
This is how we bought our goats. I generated an RSS feed for every single county we were willing to drive to, and then we watched and prayed. It took four months, but we finally have them home.
When it comes to electronics–Kindles, iPods, and so on–CraigsList is going to be a much better bet than most of your other options. They will never make it to the floor at a thrift store–the workers will snap it up first. This is why CraigsList is your friend!
What About You?
Share with us your best tips on shopping second-hand.
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