Shopping on a Budget

If you are anything like me, you probably don't have a whole lot of spare cash. Money is not raining from the sky (oh what a wonderful thought) and I have to watch what I spend! I won't even lie to you... I am pretty cheap when it comes to most things. lol I am very conscious of my money. I like to know what is there and make a plan for how I should spend it! I survive by shopping at places where I know I'll find a deal. If I want something a little more expensive, I must find coupons! lol

When I say budget, I don't mean, "Instead of spending $500 dollars on a dress, I found a similar one for only $120!"... I mean that I shop at Walmart. 

Where do you shop for clothes and accessories?

I love, love, love going to Salvation Army and Goodwill. I also like to shop at local consignment stores! I live in a small city, but we have tons of resale/consignment/thrift/what ever you want to call them shops. Garage sales in the summer here are another great opportunity for some new clothes! On occasions... Walmart is my best friend too. I usually only shop the clearance racks, but you can still save money shopping at good ol' Wally World. I refuse to pay over $25 on any article of clothing (besides shoes). I am not going to pay $50 on a top. There is no way. lol I don't think I've ever spent more than $20 on a pair of jeans... and you know what... they last many years on this booty! I suppose I don't get too invloved in what 'everybody else is wearing' and what is 'hot'. I wear what I like and that's that!

Where do you buy makeup and other beauty products?

Again... Walmart can be my best friend. The beauty section is like 5 aisles... how can you go wrong? They got Revlon, CoverGirl, Maybelline, Wet n Wild, NYC, Burt's Bees, Neutrogena, Bonne Bell, Hard Candy, Essie, Sally Hansen, OPI, L'Oreal, Rimmel, Yes To.... and these are just the ones off the top of my head. So many brands to choose from... one stop shop for me. I can walk around with something from the Deli and choose a new shade of lipstick at the same time.

I don't just shop there though! I will often pay a visit to places like Walgreen's, Meijer, Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Dollar General and Family Dollar. You will be surprised at what you can find in dollar stores! Plus, some "low end" brands you'll find at some of these stores can be great dupes for the higher end brands you will pay a lot more for. At the local Dollar Tree (everything is only $1!) I see lots of e.l.f, LA Colors and Profusion brand products, but I also see Maybelline, Revlon, Milani and more.

What brands (cheaper) of makeup do you use?

I often find myself using brands like e.l.f., Profusion, LA Colors, Wet n Wild and Milani. All fairly cheap brands. They all have some really great products that I love and sometimes they miss the mark. All brands are like that though! Of all the brands I have used over the years, Wet n Wild is probably my favorite. I think they have some great quality stuff for awesome prices. You also shouldn't have to go too far to get your hands on it. :)

How do you shop for books and other random stuff?

I often check on sites like Ebay, Amazon and Listia when I am looking for certain book or other random things. I sometimes like to shop around locally and try to scope out the best deals, then go online and see if I can do better! Also, as I have mentioned above, I love to go thrift shopping and stop at garage sales.

Cheap grocery shopping? *.*

My mom finds the best deals at the farmers market in the summer. I see your basic fruits and veggies (corn, tomatoes, peppers, cherries, apples, squash) and other things like herbs, honey, pies, and jelly! You might even see somebody selling cookies or cupcakes. They got it all. lol Check to see if you have a local farmers market in your area!

Well, I hope some of this has helped you think a little about how you can save a little cash when shopping for yourself! Don't forget to check out your local dollar store! ;-P