"Today this is me. After this past Monday morning I have been free falling. With the uncertainty of steady income, I must be extremely frugal and tight with my current finances. Spring time is my favorite time to shop and bring new treasures into my closet. This Spring however is different. So rather than be sad and boring, I am grateful for all the treasures I already have and I am going to have fun playing dress up with them." ~ J (FB 05-06-15)
After resigning from my job of 10 years, I was just at the beginning stages of starting my own business. I had to be money-conscious and frighteningly frugal. Being a self-proclaimed fashionista, I had to get creative and find a way to stretch my dollars. I became a Frugal Fashionista. Here is one of my tricks for getting killer looks for a fraction of the price.
It is absolutely no secret that I am a HUGE fan of second-hand clothing. See my previous posts: Retro Fabulous and Second Helpings. I enjoy treasure hunting at local thrift shops, the fun hand-me-downs from friends and family, and of course, eBay. If you can't go out or don't have a decent thrift shop in your area, eBay is an excellent place to find second-hand and vintage fashions for less than the cost of double-shot cocktail. Another online shopping option is Poshmark, which I LOVE (I have the mobile app). But we'll talk about that in another post.
Ok, now back to eBay. So here's what I do: I log on and type in my keyword search, e.g., dresses. Then I make the magic happen by narrowing down my the results from your basic categories, such as size, styles and location. Next I have them only show me listings under $1.00. That's right, I am dollar shopping. Once I narrow down the items I like, I'll add them to my watch list. Then, close to when that listing is expected to end, I start my bidding. Sometimes you may get into a bidding war with some unknown far away shopper and other times you truly score. Either way, the amount of money you save is well worth it. And in some cases you're paying more for shipping than the actual item, which to me is still a deal when that skirt is only $0.99. If you don't see anything in that price range, bump it up another dollar or so. Just start low and work your way up. Take your time and most importantly, have fun.
* Pro Tip: Know your size, know your measurements and have a tape measure by you while shopping online. Also, if a listing has the brand or designer stated in their description, research that brand and confirm sizing with their size chart. Not all sizes are created equal. Take into account that laundered item could have shrunk. Pay attention to the descriptions, material content and feel free to ask any questions to the seller. They're there to sell, they'll be happy to answer your questions. This is a MUST when purchasing non-refundable, second-hand apparel. The last thing you want to do is waste your money.
Below are some silly mirror selfies of my 2015 Spring/Summer eBay Shopping Spree Collection: Total Cost $99.64 (All things considered, that is 13 pieces, resulting into an average of $7.67 per piece).
Content by: Agent J
