JFF: Are You Thrift, Tightwad or Cheap When You Shop? Yes/No?

I hate to shop, so I only do it when I have to have something - like food.
There are certain things for which I am brand loyal, and will go without if I can't get the brand I want. Other things, I buy the cherapest I can find.

As for clothes, some of the items haniging in my closet, I bought when I was in high school and still wear them (I'm 47). When I absolutley have to have clothing, I go to the thrift store. I refuse to pay retail for it.

If its for me I am the cheapest of the cheap but if I am shopping for my daughter or my husband I am pretty generous

For what it's worth, I discovered thrift stores when my first baby was born. I realized with amazement that babies and children grow out of many of their clothes faster than they can wear them out, and I was able to buy better quality clothes second-hand than new clothes first-hand, given the budget I had. (We happen to have excellent second-hand stores where I live.)

I also discovered that a child's outfit in good condition that you buy second-hand looks like a new outfit that has been worn five or six times. How often do children wear their clothes? We're probably talking about a month's wear, at most, for the high-priced clothing to look used!

Now I have grandchildren, and they're all fine about wearing hand-me-downs... so on their birthdays and at Christmas, I like to give them an outfit that nobody else has ever worn, because that's a real treat. But I still look for a good sale on it.

I don't do the coupon thing, because coupons say, "Buy THIS!" when maybe THIS is not the best thing. But if you can find the coupons for what you really need, do it!

Poor quality is never a bargain.

My bags are second-hand, too, but I discovered that I like leather bags so much I'm willing to use them practically forever. Years and years ago I found a Coach bag with a damaged clasp for $20, sent it to the Coach people (who fixed the clasp for free), and still have the bag.

I understand what you're saying about your own clothes. The only thing I consistently spend big money on for myself is good running shoes (and socks to go with them). I love to look in the stores but... there's just no way. I try to keep aware of changes in style and do the best I can, but I'll never be "second-glanced" for any complimentary reason. Oh well. I'd LOVE to look artsy, though!

I'm a thrift store shopper. You could do a whole artsy warbdrobe for $40 at a thrift store. That's where you find the cool, one of a kind pieces from every decade and style all in one place. It's like treasure hunting. ANd great brand names. Last week I bought my 19 yr old daughter a Mohair Sweater from Express, a belted silk robe from Victorias Secret, and 2 pretty party dresses. I got myself a terry cloth bath robe, a very nice pair of jeans that fit just right, and Haloween costumes for both my kids. Total cost $15.00 at a charitable thrift store, so I know the money is going to a great cause. It's recycling, it's charitable, it's affordable, and it's fun!

Put kids and hubby way before I put myself...and I'm cheap, thrifty, and always looking for a good deal... It's hard for me to pass up a bargain even if I don't need it at that time. If I could use it, and get if for a $1.00, I buy it... I live check to check each month, so I don't splurge too often, and what I mean by splurge most people don't think twice about it... I've worn the same shoes to work for a whole year until they fell apart on me.

I hardly buy clothes for myself, usually my sister still gives me her hand-me downs (or some friend of hers will give her clothes that don't fit her so she gives to me) or for holidays, b-day or christmas is the only time I really get new clothes.

My younger sister gives me her son's hand-me downs, I give her my older son's hand-me downs... My daughter is pretty lucky because she doesn't have someone to trade with, so she gets it new most of the time...

I love shoes, not like some women, but I have a hard time paying more than $15 for one, I usually buy them on sale for less than $10, and every once in awhile I put my foot in a $20 pair, which feels so great on my feet, but talk myself out of it, that I'm spending too much on myself... I can imagine ever paying $50+ on a pair of shoes, which my mom and daughter finds to odd...

Last year after Christmas, like maybe around the 30th, my sister and I were having a hay-day with all the sales we were getting... wishing we would just celebrate after the fact. I think we get more excited about getting a good deal, than the item itself.

I'm not a hoarder either...

I'm definitely thrifty!!! Especially with kids clothes - I have found that my kids do well with any shoe brand (ie: they do not fall apart) so I do often get shoes from Payless, Target and then my mom will buy them some from Stride Rite. I love the sales at Gymboree and Children's place, but even then it's not 'cheap'. I shop online sales a lot and get diapers/wipes from Amazon so I get them on sale. Food is bought in accordance with our meal planning but if something is on sale, I will buy that and substitute that for something else. I will buy something for a few pennies cheaper if I can't tell the difference in taste (pasta, chips, soda). As for myself, I don't buy a lot of stuff, but when I do, it's from my 'saved' weekly money. That way I don't feel like I'm affecting our budget. We usually eat out 1x a month as a family in a nicer restaurant but then 2-3 times a month at the fast food (bring home). I do not spend hardly any money on purses or anything name brand, although I do like clothing that lasts and found that Lerner New York and JC Penny brands have worked well for me. I definitely splurge on my kids for toys for birthdays and CHristmas and also for hubby for his birthday and Christmas.

Yes, I am like you. I always hit the clearance racks first. We are on Kohl's email list and are constantly getting 20% off weekends and we usually try and wait to hit those. If the shirt or jeans are more than 20 bucks, chances are they aren't coming home with us. The only exception I make on this is shoes. Mind you I have maybe four pairs of shoes total, but I usually try to spend a little more for a better quality tennis shoe for everyone. If my feet are miserable then so am I.

I think of myself as a thrift. I'm not so cheap that I waste hours trying to save money (because my time is worth something) and quality is definitely better than quantity. I'm not a tightwad in that I'll buy something when needed instead of waiting until its cheaper.

I've always bought used as much as possible just because we try to re-use, recycle as much as possible. Even though some things can be purchased brand new for less than used, I still might buy used.

I tried the coupon thing and didn't find it worked for us, mostly because we eat organically and a lot of gluten-free, all of which I could never find coupons.

My weakness used to be shoes, all kinds - but now I go for comfort, more function than fashion :)

I go to a salon twice/year for my hair, once/year for my eyebrows and dye my own hair. I've had 3-4 pedicures in the last 4 years. I definitely don't pamper myself as much as I should. I only buy clothes out of necessity, like when my exercise pants had holes in them and needed replaced.

I'm a bargin shopper. I seldom get what I pay for. Most of the time I get a quarter to do the work of a dollar. Ocassionally I get a dime to do the work of a dollar.

I shop the sales all the time. The last time I paid full price for anything was when I paid my fees for my car tags.

Good luck to you and yours.

I don't do a lot of couponing because I always forget them, but I compare prices all the time, buy clothes out of season, shop sales, etc. When Children's Place has their $1.99 sale, I look for DD's clothes one size up.

I find that I like a lot of things from Target and Kohl's, but that's my taste and may not be yours. You might also find fun pieces at consignment or thrift stores that don't break the budget. You might like zulily.com, too.

I am extremely thrifty and proud of it. I, too, can't justify big name brands for myself or my daughter. I live for coupons, especially the Macy's $10 off when you spend $30 or more, and of course Baby's R Us, 20 percent off deals. I'm getting into Target clothes lately for DD and a little for me. Since I've been laid off I don't find it a necessity to buy for myself, though it does help me feel better to dress up now and then. Even before DD, I was always thrifty. I wonder if I'd buy more clothes if I went out more but for now..more caching for that college education :-)

My husband is thrifty and looks for sales and uses coupons. I'm thrifty and I don't like to shop much. So we really keep each other in check. I do shop at thrift stores, but I don't usually find clothes I like. I'd rather spend $3 for a new tshirt and $9 for new knit pants at Walmart, than $5 for a used shirt and $7 for used jeans at the thrift store. For our son, we like buying things online in several sizes, but I wouldn't want to buy expensive brands. He's very h*** o* his clothes. I know how to hem pants and patch holes to make them last longer.
I never want to go to Kohl's because my husband and son go in opposite directions and then I spend the whole time looking for them instead of getting to shop. Last time my husband had a coupon, he took our son out to another store for a few minutes so I could shop, and I did buy a tshirt and capris. It took me 3 weeks to remember that the bag was still in the car, which probably means I didn't really need to buy them.

I'm a mixture.I love a good sale, and buy what we need at the best price I can find. But, I don't coupon, and I don't go from store to store finding the best deals. However, if, for example, Land's End is having a good sale at Sears, I will buy hundreds of dollars of wardrobes for my children if needed. I love saving off of full retail price. Most of our married life we haven't had to really look at the budget much. We pretty much have been able to buy what we want when we want it. However, I still hesitate when it comes to buying extras for me. I do love to buy stuff for the house though. And, now my husband has taken a different direction with his career (choice, not because he had to), we have to watch it a little closer than we've ever had to. It's hard to adjust. My worst expenditure is the food budget!

I never pay full price for ANYTHING! But I do like nice things, I don't buy cheap, crappy stuff that is only going to last a minute just because its on sale. I don't use coupons at all, they completely stress me out. But I do buy all my groceries when they are on sale, clearance or managers special. So I pay very little for groceries. I do like going to thrift stores but only buy things there that are practically new and usually not clothes. I buy all of our clothes on the clearance racks and NEVER look at the full price racks at all. I also load up on end of season clearance sales. In fact, yesterday at Bealls Outlet I got a pair of New Balance tennis shoes that were $35 marked down to $20. I actually felt *bad* for spending that much because at other times I have found even better deals! LOL!!! =)