Ms. Frugality

I think it’s fair to say that this economic “crunch” or whatever you want to call it has made an impact in most everyone’s lives.

Two weekends ago, I stood in Pier 1 with two really great Asian sconce things and because they were on clearance ($8 from $36), I walked back and forth across the store debating whether to make the purchase. Did I need sconces? Did I love them because of the price or because I really just loved them? Would they make my life more fulfilling on my wall? Where would I even put them? So, as usually happens when I make Pier 1 visits these days, I walked out empty-handed. As I thought about it that evening, I was happy that I put them away and didn’t buy them. I later used the $16 I would have spent for some really cute flipflops (gold) that will go with anything because my two pairs are over 6 years old. Oh, and they’re Havaianas and have a supercute peacock design on the bottom. Score!

The other day my colleague said to me as I walked in, “Wait, I have to see what you’re wearing today. I never know what to expect these days.” That’s because I’ve taken to “shopping my closet”… dragging out items from past seasons and working them in with my normal clothes. This morning I put on a shirt that I originally thought might be inappropriate for work, added a higher cut camisole, and a little sweater on top and TADA --- new outfit! Plus I went through my old jewelry and took an old charm to put on my necklace instead of my usual. Love it! It does take me an extra 7 minutes to get dressed in the morning, but it’s worth it. I’ve resisted buying new clothes at Kohl’s and don’t plan on adding anything new to my wardrobe for the rest of the summer. (Once everything is on clearance in September, I might need to stock up for next summer, though.)

I also applied this to decorating my apartment over the weekend. I got out some old frames, went through old photos, and added a little pizzazz to the walls. I also found a photo coaster set I got for Christmas and added ticket stubs from our journey around the world instead of photos. They are great and it didn’t cost me a dime! I still think about those cute Pier1 sconces, but I don’t even know where I’d put them at this point…

It’s nice to feel in control of my spending and by the way, if you *do* want to spend some cash on a cute gift, hit up Ten Thousand Villages. Seriously. Their stuff is awesome and it truly is for a great cause. 80% of the artisans who make the products displayed in the stores are women. And everything is very high quality and unique. Just a little plug.