Around The Corner
Shopping Fine on the Cheap
There is something about second-hand shops and yard sales that draw me. I am sure it is because I grew up during America's Great Depression. Shopping on the cheap proved to be expedient. Now, with the current state of the economy, it seems not only frugal but also necessary.
Purchases from a Neiman-Marcus are not a part of my shopping dreams but I did browse through one once. Boredom engulfed me -- but let me shop at Lina Beth's Fine Consignment Shop in Ocala and I am in my element. When I am in need of an item of clothing or an accessory, I can go there and know that I will find something to fill the bill; something another lady, with more means than I, paid top price for last year, and I can wear the item now for a pittance.
Ten years ago, I really got a bargain. A friend asked me to attend the guest book for her wedding. I needed an appropriate dress. A wonderful find awaited me at a shop that sells items to raise funds for a woman's shelter, the same shop that I gave my unneeded items to. The lovely classic dress cost me $10. I had it dry-cleaned for good measure ($7) even though it looked brand new. On my way home, I checked out the local bridal shop and found a mother-of-the-bride dress exactly like it, same fabric, same color, just slightly different beading for $350. Yes, a bargain!
A caution when shopping on the cheap: do not buy in a hurry. Browse, enjoy and examine the item(s) carefully. Check tags, seams, backs of pictures, under tables, look through books, etc. Haggle the price. Often you can get your treasure for less. Most resale shops and yard sales are final. Yet when you find something that requires a bit of help, like sanding and spray paint, there is a delight in making it look just right.
Most second-time-around items are good stuff. Often people simply get overloaded with too many things and need to thin out. Or they move and find they must get rid of things. They gain or lose weight and need to clean out the closets. Of course, sadly, there are always the estate sales that some families need to resort to in order to sell Great Aunt Bertha's belongings. You will probably find more junk in outlet stores than you'll ever find at a resale shop, yard sale, or estate sale.
With my work as a journalist, I find that I need an assorted wardrobe. If I interview a gentleman farmer, I wear a suit. If I interview a working dairy farmer, I wear blue jeans. Of course, a suit is in order when I interview most business people, and casual slacks and tops are in order when interviewing people in their homes. I try to put my interviewees at ease. That is one of the reasons that I love consignment shops. I can dress with variety for little cash outlay.
Flea markets can be a lot of fun, but beware because some of them have vendors with inferior products, especially if the items are new and not used. I know that some people are wild about them but they usually do not offer the same quality, as do the resale stores.
Even better than my lovely dress-for-a-wedding find is my recent purchase: I have always wanted an armoire, one that looks European, like northern Italy or southern France. I figured I would never be able to afford one. I really got mine by default. After my husband and I downsized to an apartment, I discovered we did not have enough cupboard space. We went to a consignment store advertised for its "fine used furniture." There it sat in a backroom -- a beautiful, affordable armoire -- $225. Like a puppy up for adoption, it seemed to clamor for my attention. It is doubtful that I could find an unappealing put-it-together-yourself cabinet for that price at any discount store. I figured it had my name on it.
Do I love shopping on the cheap? Of course! Especially when I find an item I thought I would never own. I feel like a queen every time I take something out of my armoire -- even though one door sticks a bit. One day, it may be sold again at a resale store or an estate sale, but not by me. §
Betty Kossick has been a freelance writer since 1971. She lives in Ocala and considers herself a poet at heart. She can be contacted at bkwrites4u@cfl.rr.com.
