Shopping on a Low Fat Budget

I should probably preface by saying —I’m not one of those people who see a $500 dress then find it marked down to $100.00 and get excited.  Somehow that just doesn’t sound like a deal to me.  When I do make a purchase of $100.00 or more on a single item, please know that I have thought long and hard about it, that was no impulse buy. Just ask my best friend, Erin Almond, I usually mull over my big ticket purchases with her for a full year before I actually commit. Like my Tory Burch flats or my Stella and Dot necklace! I have serious committment issues. Which is also why I am not a couponer—it takes too much work to get those kind of savings. I don’t want it that bad.

The truth of the matter is that I love to shop but I don’t like seeing money leave my bank account.  I have spent my adult life working for various non profit organizations (that don’t pay all that well) while being an independent filmmaker.  That means any extra money I have usually goes into my art. Struggles of the Film Fatale! But that doesn’t stop me from partaking in retail therapy.  Trust me, there are ways for us on skinny budgets to get quality items.  Can we say T.J. Maxx and  Nordstrom Rack?

Like seriously—I don’t understand why anyone would pay full price for anything with these two stores around. It’s like someone offering you calorie free fat free ice cream with all the flavor and you purposely choose the fatty calorific version.  You aren’t trying to live in the best of both worlds! Or you have a ridiculously high metabolism and you don’t have to give damns about what you eat—which is really nice and now I’m jealous.

Nordstrom Rack’s extended size shoe collection is everything! Seriously ladies if you were a size 10 or higher—go right now to Nordstrom Rack, you will thank me!

I go to TJ Maxx like some people go to Target. I get my purses, kitchenware, linen and basically everything from T.J.Maxx. AND they have a layaway plan—the only place in the world I use it.  This helps me avoid impulse buys.  If I see an item that I want and didn’t budget for but I feel strongly that the world may end if I don’t buy it, then I put it on layaway (a $5.00 fee plus 10% of the total purchase) and allow myself to budget for it in the next 30 days. I call it controlled impuse shopping.

If you like to to shop you can’t afford to NOT check out these two places…my secret weapons. Where do you shop for great items. Leave a comment to let me know!