Havens for the Broke Ass Part 2

Havens for the Broke Ass 

Part 2

When it comes to thrifty shopping, scouring the internet is a great place to find great deals. But in my experience some of the best pieces I ever found actually came from someplace else... Resale/Consignment shops and thrift stores like Goodwill.
Now, I live in L.A., so I understand that this EXACT list will be of use to only a portion of you. BUT FEAR NOT! For they are all chains, and they all have the same rules! So just follow my lead, and I will show you the way of the Broke Ass Shopaholic. ;)

Photo courtesy of goodwill.org

Goodwill

Goodwill is a non-profit organization that accepts donations from the pubic and then sells those items at their independent retail thrift stores across the USA and Canada in order to raise money for charity. 
Now, the reason why I mention Goodwill is because it is the thrift store of all thrift stores! In other words, it is the ultimate dumping ground where one girl's trash can become another girl's treasure... And for CHEAP. I once found an ultra-rare Mulberry for Target, Black Patent Purse that now retails on ebay.com for $150, for $3! 
Now, I'm not saying that you will find something uber-valuable EVERY time you go to someplace like Goodwill. It takes some serious determination and luck to find those rare items. But if you are willing to put in the time and effort, I CAN tell you how you can increase your chances...  

Which brings me to my Rules for Thrift Stores. 
First: Go on the weekend. Even better if you can make it on a Friday. Most people find the time to drop off their unneeded items on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, so that's usually when a lot of Goodwill's inventory for the week comes in. And in my experience, it's best to go on Friday evening, because by then they will have most of it on the floor. And second: Go to thrift stores that are closer to wealthier areas. Often times the wealthier the residents are the more interested they are in just donating whatever it is they don't want than trying to make a profit. Which means more great stuff for us. ;)


If you would like to shop Goodwill too, you can use their locator, HERE.  

Havens for the Broke Ass Part 1

When it comes to thrifty shopping, scouring the internet is a great place to find great deals. But in my experience some of the best pieces I ever found actually came from someplace else... Resale/Consignment shops and thrift stores like Goodwill.

Now, I live in L.A., so I understand that this EXACT list will be of use to only a portion of you. BUT FEAR NOT! For they are all chains, and they all have the same rules! So just follow my lead, and I will show you the way of the Broke Ass Shopaholic. ;)

Crossroads Trading Co.

Photo Courtesy of crossroadstrading.com
First thing's first: Crossroads Trading Company. Crossroads is a resale/consignment shop that specializes in selling new and gently-used clothing, shoes, bags and accessories for women and men. Now the reason why I ADORE them is because they are the best place to find designer clothing for CHEAP. I'm talking pennies here, people. I once bought a pair of like-new Lucky Jeans with a retail price of $130 for $18 bucks! And since they are a resale/consignment shop, they also BUY clothing from you that they think they can sell in the store. And you know what that means: STORE CREDIT. So all of those amazing pieces you just found just got even cheaper. :)
Now,  I've been to 4 different Crossroads in California, (including Berkeley, Santa Cruz, and two in Los Angeles) and I'm going to be honest with you - some are better than others. Which makes sense, because different people from different areas are going to have different clothes, so depending on where you go the items in the store will vary.


Which brings me to My Rule for Resale: if you are looking for a resale/consignment shop that carries more gently used and/or high-end brands, go to a shop that is near either a university campus or a wealthy area of the city. You will have more luck.

If you would like to shop Crossroads too, they have a list of their locations HERE. 

Hope this helps! Stay tuned for Part 2!

H&M

Found some simply SMASHING statement pieces as well as a few low-cost closet staples at H&M!

LuLus.com

LuLus.com has some AMAZING options for the Broke Ass Sopaholic. Check out these stunning goodies I found for around $40 OR LESS!