How to be Rich* (Part II)

*Rich: having enough money to buy things that you need and some things that you want

Finally! Some things that I really love talking about! In my last post about "being rich," I talked about some ways to save money. In this post, I will be focusing on how to spend less money when you do need to spend.

Shop at thrift stores.
I'm gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket... oops, sorry! Okay, seriously. Thrift stores are my very favorite places to shop! Whether it be Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or privately-owned shops, you can find treasures there for next to nothing. As I look around my living room, I can see  13 things that have come from thrift stores. It's kind of addicting. I plan on doing a post later about my favorite finds!

Shop at yard/garage sales.
Yard sales are great in that people typically want to get rid of everything that they have set aside to sell, so they're willing to make deals. It takes a bit of practice to know what kinds of yard sales are worth your time, but it is so much fun once you figure it out! Every Thursday evening, I get something that I call "the yard sale itch." I get on Craigslist and look for garage sales in my area and map out my Saturday morning. It may sound crazy, but... well, okay. Maybe it is crazy.

Learn how to navigate Craigslist.
Like thrift stores and yard/garage sales, Craigslist is full of junk and a few treasures. If you know what you're looking for, and know how to use the "Search" feature (which is basically the easiest thing in the world), you're all set! We have purchased several things from Craigslist, including our refrigerator (for $60)!

Know when to invest.
At my previous job, I was on my feet for literally 8 hours every day. I was walking, dancing, skipping... you know, kid stuff. And it wore my shoes out in 2 weeks flat. I went to Dots and bought a pair of cheap canvas shoes, and they lasted 2 weeks. I went to Walmart and bought a pair of cheap flats, and they lasted 2 weeks. Then, I decided to stop buying "cheap" shoes and went to Payless. (Have I mentioned that I loathe spending money?) I bought a pair of DexFlex flats and they lasted me 4 MONTHS and are still in good shape (although they have certainly had better-smelling days). Had I "splurged" and bought them from the start, I would have saved about $25.

So there you have it! Some of these are painfully obvious, but some are not-so-much. I hope that you enjoyed reading!