This will be a news flash: I don't hate the mall. It's not my go to place to shop, but sometimes......nothing beats a mall trip.
Where can a girl get her ears pierced for the first time? The mall. Want an Auntie Ann's Pretzel? Mall trip! Looking for a new fragrance? Hit the counter at.....the mall. Need Spanx for your high school reunion? MALL.
When you're talking about shopping at the mall versus a thrift store, be specific and honest about what you need. After so many years of successfully thrifting just about anything you can get at the mall, there are very few instances that warrant a legitimate mall trip. Here are some reasons I'VE ventured out of my thrift store comfort zone........
My wedding set came from Zales. My husband bought the lifetime warranty that required me to have the set checked out every 6 months. This was fine until the store closed. Now, unless I want a road trip to Heath, I'm stuck.
Christmas was coming, and Claire wanted to ask for a certain perfume. We hit the fancy department store fragrance counter for a lovely session of 'spray and sniff.' An added bonus: sticking our noses in the coffee beans between sprays.
Claire loves TOMS. Unless I want to pay the extra $$$ in shipping fees, Journeys at the mall has a fabulous selection. Of course, I need to plan ahead. Deciding only a week before that I'd like to get Claire the red canvas TOMS as a gift for being in the school musical and then paying the ensuing rush shipping is NOT good for the budget.
When Brendan was starting the career center as a high school junior, he was leaving behind school uniforms. I knew he'd really love to have a wardrobe of concert tees, so every week we hit Hot Topic for a shirt. Of course, had I planned ahead (AGAIN) I might have assembled a satisfactory selection if I'd hit the thrift store months before. Nevertheless, a $20 shirt a week didn't break us, and we DID get to have a nice lunch at the food court. Plus, I don't believe I've EVER seen a Killswitch Engage shirt at Goodwill.
When Michael and I need a new appliance, we do a lot of online research. We also visit the Sears' 'scratch and dent' area. We got our lovely stove this way. Sometimes Sears' pricing and value is the best. Sometimes not, as we got our new washer at H.H. Gregg.
Got an Apple product? There's a reason to go, if you need the expert help from their Genius Bar for your Ipod or Mac.
I'd say underwear, but we all know you can get lovely panties and bras at Kohl's or Target.
Now, let's dissect these visits. You can get a nice wedding ring at a pawn shop. I've seen 'new in package' high end perfume at the thrift store. Same for concert tees and TOMS. I've bought brand new Victoria's Secret bras at Goodwill. Brand. New. I've also seen brand new stoves and even a whirlpool bathtub.
IF someone asks for something specific that can only be had from the mall, there's a legitimate reason to go. IF not, for a wedding or baby gift, why not a gift card? EVERYONE loves a gift card, and you can cheap out on your gas purchases, too.
Planning ahead is one of the earmarks of successful thrift store shopping. IF you buy something second hand you end up not needing, what are you out? $5? You can donate it and claim in on your taxes.
Then again, I'm always up for sharing a plate of orange chicken with Claire, at the Chinese place in the food court.
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