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Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

Top 10 Favorite Purchase of 2020

December 31, 2020 by Katie Haller

Top 10 purchases of 2020
*This post contains affiliate links, which means by making a purchase through a link I will earn a commission for this blog.  Thank you for your support!

At the end of each year, I love to do a round-up blog post sharing my favorite purchases from the year.  It’s fun to look back on what I bought and evaluate my shopping.  I’m always trying to stay true to myself and this blog by keeping my shopping habit on a budget.  My goal is to never buy anything over $50 unless it’s the occasional splurge.

This year I tried something new.  I kept a record of everything I bought for myself in the notes on my phone.  I only included clothes, shoes, and accessories. I left out makeup and skincare because let’s just say I consider those to be necessities 😉.  I just wanted to have a record to see how much money I was actually spending on my wardrobe, where the money I was spending was coming from and I also wanted to see what stores I was shopping at the most.

Here is what I found out:

  • I spent an average of $70 on clothes and accessories per month.
  • I spent $0 on clothes and accessories for myself during the months of April and May (mostly because it was during the stay home order and I was super pregnant.)
  • I spent the most money in the months of January, June, and September.
  • The stores I shopped at the most were Goodwill, Old Navy, Target, Walmart, H&M, ThredUP, Aerie/American Eagle, Amazon, and Poshmark.

Why I record my shopping

I wanted to record my shopping this year to take a closer look at what I spend my money on.  I try to make thoughtful purchases when I shop.  I want to love every piece that’s in my wardrobe and avoid making those impulse buys that I later regret.  I’m always trying to be a smarter shopper.  When I first started this blog, I was all about finding the lowest prices.  I often would sacrifice buying what I really wanted over price.  I’m still always shopping for a deal, but it’s becoming less about the money and more about making each purchase meaningful.  Instead of having a closet full of trendy pieces and colors I rarely wear, I prefer to buy clothes and accessories that can be worn over and over again in new ways.  By recording each purchase, it helps me look back and evaluate what I should continue doing with my shopping habits and where I need to make changes to become a smarter shopper.

My top 10

It was hard to choose only 10 items to share as my top 10 purchase.  That’s like asking me to pick which one of my children I like better.  Just kidding, but it was still a tough call. I wanted to do 20 for 2020, but that seemed like a lot.  Here is what I narrowed it down to.  I tried to keep a variety of both summer and winter buys.
Winter coat #wintercoat

 1.) Winter Coat– Gap Factory

I bought this coat (HERE) with some of my Christmas money last year.  It was a good practical buy for my first winter back in Michigan. I got a lot of use out of it, even though I outgrew it with my belly by spring, I still was able to wear this coat throughout the winter months and I will continue to get use out of it for many years to come. I love the warm sherpa lining inside it and the fur hood easily comes off for when you want to wash it.  It’s a great everyday winter coat!

snakeskin booties #snakeskinbooties

2.)  Snake Skin Booties (similar) – Meijer

These snakeskin booties were a clearance find last February while I was doing my grocery shopping at Meijer.  I needed something to help pop my winter wardrobe last year and these booties were perfect.  I even wrote a blog post sharing some ways you can wear them on a winter date night (HERE).

Favorite leopard slip on sneakers #leopardshoes

3.)  Leopard Slip-on sneakers (similar, similar, similar) – Walmart

My love for leopard shoes runs deep, so of course, I fell in love with this slip-on pair of sneakers, and sadly they are out of stock 😢.  Walmart surprisingly has some of the most comfortable shoes.  I wore these so much while I was pregnant this year because tying my shoes became too much of a hassle.

Black button-front romper #romper

4.) Black Button-Front Romper– Amazon

This button-front romper from Amazon was one of my most worn items in my closet this summer.  It was the perfect postpartum summer outfit.  The buttons made it great for nursing and it was so comfortable.  I can’t wait to wear it again this summer.

Thrifted pair of Madewell jeans #thrifted

5.) Madewell Jeans– Style Encore

These jeans were a second-hand find at a local second-hand store.  I had wanted a pair of Madewell jeans for a while, but I wasn’t a fan of their price tag.  I found these ones for around $15.  They fit great and have a classic look to them.  I know they will be a good pair of jeans to have in my wardrobe for years to come.

Button-fly black jeans #blackjeans

 6.) Button-Fly Black Jeans- Abercrombie

I love Abercrombie jeans and this pair (HERE) is so good.  I’ve been wearing them all the time.  I love the cropped look with the raw hem and I absolutely love the button fly.
Neutral color sweater #sweater

7.) Sweater- Old Navy

As always, Old Navy comes in for the win on this one!  I love this sweater.  It’s so good that I might have to get it in one more color.  It’s so cozy.  Since I spend most of my days at home, I always feel a little more put together with my leggings when I have this cute sweater on.
Over the knee brown boots #overthekneeboots

8.) Over the knee boots- Target

If you follow me on Instagram, you know how much I love this pair of boots (HERE).  They are so comfy and stylish.  They just go with everything.  I wasn’t sure how I would feel about these boots at first, but I instantly fell in love with them.  The heel is lower, which makes it more practical for my everyday mom life.
Faux leather leggings #fauxleather #leggings

9.) Faux Leather Leggings– Aerie

I heard all the hype about Spanx faux leather leggings this year and don’t get me wrong, I’d love a pair, but I don’t love the price tag.  That’s why I was thrilled when I found this pair of leggings at Aerie (HERE).  They are definitely a quality pair of leggings and I like the price much better.  You can see some styling ideas for them in my post (HERE).
Cozy turtleneck sweatshirt #cozy

10.) Turtleneck Sweatshirt- Aerie

This sweatshirt was a cyber week buy and I love it.  It’s so cozy and warm.  The perfect piece to help me get through this long winter ahead.
There you have it.  Those are my top 10 favorite purchases of 2020.  I don’t have any plans to make any changes in my shopping habits in 2021.  I want to continue to shop smart and buy affordable clothes that are versatile and easy to wear.  I will continue to keep track of my purchases.  It will be fun to compare them next year.
 I hope everyone has a wonderful 2021! Happy shopping to you all!

Katie🤍

Don’t forget to pin the post!

Favorite purchases of 2020

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Filed in: Affordable Fashion, Shopping • by Katie Haller • 1 Comment

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  1. My Winter Wardrobe Wishlist - Thrifty Wife Happy Life says:
    October 13, 2022 at 6:46 am

    […] that I was really loving the new clothes that I was bringing into my wardrobe. (Related post: HERE!) I started to keep my clothes longer. I stopped settling for the clearance items that were the […]

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Hi I'm Katie! Welcome to my blog! I am on a mission to help women build a wardrobe that they love without spending a lot of money doing it. I believe that everyone has the right to feel good in their outfit, no matter what your budget is! I am excited to have you here!
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