Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

Shopping Finds- Thrift Shopping for Baby

by Katie Haller

If you follow my blog, you know how much I love to a thrift shop, so I’m sure it’s no surprise that I love to thrift shop for my baby too.  Baby clothes can be so expensive at times.  I hate to spend a lot of money on baby clothes because they grow out of them so quickly, plus they get their clothes so messy, that’s why a thrift store is a perfect place to buy clothes for my little guy. 
I am grateful that our family members and friends have kept Jack clothed for so long.  I have so many cute outfits for him that we got as gifts, but he’s quickly growing out of many of his clothes, plus the weather is slowly getting cooler, so it’s time to start shopping for the winter.  One nice thing about having a boy is that they are so low maintenance, even as babies.  All they need are some onesies, some pants and a jacket of some sort.

Last Friday, I went to my favorite thrift store, Savers.  They tend to have a very small boy selection, so when I find cute things, I buy a lot.  It was Nevada Day on the day I was there, so all the clothes were 30% off, plus I bought 2 yellow tag items that were 50% off.  I ended up buying him 3 pairs of pants, a button down shirt and a fleece jacket all for under $10.  That’s not bad considering I already know that my little guy will only wear them for 3 months, then it will be back to summer clothes again.  That’s okay, because I will just have another excuse to do some more thrift store shopping.

Shopping Finds- Target

by Katie Haller

There is nothing that makes me more excited than saving money on new clothes.  I love to stretch my dollar as far as I possibly can.  That’s what I did this weekend at Target. 
Sometimes shopping the clearance section can be so hit or miss.  Target usually has a great clearance section, but you have to go at the right time to get really good deals.  I find that the end of the summer and early fall are perfect for finding clearance deals.  It’s easy to take summer clothes and style them into the fall and winter. 

 I had some Target coupons sent to me in the mail last week, so I was excited to use them.  I had a coupon for $5 off $25, so I knew I was going to try to get as much as I could for $25.  I was still on the hunt for a few more pieces from my fall wish list.  I ended up buying 5 new pieces of clothes and only spending $18.86 after tax!  I actually surprised myself, because I didn’t realize that I could use my Cartwheel app, with a coupon, on top of the clearance price. 

I ended up buying 3 new tops; one striped tank top (here) and 2 t-shirts; one striped and one green (here).  I also bought a simple grey dress (here) and a scarf (similar here and here).  Here are my dressing room pictures of the tops I bought.  (Don’t mind my little shopping buddy in the background.  He was busy trying to get the hangers.)

I can’t wait to style my new clearance pieces for the fall months! 
 Happy shopping everyone! 

Shopping Find From my Fall Wish List

by Katie Haller

This past week, I posted my fall wish list.  This weekend I was able to knock a few items off my list.  I love Labor Day weekend because there are great sales everywhere, plus I start to get really excited about all the fall clothes.  I was able to put together a cute fall look for under $70.

On my fall wish list, I had said I wanted a t-shirt dress and an olive green t-shirt.  I ended up combining the two and buying this olive green t-shirt dress (similar) at H&M for $12.99.  H&M has such great everyday prices on their basic clothing items and accessories.  It’s currently one of my favorite stores to shop at.  I also found a new cardigan while I was there (exact) for $12.99.  The cardigan wasn’t on my list, but I can’t resist a new cardigan for fall.  This one is great because it’s nice and lightweight.  I bought a similar one like it last fall, so I knew I would be happy with my purchase.  
After I left the mall, I was on a hunt for ankle boots.  I’ve been wanting a pair for a long time.  I had a $30 budget for my boots.  I looked at DSW and Nordstrom Rack and even though they had some awesome sales, I just couldn’t find boots under $50.  Then I remembered that I had never been to Burlington Coat Factory.  I had always heard that they have great prices, so I decided to check it out.  I was in luck because they had a great selection of ankle boots all under $30.  I found these suede ankle boots (similar) for $27.99.  They are exactly what I was looking for, plus they are super comfortable!
I also found a new pendant necklace that I had on my fall list.  This one below was on clearance for $3.99 and it caught my eye.  I don’t have any like it in my jewelry collection and I thought that it would complete my new fall outfit.

Here is my new outfit for fall altogether.
 Now I can’t wait for the cooler temperatures.  I know it’s right around the corner.  Look for more fall looks coming soon! 

Shopping Finds- Target Clearance

by Katie Haller

I’ve been feeling the itch to go shopping lately.  It’s not easy to casually shop the way I use to with a baby.  In the past, I was able to stop at a store by myself and casually scan the racks for deals.  Now, I have to plan out my shopping a little more.  That’s why this week when I got a notification on my phone that my Target Cartwheel app had 20% off all clearance items in appeal, shoes, and accessories, I thought today would be a good day to check it out on a family trip to Target. 
Here are my finds. 
I thought this navy top (exact) was really cute.  I like the embroidered detail at the bottom.  It was $8.48 before 20% off. 
I’m still debating on whether I will keep this teal swing tank top (exact).  I like it, but I might have to try it on a few more times to figure out how I would like to style it.   I figured I could wear it with shorts.  It was only $5.48. 
Of course, I never can resist buying anything striped.  I love these t-shirts (exact).  I already have one in tan, so I knew I’d like this top.  You can’t beat $5.
These striped flats (exact) were only $8.48.  I have to wear closed-toe shoes to work, so I thought these would be perfect to pair with some of my work clothes.
With the discount, I spent under $25 for 4 items.  I was happy that I was able to stick to my $30 spending limit for all shopping trips.  Today is the last day to get 20% off of clearance.  Sorry, I waited until the last day to shop and share, but there are always lots of great deals to look for in the future at Target.  If you don’t have the Target Cartwheel app already, I suggest you download it to help you get those extra Target savings.

Must Have Spring Basics

by Katie Haller

When putting together an affordable wardrobe, it’s always a good idea to stick with the basics and just build off of that.  I like to accessorize and mix and match my clothes to get the most use out of them.  In the spring, I have a few favorite pieces that I like to wear to add a little spring to my everyday looks.  


Today I want to share some of my spring essentials wardrobe pieces that I couldn’t live without. 
  1. Blazers- I love to layer and blazers are perfect for layering in the spring.  They make the perfect lightweight jacket.  I love how putting on a blazer can ready dress up a simple outfit and make it look polished.  My favorite blazers that I have bought are from  the LC Lauren Conrad collection at Kohl’s.  I like to buy them on sale with a coupon or look for acute one on clearance. 
  2. Colorful Statement Necklaces- If you follow my blog, you know I love colorful statement necklaces.  I think that they are the perfect way to make a simple look pop with a little color.  My favorite place to buy accessories like this is Charming Charlie.
  3. Denim Jackets- My denim jacket is my favorite right now and it’s perfect for layering in the spring with almost any outfit.  I found mine a couple summers ago for a steal (read about it here), but denim is pretty popular, so it’s easy to find a cute jean jacket.  Just keep your eyes open for great deals. 
  4. Maxi Skirts- Long skirts are great in the spring.  I like how comfortable they are.  I find the best prices on maxi skirts at Ross and T.J. Maxx.
  5. White Pants- White is the perfect way to add a little spring into your look.  This time of the year is always a great time to look for white pants.  I found my pair of white jeans at Target in the clearance section for under $10. (read about it here)
  6. Colorful Hand Bag- I tend to wear a lot of neutral colors, that’s why I always like to carry a bright colored purse to add some color to my look.  I’ve been using the coral Coach purse that I got as a gift last Christmas.  Charming Charlie is a great place to find a colorful handbag for a decent price! 
  7. Wedge Sandal- I love a wedge sandal as an alternative to a heal.  I’ve been wearing my black strappy wedge sandals a lot this spring.  I bought them at Target last summer for under $10.
Here are a few spring outfits that I’ve put together using my favorite spring basics. 
White Pants//Turquoise Necklace//Denim Jacket

Navy Blazer//Light Pink Necklace
Maxi Skirt//Denim Jacket//Turquoise Necklace

Denim Jacket//Coral Purse//Wedge Sandals
White Pants//Denim Jacket//Green Necklace
Grey Blazer//Coral Purse//Wedge Sandals

I hope you like my looks and get some ideas on how to style your own spring look!

Shopping Finds

by Katie Haller

After having a baby, shopping is just not the same anymore.  Going to the store and leisurely shopping the way I used to is not easy.  But last weekend I decided to face my fears of shopping with an infant and just do it.  We ended up having a nice little Sunday afternoon out bargain shopping (Jack slept the entire time of course).  I ended up at my favorite store at the moment… Nordstrom Rack.  I still had $25 on a Nordstrom gift card from Christmas, and when I get a gift card, you know I’m going to make the most of it and stretch the money as far as I can.  Since I’m trying really hard to be disciplined with my spending habits, I tried to stick to my spring/summer wish list that I made a few weeks ago (post here).  This way I was able to remember the things that I really wanted and not get sidetracked. 

  

I’ve been wanting a new pair of jeans for the longest time.  This might sound crazy coming from someone with a closet full of jeans, but you can never have enough denim.  I had something specific in mind.  I wanted to find a pair of jeans with a thin stretchy material that would be nice and light for the warmer weather, and also had distress faded look to them.  I ended up settling on a pair of jeans with no holes and thicker material.  They were only $12.97 and they fit well.  I felt that I couldn’t beat the price so I bought them.  Once I got them home, I tried them on and realized I had made a mistake.  Despite the great price and fit, they were not the jeans that I was looking for.  So later in the week, I made a quick trip back to Nordstrom Rack to return them.  While I was skimming through the clearance racks I stumbled upon this pair of jeans for $13.50.  I was so excited because they weren’t there earlier in the week and they were just what I was looking for, including the price.  I was very satisfied with my exchange.

(similar)

My other Nordstrom Rack purchase was this striped swing dress that I bought for $18.97.  Now I know on my shopping list I was looking for a bright spring color dress.  I’m still searching for one, but I thought that this dress was a safe bet for me.  I love black and white and I love stripes.  I figured that I would bring some color to it with a fun necklace.  This style of dress will be perfect for the hot desert summer that we have here in Las Vegas.

(exact)

My last purchase was from Target and it came straight from my shopping list.  I was looking for a pair of braided sandals to replace the white braided sandals that I bought at Target years ago.  I ended up pretty much buying the same pair in the cognac color.  I paid full price, but they were only $15.99, so I wasn’t sad about that.  Target is one of my favorite places to buy shoes because their shoes are always affordable and they are made well for cheap shoes. I know that I will get plenty of use out of these sandals.

(exact)

Whenever I get new clothes I love to put together new outfits and share them.  So here are a couple looks I came up with.

Here I put together 2 looks with my new jeans.  On the left, I have a casual look with my new sandals.  On the right, I put together a dressier outfit with a blazer and heels.

Here are 2 outfits with my swing dress.  The first look on the left is simple and perfect for the hot summer weather.  On the right, I wore my wedge strappy sandals with my denim jacket to dress it up a bit more.

I hope you like my shopping finds.  Hopefully, you can find some great spring deals too!  Happy shopping!

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