When I had money to burn and shopping for designer luxury was my only purpose, dropping a few grand on a Tiffany watch, a Bvlgari ring or Cartier bangle was never a problem but when I was starving a few years later, I discovered something that became a massive problem for me.
"What do you mean my Tiffany watch is only worth 100 quid" I said to the greedy second-hand dealer, ready to offer me a fraction of what I paid for it new only one year earlier.
When I found myself broke in LA and with my back up against the wall, I had to sell all my collected designer trinkets in order to keep afloat and was horrified by the inequity between price paid and price offered when it came to selling my stuff.
So where is the value in that?
You cannot eat a Tiffany watch when you are starving, so buying something expensive when you cannot afford it, just to look like someone rich or important, is not only stupid but be prepared for a shock when you need to sell it and find out what it is really worth.
You never know when the tide will change and sweep you out to sea, in other words, losing your job, sudden illness or unexpected financial problems so saving your money, even if you think you’re comfortable, is critical for a rainy day.
A happy lifestyle is all about living within your means, debt free with a nest egg, just in case things change and losing the desire to buy stuff you might want but don't need. What is the point of buying clothes that don't fit and never will or a flash fast car you cannot afford to tax, insure and keep on the road or a lavish ball gown when you have no ball to go to, only to be left stuck with stuff that has not changed your actual life or produced anything meaningful? I learnt the hard way.
I still love clothes and still love shopping, who doesn't? But these days I follow the mantra, buy new and the joke’s on you because I got savvy, cured myself of status anxiety and now buy second-hand or recycled clothes, given up to charity by shopaholic women. I recently bought a Links of London bracelet, an unwanted gift, new in the box with two additional silver charms rrp. £350 for less than £50 and when I see something I like these days I always see if I can find it secondhand first.
Who cares and who in reality knows whether what you are wearing is new or second-hand? Style is unique and how you wear something with confidence is the key to pulling it off. Swapping from shopping new to second hand where you can will save you a tidy fortune in the process and reduce the impact of new goods on our environment. There are also an increasing number of swapping libraries popping up across the UK where you can borrow a drill or a popcorn maker, things you might only need from time to time and would prefer to borrow than buy if possible. One mans trash is another mans treasure, so no matter how broke you are there is always a way to get what you desire for less. If you get into swapping clothes with friends and family, you get a brand new look without spending a single penny.
Stop shopping and start swapping if you are struggling and don't just swap clothes, try DVDs, household goods like cookers, hoovers, TV's, even books and CD's, making good use of stuff you don't want anymore but someone else might need.
Photo by: Latrach Med Jamil Unsplash