Living with Fashion, Giving with Style.
This weekend was pretty stellar, in a down-home kind of way. I’m swamped to the gills with many projects coming due at the same time, but my oldest and dearest friend surprised me with a four-day visit. She took a 12-hour train from the South to come stay in my tiny Upper East Side apartment. [...]
Proust used the kaleidoscope as a metaphor for social evolution; can looking through the lens of a thrift-store kaleidoscope help our society evolve? The mad consumer machine Americans have become accustomed to has run out of gas. Or, more aptly, it can no longer afford to fill up the tank. With the new economy now [...]
Beautiful story and video on USAToday.com featuring the lovely and inspiring Tammy Strobel of RowdyKittens.com. Especially poignant now. Read the full article here: Oregon couple downsizes, lives ultrasimple life – USATODAY.com.
Happy Holidays, Comrades – Damn, it’s hard to be broke during this time of year. The recession’s impact on the holiday season is undeniable. The days are ticking down, and the list of things I want to give to so many people is so long it seems it will never end.
I think we all share a fantasy about winning the lottery or inheriting an unexpected fortune; finding cash on the street or a goldmine at a garage sale or thrift store. Especially now, as so many are struggling, these thoughts can turn obsessive. Before I fall asleep, often I’ll find myself thinking, “maybe I’ll win [...]
This post is a little off topic, but I think it’s pretty important, and actually integral to the spirit of Thrift Store Confidential. Maintaining a positive outlook during prolonged crisis is one of the trickiest things to do. Every ounce of media is focused on our recession; some of my favorite chain stores are e-mailing [...]
Great article by Matt Richtel about the “gleefully frugal.” “Millions of Americans have trimmed expenses because they have had their jobs or hours cut, or fear they will. But a subset of savers are reducing costs not just with purpose, but with relish. These are the gleefully frugal. “I’m enjoying this,” said Becky Martin, 52, [...]
