Shopping Success Tip: Try it on!

In the Shopping Success series, I'm going to offer some tips from my extensive experience surfing thrift and clearance racks. Trust me...I'm kind of a professional. I mean, I've been doing this since I was pretty much a kid so heed my words of great wisdom.

Today's installment: Try it on!

Does this outdated phone make me look fat?

 I understand that trying on clothes at the thrift store can seem kind of, well, gross to some of us. It is kind of gross in some ways if you think about it. BUT. That's what showers and lots and lots of gel hand sanitizer are for.

And just because something you found on the clearance rack is extremely cheap, it doesn't mean that it's not worth the time it takes to try it on.

Even if the item you find is really inexpensive, if you plan to wear it yourself please try it on before you buy it. Thrift store or clearance rack, this is an important rule. If you buy something because it's really cheap and find later on that it doesn't fit you well, you've wasted money that could have gone toward something you really would have liked. And, because a lot of stores have iffy return policies when it comes to thrift or clearance, you are very likely stuck with what you purchase.

Also, keep this in mind: if it's on the clearance rack or in the thrift store, it might be there for a reason. Maybe a pair of pants ended up on the clearance rack because it didn't look flattering on most people and therefore the style didn't sell well. Or perhaps a shirt at the thrift store is there because the sleeves were too tight for the previous owner. Whatever the reason, there's a decent chance the item was rejected because something about it was found to be lacking. Are YOU the one who this clothing item will magically fit? Maybe! But you need to try it on before you commit.

So suck it up, try it on, and then go home and take a shower if you feel like you need to.