I love shopping, and I am a firm believer in retail therapy. Absolutely nothing cheers me more than a new outfit. As Claire  pointed out, we have entered into a new era of consumer frugality. I know I for one love the words ‘on sale’, and I at times make my purchases simply because of the sale ticket, regardless of whether I even need the item! However, pointless purchases are not what I want to talk about, but rather the new frugal behaviours of consumers after the 2008 economic crisis.

When I was younger, I would buy something I liked despite the ridiculous prices. Looking back, I can’t believe that I would spend $250 on a jacket when I could have easily found a similar one for $50. Before the economic downturn, prices weren’t really on consumer’s minds. It was all about fitting in and buying the new ‘it’ item. I can’t really pinpoint what exactly happened in between, maybe it was because I started making my own money and therefore realized that money didn’t grow on trees, or perhaps it was simply because I simply started growing up. At some point, I started really caring about prices.

Like many of my friends, name brands no longer matter to me, as long as the clothing looks nice and is comfortable. People used to refrain from telling others they bought something on sale, but now I say it proudly. We no longer can live recklessly and spend without thinking (unless you’re rich of course), and there is absolutely nothing wrong with paying $20 for a top instead of paying $200 for a similar designer one that would probably be uncomfortable to wear anyways. Like I’ve been saying over the years to everyone, instead of looking cheap, we’re now being thrifty! Amen to that!