Lost your money. Keep your style.

You may be almost homeless, but you don’t have to dress like a bum. Use these resources in the recession.


SWAP TILL YOU DROP

Exchange that shirt you never wear for a friend’s shirt you’ll always wear, and grant new meaning to giving the shirt off your back. After talking with seasoned swapper senior Monica Debbeler, we tapped into the world of clothes swapping to see how it goes down.

First, invite your friends over and tell them to bring any unwanted clothing.
“The real advantage is you’ll have similar taste in clothes,” Debbeler says. “Generally the stuff is reasonably stylish. It’s a great alternative to thrift shopping, and a great way to hang out with your friends and get a bunch of free stuff.”

Order a pizza, serve some drinks, and be sensitive to soft spots. “A pitfall to clothes swapping is sometimes you get problems with people’s body issues, so it’s best to be nice,” Debbeler says.

Don’t forget to complete the outfit. “I remember having a lot of success with accessories, and accent pieces mostly turned out to be the best,” she says.
“Weird or unusual stuff usually works. People will be like, ‘How did you end up with that belly chain?’ And somebody will want it.”


SWAP TILL YOU DROP

Exchange that shirt you never wear for a friend’s shirt you’ll always wear, and grant new meaning to giving the shirt off your back. After talking with seasoned swapper senior Monica Debbeler, we tapped into the world of clothes swapping to see how it goes down.

First, invite your friends over and tell them to bring any unwanted clothing.
“The real advantage is you’ll have similar taste in clothes,” Debbeler says. “Generally the stuff is reasonably stylish. It’s a great alternative to thrift shopping, and a great way to hang out with your friends and get a bunch of free stuff.”

Order a pizza, serve some drinks, and be sensitive to soft spots. “A pitfall to clothes swapping is sometimes you get problems with people’s body issues, so it’s best to be nice,” Debbeler says.

Don’t forget to complete the outfit. “I remember having a lot of success with accessories, and accent pieces mostly turned out to be the best,” she says.
“Weird or unusual stuff usually works. People will be like, ‘How did you end up with that belly chain?’ And somebody will want it.”


DON'T SNUB GOODWILL

840 S. Auto Mall Road; 1284 S. Liberty Drive

Before you smirk at this selection, change your thinking. Goodwill doesn’t have to be a place where unwanted clothes go to die. Think of it as the place where cheap meets chic – yeah, we said it.

Walk in and comb through the racks. You’ll be surprised by what you’ll find. We’re talking $5 blazers, $3 skirts, $5 heels, and $2 T-shirts.

Doug Beckard, a Goodwill employee, suggests students look for colored tags that mean reduced prices. Every three months, a Saturday sale marks all items down by 50 percent.


RUSH FOR THE OUTLETS

11622 N.E. Executive Drive, Edinburgh, Ind.

You’ve spent the past year shopping at retail stores looking for deals, only to notice the one little “For Sale” rack in the back of the store.

If you really want to stay relevant for cheap, hit the outlet malls – everything’s on sale. Take the hour drive up to Edinburgh Premium Outlets and visit their 85 stores.
Once you experience the savings, you won’t even stress over how much gas you used getting there.


GET A WHIFF OF THIS

Stinking savings may have left you with a musty attitude, but that’s no reason to go around smelling like it.

Fragrance shopping might not have made your priority list this year, but you probably have numerous smell-goods left over from past splurges. Save your money and preserve the scents (and cents) you already have.

If you thought the bathroom was the best place for your fragrances, you’re wrong. “Cologne and perfume has a lifespan of roughly three years,” says Sharon, a Macy’s Beauty Advisor who can’t share her last name according to corporate policy.
“It’s better to keep them out of any direct sunlight, so dark, low temperature areas are best.” Your bathroom temperature is constantly changing as you shower and hit the lights.

So where is the best place to keep your perfume and cologne? The refrigerator. The light is off until you open the door, and there’s no place colder. Plus, there’s nothing like the smell of a cool, crisp scent.