Confessions of a Clearance Rack Queen

For those of you who did not know, I am a coffee mom of nobility. Not only do I have a royal heritage as the daughter of the King of Kings, but I am also a queen - of the clearance racks, that is!

I grew up either wearing hand-me-downs from Emily Steplowski (a girl two years my senior thanks to whom I had both a Coca-Cola rugby shirt and a pair of ankle zip Guess jeans in the 80's, can I get a witness?) or clothes my mom had found on the clearance rack. With a red dot for an extra 20% off. And with her 15% off coupon.

I remember going into our local Peebles department store (anyone remember those?) or Hechts (before Macy's bought it out) and seeing an outfit I just had to have. I would beg and plead to take it home that day. My mom wouldn't necessarily tell me no, she would tell me to wait. "It will go on sale" she would say. And it did of course, because mothers are always right. (Well, mostly.)

I am thankful that I grew up on a tight budget for several reasons, one being is that as a stay-at-home mom and ministry wife I am still on a tight budget! Another is that I learned from a young age that you can still look stylish without wearing only the popular name brands and spending ridiculous amounts of money on clothes that you may only wear for a season or two.

And without a doubt, if money was no object and I could just buy anything I wanted off the racks without thought to cost, I would miss out on the thrill, the joy, the ecstasy of finding that perfect item for that unbelievable price. I wouldn't have the experience of having my temples bead with sweat and my heart race as I look down in amazement that this pair of jeans, the lone ones on the rack, that happen to be my size and the perfect wash and fit, are $4.74 at Target. Score another for the under $5 category!!

Unlike some who shop on the cheap but like to pretend they are couture, I am very proud of my bargains and when someone compliments me on a piece of clothing, like to proudly announce, "Oh you'll never guess! I found this at Steinmart on the clearance rack for $3.50!!!" I wear my Clearance Rack Queen crown with great vim and vigor, and relish having a large wardrobe, much of which was purchased for under 10 dollars!

All that said, I raise a glass (that I found on discount at Homegoods) to clearance racks, shoestring budgets, and the irreplacable thrill of the price-slashed find!

*The outfit I'm wearing in the above picture is a combination of recent finds - the shirt was indeed under $4 at Steinmart and the jeans under $5 at Target, oh yes. :)