Secondhand Jewllery. Where's The Value?

When I had money to burn and shopping for designer luxury was my only purpose, dropping a few grand on a Tiffany watch was never a problem but when I was starving, a few years later, I discovered something that became a massive problem. " What do you mean my Tiffany watch is only worth £100 quid" I said to the greedy secondhand dealer, ready to offer me a fraction of what I paid for it new, only one year earlier.
When I found myself starving and broke in LA, I had to sell all my collected designer trinkets, in order to keep afloat and was horrified by the inequity in selling my stuff, when my back was up against the wall.

So where is the value in that?

You cannot eat a Tiffany watch when you are starving, so buying something expensive when you cannot afford it, just to look like someone, is not only stupid but also a shock when you find out what it is really worth. You never know when the tide will change and sweep you out to sea, in other words, losing your job, sudden illness or unexpected financial problems, so saving your money, even if you think your comfortable, is critical for a rainy day.

A budget lifestyle is all about living within your means, debt free with a nest egg, just in case things change and little desire to buy stuff you might want but don't need. What is the point in buying clothes that don't fit and never will or a flash fast car, you cannot afford to put on the road or a lavish ballgown when you have no ball to go to, leaving you stuck with stuff that has not changed your actual life.

I still love clothes and still love shopping, who doesn't but these days I follow the mantra, buy new and the jokes on you because I got savvy, cured my self of status anxiety and now buy secondhand or recycled clothes, given up to charity by shopaholic women.

Who cares and who in reality knows whether what you are wearing is new or secondhand because style is unique and how you wear it with confidence is the key to pulling it off, as well as saving you a tidy fortune in the process. One mans trash is another mans treasure, so no matter how broke you are, there is always a way to get the look you desire for less and if you get into swapping clothes with friends and family, you get a brand new look without spending a single penny.

Stop shopping and start swapping if you are struggling and don't just swap clothes, try DVDs, household goods like cookers, hoovers, TV's, even books and CD's, making use of stuff you don't want anymore but someone else might need.

Why Retail Sales Are Plummeting

A budget lifestyle is all about living happily within your means and not on credit because whilst ever you are in debt, you will never be happy or rich. We have become a society of greedy " I want it now " shopaholics who will do almost anything to keep up with the Jones, continually making unnecessary purchases in the pursuit of happiness and acceptance.

Retail outlets on the High Street are suffering the fall-out from the biggest cost of living squeeze for at least 60 years, which is set to continue until 2012 and beyond and everyone is starting to feel the pinch. The reality is without all our easy access to credit cards, loans, overdrafts and over spending, many of us would not be able to shop till we drop but would actually enjoy a much more simple stress free life. A new sofa should last you at least 10 years and sometimes longer if you really love it and take care of it.

We have all been guilty of thinking if only we had that new sofa, car, handbag, won the lottery, all our troubles would disappear into a puff of smoke and we would all of a sudden be happy, blissful and content but sadly I can tell you for sure, this is just called marketing and brain washing. There is nothing you can buy anywhere on the planet that will guarantee your happiness or success, this comes from working hard on your self, not working yourself to death.

It is clear the health of UK retailing is deteriorating daily, as more people recognise they have to save money right now and when they do decide to spend, they want something that is good quality, serves a purpose and is necessary, in other words buying only what they truly need. Smart shopping is the future if you really want to be happy and fulfilled because nothing you buy as an instant fix, to make you feel better, bigger more important, will ever fill the big empty hole, only you can do that yourself.

When I had more money than sense in my rich life, I would wake up everyday to the luxury that if I desired I could go anywhere in the World, buy anything I felt like and money was never an issue, yet often I would still feel lonely, sad and not very satisfied. The truth was, I had not found happiness before I made all my money and often having everything can isolate you, so I may have had 20 Chanel handbags in my closet but I had no real friends.If Brad Pitt was to buy a new yacht for $50 million, you can bet your life George clooney will pull up next to him in one worth $100 million but the truth is, they can both afford to waste their money on
one-upmanship but can you?

To be happy you have to like yourself, love what you do and have a real purpose in your life. Shopping for pleasure and treats is fantastic but only if you can really afford it and it does not mean you ignore your bills and responsibilities. Stress and worry every month is just not worth a new dress you cannot afford and shopping out of your price range will never make you materially rich, only constantly in debt, back on that snake.

Many will be glad that the stupid era of the credit card - the usual way of paying for stuff for many people is coming to an end, so sit back and enjoy time with your friends and family, assured unnecessary debt won't bring you the happiness you long for, only they will do that in the long run.