Believe it or not, there was a time when I actually believed I needed all of those shoes. Jewelry and handbags were as much a necessity as food and water. I have learned that a lot of that is simply unnecessary, especially when I need to pay a bill and those things aren’t helping me in any way.
I have also learned that just because you’re broke, you don’t have to look like a homeless person. Here are some tips for looking good even when you’re broke.

Cheap Cosmetics and Skin Care Products

Most of the time I’ve found that cheap cosmetics are just as effective as department store brands. As long as it pencils your eyebrow or glosses your lips, cheap makeup can make you feel just as good as fancy makeup. If you’re blessed with natural beauty and don’t use cosmetics, you can even get by on cheap skin care products. Trust me, I’ve tried every wrinkle cream out there. As long as your skin is cleansed and moisturized there’s really very little difference.

Mix and Match Shoes and Clothes

The problem with cheap shoes and clothing is that they usually don’t last long and quality is an issue for most people. The solution is to mix and match, meaning mix cheap pieces with better quality staples, (ie, The Little Black Dress, a great pair of jeans, one or two pairs of quality boots). If you have to choose where to spend the most money, I’d go with shoes/boots. Cheap shoes sometimes cause problems like bad smelling feet and seldom last long enough to be worth it.

Great Hair for Nothing

I have written a few times about my decision to not get my hair cut and colored at the salon anymore. I’ve found that I can get almost the same result by coloring my hair myself and going for a cheap trim of split ends occasionally. Great hair can also be achieved by leaving in olive oil or sesame oil overnight, which of course costs almost nothing. Be careful not to use too much though, or you’ll look like a greasy mess—trust me on this one.

Home Manicures and Pedicures

Nothing will help you feel more put together than a manicure and pedicure but let’s face it, these luxuries aren’t in everyone’s budget right now. I stopped getting manis and pedis a long time ago and this is from someone that got them done weekly. Invest in a couple nail files, buffers, nail polish and clear top coat and you can take care of the fingers and toes yourself. I will post later on giving yourself a manicure, but this is all you really need. Don’t forget lotion which makes a huge difference in how your hands look.

Mix and Match Jewelry and Accessories

I use the mix and match idea with jewelry and accessories as well as clothing and shoes. It just means that it’s easy to get away with cheap jewelry (fake even) and no brand handbags when you mix it in with the real stuff. Silver and white gold are practically interchangeable and I’m all for investing in one—yes, I said one, great handbag. There’s no need for 12 handbags, you can only carry one at a time anyway. If you’re worried about fake jewelry turning quickly, cover it with clear nail polish and it’ll last longer. This is what I call “disposable” jewelry. You can buy some pretty nice dollar pieces at Walmart and no one is going to know the difference. If you’re looking for cheap handbags, stick with faux leathers and stay away from plastic.

With the current state of the economy, it may seem silly to worry about what we look like but it can make a difference in how we feel about and carry ourselves. If you can save some money and feel great, well then it’s worth it, isn’t it?

Here is a short list of my favorite stores for back to school shopping:

WalMart

I probably don’t need to even mention this as it’s probably obvious that I did a large amount of back to school shopping at Walmart. I did buy all of the school supplies on the list as well as underclothes and socks. For some reason I thought I’d continue the tradition with my own daughter of buying new underclothes and socks when school starts (even if she doesn’t really need them).

Payless Shoes

I’ve heard that a child only needs one pair of tennis shoes, but I think with girls it’s a little different. Maybe it’s because her mother is a shoe freak, but I honestly believe that my daughter needs dress shoes and boots as well. Payless Shoes doesn’t offer the best quality shoes but knowing that she’ll be in a larger size in a matter of months, it seems smarter to buy cheap dress shoes. Plus the infamous BOGO sale is going on and you can get one pair half off (for yourself or another child).

Once Upon a Child

I know this store isn’t available everywhere but I would check out similar second hand stores in your area. Once Upon a Child sells “gently worn” name brand children’s clothes. It has become my favorite store for clothing for my daughter because I’m able to buy her better quality clothes for really cheap. I’ve found Old Navy tank tops for a dollar and Baby Phat jeans for $5.00. Even better, I can sell her old clothes there as well. I made $35.00 the last time I dropped a box off, which more than covered the clothes I’ve actually purchased there.

Kohl’s

I believe Kohl’s is available almost everywhere in the U.S. and I’ve always had pretty good luck with the quality of clothing. They’re always having sales and if you use the Kohl’s credit card, along with the sale you can save 50-60% on your purchase. The brands of clothing that Kohl’s sells is also accepted at Once Upon a Child so I can resell them when my daughter has outgrown them.

Dollar General

Another obvious one on my list, but I use Dollar General for miscellaneous items for school. Sometimes when my daughter has to take snack to school, I can pick up some cookies and a box of juice pouches. I also buy her cute little princess pens and pencils to be used at home since she loves to read and write. She has a ton of notebooks and extra pens that come in handy when she’s riding in the car and stuff.

So, I think we’re finally ready for Kindergarten. Well, she was ready last year, it’s just taken me a while.