Bi-Polar Bargain Hunter

I love luxury big time – posh food, designer clothes etc. but I hate to pay full retail price for anything – so have partly inherited a thrift gene. I say partly, because the swing from thrift to major extravagance is a finely balanced tightrope. I am first in the queue at designer sales and at factory outlets, looking for that great undiscovered bargain. I can’t resist the “Two for the price of one” items in my local supermarket, though I usually have to chuck the second one out as it’s gone off. I have great bargains hanging unworn in my wardrobe, unwearable but beautiful shoes still in their box. Every so often I have a massive clear out and then start all over again.


In my student days I scoured car boot sales and charity shops for exciting finds and still do it occasionally, but it’s not so much fun since Oxfam took the pleasure out of it by having a designer rail. After a week or so of this thrifty shopping, I’ll then go completely to the other extreme and shell out a shedload of dosh on a pair of sunglasses or a ridiculously expensive cosmetic. Intellectually I know this is ridiculous and meaningless, shallow etc. There must be a dollop of madness in the family genes.