Frugal Friends Podcast: How to Save Money on Lululemon (& More Fashion Brands!)

Hosts: Jen Smith & Jill Sirianni
Release Date: May 16, 2025
Platform: iHeartPodcasts

Introduction to the Episode

In this engaging episode of the Frugal Friends Podcast, hosts Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni delve into practical strategies for purchasing high-quality fashion items, particularly focusing on Lululemon and other premium brands, without breaking the bank. Responding to listener feedback from their 2025 mega survey, Jen and Jill aim to provide a comprehensive guide for frugal individuals seeking to enhance their wardrobes sustainably and economically.

The Four-Step Process for Buying High-Quality Clothes Secondhand

Jen introduces a four-step process designed to help listeners acquire high-quality clothing items secondhand:

1. Research What the Best Quality Actually Is
2. Research the Best Items for You
3. Determine Your Sizes
4. Find Them Secondhand

1. Research What the Best Quality Actually Is

Jen shares her initial challenge of identifying truly high-quality athletic wear. She initially considered Lululemon but was uncertain about its current quality status. To address this, she leveraged ChatGPT with a tailored prompt:

• Jen (08:57): "What are the best quality athletic or workout clothing for someone who runs and strength trains weekly?"

After refining her search to focus on a curvy female body type, ChatGPT recommended brands like Lululemon, Aloe Vore, and Born Primitive. Jen chose to focus on Lululemon and Born Primitive based on further research, including customer reviews and Reddit discussions.

2. Research the Best Items for You

Jill emphasizes the importance of understanding personal preferences and specific needs when selecting items:

• Jill (27:02): "You can find more vintage styles you're not going to find everywhere. Like one of a kind type of pieces."

Jen elaborates on her exploration of Lululemon's extensive range, noting the overwhelm that can come from numerous options:

• Jen (11:47): "There are a lot of different options at every store, and they're all four different things."

To mitigate this, Jen sought in-person assistance, appreciating the knowledgeable staff at Lululemon's Hyde Park Village location.

3. Determine Your Sizes

Understanding and accurately determining your sizes is crucial when shopping secondhand, especially online. Jen highlights her experience of finding discrepancies between sizes in different clothing items:

• Jen (16:42): "There were some things where I needed a 12, there were some things I needed a 10. I really thought I was gonna be an 8 up top because I'm so small. But really I was a 10."

Jill concurs on the frustration of online sizing:

• Jill (22:37): "The most annoying part of shopping to me is figuring out sizing and especially online shopping."

They discuss practical solutions, such as bringing a tape measure to stores and taking detailed photos of size tags and descriptors to ensure accurate online purchases.

4. Find Them Secondhand

Jen outlines various platforms and tools she utilized to locate secondhand items at affordable prices:

• Jen (27:02): "Instead of going straight to Poshmark or eBay, I went to Google and I put in what I wanted and then I went to Google Shopping."

She explains the use of the Benny Chrome extension, which scans up to 40 secondhand sites to find desired items:

• Jill (28:18): "You can download it for your browser and it will pop up if anything that you are searching is available on any of these secondhand sites."

Despite some technical hiccups with Benny, Jen successfully navigated platforms like Poshmark, eBay, and Mercari, establishing her own price gauge based on clearance prices to ensure she was getting a fair deal.

Tips and Tools for Successful Secondhand Shopping

Spending Planner & Opportunity Cost Calculator:

Jen and Jill discuss the importance of using tools to manage finances effectively:

• Jen (03:52): "It allows you to track your spending, see your finances at a glance, chart your debt payoff, and it even has a super cool, really nifty, always helpful opportunity cost calculator."

Strategies for Negotiation:

Jen shares her strategy for negotiating prices on secondhand platforms:

• Jen (32:03): "When you go to these sites, do not add to cart. Always heart it or like it because sellers will typically have an auto offer turned on."

By leveraging auto offers and making counteroffers, Jen successfully reduced prices on desired items.

Price Anchoring:

Both hosts touch on the psychological aspect of pricing:

• Jill (24:05): "Anchoring bias... The first price we see is usually what we anchor our thinking about what something should cost."

They advise setting a personal price range based on retail and clearance prices to avoid overpaying.

Listener Interaction: Bill of the Week

The episode features a heartwarming "Bill of the Week" from Kayla:

• Kayla (38:26): "My bill of the week is that on September 18, 2024, I pre-ordered something that finally got delivered to me today. Just a little book called 'Buy What You Love Without Going Broke'."

Jen and Jill express their gratitude for listener support and encourage others to leave their own "Bills of the Week."

Lightning Round: Favorite Fashion Items to Thrift

In the fun and rapid-fire Lightning Round segment, Jen and Jill share their favorite items to thrift:

• Jen: "Jeans because they're so dang expensive."
• Jill: "Quality jewelry... unique, secondhand pieces."

Conclusion and Final Tips

Jen wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to invest time in researching and planning their secondhand purchases:

• Jen (49:07): "I hope this has inspired you to do the little bit of legwork that you need to do up front in order to acquire really good quality things online secondhand."

Jill adds:

• Jill (50:24): "For your higher ticket items, do this."

They emphasize that while the process may require effort, the long-term benefits of saving money and acquiring quality items are well worth it.

Final Thoughts

The episode provides a thorough and actionable guide for listeners aiming to shop smartly for high-quality fashion items secondhand. Through personal anecdotes, expert tips, and strategic use of technology, Jen and Jill empower their audience to make informed, frugal choices without compromising on quality or style.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen (03:51): "It's simple but robust and it allows you to do so many things like track your spending, see your finances at a glance..."
• Jill (24:02): "With the budget planner, the spending planner."
• Jen (35:07): "So I am looking forward to getting them and reporting back at a later date."
• Jill (36:27): "Because we're being patient waiting for that deal to come up, and we want to know when we can pounce."

Resources Mentioned:

• Benny Chrome Extension: Helps find secondhand listings across multiple platforms.
• Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Thredup: Platforms for purchasing secondhand clothing.
• Spending Planner & Opportunity Cost Calculator: Tools for managing and evaluating financial decisions.

Connect with Frugal Friends Podcast:

• Website: frugalfriendspodcast.com
• Social Media: Available on major platforms to join the frugal community and stay updated on future episodes.

By following the comprehensive strategies outlined in this episode, listeners can confidently navigate the secondhand market, securing high-quality fashion items while maintaining a frugal and sustainable lifestyle.