Michael Kors, Forever 21, Zara, TJ Maxx, Nordstrom and Primark are all clothing stores that are currently dominating the fashion industry. Each store sells clothes that are stylish and trendy. Some of their items look identical, so the main difference between them is how much their products cost.

There’s a type of people who feel the need to only shop at expensive, brand name clothing stores. Forever 21 and Primark are thrown out the window. Shoppers who only like brand name clothes say that the more expensive something costs, the better quality it has. Although that may be true, there are plenty of other people who only buy expensive brands to show the label. They want to look like they have money and they want to make sure you know it.

Personally, I never cared about buying expensive clothes. In fact, even when I was younger, I dived right into the clearance section whenever I stepped foot in a store. Finding a good deal was absolutely thrilling. Affordable stores like H&M and Charlotte Russe were my favorite. To me, a purse is a purse, and I don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars at one store when I know the store next to it will sell it to be for under 30 dollars.

There are also other ways to get your hands on brand name items without paying the full price. Thrifting is one of my favorite ways to shop. You can find almost anything, including vintage items and designer labels. Websites like thredUP, Depop and Poshmark are other great ways to find used clothes in excellent condition. (You can also sell your own clothing on those sites to make a couple extra bucks.) Sure, the items are second hand, but you often can’t tell the difference if they’ve only been lightly used.

The main reason I can’t get myself to shop at expensive stores is because I would rather spend money on traveling, concerts or other experiences than material items. When your hair is grey and your skin is wrinkled, and you look back on your life, you should remember the things you did and saw instead of what sweater you had on. Memories last longer than items you can buy in the mall.

Trust me, I adore shopping. It’s one of my favorite hobbies, but I can’t afford to spend a whole paycheck on one item. Maybe I’m just being too much of a penny pincher, but money is valuable. There is no rule that says clothes need to cost a fortune.