Bailey Hildebrand: Don't be cheap at a thrift store

A little tip for this week - sometimes "overpriced" items are still extremely underpriced. Technically, almost everything is (or should be) cheap at a thrift or consignment shop.

About a year ago, I was on a Value Village run with a couple of my friends. I stumbled upon a beautiful, sturdy pair of leather ankle boots with heels that could take an eye out.

I looked at the sole of one boot to find a price tag - $14.99.

I would never in my life pay that much for used footwear. Or so I thought.

I tried the boots on anyway and they fit like a glove. With a heavy heart I placed the camel-coloured boots back on the shelf. My friend Zach (who I sometimes call "the Enabler") wasn't about to let me get away with it. His excuse - the boots were perfect, beautiful, and fit like a glove.

I sighed and put the boots in my cart, disappointed with my lack of self-control when it came to spending 15 bucks on a pair of used boots.

When I got home, I examined the boots a little more carefully. The name imprinted on the insole was Paco Gil. I had never heard of the brand, so I did some Google-ing. Turns out the mint condition boots I picked off the Value Village shelf for $14.99, were actually worth somewhere between $300 and $400.

So if you ever come across something that seems expensive and is by a designer you've never heard of, there's probably a reason for that.