WE'RE OP SHOP EXPERTS!

Their thrifting passion saves them money - and helps the planet

- Emma Levett

BUDGET BIRTHDAYS

For Sydney mum-of-two Izzy McKay, making her children's birthdays as cost-effective as possible has become an annual challenge.

"I start looking on Facebook Marketplace six to eight months out," Izzy, 25, tells Woman's Day. "For my daughter Layla's first birthday, I bought a bunch of Alice In Wonderland decorations, including an amazing styrofoam cake, which cost the lady $3000. I got the lot for $600!"

She added 50-cent tea cups from op shops, a $12 Alice costume for one-year-old Layla from a vintage secondhand store and a Mad Hatter's outfit for four-year-old brother Lockie, which cost $8. The loot bags included 20-cent op shop books.

"I found a $5000 Dolce and Gabbana dress for $3000 on Marketplace, which was perfect for me as the Queen of Hearts," says Izzy. "I wore it once and sold it for the same amount, so it was free!"

In fact, Izzy's on-selling of all the party paraphernalia meant she eventually turned a small profit.