There is something nostalgic about a record playing on a cozy afternoon, that modern day electronics just can’t scratch.

As a kid, countless crates and shelves of vinyl littered my parents living room and since I moved away, I have taken a page out of the ‘rents book and begun a collection of my very own. To be completely honest, my vinyl collection started by accident. I was at the Taylor Swift Red concert with my sis and I wanted to take home something home to commemorate the occasion. Nothing was catching my eye until I saw the Red record on the shelf – seemed appropriate given we were at a concert and I loved that it would last far longer than a T-Shirt. Sold.

Then I just had to get a record player – LOL.

Vinyl shopping might sound like an expensive endeavor but its not as bad as you may think. I picked up a Crosley from Urban Outfitters for under $150 and it has totally been worth the investment – not only is it functional, it totally makes the perfect house decor YAY! Oh, and fun fact – you can even use the AUX cord to play your iPhone from it – double YAY! When I started getting into record collecting, my dad recommended I got something like the Graham Slee HiFi before I purchase my player from Urban Outfitters. If you are someone who prefers something a bit more technical and are interested in the world or studio equipment, this might be something for you. My dad knows that he is talking about when it comes to everything relating to music equipment.

Looking to start a record collection of your own?! Don’t let anything stop you; after that first purchase, you’ll be completely addicted to vinyl records! If you’re anything like me, within a matter of weeks, you’ll be surrounded by them! Just make sure you take care of them and store them correctly to ensure they don’t get damaged. Therefore, if you’re planning on starting a collection, before you get buying make sure you’re knowledgable on how to store vinyl records. I got you – here are some helpful hacks to get your collection going without going broke in the process:

#1. GoThrifting (and when to save)

First off at $20-$30 a pop, most current releases are expensive AF so I only splurge when it is an artist and an album I absolutely LOVE.

As a result, one of my favorite past times has become hitting the record section at local thrift stores like Goodwill, garage sales and used book stores – there is nothing like a Saturday afternoon filled with stacks of vinyl to thumb through with a large coffee in hand. Most of the records you score at these places are usually only $.99 to $2.99 a piece which is totally doable – besides, there is something about the thrill of the hunt that makes finding a sick record that much better.

#2. Try “New” Music

My collections is rannnnndom! I have everything from Earth Wind & Fire and Jay-Z, to Taylor Swift and Lana Del Ray. I once bought an album titled Dinner Music from the 1950’s just because I loved the title. There is no shame in buying records you have never heard just based on the cover art or because you like the title – I do it all the time.#sorrynotsorry

That is another cool thing about picking up records at the thrift store, you aren’t breaking the bank so its all good!

#3. If you do pick up the latest hits…

Urban Outfitters has sales on their vinyl so I normally wait until those times to stock up! Personally, I just signed up for their newsletter, it makes it way easier to keep an eye on that kind of thing. There are plenty of places that have vinyl so pick your faves and sign up for their newsletter or ask to be notified of deals on vinyl that way you can score you favorite artists without spending concert ticket prices.

Happy hunting my friends! 🙂

xx,
Jess