Thrift Scoring Mamas tribe

[myjo]

Okay, watch me kill my own thread now. I just got off the the thread killers thread and I may have picked up a bug!

So I wanted to see how many of us are big into thrift shopping? I've always had to try to get a lot of our things second hand, but I also enjoy it quite a bit. It's like digging for treasure. And I have scored some pretty darned awesome things before too. I don't think I actually look like a thrift shopper, people comment on my taste all the time. And then I proudly tell them how little I paid for my outfit! Is that dumb?

Anyway, fess up ladies. Who loves thrifting?

[belovedofbast]

I enjoy thrifting, but I don't think our thrift stores "up here" (Alberta, Canada) are as cheap as "down there" (what seems like the entirety of the U.S.)

I can't get $1.50 pants that looks decent, for example. Having said that, though, I love my local Value Village. I got some nice capris and a nice dress for $12.

I will not let you "self kill" your thread. Let me do that for you

[myjo]

Value Village isn't cheap anywhere, but it tends to carry higher quality stuff. $12 for a pair of capris and a skirt from value village is actually pretty good.

[Chamomile Girl]

I'm a big lover of the thrift stores too, but the ones around here are pretty pricy. I have found better deals on new stuff being sold clearance at the mall.

I do tend to find good shoes at thrift stores though. My latest goodwill score is a super-comfy pair of Ecco sandals.

[da-tamsta]

I think my goodwills are picked over here too. I have found a few things, but nothing major. Really I get good deals at Kohls on new stuff. I have paid 2 dollars for a new shirt, 3 for pants, and I got some new sandals with leather uppers that were 8 bucks. I've worn them every day since I bought them. I went back last night and they were 16 "on sale". I check the clearance rack at about 4 or 5 stores as often as I can. I usually pick up DS clothes for 50 cents for shorts, couple bucks for pants. I just check around a lot.

[laughingfox]

I've noticed the same thing, that it's sometimes cheaper to shop clearance than thrift for clothes.
Electronics, however, are another story. We've never paid more than $8 for a TV or $12 for a VCR.

[MusicalMeg]

I seriously love thrift stores!! I get most of ds' clothes second hand- the trick (around here anyway) to getting a great deal is to watch for sale days (goodwill has certain colored tags cheaper certain days, our salvation army store has all merchandise 50% off days around major holidays, etc) and we go to the goodwill outlet and dig through the bins- you gotta look harder for the good stuff, but you pay by the pound, not the item and the more you buy the cheaper it is per lb. I also get a lot of nonclothes items there as well, like furniture (especially solid wood furniture that needs reconditioning- that way I pick it up for next to nothing, then make it look like new again!)

I do love to check the clearance racks, too, and I've gotten some good deals, but I've never seen kids clothes going for $.50 around here!! I guess it's different depending on where you are, huh?

[belovedofbast]

Wow, I've never bought new pants for $2. $16 sounds really cheap for shoes I pay between $15-20 for new Crocs (for work, not fashion)

DH has had really good luck at thrift stores, but there the prices are $6 for shirts, $7 for pants etc. So unless it's really nice, I save up and buy new...I can't justify $6 for a shirt that mostly fits...

[myjo]

I get good deals shopping sales too. But I tend to find higher quality at the thrifts, you know the kind of stuff you wouldn't dream of buying new? Like $100 jeans, or designer tops. I have to live in bigger metro area to find this stuff though.

What I really think is cool about some thrift stores is the possibility of finding a little used article that is very high quality, then it's really worth the money.

Also, I think alot about the ethics of where we put our dollars. At least when I buy second hand, I'm not directly supporting companies that use sweat shops. It makes sense environmentally too as you're reusing something someone else didn't want anymore.

[34me]

I buy all my jeans at a thrift store. I've never paid more than $6 for Eddie Bauer or Lands End jeans.

[greengirl_]

I love thrift stores!! I get most of my clothes and all of dd's clothes there, I've also scored some great wooden toys for dd. I tend to stay away from Goodwill since their prices have gotten really high. There seems to be a lot of smaller independent thrift stores in my area that are much cheaper, and have special deal days too. Yesterday was early bird special - 30% off everything before noon, yay! Honestly, I can hardly buy new anymore from the sticker shock.

[myjo]

Anybody find it harder to shop thrifts for boys, especially older ones? I get a lot of my own clothes there, but man, it's so hard to find high quality boys' clothing second hand. They must all wear them to bits before they figure they're done with them.

I'm having a harder time dressing them now because they're all into certain brands now. They won't even consider thrift clothes unless they have a certain name on them, and sometimes not even then. It makes me really mad, because it's so shallow. Hopefully it's just a stage.

[litanyagainstfear]

Love thrifting, both in brick and mortar stores and online. Goodwill has gotten more expensive, but there are other thrift stores in my areas, and most all of them do half-price Saturdays or other special deals throughout the month.

I always have a hard time finding clothes, whether I try buying new or thrift, and there are some clothing items I have never found second hand that are necessities, but I always look! We also have lots of second hand kids clothing stores around here, and so I rarely buy new for my DS, and have had really good luck.

DH is like me -- sometimes he buys new, but prefers digging around for "treasure." This summer he is doing maintenance for a local apartment complex, and we have come across lots of wonderful things that way too.

Cool find of the day: my DH picked up an almost 100 year old piano shell that had been painted really awesomely and converted for storage/display use for free! Going to add some more shelves inside for toy storage, hopefully, and plan to use it as a buffet during the holidays and for parties.

[Tilia]

I love thrift store shopping. We have Goodwills around here. They used to be better but that last year or so it seems like everything is stained junk. Plus it is harder to find kids clothes rather than baby clothes.

I do get a lot of play kitchen stuff from thrift stores. We have too much but I can't pass up a good deal on a vintage metal piece.

I also sew playfood out of felted wool sweaters so I can't beat finding a 100% wool sweater for 88 cents. Our highest price for sweater is $3.38 so I can't complain at all.

We also just got a new nice Salvation Army in the next town over. They have a ton of cool stuff. I try to head there before work to see what I can find. Last time I found 3 large mugs for $2 to plant flowers in.

Does anyone else LOVE garage sales?

[myjo]

I also sew playfood out of felted wool sweaters so I can't beat finding a 100% wool sweater for 88 cents. Our highest price for sweater is $3.38 so I can't complain at all.

I never thought about making toys out of old clothes, that is a really good idea!

[~D~]

I never find good deals anywhere Bad timing, maybe? I know that the thrift stores here are pretty picked over as far as clothes & kitchen stuff. I got all of our furniture at a resale shop that sells hotel furniture, though. Thought I got a good deal on it, but the couch that I got now smells weirdly... musty(?) I think it got water damaged or something and they had it cleaned. But the smell came back... So now what? IDK, maybe I can pick up some ideas from you mamas

[myjo]

Originally Posted by ~D~

I never find good deals anywhere Bad timing, maybe? I know that the thrift stores here are pretty picked over as far as clothes & kitchen stuff. I got all of our furniture at a resale shop that sells hotel furniture, though. Thought I got a good deal on it, but the couch that I got now smells weirdly... musty(?) I think it got water damaged or something and they had it cleaned. But the smell came back... So now what? IDK, maybe I can pick up some ideas from you mamas

I love Craig's List for furniture, but you have to be very choosy and careful about checking everything out first. I made the same mistake as you but with my kid's beds. Now I'll probably have to resell them because they smell funny (like old building smell, they were in a huge old shop, and pretty dusty). It was an ultra-stupid mistake. It's what I get for trying to save money at all costs.

But my mistake notwithstanding, Craig's list usually has some pretty high quality items for sale. Look especially for the one's that say almost new. Sometimes people just buy furniture for staging purposes and then get rid of it, or they simply decide they made a mistake on what they recently bought.

You might try getting rid of your couch on Craig's list. I've sold several items that way and it usually works really well, and no cost to you for the ad either.

[MovnMama]

Extremely thrifty mama here! I used to work as a night manager at Value Village in my early 20's (like, 5 years ago) and never was my wardrobe so cute or so recycled! I love everything about thrifting - the reusing of useful stuff, limiting waste and environmental impact, and cute clothes or other stuff that is totally unique, and saving $$$.

Since moving to Alaska (from Portland, OR, where you can't throw a rock without hitting a thrift or vintage shop) I've noticed some crazy trends in thrifting. For one, things are more expensive, but I can get that, because EVERYTHING is expensive in Alaska. The cost of living is just high (therefore another reason to reuse - shipping stuff here is more ecologically impactful, and I feel unethical buying everything new).

But secondly, because the cost of living is high, and it's hard to get stuff, everything is REALLY used. Like the quality of items is pretty low. Never would I find brand new stuff at a thrift store here. I used to find brand new or barely used pants, shirts, shoes, dishes, etc, all the time in Portland. NOT HERE! I guess it's kind of cool to know that everything's going to use as much as possible (less waste?) but still, I'd like to find some of the quality items I used to see in the Lower 48 all the time.

One thing that is awesome is one shop here does "bag sales" where you get all the clothes you can stuff in a grocery bag for $5. My husband's wardrobe has doubled in size, and we get all of DS's clothes this way. Sometimes stuff doesn't fit him, but seriously, when you get 4 pants and 5 shirts for a 3 year old for 5 bucks, if one thing doesn't work, it's still a GREAT deal, especially in AK.

My new favorite hobby is collecting coffee mugs (or tea mugs, whatever your preference) that are souvenirs from other locations or otherwise totally artistic and funky. I'm building a pretty good collection - and can't beat 50 cents for a mug! We get most of our dishware from thrift-shops. This makes a lot of sense in AK as well, since the heavier the item, the more it costs to ship, and is therefore more expensive (in several ways).

PS - garage sales also rock!

[2ID_Wife]

I am but it is hard right now with the kids.
I have got dreat deals at stores, 75cents for jeans brand new one time. 1.50 maternity dress pants from Kolhs.

[laughingfox]

My local Target is having some mega-clearance action right now. The lowest priced kids shirts I found were $1.25, I got myself a new shirt for $2.50, and there are plenty of clearance baby clothes, too.
I don't know if all Targets are doing this, but it's worth checking out!