Homeschool+Thriftshop=happy mama

[unfrozncavegrl]

Man, I scored big time at my TS a few days ago.

I found Family Math, More Mudpies to Magnets, and Geography Wizardry along with some great old story books and unused workbooks and maze books. None of these were over $1.00!

I also got Mancala, A Cranium game, In a Pickle, Chutes and Ladders, a huge bag of big Legos, a small guitar, a battery operated very cool key board, a nice metal bulldozer, a 10ft. rainforest puzzle........

Isn't that craaazy? I was so stoked.

What have you found at your TS that has been great?

[tallanvor]

Would you believe I've never been to the thriftstore for school stuff? Honestly, though, that's only because with the state giving us money for school I am not so worried about finding the lowest price. It's been a crazy enough summer that I just wanted to get the stuff.

But am headed out looking for winter stuff (coats, boots, etc) this week or next so will remember to have a browse and see what I can find.

Crystal

[Ruthla]

Our local thrift store doesn't have a good selection of books or games. I mostly go there just for clothing.

[Cullens_Girl]

School is the only reason I set foot in a thrift store! the 2nd hand clothes are an added bonus, but I'm a good clearance shopper so I can get much of that for close to the same price if I buy one size ahead (especially now that he's only going through one size a year) but I digress. lol

[LilyGrace]

Originally Posted by Cullens_Girl

School is the only reason I set foot in a thrift store! the 2nd hand clothes are an added bonus, but I'm a good clearance shopper so I can get much of that for close to the same price if I buy one size ahead (especially now that he's only going through one size a year) but I digress. lol

Move here! The Salvation Army just had a huge sale on kid's clothes - $.19 each! I got a ton of boys' stuff and a few pieces for me for about $3!

A few weeks ago I found a book I had been planning on buying for Christmas about introducing woodworking to children. The book was $.10 at our local thrift store, which means I saved about $25 plus shipping! The oldest is getting a tool set this year so this is perfect.

Best find EVER, though, was when I was board and digging through the tableware. I found a set of dessert forks I had at home - sterling silver, pre-WWII (ours passed down through our family). They were $.27 each.

[mags]

Wow, what great finds!!! You know what's funny is my favorite part of the thift store are the books. I sit there and just dig and dig, I am sure they recognize me as the one who always goes there to look for books. It's funny, but I often feel that some of the books that I have found, must have been other HSer's cast offs, b/c they are books that I think only HSers would like that traditional schoolers would not have. There are plenty of, "junk" books too, the good finds are far and few btwn, BUT I am a bargain hunter junkie and I get such a high when I find a good book for 25 cents, lol. It's totally worth it. I just wish I had as good as luck as you, "family math" is one of those books that I would love to accidentally come across at a thrift shop, lol.

[lakesuperiormom]

we scored big on books. most were 16 cents and were ones from the sonlight lists and we got some textbooks and dk books....i have to be careful of the mildew smell with my asthma or we would have had much more! we've found silk squares tie dyed,the coolest mushroom canisters and a matching tray with cool mushrooms and dividers for sorting the counting gems, baskets, wool yarn. yardsales in our area are good for homeschooling books. i'm still searching for an eggbeater drill for my eldest to woodwork with..

[unfrozncavegrl]

I have never been the kind of person that gets lucky at thrift shops and bargain type stores. That's what made it extra special. I don't even know if we will use all we got. I can always give it away or back to the TS.

[funkygranolamama]

Our thrift store has an awesome book selection. I have to drive a good distance to get to it, but it's worth it. Some other bargain places I love are the pawn shop for cds and the library for $.10 books and "bags of books" (i got national geographics, 20 copies for a buck!

[Shianne]

I found Where in the USA and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego board games, a Punctuation game, Memory, a 3 ft tall dinosaur skeleton that the boys have to put together, a fossil dig, a real nice microscope with a view screen so even Rhett will be able to see, legos and various wooden and paper puzzles.

The ts in my area have a 50% off sale on Labour Day. My family and I will be hitting a few of them for learning supplies as well as clothes.

[PeacefulSeams]

Every item that I use for homeschool has come from the thrift stores. I am lucky because there are 4 in the area that I go to so I have a big choice of stuff. I think some of the better items were national geographic items like build a volcano, dinosaur fossil, egyptian tomb and a star globe and they were never used! I also got a bucket of the math tanagram shapes and those giant floor puzzles.

[melissel]

Man! Ours never has anything good! The best I ever did there was a pair of unused ice skates for DD for $5, but she won't be able to use them for another couple of years. Oh yeah, and some NIP sippy cups for like, $1. They never have any books, except for the cheap bodice-ripper kind and old microwave cookbooks, and the clothes are always junk.

A new one recently opened up in my best friend's neighborhood recently though, and I've been dying to go. It will give me a good excuse to visit anyway

[AprilDaisy]

I just scored 5 Calvin and Hobbes books for 65 cents each! After someone on this board suggesting them, I started looking for them. Couldn't find any in a decent price range so set the search aside. I was tickled and started giggling when I saw these books on Monday! lol

I love thrift stores because you never really know what unique thing you may find. My favorite sections are the coffee cups and the books! lol

[EmsMom]

Every once in a while I used to go to a local thrift store and find that what looked like it must of been a homeschooler had left a donation. I would come back with really great educational games and books. I don't go so much anymore, but I find great stuff at yard sales. Unopened science kits (last week I bought the bug kit from Wild Goose Science for $2), lots and lots of great books (especially enjoy the Usborne finds and all of the classic children's novels), rock collections, magnets., weather science kits, globes, chemistry sets. Musical instruments. Once I actually bought a very nice large djembe at a yard sale. Also lap looms (the nice wooden ones), wooden toys for the younger set and let's not forget loads and loads of legos and also K'Nex. I can't imagine homeschooling without yard sales!! Actually, now that I am thinking about it, most of our furniture is from yard sales as well. And the kids clothes. Gee, I live in yard sale paradise! Excellent finds at the thrift store!!!

[unfrozncavegrl]

Originally Posted by AprilDaisy

I just scored 5 Calvin and Hobbes books for 65 cents each! After someone on this board suggesting them, I started looking for them. Couldn't find any in a decent price range so set the search aside. I was tickled and started giggling when I saw these books on Monday! lol

I love thrift stores because you never really know what unique thing you may find. My favorite sections are the coffee cups and the books! lol

That's so cool!