Shop the Goodwill and Salvation Army Shops. I recently bought a $200.00 coat for 6 bucks! Great savings for clothes, toys, books, purses. If you have growing kids, start there for your shopping. It's cheaper and when the kids grow out of them, donate them back and take if off your taxes.
By DEBRADJ from ILLINOIS
Editor's Note: What are your best thrift store finds? Post them below.
I started shopping thrift stores out of necessity when my 3 children were small. As time went on I continued to shop Good Will, Miracle Hill, Salvation Army, etc because of the bargains I found on name brand items. My best bargain is probably my microwave. The microwave I'd used for 22 years bit the dust so I went to Walmart and bought a new one. Needless to say things aren't made the same as they were 20 years ago and I was not pleased with the look of the new microwave when I put it where the old one had been. I took it back and found a larger microwave at Goodwill the following day. I was excited to get a microwave for $15, but then when they rang me up I found out it was half price because of the tag color! My daughter-in-law couldn't believe I bought a microwave for $7.50. On that same trip I got my grandson a Little Tikes slide for $5.00. The look on his 18 month old face when he saw it was worth 100 times what I paid for it! (02/22/2008)
By Donna B
My greatest finds are 100% wool things to incorporate in my rug hooking. I have found many things, a Mills Brothers suede jacket and matching skirt for $15. Plus, tops and pants. Plus, at Frenchy's, I have found many tartan skirts for hooking. Besides what, it helps keeps this stuff from going to the landfill. (02/22/2008)
By
Wow, where to begin! I have shopped at my local thrift store, as well as others I stumble upon, for at least 20 years now. My best buys are the things I find which are name brand and like new that I would love to buy new but cannot afford. This fall I got fur-lined leather coat with a label from a popular leatherwear store chain for $20, and it was worth an estimated $300. I also got a long down coat from a famous outdoor company for $20 that sold for about $80 this past season. I have also gotten new, never worn designer label shoes for as little as $5, even a pair of new (insert popular sheepskin boot company name here) for $9!!!
By Kat
I went to Walmart yesterday to see if I could buy some pretty fabric at $1.00 per yard, but no such thing. I looked at several bolts of fabric at $1.00 per yard, but they weren't eye catching. So today I went to the Salvation Army Store and purchased 2 men's shirts at 50% off, it was their yellow tag discount sale. What I'm going to do with the shirts is to cut them up and make hot mitts and flat potholders. (02/23/2008)
By Marjorie
For some reason the best bargains seem to be books (I created a good library from rejected classics) and skirts (in larger sizes too). The worst appear to be bras, which are usually stretched out by the time they get to the store.
I did once get a perfectly good salad spinner at a thrift store in another state. And I notice there aren't as many book bargains any more, probably because people read so much less, and what they read is the latest trash, not classics. (02/23/2008)
By P
I love going to thrift stores, I have found so much and saved so much. I buy those level reader books for my 6 year old son, which cost anywhere from $3-$5 full price, I get them for 39 cents. I get the cutest clothes for my 2 year old daughter, Gap, Old Navy, Gymboree, The Children's Place, for just a few dollars each or even 99 cents sometimes!
(02/25/2008)
By Daphne
Don't get me started! I am involved with Sr. America, an organization which has a pageant for women 60 and better. I work backstage at the VA and the National pageant and need glitzy evening clothes for the many events that occur at these pageants. Thrift stores are quite often a treasure trove for this type of clothing. I have bought a gorgeous beaded and sequined dress for $35 and a glitzy jacket to dress up an every day little black dress for as little as $5.
My favorite shopping experiences are at a place called 'The Thrift Shop' in Arlington, VA (which benefits a number of charities) and a shop at an Episcopal church on Sanibel Island in FL called Noah's Ark for beachy type and designer clothes. I often go on sr. trips and always look to see if there is a thrift or consignment shop at my destination. I live in NJ but have visited shops in Va, W.VA, Kentucky, Nevada, FL and of course, NJ.
It's the thrill of the chase for me! You can get beautiful, gently worn clothing if you shop diligently and if you befriend the volunteers they will let you know when the sales will be.(02/28/2008)
By GraNita
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