View Full Version : Goodwill shopping does me good
Blackdog Lin
4-24-14, 10:20pm
You know how it is with the change of seasons, that your last year's wardrobe doesn't fit/won't suit/I hate that outfit, what was I thinking last year? That kind of thing? I go through it twice a year - and then head to Goodwill.
Spent $42.00 Saturday and brought home 9!!! new pieces for spring/summer, 7 of which are perfect and I love, and 2 that I probably should have left there but will use for chore clothes if nothing else. This is less that what I would have paid for 2 or 3 tops anywhere around here regular retail.
The really great thing: Goodwill prices spoil me for regular shopping. I got a new Cabela's catalog today, and really WANTED to order something (to use up some freebie points through a credit card), but all I could think of was "I could go buy a whole 'nuther summer or winter wardrobe for what they're wanting for 1 pair of capris!!! And then if it doesn't fit I have to pay the shipping to send it back!"
And I threw the catalog in the trash and blessed the concept of thrift store clothes shopping. It truly does me good.
Anyone else a fan?
iris lilies
4-24-14, 11:32pm
I love Goodwill. I recently moved up in the world to The Scholar Shop where several of my friends shop. It's like skimming the best out of Goodwill stores. The prices are 3x that of Goodwill, but that's still very good. Goodwill is $3 for a shirt and Scholar Shop is around $8 - $12. I got some great stuff.
I know what you mean, I can buy a whole season's worth of clothes for $42 at Goodwill. My friends who thrift brag about The Scholar Shop but I just hang my head and say "I can't afford that!" and we all laugh because they know I could if I chose to.
Sad Eyed Lady
4-25-14, 10:19am
I love Goodwill/Salvation Army/Thrift Stores - have shopped them for YEARS and as you said, this kind of shopping absolutely spoils me when it comes to seeing something in a "regular store" and looking at the price tag!
catherine
4-25-14, 10:26am
We have a thrift store near us that the kids have shopped at for years. I typically buy my daily knock-around clothes there. Frankly, I don't buy many clothes, so I don't have much call to go down there. I've started raiding my daughter's cast-offs, so that will keep me going for a while!
Each year, I buy a couple of pairs of yoga pants that are constructed in a weight and cut that's suitable for wearing on errands from Old Navy for $19 a pair. The refreshing of my "work" clothes, for when I go on the road (roughly 12-16 weeks a year), are gifts from my DH at Christmas--he has great taste and isn't as price sensitive as I am, so if he wants to dress me, I have no problem with that!
But overall--yes, in answer to your question, you can get great stuff at Goodwill!
Gardenarian
4-25-14, 11:12am
Absolutely! Catherine, I could have written that post - dd and all!
My daughter prefers shopping at thrift stores because they have such a better selection than the mall (though she still like to go to the mall with friends, but as an activity, not for shopping.)
My only problem is sometimes buying too much, especially on 1/2 off Fridays.
awakenedsoul
4-25-14, 11:25am
Great thread. I buy my clothes at thrift stores, too. I'm about a half a mile from The Salvation Army, so I get my clothes there. Usually I go when everything is 50% off. Last year I got seven pieces for $9.00! A lot of what they sell is brand new...the tags are still on the merchandise! It feels good to support their cause, too.
I was thinking yesterday that I can wear my sun dresses from last year again this year. My shorts and t-shirts are still in good shape, too. (Thanks to line drying.) I've been knitting my socks and sweaters. So, I've got plenty!
new2oregon
4-25-14, 2:28pm
Great thread . I also love the church rummage sales they have here, most clothes are under 1.00.
cindycindy
4-25-14, 7:16pm
I love to wait for the last afternoon of a local church rummage sale where they have a $1 a bag sale. I usually fill up several bags usually full of designer good quality itmes; if I end with being able to use 1-2 items from the bag, I'm doing good. The rest I donate to other charities. I find I get so many more compliments on things that I get from consignment and thrift stores because they're unique-not like the disposable stuff everyone is wearing.
Blackdog Lin
4-25-14, 8:14pm
Iris Lilies: "moving up in the world" toward "expensive" clothes shopping, eh? Made me smile.
awakenedsoul: be so very glad that you can wear last year's sundresses. Awesome, that is. I spent 15 years the same size (a large size, but the same size) and never HAD to replace clothing (I just WANTED to). :) But 6 years ago I started losing some major weight, slowly, and every season I'd go to put on last season's clothes and they were too big. Then after 3 years of that I started gaining some of the weight back, and had the same problem only in the wrong direction. :(
I had never really tried thrift store shopping before 6 years ago - it was thrust upon me because I just couldn't afford to buy clothes that fit me, twice a year, otherwise. But now.....I do it 'cause I love the idea of it (making my consumer footprint smaller and all that you know) and the savings are amazing.
I was surprised and delighted to get out my spring/summer capris and shorts and they still fit from last year! All I needed (okay, wanted) was some new tops. Perhaps my weight has stabilized again. Wouldn't THAT be a wonderful thing?!
Enjoying the stories, and hope more of you chime in.....
I haven't been thrift shopping in months, so I'm definitely overdue. I'll be dropping off another car full of discards soon, and I haven't visited the new Value Village nearby. I could use a 10-cup coffee carafe and--as always--I'll have my eye out for clothes. I'll have to use the "one in, one out" method, because my wardrobe is--literally--an embarrassment of riches. Lately I've been buying scarves, and I've found some lovely ones--handwoven multicolor, block-printed silk...for pennies on the dollar of retail price. I haven't shopped at a mall in years.
Most of what I buy is from thrift stores. My wardrobe is a much higher quality and would be unaffordable if I paid full price. It's mostly sort of boring, classic designs from LL Bean, Lands End, Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, etc. but they're well-made and won't go out of fashion.
Now I walk through regular stores, glance at a few things, and wonder why someone would pay that amount, even on sale. Thrifting is an adventure; the thrill is the hunt. I can't keep out of them.
My big finds: LL Bean field watch for $3, Brooks Brothers corduroy pants, new, $3, wool throw blanket from Ireland, $3. On average, about $3-$6 for shirts, $4-$7 for pants.
I never really think about shopping in terms of I'll save money. But I frequent the GoodWill As-Is store frequently. Usually at any given time I can look at what I'm wearing and something will have come from there. Today, it's my sweater and my Merrill sneakers and the shoe inserts. But I'm going to shower and put on my "jammies" which are usually loose clothes. And I know tonight, the shirt and over sweater will have come from As-Is.
Gardenarian
4-29-14, 2:16pm
My daughter found a prom dress at the mall - not very expensive (around $20.) But she went to the thrift store and found a much cooler outfit (total=$6) so we're returning the original dress.
The mall dress was cute, but made of polyester and came from China.
The thrift store outfit is a gorgeous embroidered silk bustier-type top from France and a black silk and lace pouffy skirt made in the USA. Can't beat that!
ApatheticNoMore
4-29-14, 4:27pm
although i'm quite sure I wasn't doing it right, it was leading me to buy stuff i really didn't need, so I wouldn't find what i came for BUT ...... ooh something else catches my eye ... so hmm I laid off stopping by there a bit (granted none of it cost very much but ...).
My daughter found a prom dress at the mall - not very expensive (around $20.) But she went to the thrift store and found a much cooler outfit (total=$6) so we're returning the original dress.
The mall dress was cute, but made of polyester and came from China.
The thrift store outfit is a gorgeous embroidered silk bustier-type top from France and a black silk and lace pouffy skirt made in the USA. Can't beat that!
That bustier/pouf combination sounds smashing--much better than a conventional dress!
Blackdog Lin
4-29-14, 10:08pm
Yeah. And I adore hearing about all of our recycling of clothing. Gardenarian: way cool with the prom duds for $6.00. I see the news stories about all the over-the-top excess with prom-doings, all the expenses the kids incur to be cool for proms.....kudos to your daughter.
I hope she has a memorable prom. And for just a little bit of cash-money.
I stop by a Savers every Wednesday as it is "Senior's Day" with 30% off. My clothes are mostly classic style thrift store items - Ann Taylor, Talbot's, etc. Since the masses have jumped to all manner of skinny pants, there are some really fine deals on "regular" pants. Often, I just look and talk myself out of a purchase but I really enjoy this weekly visit, i.e. the hunt.
We are such thrift store shop-a-holics that when we go on vacation we go to thrift stores in whatever place we find ourselves. We google the area for thrift stores and make out a map before we leave home (we don't have smart phones). We also stop at yard sales if we see them when we're traveling. I have some memorable summer dresses we got in far flung thrift stores. There's nothing like the allure of an exotic thrift store!
We have a thrift store here in town that has a very dedicated person who comes in and organizes all their craft stuff. It's a joy to shop that aisle. In most thrift stores craft stuff is just thrown in a heap and it's a pain to find anything.
As for quality, I look at the stuff in the ads for shopko and mallwart and just laugh at the prices for inferior quality crap. They want 3 to 5 times as much for cheap crap as I pay at thrift stores for good brand name stuff.
I love to thrift shop when I am traveling too, Mary! I am always on the lookout for cool cowboy boots and leather jackets when I am in the Southwest. Pawn shops are very interesting too; I got a longhorn cattle skull which is on my living room wall from a pawn shop in Gallup many years back.
Teacher Terry
5-1-14, 4:07pm
I like thrift store shopping. I have had better luck with household items then with clothes. I bought a set of new crystal wine glasses for $8.00 and there were 8 of them.
I do most of my Good Will shopping, as I said at the As Is version of the store, which is supposed to be the last gasp before the dump, or shipping overseas or at actions. But sometimes, they really raise the prices HIGH. When they do that, I stop going for a while. I did get a nice casual T shirt for .59 cents this morning though.
I'm amazed that people will pay $20 or more for plain tees or tanks when you can get them for $2 or less in multiple colors at a thrift store.
Our local Goodwill has gotten kind of pricey. Plus their prices range all over the map for basically the same thing. My hubbie just came home with a nice plain pocket tee in olive color for 99 cent from Good Will the other day. (It can be so hard sometimes to find a tee shirt that hasn't been ruined by some dumb silk screen logo!) He said farther down the rack was basically the same shirt in a different color and that one was priced $3.99! Luckily we have other thrift stores around like the Salv. Army whose new motto is "Thrift store pricing the way it should be". They have one price for similar items ie: all women's short sleeve tees are the same price. Amen to that.
I'm amazed that people will pay $20 or more for plain tees or tanks when you can get them for $2 or less in multiple colors at a thrift store.
I get them for $2-3 new at the craft stores when having a sale. Micheals, Hobby Lobby and Joanns. They have been washed many many times and still retain their color and shape. 100% cotton. Even at full price, they are not $20.
HappyHiker
6-11-14, 6:38pm
Nice to hear from other thrift store fans...
Our community and the next are loaded with thrift and consignment stores. Some are the biggies such as Salvation Army, some are church affiiated and others are more upscale consignment shops. But even the upscale consignment shops have end-of-season amazing bargains.
One shop I like the most has a couple of $1.00 racks. The items I've found there are truly super-dooper such as an unworn Irish knit wool sweater in a lovely coral/tomato red shade..
But as others have noted, when the closets overflow, I donate back because my hangers runneth over.
As prices rise for gas and food, it's happy times to be able to clothe ones-self--and spouse-- for very little.
Spent an hour today with a friend who is helping stock a new community library in a small town in North Dakota. At the first thrift store, we got 10 books for $1!! At the second, I think she got about 25 books for $26. I did take a bag of about 15 to her when I picked her up. They were are like new - many hardback - really tried to find kid's chapter books which the organizers are short of. I love how a small group of people can decide their town needs a library and gets to work to make it happen. And I'm glad that there are thrift stores to help stock said libraries!
Blackdog Lin
6-12-14, 9:45pm
chrissieq: please pm me. I have a large collection of old children's books to get rid of. Would love to help with your friend's library, if it's feasible. The shipping may be too much.
HappyHiker
6-13-14, 10:47am
Thanks for mentioning used books -- and what bargains they can be. I'm active with our Friends of the Library group. We raise money for our library with used book sales and stocking a "book nook" inside the library. Our patrons are very generous in donating lots of their gently used books to the library for resale.
Needless to say, as a book lover and getting first crack at buying the donated books when we sort them, my shelves are too full..when the piles on the floor become too tall, I donate the books back to the library. The books go full circle.
Inexpensive books--and clothes--make me happy.
iris lilies
6-13-14, 10:57am
I do most of my Good Will shopping, as I said at the As Is version of the store, which is supposed to be the last gasp before the dump, or shipping overseas or at actions. But sometimes, they really raise the prices HIGH. When they do that, I stop going for a while. I did get a nice casual T shirt for .59 cents this morning though.
We have a Goodwill last gasp store here, it's been open for only a couple of years. They price things by the pound. It's full of awful junk, yet I got there
1) black velvet theatre coat in perfect condition, dating from the 1970's with a name brand label of a California maker (can't think of who it is)--got that sweetheart for $1
2) saucer in my (former) everyday china pattern, very expensive--got it for 25 cents
I didn't want either one of these things but at the point I saw them I had to rescue them from this awful place. The coat is still hanging in my closet and I'll either wear it or donate it to a vintage shop. I have a thing for theatre coats and so I've got a small collection. I took the saucer to the local China Finder guy and gave it to him; he had purchased my set of china that matched it a few years back.
When objects scream out to me from these bins of horrific junk, I cannot ignore their little voices. ;) I am not a hoarder and can easily give up most "stuff" but sometimes, ya gotta take things home with you even if you do not "need" them.
rosarugosa
6-13-14, 5:43pm
IL: Perhaps a dumb question, but I'm not proud - what's a theatre coat? I did try googling it first, but I remain unenlightened.
Thanks for mentioning used books -- and what bargains they can be. I'm active with our Friends of the Library group. We raise money for our library with used book sales and stocking a "book nook" inside the library. Our patrons are very generous in donating lots of their gently used books to the library for resale. . ..
The library in the nearby college town is the same; however I was in their used book nook last week and they were so overstocked that they were practically giving stuff away: magazines 10/$1.00, paperbacks .25 or .50, hardbacks $1.00. Of course more expensive items were marked separately.
But I'm wondering if we've reached an e-Reader tipping point - are so many people clearing their shelves that the price of a regular used hard copy book is almost nil?
Indianapolis has always had about 6 huge multi day book sales each year. They fully stock a huge room with tall shelves and have at least 8 people counting and checking out and 2 cash registers going. Prices are similiar to the above post. We have people with ISBN readers pulling books for sale. (had to change the rules about boxes in the aisles and box sizes due to them.) Stock is donations (we take ours to them) and books removed from the library itself. One corner is a separate higher value area but the books are not much more expensive.
I have even gotten books to sell on Ebay. One set I paid $18 for 18, I sold for $20 each but it was only because of some obscure knowledge I had.
I shop several thrift stores in the Boise area, but especially like Idaho Youth Ranch, which provides emergency shelter, residential care, substance abuse treatment, job readiness training, alternative education, adoption services, family counseling, and more for at-risk kids and their struggling parents and families. I like what they do, so I also donate (money, as well as items for re-sale) to them regularly ...
iris lilies
6-17-14, 3:48am
IL: Perhaps a dumb question, but I'm not proud - what's a theatre coat? I did try googling it first, but I remain unenlightened.
It's a dressy, light coat, in a luxe fabric. It's not intended to keep you warm, it's intended to go over your dressy outfit for the evening. I think they are also called evening coats and were a "thing" before everyone stopped dressing. They were extremely popular 1920's - 1930's (before the war) and then again in the 50's through the 60's.
I've got a blue velvet one with a fur collar from the '20;s and a red velveteen swing coat from the 60's as well as this recent black velvet find for $1. What I love about the old velvets is that they are soooooo luxuriously soft, the high quality velvet fabric is amazing.
rosarugosa
6-17-14, 4:45am
Ah, thanks for the clarification. I'm not a real dressy type, so a theatre coat wouldn't really fit in with my lifestyle.
It's a dressy, light coat, in a luxe fabric. It's not intended to keep you warm, it's intended to go over your dressy outfit for the evening. I think they are also called evening coats and were a "thing" before everyone stopped dressing. They were extremely popular 1920's - 1930's (before the war) and then again in the 50's through the 60's.
I've got a blue velvet one with a fur collar from the '20;s and a red velveteen swing coat from the 60's as well as this recent black velvet find for $1. What I love about the old velvets is that they are soooooo luxuriously soft, the high quality velvet fabric is amazing.wooo fancy :-)! I just a bought a really cute (and brand new never-worn) semi-dress jacket from The Salvation Army for $3 (marked down from $15 and with a 50% off coupon. Think it's Anne Klein or Ann Tayor (Ann somebody). It's a really nice black fabric with white piping (Chanel style) button short trench with a really nice lining. Wore it with jeans and black boots. I generally don't buy clothes at thrift stores but will do outer wear pretty often. Also got a gray wool knit long jacket/sweater thing with a hood and crystal buttons there for about $8. Very cute. Also a couple of the long sleeve Columbia SPF (sunblock) button down "Bahamas" shirt in teal - both new - for $4/each.
rosarugosa
6-18-14, 4:47am
You scored very nicely, Spartana!
I picked up a cool manual aqua blue old small typewriter to add to my collection....for $1.00 It works great and I've been looking for an aqua blue one for ages. I've got 7 of them now. This one I'm keeping on the coffee table with paper in it and we're having fun leaving notes for each other.
Oh Float on, I wonder if the aqua typewriter was mine....I gave it to goodwill years ago. Pica type and quite small with its own carrying case, I guess they had those. I'd like to think someone got good use out of mine.
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