I'm addicted to Goodwill!

[babiesX2]

This thread is great! So funny too!

It is a fun one. I'm having so much fun with it, but I need to be pricing my garage sale stuff.

This reminds me of something. GW stores have a certain smell, but I like to think of it as part of the ambiance. One day I brought my haul into the house, but I also brought GW's ambiance in with my purchases. To fix my "problem," I sprayed Febreeze. BIG MISTAKE! It really did smell like GW then!

I only buy things that I can bring home and wipe with a Clorox clean up wipe. Anything broken or missing pieces, I leave it where I found it! I will spray paint stuff (because I to paint).

 

[MsLeFever]

I now feel so much better about my frequent thrift store trips! I costume play and that is what got me hooked but I love looking for name brand stuff for the kids!

I worked at a children's consignment store so I'm now very good at spotting the "good" clothes!

 

[babiesX2]

Like you guys, I'm conditioned to find the GOOD stuff that other people discard-

I like the way you worded that! Conditioned. . . in a good way!

 

[kilee]

My other big finds are at church rummage sales. Around here those are big- and everyone donates their stuff to the church. This last weekend I picked up 5 brand new Christian Dior shirts-- it was during the fill a bag for a buck sale- so I figure I spent about $0.20 each. Those will actually be going on ebay since they're not a size anyone in my house wears. I also got at the last rummage sale numerous Gymboree and Armani Exchange items.

There is another one this week in probably one of the most affluent neighboorhoods in the immediate area. Gotta drive 40 minutes to get to it-- but I will be there!!! They're having the fill a bag for a buck sale too.

 

[CherylA]

There is one around me in Westport, Connecticut which is where a lot of the older famous people live. (Paul Newman, Don Imas) anyway it's very affluent. The stuff isn't priced cheaply for sure but the brand names are amazing. They even have separate markings for "boutique items" too funny, But yes I'm hooked. I have to try some of the items on ebay.

 

[rach2674]

I wish I hadn't even seen this thread this morning. I went and dropped off a garbage bag full of my old clothes that don't fit and some other stuff I had around and ended up buying stuff. Here I am trying to purge and I go buy more stuff!! LOL Of course I couldn't pass up softcover books 4/1.00. And then I got a cute little bunny for my dd's easter basket. I need to go more often but this one usually don't have real great stuff. All the kids clothes are all pretty worn out and I don't have the patience to go through clothes for me.

Hope I can find a few more around and check those out too.

Rachel

 

[mickeymousemom]

I haven't read completely thru yet, but I like this thread. I am also a thrift store junkie. We have a GW about 20 minutes south of here that's in an affluent area...great store. The one 20 minutes north of us is okay, but you have to look for the good stuff. I think if i won the lottery I'd still have a good time at thrift shops. I only buy the good stuff and only if its in really good condition. We have some small kids consignment shops aruond here that are awesome. Name brands in good shape(they won't take clothes with stains or tears, etc) for great prices. There's also a chain in Indy called Plato's closet that sells name brand, in-style teen clothing. My DD's love this place! Everything in there is hip, they play great music, and the prices are wonderful! I love buying my girls hollister, Aeropostale, etc for a small fraction of the new price. The prices aren't Goodwill, but still good. Most of the stuff looks like what something new would look like if you washed it once or twice.

 

[dzneelvr]

I have soooo much fun shopping at the better consignment stores and Goodwill in college cities are the best! I can purchase a Sag Harbor wool blazer for $3 with the tag still on! A couple weeks ago we were in a big college city and I walked out with 3 wool skirts, classic cuts with tags for under $6! I definitely know how you feel about being addicted....it's the thrill of the hunt and being able to walk away if nothing is found. I LOVE it

 

[pweyl36]

We Have A Goodwill Next To The U Of De.and In Another Month Those Collage Kids Will Be Leaving For The Summer And Instead Of Taking There Belongings Home They Send It To The Goodwill.you Just Would Not Believe How Much Stuff They Leave Behind.

 

[tiggerfan6]

Great Thread... I love shopping at thrift stores too!
I am in love AMVETS. I find really great stuff there, you just have to look. I also find great things at SA. I found the Fisher Price Jumper-roo for 14.99 it was like brand new and my daughter loves it. I also have found Little Tykes mailbox activity station NIB for 3.99 I agree about going to SA on Wednesday, when clothes are 1/2 off. I also enjoy Yard sale shopping... Here in NEw York it will start the end of the month. YOOHOO!!

 

[Marla Hellwig]

Plato's Closet - that was the name of the store I was trying to remember - it takes awhile to go through their racks but usually find at least 1 bargain.

 

[samepoohdifferentday]

When a thirfy store has a 1/2 off day, I like to go the day before. I get all the "good" stuff. I don't mind paying $7 for a pair of jeans. Why worry about saving $3.50. I am already getting a great deal! Scoop!

 

[irishbosoxfan]

We have a SA and a DAV (disabled american veterans) a GW and a small assistance center store and on a good day I can hit all 4---For me our SA is about the same as the DAV on most items except clothes and the SA is cheaper for them plus lots of thick chicks like myself donate to them so it works out for me--- The GW is horribly overpriced here,we too have the Target donations and they mark them up maybe double or triple from the clearance price on the box(Why don't they remove the clearance price?) clothes at the GW are priced at $3.49 per shirt $4.99 for pants no matter who its for(kids or adults)

The SA also has real nice clothes for my kids and they charge .50 to $1.00-at one time I had 5 50 gallon rubbermaid totes full of clothes for my oldest DD then just passed them down to my youngest--- this year for the first time in 7 years I actually have to go clothes shopping for my oldest the youngest still has about 2 totes left to go thru--My Dh thought I was nuts but it finally hit him how much I've saved him over the years in clothes for the kids

I just bought a carriage for my DD4 to use at WDW this summer to cut down on the whine time and I paid $3.50,brought it home took it apart washed it down and when DH came home he said "I thought you were going to buy one from the second hand store" so I guess it looks okay! LOL!---I also bought a brand new 3 room dome tent for $40 which we will be using this summer also(Walmart had the exact same one for just over $100) Plus I picked up some Norton McNaughton outfits for $5 each

 

[snowgooseltd]

Another thrift store junkie here.....in the Massachusetts area we have stores named "Savers". They are also in Florida and go by the name of Value Village, I believe. Our Savers has colored tags and one color is 1/2 price on Thursday - Sunday. On Monday, whatever is left of the particular color is 99 cents. They also have alot of furniture. Much of my house here and the one in Florida is decorated with thrift store finds. A little soap/water/paint goes a long way. I love thrift store shopping and have found many valuable items. My last great find, about a week ago, was a pair of DocMartin boots for $5.99. I looked them up, on their website, and they were priced at $115.00. Not bad, huh?? I think much of the attraction is the hunt. I, too, have sold items found, that we can't use.

 

[NikiM20]

Our goodwills here are nasty but we have a American Thrift Store.........they are awesome!!! I found my pal mickey for $1.49..I have bought DD6 gap clothes, tommy hilfiger etc for wayyyyyyyyyyyy less than buying in a dept store.

 

[walkena]

My favorite finds so far...

a brand new Kate Spade handbag for $12
2 brand new cashmere sweaters from Holt Renfrew $9 each
a Ralph Lauren plaid skirt for $6.99
a Jones New York suit

I have founds so much great stuff ....

 

[jam217]

One of my best "finds'' was Christmas Eve when I went to the local thrift store and they were having a bag sale -- $3 for everything you could fit in a paper grocery bag. I managed to get quite an assortment including a black jumper, black pants, denim Christmas vest, Christmas sweater, a dress...it was like Christmas had arrived a day early!!

 

[kilee]

tiggerfan6--- I am really close to you. I checked all the southtowns pennysavers and there are actually a nice hadnful of garage sales starting this week.

 

[tripplanner2]

What city are you GW's in. I went a long time ago and they seemed pricey. I'n on L.I. NewYork. Maybe thats why. or I should give them another chance. Salvation has had a few toys but most were not in good shape.

I also live on Long Island and used to shop them. They used to be much better. When I was pregnant with my second I found the store. At the time, Babies R Us was donating on a regular basis. I got a Peg Pergo stroller for $40. There were Combis for $10 each. I also bought Pampers and Huggies for an entire year (2 kids). I bought all of my car seats there (tags still on) for like $20 ($125 model in the store). I also bought a Little Tykes swing set, small table and chairs for the kids. The stuff was insane. People would line up and wait for the delivery truck to unload .

Well, then I stopped working after having the second baby and had to restrain myself from going to the store 3 days a week. I went back after about 6 months because I was looking for something specific. The thought of paying full price was unheard of. After several trips there with no baby items I asked management what happened. It seems that certain unnamed stores decided not to donate anymore because so many people were shopping at Goodwill instead of in their stores. They decided that they got more of a tax write off to dump the items instead of donating them.

Well now I go in during Halloween when looking for parts to costumes but the good old days were great. I shopped mostly in Selden but I also went to Patchogue and Westbury. My obsession was so bad that I took a day off of work to go to a grand opening (spent $288, can you imagine what I brought home that day!).

 

[tripplanner2]

Our Goodwill is a bit pricier but still totally worth it...our jeans/pants are $4.99 and not long ago I found an awesome pair of denim overalls from the Disney Catalog with an embroidered mickey face on the chest for $5.99.

And someone who is my exact same size and height must have donated their entire Ann Taylor wardrobe because I found about 4 pairs of pants all hemmed to my exact measurements!

But my favorite find was a brand new (still sealed in plastic) 12x12 Creative Memories album w/ pages for $2.99!!!!

And now ours gets all the clearance stuff and damaged items from Target...usually the clearance stuff can be cheaper in Target but the damaged stuff can be a great deal. The other day they had the Disney princess cell phone with the four interchangeable faces that have sayings from the different princesses---I've seen it anywhere from $9.99-14.99 and I got one there with a dented box for $3!!!!

It really is great for Disney stuff...we get all our sing-along-song vhs tapes there for 99 cents-$1.99.

Goodwill rocks!

Not sure if you know but sometimes the boxes are open (with brand new items inside) and parts may be missing. You can call the manufacturer and they will usually replace the missing part for free.