Scores from Second Hand Stores

[ReadYourBible]

I scored a Marks and Spencer black blazer with tulip skirt for $12.99!  A mac & jac red and black poppy print blouse for $8.99.

 

And last but not least $11.99 for a pair of Asics GT-2000 shoes which retail for $100-$160.

 

I am not one of those brand name buyers, but I scored tonight  

 

When I was a young girl second hand clothes were all we could ever afford, my Mom would buy bell bottom jeans and turn them into straight legs.  It was something we did together that was a blast, I'd find the most hideous outfits I could possibly imagine and whip them out as a purveyor of goods to her trying to convince her it would look WONDERFUL on her and then we'd burst out laughing.

 

My middle daughter and I went this evening and she also found 2 very pretty little dresses and a scarf  

 

I know some people aren't jazzed about second stores but I adore them.

[kejedo]

Good for you, Sister Sharon!   I was working in several tax offices in Maine (one tax house, but moved around.) The color that Company featured was green. No mandatory uniform, but one of the offices was next door to a Goodwill Store. (Some of the people whose taxes I prepared had unbelievably high income and assets. I always wondered what they did with all that $$$. They sure didn't seem happy with their tax brackets)  Every day of the week, a different tag code/color was drastically reduced and I had a discount card. This thrift shop was immaculate and set up like a boutique; the clothing was nearly new, new,or even hand made. So, during the tax season, I picked up a number of outfits that matched the company's green logo, probably a dollar or two for something made with high end fabric. March 17 in the US is called Patrick's day, and most people wear green, I was the only one in the office NOT wearing green. My co-workers actually realized and made comments that I had worn green all season, except that one day when every one else wore green. Who woulda thunk it? This particular store laundered, and ironed every item. One is more likely to pick up a bug or have skin dyed or chemical irritation from New Clothing. I mention getting clothing dye on one's skin because a couple of my nieces got black or navy blue dye on their legs from tights that were very pricey. It was difficult to remove and irritating. We are advised to wash every thing we buy before wearing. So this store had already done it for me.  

[RaymondG]

A lot of my stuff has come from what we call 'Op Shops'... short for 'Opportunity Shops'... and the same as your 'Thrift Shops'...

My wife was queen of the Op Shops, she spent a lot of time in there and came out with some great stuff. I've now had 21 sisters go through her wardrobes and cupboards and each take away garbage bags full of stuff, there has to be at least 3000 garments still in there.

Often she would come home all excited, go to one of her cupboards, pull out a stack of stuff and then proclaim, "I knew it was the same!" when she found a skirt the same as a top she'd bought or a top to match a skirt etc.

When we travelled in America we bought a lot of stuff. Goodwill Stores and others saw us a number of times, I deliberately travelled very light on my last trip knowing it would be easy to pick up stuff I wanted when I got there. And we visited a few garage sales too. During summer I often wear shirts I bought in New Mexico, I have on a parka I got in Indiana and this week I used the windjacket I got in Spokane.

Once a sister in our old congregation was having a garage sale and we went along. My wife picked up a top that the daughter of another sister had in the sale, asked how much. The early teens girl said, "Oh you can have that, it's not worth anything!" But Janet insisted on paying, then the girl's mother said to her daughter, "You watch. Next time you see that top it will look a million dollars." She knew Janet could find things among her vast range to make that the perfect match.

[Allabord4Jah]

I loved the Thrift Shops in Florida.  Found an antique bed spread (1890's), a small fruit bow (made in Italy, pure porcelain), and my favorite is the Goodwill.  I still wear several clothes that I got from the Good Will.  They look new and I try not to buy "Dry Clean Only."  100 percent cottons are my favorites, including skirts and blouses.   A sister went with me and one afternoon, she found a cookie jar set for $5.00.  Someone saw it on her kitchen counter and told asked her where she got it and she proudly said "the Good Will" and the brother who saw it was an art nut, and he told her that whole set was probably worth $500.00.  It was majolica.  She did take one of the bins to a antique store and sure enough, it was what the brother said it was, and the antique dealer asked her how many pieces did she have and she told him the whole set, he offered $800.00 for it.  Not bad buy for $5.00.  As far as I know she kept it. 

[Miss Bea]

My favorite way to shop. I know brands, and buy nothing (almost always) that I wouldn't buy new but, my latest adventures are on eBay. Did you know Goodwill has a site? And, if you know your brands, just be patient. What I especially appreciate, is the pre-shrinking is done for you!

[feather]

My favorite way to shop.

 

  my Only way to shop!

      bargains galore. no Mall or dept store madness... 

 

  many local thrift shops offer $1 days each week on clothing, shoes, etc ...

     Stepping Stones, Last Chance, N.O.A.H.<-- Neglected Orphaned Abused Homeless animals

[RaymondG]

I can't remember what I got here...

...but this place cost me a couple of hours the first trip:

Janet had seen their other shop as we arrived in Buffalo, but we were turning left and it was on the right. And it was nearly 8pm and we wanted to get to our motel.

But the sight of a thrift shop open at night enthralled her, and the place was so big, it was like a magnet to her, so I said we'd find it again the next day. After going to the falls we drove around, asked, looked in phone books but couldn't find it!

I made it my business to find in on my second trip, though, and bought presents for four of her friends there.

[RaymondG]

I can't remember what I got here...

...but this place cost me a couple of hours the first trip:

Janet had seen their other shop as we arrived in Buffalo, but we were turning left and it was on the right. And it was nearly 8pm and we wanted to get to our motel.

But the sight of a thrift shop open at night enthralled her, and the place was so big, it was like a magnet to her, so I said we'd find it again the next day. After going to the falls we drove around, asked, looked in phone books but couldn't find it!

I made it my business to find in on my second trip, though, and bought presents for four of her friends there.

[shali]

My basic "scores" have usually been from garbage cans (since I'm a nighttime janitor). My rule has always been - "not so much as a paperclip leaves with you unless it was in the trash, if it's in the trash and you want it then it's yours". One day I found a laptop marked "trash, video monitor doesn't work, can't fix". So I took it home to check it out. The monitor worked but everything looked like it was a film negative. I got into the BIOS and found that the monitor was on "reverse", changed it back to "normal" and I had my very first laptop that worked great. Can't believe their IT guys didn't figure that out.

Another time I found a brand new Windows XP Pro operating disk in the trash of one of the vice presidents. I sold it on Ebay for $97.00. Nice bonus for a nights work! I've also found money in trash cans but I knew people didn't mean to throw that out, so I always put it back on their desks.

[RaymondG]

I used to help a brother who had a cleaning contract...

One of the places (fitted in between the gym and the theatre) was a printing shop. It was amazing what got into the bins there.

Staplers I remember, other stuff I don't particularly recall, though there was nothing spectacular. At the time I used to go through a fair bit of printer paper and they put a stack of unused out of date desk pads out for disposal.

I used the guillotine to slice them down to a bunch of plain white A4 sheets and a pile of smaller pads for phone notes etc.

[kejedo]

My husband was a school custodian, and he couldn't believe what students and teacher's threw away. Once, end of school year, he saw a brand new unopened box of (something?) and he asked the teacher what it was. She said, "I have no idea, I bought it for X number of dollars because I want to use up my teacher expense allowance every year, so they don't cut it on me next year." It looked like something electronic, but DH did not recognize it.       

[Qapla]

When I first saw the thread I thought, "Hmmmmm don't know if I have ever been scored by a thrift shop?" ..........

 

Anyway,

 

We have one here that gets a lot of items from people who have lost family and donate their stuff. Problem is, certain "man sizes" go real fast, like what I wear, so "making a score" is not so easy.

 

I used to clean carpets in apartments. Now there is a place you find some stuff! Besides some boxes of brand new t-shirts (company type, not underwear), a TV and a table with 4 chairs and many items I can't remember, I got two water beds the kids slept in when they were young.

 

We only had a two bedroom house and four daughters, so I made bunk-bed-water-beds.

[Tortuga]

We only had a two bedroom house and four daughters, so I made bunk-bed-water-beds.

 

What?

How did you do that?

[bobby]

all of but one suit came form good will 

[Luezette]

Growing up we were raised mostly on second hand stores. I remember my mom and us used to get together with a neighbor or two and walk to Dekalb avenue to get the bargains akmost every Sunday. Then she switched to a store called Mays. Though it's gone now and replaced with something else, I have fond memories, including McCrorys right across the street. My mother knew where to find the bargains. And I did the same thing with my children. Oh and don't let me forget Johns Bargain Store.

Now we have the dollar stores like Deals where everything is, literally, one dollar...no matter what and what size.

But I love a thrift shop called Unique. I try not to enter unless I'm planning on buying something because if you do it's almost impossible to walk outta there empy handed, lol. So if you're low on funds abd trying to make it last...do not go in. Lol. They have everything, even, get this...a boutique shop!

Edited July 5, 2015 by Luezette

[Luezette]

Everything I wear and this is literal came from Unique. Oh maybe as I'm walking I might see another one, go in (just to look. Yeah right), and come out with a tweety bird smile on my face.

A sister in my congregation was shocked to hear that what I had on one Sunday was from Unique. And I mean shocked! Now she goes there. I plan to stop by there this week for the convention later this month.

[ReadYourBible]

Speaking of finding things worth money, my husband got a beer stein from a local store in Kamloops when we lived there.  He wanted to keep it in the garage as it has a train engine on it.  He paid $5 and it was worth $35.

 

You guys are right though, it is amazing what others will throw away too.  We had no qualms about driving through the 'rich bug' area of the city and looking at what they'd thrown away, and picking it up if able.  A sister I know recently found a small lamp in someone's trash, she painted it up and it looks marvelous!

 

My Dad also used to pick scrap metals up, and batteries, anything to turn a buck.  One favorite story of mine is how my Dad went to a farm and asked a farmer if he could purchase this bunch of scrap copper.  Now neither of them knew what it was worth, and the farmer was only too happy to get rid of it.  My Dad gave him $20, and he was pleased as punch.

 

My Mom however tore a strip off my Dad for spending their last $20, until they recycled the metal.  Turns out it was worth $600 in total.  

 

We also used to go to the dumps and comb them for interesting goods.  Hah!!!  Best find I ever made there was a dog!  Someone had dropped a dog off and left him there, and he came home with us.  

 

How I loved to poke through the trash, I know this probably sounds so odd to most of you, but truly one man's (or in my case lady's) trash is another's treasure.  I could literally spend hours there, but I have to be in a specific mood to go and have some money which is unspoken for - which is a rarity these days.

[tekmantwo]

What?

How did you do that?

Easy, he just didn't have any sons.......

But four gurls? Man, you are a glutton for punishment!..

[rbrown1205]

I was raised on going to Goodwill.  Whenever our parents' tiny homes (we moved around a lot) became too full of the toys of growing children, they went to Goodwill.  When our own son hit puberty and started to grow an inch a month at least, we kept him in fitting jeans and casual shirts for school through regular excursions to Goodwill,

 

Recently I wondered whether there was any background to Goodwill that might be compromising to us.  I didn't really think so, because I knew an elder who worked as a Goodwill manager for many decades, but I wanted to know. Salvation Army was definitely associated with a religion with dogma and everything.  w62 9/1 p. 541 Do You Know the Salvation Army?
 

The Goodwill website said that it was founded by a Methodist minister, but, its mission was not religious, but a service to the poor and disabled. In our area, they have taken on the task of job training and interview preparation, with, obviously, an emphasis on dressing right during interviews and on the job site.

 

About Us | Goodwill Industries International, Inc.

Edited July 5, 2015 by rbrown1205

[kejedo]

When I lived on the Miane/NH border, (US), some of the "recycling centers" had dump stores. People were frequently in that area for seasonal rentals and left behind some designer items of high quality. Once someone left a truck there with keys in it. It was old enough that it did not need a title, but had relatively low mileage. Drats, a teacher beat me out of it.  I lived near a Salvation Army Congress Hall, and it was definitely religious. I understand Goodwill Industries to be secular.

Edited July 5, 2015 by kejedo

[Luezette]

I want to, if you all don't mind, make a twist to this topic. It's about saving money still.

Redeeming bottles. I do it as much as I can with Poland Spring water bottles mostly. It's amazing to me though, because as a child we used to hate tugging along those empty coke bottles. We felt so embarrassed. I don't care now. Money's very tight now and besides, why not get my 5 cents back is the way I see it. Now that the weather is finally warm I will drag my shopping cart down the street and get rid of the bottles that has accumulated in my kitchen on both sides, and in a hall closet, lol.

A sister I know, just like one of my daughters in law when at a gathering, actually makes sure the friends don't throw away their water, soda bottles. I think I'll start doing that too.

Edited July 5, 2015 by Luezette

[kejedo]

I want to, if you all don't mind, make a twist to this topic. It's about saving money still.

Redeeming bottles. I do it as much as I can with Poland Spring water bottles mostly. It's amazing to me though, because as a child we used to hate tugging along those empty coke bottles. We were so embarrassed. I don't care now. Money's very tight now and besides, why not get my 5 cents back is the way I see it. Now that the weather is finally warm I will drag my shopping cart down the street and get rid of the bottles that has accumulated in my kitchen on both sides, and in a hall closet, lol.

A sister I know, just like one of my daughters in law when at a gathering, actually makes sure the friends don't throw away their water, soda bottles. I think I'll start doing that too.

Yeppers!

[RaymondG]

With regard to religious connections...

I'm sure there would be with Goodwill as well as Salvation Army (which is a religious denomination in itself), they might well say they use the stores to raise money for the poor etc, but it's still a church enterprise.

Here we have Life Line, Endeavour Foundation, Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul, Red Cross, Guide Dogs for the Blind and a number of other organisations with op shops. Guide Dogs and Red Cross aren't church-based.

So where do you stand?

If you donate goods for them to sell, I would say you're assisting Babylon the Great. Buying stuff from them is a business transaction and not a donation. Unless you tell them to 'keep the change'...

[Luezette]

Ray, I'm so glad you brought that out about Goodwill. I've always felt uncomfortable about them. Just a feeling. One in downtown Brooklyn, NY is right across the street from the Salvation Army. That in itself means nothing, for if a Kingdom Hall is right across the street from a church that in itself doesn't mean we're associated with false religion. But still it may me uncomfortable. So I stay away just to be safe.

I will admit, from what I've seen in their windows, they have some really nice things. But so does Unique where I shop.

Edited July 5, 2015 by Luezette

[kejedo]

Awake of 12/8/94 I have nothing to wear, mentions thrift shops    Goodwill has been around for 110 years. When I worked in Boston (where Goodwill has its root), as a Social Worker, this enterprise was clearly a Social Service connected Industry. It had lost its religious connections long ago, when it was still called Morgan Memorial. One can read the bios of its recent CEOS on Wiki, etc. Someone wrote to me awhile back who is now involved with Salvation Army, and it is clearly still all religion. (Definition: a religion formed like an army, with military titles.) Personally, I avoid anything that is clearly a religious org. There may be hidden religious influence on product lines that we don't know about, but if I do know about it, it's not for me.  That's just my own opinion. Our lit clearly mentions Salvation Army as a religion, but not so, Goodwill.   Just a thought, YS