anyone else love going to goodwill?

a reply to: ReadLeader

ReadLeader, I agree. Finding children's outfits is easy. Just make sure you wash them when you get home on the extended wash cycle!

originally posted by: Atsbhct
a reply to: GENERAL EYES

I agree, aside from vintage finds and records, I try to stay away from thrift stores. I'm extremely frugal, and the thought of buying other people's junk goes against my financial plan. If I'm going to purchase something, im going to put the research in and make sure it's a quality good that will last.

I am guessing that Goodwill is what we in the UK call charity shops?

People donate unwanted goods that are then sold on for charitable profit?

I agree that buying junk is false economy but you can pick up some real gems sometimes.

We got a magimix food processor that would have been about £285 when new and it industry standard build to last bullet proof. It cost £15 3 years ago and will out live me.

When my boy was four he called the sally ann "the god store"....he loved the place....with all the cast off junk and broken toys he wanted to go there every time we went to town...(which was once a week or so....)
We never left town without his plea to go to the "God Store"....
I haven't bought a handful of new clothes in several decades.....(too many to worry about).....
I find their selection to be adequate for all my needs...from weddings to funerals.....work and play...

originally posted by: schuyler
In my area Goodwill is more expensive than some retail. Try to by some drinking glasses at Goodwill and Target is less expensive. I don't know what;s wrong with these guys, but their best deals aren't.

We have a large "charity shop" in the UK called OXFAM. It started off as a good thing, just a little shop in Oxford raising money for countries with famine's hence the name.

They have got so big now and so caught up in management that they are hugely overpriced.

I got into an argument in a store once when the price they had on a second hand novel was twice the price on the book when it was new!!

From what I heard about 90% of the funds raised go on wages and looking after the "directors" so choose to go to local based shops run by volunteers when I need to.

A savy goodwill shopper can make a nice piece of change by buying collectibles at goodwill and reselling on ebay.

Camera lenses and Jazz albums...my specialty.

originally posted by: olaru12
A savy goodwill shopper can make a nice piece of change by buying collectibles at goodwill and reselling on ebay.

Camera lenses and Jazz albums...my specialty.

They are wise to that here in the UK now. They have specialist employees that travel round pulling out all the good stuff before it goes on sale and they put it on Ebay themselves.

I used to earn a tidy profit back in the day.

a reply to: TinySickTears

I furnished my whole apartment with Goodwill stuff. When I first moved in, I spent weeks or even months watching for just what I wanted at the right price. I furnished my whole living room for under a $150.

I LOVE THE GOODWILL! I try to buy everything (but food) there and here in Utah we have deseret industries which is owned and operated by the Mormons. I bought a vintage radio, record player combo, the real nice cabinet type for $10.00. It only needed a needle! I started collecting records, found the Beatles white album and various others for $.50. 55 gal fish tank and stand for $20 and a 90 gal for $30. All my cloths name brand on the cheap! Plus good for the soul, ultimate in recycling!

I'm always shopping at second hand shops! I can't even begin to list all the amazing bargains I have found! Found a reproduction of an antique doll that went for 200.00 for only 5.00, she had an umbrella missing and her shoes, dress a little sun faded, but is still amazing and the real antique would have been thousands! My friend just bought two winter jackets for 3.00 each. I have bought real crystal glasses for a song, books, stained glass picture frames, gorgeous dresses and other clothing etc. You never know what kind of treasure you may find.

a reply to: TinySickTears

OH! I'm SO JEALOUS of the goodies you posted! That's exactly what I go in looking for and generally come out with waaaa aa ay more than I bargained (how cute, a pun!) for! Keep up the lucky foraging! I keep telling myself I'm doing it for "resale"...yeah, right!! Happy hunting!

Some of my fav shopping with all the fun finds and go great on thrifty budget. Goodwill(and am sure some of the other chain stores and even locals) can be kinda spendy when it comes to some local stores as they follow used Ebay listings as prices. Value Villages, while sometimes more expensive than other shops, are good because they offer a lot. The quality of items(of course quantity) changes due to the area you shop in, if you gotta travel to find unique deals so be it. One thing even more fun than going to thrift stores is volunteering, because you can get first dibs on the incoming items.

I love shopping at Goodwill and the Salvation Army.I find a lot of vintage glassware,
linens and other household goodies.I found a set of flatware that was high-end
quality for .19 each piece.
I even found my mother of the bride dress as well,with the tags still on it! It was
$112.00 and I paid $12.00 for it.I buy play clothes for my grandchildren there,work
clothes for my kids' that live on a farm.
People shouldn't feel any shame about shopping at thrift stores,it just shows that
you want to save money.

a reply to: mamabeth

People shouldn't feel any shame about shopping at thrift stores,it just shows that
you want to save money.

People are constantly getting rid of perfectly good items, some still new and in boxes or with tags still on them or in perfect condition. I donate plenty of things and also buy a lot of things from these stores. I have purchased dresses and other clothing items that would have cost like 70 to a hundred bucks or more each, for four to 8 bucks. I have bought purses, music globes in perfect condition for my great nephews and Nieces. You can find collector items that go for quite a bit and pay hardly anything for them. I have beautiful crystal items, jewelry etc.

I have bought many nice wicker baskets that look perfectly good and clean, I'll wash them down anyway and let them dry then use them for gift baskets by adding pretty colored tissue paper inside, add the gift items, make a big pretty bow and sometimes tie in dried or silk flowers into the bow. I also use these baskets for storing books, extra towels, craft items etc.


Many years ago I had a friend who shopped there and when I saw all the amazing things she bought and the price she paid, I was sold!

a reply to: mamabeth

I even found my mother of the bride dress as well,with the tags still on it! It was
$112.00 and I paid $12.00 for it.

OMG, wedding gowns and dresses for brides maids and Mother of the bride, are to die for! They are only worn once and would go for a lot of money and you can get them so cheap!!!!!

originally posted by: nonspecific

originally posted by: olaru12
A savy goodwill shopper can make a nice piece of change by buying collectibles at goodwill and reselling on ebay.

Camera lenses and Jazz albums...my specialty.

They are wise to that here in the UK now. They have specialist employees that travel round pulling out all the good stuff before it goes on sale and they put it on Ebay themselves.

I used to earn a tidy profit back in the day.

Here in the U.S., I have noticed finding less antiques. I think they are getting wise to the prices of these items and their worth and pulling them. They're still out there but there are less and less of these items these days.

I find Goodwill a good place to find these things:

1. Clothing for costuming (whether for theater, cosplay, etc.)
2. Coats (I got a full black London Fog trenchcoat for $20)
3. Kitchen Gadgets (some of the old solutions are still the best)
4. Purses, Bags, Backpacks (usually $6, I got a great black leather laptop bag here once)
5. Shoes, Boots (though it's a rare find, when you do, can't beat the price)
6. Exercise Equipment
7. Prepping Items (found my metal water bottles here for a buck each)
8. Props for costuming (old toys, etc. make great base items for some cosplay props)

Here in the U.S., I have noticed finding less antiques. I think they are getting wise to the prices of these items and their worth and pulling them. They're still out there but there are less and less of these items these days.

True for the most part, but things still slip by them. It's why we usually are in there looking more often than we actually buy.