Shopping at Thrift Stores

I love thrift stores. Goodwill is actually one of my favorites. The clothes are clean and separated by color. The one I go to has large clean dressing rooms and courteous employees.

Last week I went to the new area - clearance! I bought a leather skirt that looked brand new (because I want to use the leather for something else), a flannel shirt (what I went looking for since this is the coldest winter in Florida in decades), and a book. I spent $1.62 TOTAL!

My kind of retail therapy.

Hilda's, YUM! They have the best lunches. I live in Jacksonville, and have found no good thrift stores. I heard about a new one in New River shopping center, but have not had a chance to check it out. It opened up where another one went under, and I forget the name of it, duh-huh.
If you want to go to the one on Camp Lejeune and you are not military, you can get a pass at the visitor's center at the main gate. Then you go to the first stoplight and turn left. Go a couple of blocks and you will see the sign. They have funny hours, so I will try to find out what they are.

Originally Posted by kscatlady

I'm not into other people's clothes.

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I'm glad someone else said it, I don't mind wearing clothes from family or friends but thrift store clothing or even accessories creeps me out.

Originally Posted by missymotus

I'm glad someone else said it, I don't mind wearing clothes from family or friends but thrift store clothing or even accessories creeps me out.

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How do you feel about stuff that still has the original tag on and was never worn?

Originally Posted by missymotus

I'm glad someone else said it, I don't mind wearing clothes from family or friends but thrift store clothing or even accessories creeps me out.

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I always wash them first.

I love, love, love resale shops! It amazes me what some people will just give away to stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army. I got 2 of my best finds just last year---I collect dolls (especially Madame Alexanders) and found 2 Cissy fashion dolls from mid 1950s, in their original boxes and almost mint condition. They were $30 each, which sounds like a lot for the Salvation Army store, but I know I could resell them (which I won't do because I love them) for over $500 each. And some silly person had just given them away!

Originally Posted by Kailie

I buy a lot of books at the thrift stores as well actually. I also go to United Bookstores where you can trade books which comes in really handy where I read quite a bit.

Mom and I went thrift shopping again today.

I got a bunch of tops, a cute pair of black shoes and an adorable summer halter dress. Now I need to go find room in my closet...

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Make sure you spray those shoes well with lysol before wearing them!

My ex husband bought a pair of boots at a thrift store he was so proud of them, but they gave him athlete's foot!

Originally Posted by libby74

I love, love, love resale shops! It amazes me what some people will just give away to stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army. I got 2 of my best finds just last year---I collect dolls (especially Madame Alexanders) and found 2 Cissy fashion dolls from mid 1950s, in their original boxes and almost mint condition. They were $30 each, which sounds like a lot for the Salvation Army store, but I know I could resell them (which I won't do because I love them) for over $500 each. And some silly person had just given them away!

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I was curious if anyone else hunted collectables. That's an amazing find!

I look for My Little Ponies. Especially the first generation ones (80s-early 90s). Some people give them away not realizing that with a little cleaning those older ones are worth some money. I recently paid $5 for one that's easily worth $20-25 because of her condition.

Of course the problem with trying to get some of this stuff is that regulations on lead, BPAs, plasticizers, etc make some places throw them out rather than risk that children get a hold of them. I'm sure that it's a problem with older books, too.

We don't have any good thrift stores here. We did have a Goodwill and a Salvation Army store but they both closed for lack of business.

My sister who lives in another state buys china, glassware and sometimes clothing that is new with tags and re-sells them. She usually does very well on resale.

Every week she makes the rounds to her favorite thrift and second hand consignment stores. Most of the time she won't spend more than five dollars for any one item.

Her mother was a real bargain shopper and she follows in her footsteps.

I don't have a problem with wearing clothes from a thrift store. I always wash them first, or spray them if it's shoes. Even with new clothing you have no idea who tried it on, bought it, brought it back, etc. You probably don't know the conditions under which it was made. I know not everyone is, but I'm picky about what I donate. I wash it before it goes in (like you're supposed to) if I can't get it clean or unwrinkled, I cut it up and use it for rags or burn it.

I like to shop for frames at the thrifts. Another good buy is lamps. I have a couple of vintage ones in my front room that I probably paid around $20 for, but compared to the modern stuff they're awesome. You have to invest some time in it though.

Clothes, not usually.....I don't find a lot of things that I like new, nevermind worn and donated. Books, vinyl lp's, and knick knacks, definitely! When I was collecting Cabbage Patch Kids, we had a great place to get them at one of our thrift stores.....now they've changed owners and want too much money for them, and they don't have any idea whether they are new or collectible ...bah!

Originally Posted by blueyedgirl5946

One of my best finds was a cashmere sweater with the tag still on it for fifty cents at the end of the season.

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OMG, what a score!
I've scored quite a few nice things at thrift stores, things I still have years later and wear. I have no worries about buying second hand stuff.
We are constantly donating things to the store down the road, and often will look in. I just really don't need any more clothes though, so it has to be a deal for me to buy it.

I was curious if anyone else hunted collectables.

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I don't usually bother to even look at the clothing at resale/thrift stores. I do, however, look for everything else. If I can buy a gardening magazine for 25 cents instead of the $6 it costs new, I'm just delighted. I also find lots of crafts supplies, baskets, and books. I think my entire Hello Kitty collection came from the Salvation Army store.

Originally Posted by otto

Make sure you spray those shoes well with lysol before wearing them!

My ex husband bought a pair of boots at a thrift store he was so proud of them, but they gave him athlete's foot!

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Oh no, poor guy!

I always do spray and wipe out throughly, just in case. Same with the clothes, I always made sure they are washed before worn. Better to be safe than sorry!

I have found some real treasures at thrift stores. I found 2 canisters that I had been admiring at the Museum Store in the Atlanta airport at a thrift store in Kansas City. They had been $75 and $85, I found them for $8 and $3 in perfect condition. I also found several vintage lava lamps for my collection.

I like thrift stores..Sometimes. I havent been to one in a long time mostly because the ones in my area dont have good stuff. I mostly go just for Nora Roberts books because I can always find hard covers of hers for super cheap and older style t-shirts. Like old baseball shirts and different business shirts and stuff like that. I like to layer them with a long sleeved shirt in the colder seasons. There used to be a used store in Shamokin that catered specifically towards AE, Aero, Old Navy and Gap clothes for teens/young adults and I loved it because I need an akward jean style (size 0 but with a longer leg) and only AE and Maurices have jeans like that and still make a wider leg flare which I prefer but its just too expensive to go to the store and buy them. I did however buy 3 new pair of jeans all in the same style from Maurices when I got my tax check because all my jeans have holes in them and I couldnt wear them without long johns under them.

We don't have a Salvation Army or a Goodwill store im my town, and I usually don't shop in thrift stores anyway because I prefer buying new. However, we do have a ladies second hand clothing store. I needed a coat to wear for the rest of the cold weather season and couldn't find any new ones I liked. So I decided to check out the used clothing store yesterday, and found a beautiful leather coat in absolutely perfect condition. The original price was $60 but it was half price, so I got a coat that fits perfectly and looks brand new for only $30! I'm very happy with my find!

I am also a fan of thrift stores. There are some really good ones and some so-so ones in Long Beach, but since they always get new stuff, sometimes I will find a bunch of good things to buy and other times I will find nothing. It just depends on the day.

I hate buying new clothes, or at least paying full price for them. Thrift shopping, whether it's clothes or books or furniture or whatever, is good for the charity, good for my wallet, and good for the environment! Reuse reduce recycle!!

I donate a few times a year to Goodwill as most of the consignment clothes shops around here want at least 1 doz items bought in for sale at one time. Too bad for them as I like to shop at Talbots, Ann Taylor, Chico's etc.....

But I don't buy clothes at Goodwill, I will buy books and check out the crafts sections and what glassware/holiday items. Sometimes I find some good stuff.

The local Salvation Army is icky though. They seem to accept lots of stuff that should have gone to the landfill! I've seen people wearing latex gloves while looking though the shelves. That being said I did pick up some rolls of vintage (60's) wrapping paper.

I love thrift stores. We have a great local one called Savers. I buy there all the time. I bought a J Jill coat for 6.99, a Sak poctbook for 5, I have bought tops that are LL Bean, Karen Scott, J Jill, Chico Liz.etc. I spent $21 last weekend and bought 4 tops( one was Coldwater Creek) and a pair of running pants. YAY

For you that think it's icky I saw an undercover piece( maybe Dateline?) a few days ago with upscale stores like Victoria's Secret and Gap taking back underwear w/o tags or the safety strip and putting it back on the shelf. EWwwww. So one never knows.