Badass Thrift Store Shopping

[CheapScholar]

It finally happened to me! I’ve been walking to my local thrift store for years (about two miles from my house) flipping through the artwork hoping to find a gem. My town is pretty affluent and so I always knew there was a chance something good would show up.

I’d pretty much given up on finding artwork, and I went yesterday just to get my steps in and maybe sift through the silverware for a moment and also see if there were any classic novels. I hit up the artwork, which is usually just crap from Target and TJ Max. But then, flipping through a bunch of large frames, I saw something incredible. A framed impressionist watercolor painting of Paris. I looked at the back and noticed it was custom framed by a local company. I googled the artist name and realized immediately that I had something good. After getting home and doing a few more hours of web sleuthing, I think the painting and its frame (only the slightest damage to the frame, hardly noticeable) is worth at least $400. I paid $5.34 including sales tax.

So excited. Although, now all I can think about is visiting more thrift stores.

[Trifle]

That's fantastic @CheapScholar!  Congrats!

[tyrannostache]

With ThredUp, you send your items in blind. They take what they can consign and when they sell, a small percentage of the sale price goes into your account. You can use it as store credit or cash out. They post the clothes to the site and shoppers buy from ThredUp and ThredUp ships them out. If they decide your clothes aren't worth selling, you have to pay to get them back. There's no way to find out what they will sell for.

Poshmark is more of a direct sale site. You take pictures and set your price and the shopper buys from you. You ship the item.

Yep. For me, ThredUp has turned out to be worth it. I tried to sell a bunch of my items on Poshmark and got few takers. It was taking time for me to manage the listings, and shipping was a drag. Time is my most limited resource these days, and I was not willing to put more into the site. My local resale shop stopped accepting donations during the pandemic. So, for me, it made sense to just drop a big bundle in the mail to ThredUp. I made very little money with my first bundle, but that wasn't really my aim. With my second bundle, I made enough to pay for like-new Banana Republic wool interview suiting.

As a shopper, the great thing about ThredUp for me was being able to find the exact item I wanted in the exact size and condition. As a seller, it's a mixed bag, but worth it if you don't want to actively manage listings.

[oneday]

My DD and I volunteer at a thrift store, and one of the perks is that we can buy clothing and shoes for 50 cents a piece.  This past week DD scored a brand new pair of beautiful leather Merrell shoes.  50 cents!

It was serendipity because she was starting a new job and really needed a nice looking pair of shoes.

That’s crazy, the “thrift” stores around here are notoriously overpriced, like when you see a dollar store item that has been donated to them they will literally slap their (larger) pricing sticker of say $4.99 over the $1 price tag from the dollar store down the street.  $5 shirt new from Walmart that’s now used?  Yup, it’s $8.99 on the rack at the “thrift” store, suckers.

Oof, I feel that way at Goodwill.  Even though there's one extremely close, pass it every day close, I rarely darken their door. If I do it's usually to donate something "my" thrift shop doesn't need/can't sell.

Same. Plus I got burned by their "return" policy. Returns are not actually allowed. Only EXCHANGES. Huge difference. I ended up buying some overpriced disposable tupperware just to get the new purchase total over the cost of the exchanged item. I am much more cautious about that store these days.

[mountainmama]

Unfortunately the thrift store closest to my house removed all the changing rooms 'due to COVID.' I still go there for kids' clothes and non-clothing items, but I'm really frustrated that I can't try on clothes for myself.

[Trifle]

My DD and I volunteer at a thrift store, and one of the perks is that we can buy clothing and shoes for 50 cents a piece.  This past week DD scored a brand new pair of beautiful leather Merrell shoes.  50 cents!

It was serendipity because she was starting a new job and really needed a nice looking pair of shoes.

That’s crazy, the “thrift” stores around here are notoriously overpriced, like when you see a dollar store item that has been donated to them they will literally slap their (larger) pricing sticker of say $4.99 over the $1 price tag from the dollar store down the street.  $5 shirt new from Walmart that’s now used?  Yup, it’s $8.99 on the rack at the “thrift” store, suckers.

That's no good at all. 

At our (small local) thrift store all clothes and shoes are a flat price of $3.  (There are a few exceptions, like for something really valuable or unusual -- a wedding dress or a fancy handbag for example -- but 99% of everything is just $3).  It saves on the volunteers having to price the clothing and shoes and it keeps everything simple.  As a shopper it's fun because there are some real gems to be found once in a while.  And because we're volunteers we get to see all the stuff first, so -- cha ching.   

[Cranky]

Goodwill has raised its prices because such a large percentage of its sales are to resellers these days, and Goodwill has such a high volume.

If you have a GW clearance center/bins, that's where the bargains are.

[Sugaree]

Goodwill was already sending all of the "good" stuff to their online auction. 

[Dicey]

Unfortunately the thrift store closest to my house removed all the changing rooms 'due to COVID.' I still go there for kids' clothes and non-clothing items, but I'm really frustrated that I can't try on clothes for myself.

My GW is the same. No fitting rooms + no returns = No Dicey.

[Cranky]

This must vary, because my GW has had the dressing rooms open for at least a year.

[parkerk]

Unfortunately the thrift store closest to my house removed all the changing rooms 'due to COVID.' I still go there for kids' clothes and non-clothing items, but I'm really frustrated that I can't try on clothes for myself.

My GW is the same. No fitting rooms + no returns = No Dicey.

Ditto my local VV - they've even rearranged the store since then and completely removed the stalls. Total crap, they've basically realized they haven't lost any sales since taking them out and so they don't give a shit.

I keep threatening to show up to shop in a sports bra and spandex shorts and just try stuff on in the aisles but haven't quite gotten up the nerve to do so yet.

[Gerard]

I keep threatening to show up to shop in a sports bra and spandex shorts and just try stuff on in the aisles but haven't quite gotten up the nerve to do so yet.

All joking/exaggeration aside, this is actually a really good idea. Thanks!

[tygertygertyger]

This must vary, because my GW has had the dressing rooms open for at least a year.

Same here. Goodwill is a corporation and though the name is consistent, they are managed by different people in different structures. My region is part of the chicago suburbs up into southern wisconsin, I believe. We've got fitting rooms and I am very appreciative!

Our other "chain" thrift store removed fitting rooms, changed their returns policy to exchanges only, and now I won't go there. Not worth my time to "guess" if things might fit or hope that if something doesn't, there'll be another possible option when it's time to exchange the items.

[SunnyDays]

I was just at Value Village today.  Their prices are totally insane.  There was a silver plated teapot that’s exactly the same as my grandmother’s that a few weeks ago was priced at $9.99, which was fairly reasonable, but has now been repriced at $39.99!  A woven basket that was nice, but nothing really special that I miiiiight have paid $4 for was $12.99.  Probably more than it was brand new.

Also, all but one of the check outs is now self serve, which I avoid like the plague.  There was one person using one of the 4 self serves, and 5 people in line at the staffed one.

They haven’t accepted returns for years and you have to exchange in your next visit.  No credit allowed.

I’ve pretty much given up looking for deals here and likely won’t go back for a very long time.

[Cranky]

Popped into St. Vinny's yesterday after our tai chi class, and their prices are dramatically better than Goodwill's, though they don't have the volume. I did pick up several things for grandboy.

[JupiterGreen]

Goodwill was already sending all of the "good" stuff to their online auction.

I've noticed this too. GW hasn't been good in years.

[Adventine]

I just scored a really good haul from my local Buy Nothing group. I got a big tote bag full of cute, barely used, brand-name clothing in just my size:

- A warm jacket
- A puffer vest
- Two knitted beanies
- A baseball cap
- Two running shorts
- A t-shirt
- Seven sports bras
- A swimsuit (even has the plastic crotch liner on it)
- And a new fabric tote perfect for grocery runs

[PMG]

It’s not exciting but I got 13 HVAc filters. We have cats so we change it monthly. I had just made an order to stock up because they are really hard to find locally, so now we have almost two years of filters in the basement, but I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Our goodwill has fitting rooms and has some good stuff. They have a rack in the front for nicer items at higher prices but everything else in the store ranges from $1.99 - $5.99. They sometimes mark up duds and they sometimes miss treasures. It’s just part of the game.

[iris lily]

I was just at Value Village today.  Their prices are totally insane.  There was a silver plated teapot that’s exactly the same as my grandmother’s that a few weeks ago was priced at $9.99, which was fairly reasonable, but has now been repriced at $39.99!  A woven basket that was nice, but nothing really special that I miiiiight have paid $4 for was $12.99.  Probably more than it was brand new.

Also, all but one of the check outs is now self serve, which I avoid like the plague.  There was one person using one of the 4 self serves, and 5 people in line at the staffed one.

They haven’t accepted returns for years and you have to exchange in your next visit.  No credit allowed.

I’ve pretty much given up looking for deals here and likely won’t go back for a very long time.

If they could get $9.99 for that silver plate teapot that would’ve been good so somebody doesn’t know their merchandise.

[iris lily]

Goodwill has raised its prices because such a large percentage of its sales are to resellers these days, and Goodwill has such a high volume.

If you have a GW clearance center/bins, that's where the bargains are.

Recently I went to our Goodwill  clearance store calked Last .chance after being away for several years. Oh my God it has gone downhill so much, it’s so depressing. There’s absolutely nothing that makes me want to paw  through huge rolling carts full of jumbled crap. They have no kitchen ware anymore, no dishes no glasses. That is what I went in for.

I used go there with some regularity and got a couple nice things plus got several things that I didn’t need and were especially nice but were useful at the time. One of the nice things I picked up there was a beautiful vintage velvet coat that is just lush and beautiful. To this day I don’t know how it found its way there it should’ve been snapped up long before. I like it so much that I took it with me to my current house even though I got rid of most everything else like it.

[tyrannostache]

Just stopped by my local thrift store, saw a cool bench. Price tag: $200!

[okisok]

Found a Talbot's blouse for $6 at the Goodwill in a nicer neighborhood. I wanted one for an event with a particular theme. I got several compliments on it.
Also found two board games in great shape and an LL Bean flannel shirt.

[Dicey]

Found a 1000 piece puzzle for $3.00 and a 750 piece one for $2.00 at my favorite thrift. Best of all, both are brand new and still shrink wrapped. They're in the present closet, just waiting to turn into gifts, yippee! Also, it's not from a thrift store, but we made a Winco pilgrimage on the way home from our Magical Moab Meetup Adventure. I found a cute inlaid bamboo cutting board for someone on my list who's very hard to shop for. It was $15.95, which I'm calling a win.

[rockeTree]

Pair of fleece lined low ll bean rubber boots, appear to have seen very little to no use, perfect for outside tasks, $20!

[Cranky]

I went to Coat Day at the Dig & Save, which was amazing, and I got my dh a heavy winter coat from Duluth Trading for $1.

[Serendip]

We were lamenting our grungy towels so I specifically went to the towel section in the thrift store today. Three brand new towels (DKNY) $1 each. And a new bathmat too.
 

[Dicey]

Love seeing these thrift store finds!

[BC_Goldman]

Yesterday I found a copy of Office 2007 for $2.

For my family, I found the entire 9 seasons of 'The Walton's plus the movies for $10.

[theninthwall]

Not quite thrifting but I didn’t want to start a new topic.
We’ve lived in relatively new apartment buildings for the past three years. The amount of near-new condition furniture and general household items that gets thrown out is wild.
We’ve made a habit of driving past the trash disposal each time we go for a drive,  just to see what has been left next to it. Our running joke is that we just have to wait for the universe to manifest whatever we ask for.
Below is a grid of my phone pics of just one trip past the dumpster yesterday...a floor lamp, a really nice table that matches our drinks cart that we also found next to the dumpster, plants, an outdoor table, bar stools and outdoor chairs.
There’s been so much stuff that we’ve even started taking things to the local thrift store so it doesn’t go into landfill.

[SunnyDays]

Not quite thrifting but I didn’t want to start a new topic.
We’ve lived in relatively new apartment buildings for the past three years. The amount of near-new condition furniture and general household items that gets thrown out is wild.
We’ve made a habit of driving past the trash disposal each time we go for a drive,  just to see what has been left next to it. Our running joke is that we just have to wait for the universe to manifest whatever we ask for.
Below is a grid of my phone pics of just one trip past the dumpster yesterday...a floor lamp, a really nice table that matches our drinks cart that we also found next to the dumpster, plants, an outdoor table, bar stools and outdoor chairs.
There’s been so much stuff that we’ve even started taking things to the local thrift store so it doesn’t go into landfill.

Wow, that's quite the haul!  I wish my neighbourhood was so pickable!  I would be tempted to take everything of good quality and sell things if I didn't want them myself.  Do others help themselves or does a lot of it actually go to the garbage truck?

I actually found a few things at my local store - 2 medium size seashells for .50 and 1.00, a few books for .50 each and a gorgeous, heavy, modern mirror for $20.00.  I think I might be stopping by there more often.

[Trifle]

This weekend at our thrift store I found a zippered canvas blanket storage pouch with cedar inside for $2. 

I'm looking forward to storing our down alternative comforter in there during the summer.  Right now it just sits on a shelf in the closet and gets dusty. 

I also bought a nice large bath towel for $5.  I'm jealous of the people who are finding them for $1 or $2. 

[K_in_the_kitchen]

Our downtown "boutique-y" thrift store did 50% off all weekend.  I purchased 8 silver-plate napkin rings for 50¢ each, 6 nice quality place mats for $3 each, a large linen souvenir towel for $6 (I like the really large linen towels for bread), and a vintage aluminum pitcher for $7 (perfect for the van).  I also got a set of silver-plate flatware (76 pieces) in a great condition anti-tarnish box for $40.  We've been hosting our small group a lot more often lately, and I don't like to bring out the sterling just for teaspoons and dessert forks.  (The sterling was a badass find a couple of decades ago -- I paid $300 for it because the seller didn't want to bother to polish it clean before selling and sold it for melt value, which was super low back then.)  I've been on the lookout for silver-plate teaspoons at a decent price since the local antique store charges $6 per piece of flatware for mixed patterns.  This set has 15 teaspoons, so it's perfect.

None of the thrift stores near me sell bath towels for under $6.

[Dicey]

Our thrift shop was open for the last day before Thanksgiving on Tues (Closed Weds, Thur, Fri). We ran a 40% off everything in the store sale. We were only open 4 hours and took in nearly $5k. That's a lot of bargain shopping happening!

[rockeTree]

Annual spring sale for a local charity - got everything on my list for about $30. Pair of corduroy pants, florists frogs (three, all they had, plus some other floral supplies - a friend uses them for her small biz and they are pricey new), work-appropriate dress, puzzle for the kid, half a box of holiday cards (I need a few every year but not many), and a thicker yoga mat for my old knees.

[stealthwealth]

Not sure it's that badass, but with the death of DVD, and Netflix's decision to stop doing movies by mail, I've been on the lookout for thrift shop DVD and VHS copies of films that almost never stream, so in the past couple months I've spent about $15 to get 4 Tarantino films I love, The Sound of Music, Eternal Sunshine, It Happened One Night, and T2.  I have a decent Goodwill store near my house that has a constantly refreshing DVD section.  Not bad when online movie rental averages around $4, and the library doesn't necessarily have playable copies.  I've also picked up a couple gently used Sony DVD players for $10 each to have a spare, and to use one as a CD player with my powered speakers. 

Side note:  Man, it bums me out that DVD by mail is going away.  There's so much non-streaming essential film, and the Netflix DVD catalog was good for discovering classics. 

[Warlord1986]

I got four Calvin Klein dresses, brand new, for $12 each. I needed professional clothing and these dresses are a dream. <3

[Adventine]

I got four Calvin Klein dresses, brand new, for $12 each. I needed professional clothing and these dresses are a dream. <3

Nice!!


I got a secondhand Fossil wallet from ThredUp for $22. After a lifetime of cheap wallets, I finally got something that looks and feels premium, for a steal.

[getsorted]

Pretty pleased with this. 25¢.

[LD_TAndK]

I was going to make a custom frame for a piece of art we were gifted. Went to the thrift store instead and found a frame that'll work  with some matting for $15. Custom frame probably would have been $30 minimum of newly manufactured materials.

[Hadilly]

Hit goodwill yesterday for jean shorts for my daughter. She found five pairs, plus a good pair of tennis shorts.  I found three new kleen kanteen water bottles. $50.

We did not find a good graduation dress.

[iris lily]

I was going to make a custom frame for a piece of art we were gifted. Went to the thrift store instead and found a frame that'll work  with some matting for $15. Custom frame probably would have been $30 minimum of newly manufactured materials.

For a lot of the art in my house  I start with a frame from the thrift store, then go to one of several online print sources to find something to fit it. You usually get a choice of size for a chosen print.
I also buy original art and have snagged more than one thrift store frame to fit.

[Weisass]

I don't have a ton of free time lately, with small kids and a full time job, so I don't always have the time to go to the local goodwill. But last week I did have time to go on thredup and pick out some lovely stuff that I can't wait to try on, for a fraction of the original price. It is a little more expensive than the local shop, but it is a really great option for me right now.

[BC_Goldman]

It's been tough to find decent deals for the last few months. The Goodwills have been increasing their prices. TV series are now anywhere from $5-8. I saw the Firefly series at one and they wanted $13 for it!

We did recently score an actual deal on a couple of cabinets(?). They were someone's woodworking project and were constructed from plywood and 2x4s. Pretty decent work but not worth the $40 each they were asking. They didn't sell and I was able to grab both of them on $1 day.

[PMG]

We picked up a fancy backpack kid carrier for $5. Granted… we already have one that we bought off marketplace for $50 (also a good deal) but once we started using it we started to develop an idea of what we actually want in a backpack and the $5 one had those features and at $5 it was an easy buy.

We’re also still loving our thrifted $14.99 jogging stroller. It’s faded and shabby and I have to activate my stoicism sometimes when we use it… but it rolls so smoothly. Husband runs with baby several times a week, and I take her grocery shopping and we never have to worry about anyone stealing it.

[getsorted]

We’re also still loving our thrifted $14.99 jogging stroller. It’s faded and shabby and I have to activate my stoicism sometimes when we use it…

You can spray Rit dye for synthetics onto stroller fabric. The results can be amazing! Not that you have to. Stoicism is also great. I just like dyeing things.

[LaineyAZ]

We’re also still loving our thrifted $14.99 jogging stroller. It’s faded and shabby and I have to activate my stoicism sometimes when we use it…

You can spray Rit dye for synthetics onto stroller fabric. The results can be amazing! Not that you have to. Stoicism is also great. I just like dyeing things.

This reminds me that I'd love to watch a TV show where people repurpose and refresh items from the thrift store.  I know there's various YouTube channels where talented people can refashion old out-of-style clothing into something modern, but I'm thinking of those who can do that with all sorts of things.

One example:  I see lots of those knife storage butcher block sets in thrift stores.  Just recently I saw a clip on the internet where a woman had repurposed one to contain crayons and markers for her kids which I thought was clever.  Wonder if it could be an academic extra credit for students in art or woodworking or other classes to go to a thrift store and buy a random item and see how you can remake for re-use? 
I think it could also spark an interest in the budding frugalistas out there that makes DIY look fun and interesting vs. tedious and miserly.

[getsorted]

This reminds me that I'd love to watch a TV show where people repurpose and refresh items from the thrift store.  I know there's various YouTube channels where talented people can refashion old out-of-style clothing into something modern, but I'm thinking of those who can do that with all sorts of things.

I'd watch the hell out of that show.

There used to be a magazine called "Readymade" that was all stuff like that. It never quite reached its full potential, but it had a little bit of a cult following. It basically didn't survive the transition to the digital age.

There also used to be a home makeover show called "Freestyle" where they just rearranged all your stuff instead of buying new stuff. I was so hooked on it! I think it only went a season or two.

I miss the 2000 - 2006-ish "maker revolution." There was some fun stuff getting made for a minute there.

[Dicey]

This reminds me that I'd love to watch a TV show where people repurpose and refresh items from the thrift store.  I know there's various YouTube channels where talented people can refashion old out-of-style clothing into something modern, but I'm thinking of those who can do that with all sorts of things.

I'd watch the hell out of that show.

There used to be a magazine called "Readymade" that was all stuff like that. It never quite reached its full potential, but it had a little bit of a cult following. It basically didn't survive the transition to the digital age.

There also used to be a home makeover show called "Freestyle" where they just rearranged all your stuff instead of buying new stuff. I was so hooked on it! I think it only went a season or two.

I miss the 2000 - 2006-ish "maker revolution." There was some fun stuff getting made for a minute there.

There is. It's called "Flea Market Flip" and Lara Spencer hosts it. It's all in reruns now, but still fun to watch.

[LaineyAZ]

Yep, I remember Flea Market Flip.  That show was fun but of course the "winners" were those who paid the least $ and sold it for the most $$. 

I'd like to take the monetization out of the equation, or even any judging for winners or losers, and just show creative and interesting art pieces, or normal everyday stuff that's been made attractive and usable. 
I'd love to see a teacher assign students to go into a thrift store and pick 3 random items like I see all the time:  an old trophy, a DVD, an old baseball cap, puzzle with missing pieces, fancy high heels, 3-ring binders, old clocks, a Live/Love/Laugh sign, cordless drills without the batteries, plastic spatulas - you get the idea.  Then have fun either breaking everything apart to make a wild art piece or figure out how to combine and repurpose things. 

[PMG]

We’re also still loving our thrifted $14.99 jogging stroller. It’s faded and shabby and I have to activate my stoicism sometimes when we use it…

You can spray Rit dye for synthetics onto stroller fabric. The results can be amazing! Not that you have to. Stoicism is also great. I just like dyeing things.

That is a good idea. I do fantasize about painting over the bits of rust on the wheels.  I’m hesitant to start spending money on it though. Those kinds of projects tend to balloon. But I might keep that idea in mind just in case.