Badass Thrift Store Shopping

[jeninco]

This is fairly ridiculous, but we decided to add another set of ski equipment to our quiver. (We're looking down actually retiring, or at least scaling back, in the next year or three, and skiing with friends in Europe is a candidate activity. For which we both need to be able to ski on regular alpine ski gear -- DH has never done anything but cross country/telemark skiing, and it's been three decades since I skied with my heels locked down). DH spent last year learning to ski on Alpine Touring equipment (basically, Alpine gear that can be adjusted so you can go uphill on it) and I told him I'd join him this year.

At a used equipment/outdoor gear store here in the fancy outdoor equipment capital of the USA last weekend, someone brought in a used pair of skies with Alpine Touring bindings on them while we were standing there that were about my size and a reasonable(ish) cost. Today I wandered into the other used equipment store in town (a Play It Again) and they had multiple pairs of corresponding ski boots in my size, along with skins (which one needs to attach to the bottoms of the skis to go uphill). I tried them all on, then purchased my favorites (which happened to be the least expensive, but that wasn't driving the decision.)

Short version: this kind of equipment is stupidly expensive, but I just fully equipped myself for about the cost of buying a pair of new skis. Without the bindings. We already "invested" (haha) in ski passes at a small local area that's a reasonable drive away (if you're not going on the weekend) and committed to going skiing every Wednesday morning.

[iris lily]

I love our new local Goodwill. It is right  next door to a JC Penny store ( yes! There are still some of those around) and when I popped my head in recently to see the anomaly that is a live JCPenney store, it was  a ghost town. But the Goodwill  thrift store was crowded and buzzing with shoppers.

Our new Goodwill store has new, gender-less bathrooms where each  one of three is an individual unit with a locked door. All the merchandise is bright and shiny, nothing is dusty or dirty. They do not have dressing rooms, though, but I think that’s the standard now in thrift stores because the ones in the big city took away their dressing rooms.

And then, in the location where this Goodwill store used to be, a for-profit thrift store moved in so now we have two good options for thrift stores.

80% of my clothes are from thrift stores and have been for decades. For household furnishings, I buy used, thrift, or antique whenever possible. I always have a running list of possible purchases on eBay, used items, of course.

[slackmax]

Dropped off an Eddy Bauer full length black leather coat at a consignment shop. Had to go online and fill out a form.

They are asking $80 for it, and I'll get $40 if it sells at that price.

I don't think I would have even had any inquiries if I had put it on Facebook or Craigslist.  This way I have a chance to get some moolah for it. And minimal hassle.

[Cranky]

I went to the coat sale at St. Vinny’s this morning. It’s an annual event and it is *packed*. I waited to get in, and I spent a full hour in the checkout line.

But I bought 11 super nice kids coats and snow pants to donate to the school coat bank, @ $1/ item.

[AMandM]

Went to the thrift store on Saturday for their 20% off Veterans day sale. The Christmas stuff is out, including a rack of Christmas pajamas, some of which were brand new. Looks like some store dumped last year's leftovers. I found three matching (actually identical) sets in the correct sizes for the three kids who still get pajamas, $8 each.

When I got home I realized there was a tagging error and I had two smalls and a medium, instead of one small and two mediums. D'oh!

Today I went back and there was another medium in the same pattern, so I was able to make the exchange!

[Dicey]

Went to the thrift store on Saturday for their 20% off Veterans day sale. The Christmas stuff is out, including a rack of Christmas pajamas, some of which were brand new. Looks like some store dumped last year's leftovers. I found three matching (actually identical) sets in the correct sizes for the three kids who still get pajamas, $8 each.

When I got home I realized there was a tagging error and I had two smalls and a medium, instead of one small and two mediums. D'oh!

Today I went back and there was another medium in the same pattern, so I was able to make the exchange!

That is amazing!

[Toorg]

Backpack recently shredded itself somehow, possibly involving getting caught in a car door and possibly involving a manufacturing defect. 

Went to a set of thrift stores, and found a series of irrelevant but awesome things (a bookshelf as my apartment slowly accumulates them, hand weights as I start up strength training again) and one thing relevant:

Under some suitcases, an Italian leather briefcase/laptop bag with two corners coming apart for ten bucks. Bought it instantly. Turns out similar bags are selling on Ebay for over a hundred bucks. Spent fifteen more bucks on a leather upholstery kit and sealed up everything good, now I have an all but waterproof way of carrying around my electronics and notebooks and papers to my research job!

[Dicey]

Backpack recently shredded itself somehow, possibly involving getting caught in a car door and possibly involving a manufacturing defect. 

Went to a set of thrift stores, and found a series of irrelevant but awesome things (a bookshelf as my apartment slowly accumulates them, hand weights as I start up strength training again) and one thing relevant:

Under some suitcases, an Italian leather briefcase/laptop bag with two corners coming apart for ten bucks. Bought it instantly. Turns out similar bags are selling on Ebay for over a hundred bucks. Spent fifteen more bucks on a leather upholstery kit and sealed up everything good, now I have an all but waterproof way of carrying around my electronics and notebooks and papers to my research job!

Yay! Thanks for reviving this thread.

[Allie]

Over the last week, I have fallen down a deep rabbit hole of thrift resellers/ebay sellers.  I always had this huge block about reselling our clothes and stuff…it seemed so difficult and frustrating.  But, after watching these videos, I feel much more confident.  I have a pile of my own clothes to list and I will see how it goes.

But, the last time I was at the thrift store, I got a little wild.  I found a pair of sorel Xt glacier boots in new condition for $16.  They were marked as size 7 womens, which is too small for me and too big for DD.  I decided I would buy them.  I could list them and see if they sold and if they didn’t DD could wear them in a year or two.  When I got them home, I realized they didn’t look small.  Turns out they are a size 7 MENS boot…which is the size DS wears AND my size!  They are super comfy and will be keeping our feet warm for years!

[Gerard]

the size DS wears AND my size! 

Either you're really lucky that you can wear each other's stuff, or you're gonna fight over whose turn it is! :-)

[Allie]

the size DS wears AND my size! 

Either you're really lucky that you can wear each other's stuff, or you're gonna fight over whose turn it is! :-)

Thankfully, he will probably only stay my size for half a second.  I don’t mind wearing men’s technical snow boots, but as a middle school boy he’ll not be caught dead in my stuff!

[Gerard]

Thankfully, he will probably only stay my size for half a second.  I don’t mind wearing men’s technical snow boots, but as a middle school boy he’ll not be caught dead in my stuff!

Yeah, I suspect most growing-male/adult-female clothing borrowabilities skew in one direction!

[Sugaree]

I'm currently wearing two pairs of my kid's shoes that he's outgrown.  Last year when we were buying appropriate clothing for snow, I almost bought two pairs of snow boots for me and let him choose one to wear.  But, in the end I found a pair of lightly used Sorrells for me and a sufficient-for-three-days pair for him.

[Morning Glory]

Husband was at the habitat store today picking up a new couch i bought a few days ago and they let him have a patio table for free because it was "rusty" and they were going to throw it out. We were prepared to paint it but then I took a closer look when he got it home and the "rust" was yellow pollen that wiped right off. Looks like it was only used for a couple years. He also got a free shelving unit with some actual surface rust that we can paint or just use in the shed.

[srad]

I love thrift stores, and I shop em all the time.  This deal surprised even me. Went to a local outlet store last Tuesday (government run btw). There was a mint Herman Miller Aeron Chair, priced at $10, but wait.  All chairs were half off. I walked away with it for $5.  Put it on FB marketplace Wednesday, Sold it for $300 yesterday (Sunday). I need more of those deals in my life :) 

[Dicey]

Our son-in-law is a fly fisherman and outfitter. He absolutely loves Simms Bugstopper Hoodies. I think they cost about $60. I found one today at my favorite thrift store on Senior Day for $4.50. Christmas present completed!