The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Share Your Badassity => Topic started by: Nickyd£g on August 19, 2015, 06:03:37 AM
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Well, a Shelter charity shop, rather than Goodwill, as I'm in Scotland!
I popped in to my local charity shop at the weekend to mooch for any work wear as I've just started a new job and need slightly smarter workwear. I saw two really lovely raincoats, with a brand name I had never heard of, both in excellent condition, one would fit me now, another when I drop a dress size ;)
The one that would fit me was £2.50, I happened to have £3 in my purse so I took it to the counter to buy it. Was advised they were having a special day, 2 items for £1! So, I bought both raincoats. Took them home and out of curiosity googled the designer...these coats go for £70!! And I got two for 50 PENCE EACH! So happy! I now plan to sell the one which doesn't fit me right now, make a huge profit hopefully.
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Nice find! I'm a huge fan of Goodwill or other thrift shopping. You never know what you can find. My last trip I found a seersucker button down for $4.
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That sounds like a fantastic deal. I also love looking in shops like Goodwill because it can be fun to put more effort into searching for clothes. Our Goodwill frequently has wedding dresses in the front windows, so they must sell fairly well.
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A few years ago I was at the local Goodwill & saw 2 oak dining room chairs that were antique reproductions for $10.00 each so I bought them both. Then a few weeks later saw 2 more that were an exact match so bought those. We have an antique dining set but only 4 chairs. So when we have company always had to get out folding chairs. Now I have 8 chairs that really compliment each other since I have 4 of each & all are similar color of oak.
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Yep! I do this ALL THE TIME! It's so fun. I started out with video games, have branched out to collectibles and clothing. We just paid for new doors using only eBay re-selling money!
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Oh I could write in this thread for days!
My favourite find is a Icebreaker merino dress, which retails for about 140$ - I paid it 6$, the fabric is fantastic, and is sooooo comfy and adaptable to temperatures that I wear it literally every day at home.
I especially look for quality natural fibres (merino, cashmere, linen, silk) because there is no point in buying 2nd hand cheap clothing - they look crappy to begin with.
Further upside: you get a better idea of which brands age well, in case one day you'll enter in a retail store :)
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BabyGap now goes straight back into the donation box; it holds up so badly. Ditto Gerber. Carter's is worth keeping. Hanna Andersson is to be jealously hoarded, even if it doesn't fit right now or is the wrong sex, because it lasts forever, has a high resale value and the sleepers have zippers.
Thanx for the tips!
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Further upside: you get a better idea of which brands age well, in case one day you'll enter in a retail store :)
When I started getting bags and bags of secondhand baby clothes, the quality difference becomes apparent. BabyGap now goes straight back into the donation box; it holds up so badly. Ditto Gerber. Carter's is worth keeping. Hanna Andersson is to be jealously hoarded, even if it doesn't fit right now or is the wrong sex, because it lasts forever, has a high resale value and the sleepers have zippers.
We love the carter stuff. I'd never heard of Hanna Andersson before. For kids, I find that the best option is to do garage sale bulk buys. We got 3 huge tubs (1 was all 3T and two were 4T) of kids clothing for $40. I counted it out and found over 100 pieces of 3T. So we were paying pennies for the outfits. All seasons too. And it's even better since we're having a 2nd girl in the next few weeks. Kids eat through clothes so there's no point in putting them in the super nice stuff!
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BabyGap now goes straight back into the donation box; it holds up so badly. Ditto Gerber. Carter's is worth keeping. Hanna Andersson is to be jealously hoarded, even if it doesn't fit right now or is the wrong sex, because it lasts forever, has a high resale value and the sleepers have zippers.
Thanx for the tips!
Second data point: I love BabyGap stuff! I always buy it used in good condition. Caveat: we only have one child. And she's a girl and the cute little BabyGap dresses kill me every time. Usually the clothes are good to go for another so they get passed on, but sometimes not. Hanna Andersson is to be jealously hoarded, though, second that! I snatch that stuff up immediately. Even if it doesn't fit my kid, I give it to friends.
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This w-e I found 3 silk shirts in very good state for 4$ each :-D (I bought 2 of them, I resisted the 3rd because I don't need that many)
Incidentally, my stylish friends remarked yesterday how my wardrobe improved in the last years, since I moved close to my favourite thrift store....
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I adore thrift stores and visit them regularly looking for upgrades for my yard sale audio system. So far I have replaced the speakers with Pioneer Four Ways and the CD player with a decent but not super Kenwood.
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Just recently I got a new dress from Goodwill. Probably never worn or only worn a few times based on condition. It fits perfectly, looks beautiful. And was $9.
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I've been wanting some new sandals for hiking, and my family all swears by their Keens. Now, my parents both got theirs secondhand at Goodwill, but my husband asked for his for his birthday, and his mom got them for him (and paid $90!)
I was at the ARC on Saturday, because it is 50% off of 4 different tag colors, and I found some Keens that fit PERFECTLY, are a nice orange that I love, and they were $13 :)
The sad part is that for like 2 seconds, I thought "man, too bad those aren't half off!", until I realized that if they had been, I never would have found them at 5:30 pm on a Saturday.
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First day in the town I currently live in I scoured the thrift and consignment shops..
A very clean, knitted wool coach purse (authentic) $5.00
A NWT diesel duffel bag. $5.00
Sold the Coach for $75.00, Sold the Diesel for $90.00!!
I should pick this hobby up again..
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We have a thrift superstore* called Savers near my work. I buy almost all my work clothes there, and I've found some super cute outfits for next to nothing. It's been an added bonus since I'm losing weight right now, and when things get too big I just donate them back and pick up some new stuff. Those are happy days :-)
My big find was when my husband asked me to look for a long-sleeve polo for him. That day it turned out a major airline had donated a full rack of them in charcoal grey...they must have changed their logo or decided they don't need them any more, because there must have been 200 shirts. I picked three in his size for seven bucks, and they are niiiiice.
*Savers is actually a thrift store, not a consignment store. The one near me supports the Epilepsy Foundation, but I guess different ones support different charities.
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Very fancypants toaster oven, never used before, valued at $80-110 bought it at a thrift store for $10. My guess is that it was probably given to a senior and the digital controls were so complicated, they just got rid of it. I work in IT and it took me awhile (without the manual) to figure out how it worked. :D
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My favorite goodwill find was a 25 cent brand new still in the box coffee grinder. That baby worked for 15 years of twice daily use.
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My mom has gotten so many good finds at Goodwill. Most of my brother's dress clothes have come from Goodwill and they are not some cheap brand either. This one shirt she got for him retailed for $75 and she got it for $3.50! I think I might need to take a look around in there for some nice winter-appropriate dress shoes. These slip-ons leave my feet cold in the mornings!
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I LOVE thrift store shopping. Thankfully my kids have no objections even though they are now in their early teens. My 14 yr old daughter has gotten very good at trying on clothes while hiding between racks of men's clothes (men's area is usually much less busy) because one of our fave stores doesn't have fitting rooms (grr..really hate that part about it!). She just makes sure she wears tank tops and bike shorts underneath her other clothes when we head to the thrift stores ;)
Unfortunately, we have mostly quit buying shoes from thrift stores. In our region, prices have gone up to $5-$10 a pair. I have no issues paying $3-5 a pair but once they started asking $10 that's just too much when I can sometimes get them on sale for $10. Now if I found a pair of Keens for $10, I might be very, very tempted :) That said, I got my Teva sandals from an outlet spot for $10 :)
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I found 4 cute shirts, 3 nice ones for work and a cute plaid for regular life, a scarf, and a checkbook holder all for under $30. Not bad compared to retail. The Goodwill in my area is a bit more expensive than the Salvation Army, but both can have cute items at very reasonable prices. I remember back when I lived in the city (SF) the Goodwills would have $2 weekends. You could find some great deals on those days.
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My son was in need of clothes so we hit the thrift stores hard today. After spending $50, I feel like a huge spendypants! The hardest part about great deals is buying stuff you don't REALLY need. I found a gorgeous red softshell jacket. Didn't recognize the brand, but it felt like great quality. I have other jackets that work just fine and don't really "need" it. But really liked it! Ended up paying $8 for it...very comparable to my Columbia softshell I picked up on sale for $50.
Other scores:
- Underarmour Hoodie for my son (in a wild color he absolutely loves so even though I only wanted to pay $5...we bought it) $7
- long sleeve t-shirts for my son $0.99 each
- Thinsulate Isotoner gloves, new with tags, for me $0.99
- evening purse for me $0.99
I made out great :)
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I buy a lot if my jeans, dress shirts and jackets at Goodwill. I've bought 6 like new Helly Hansen, Patagonia, etc. Rain jackets or fleece for $15 a piece. These retail for $200+ each. They were all so new they might as well have had tags attached.
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90% of my clothes (excluding underclothes) are from thrift stores. I buy my sneakers new, but all of my dress shoes are used. It allows me to have multiple pairs of Merrills, Bjorns (my fav), Tevas, and several other similar brands. To the point I am not allowed to buy any more shoes. Seriously, I said no to 2 pairs of Bjorns last week because at some point it becomes ridiculous. Also, my purse now include 4 Coach's. Each was between $10-20. 1 is definitely authentic, not sure about the rest, but I only buy things I like, so does it matter? And a Laura Burch tote. None of this is necessary, but I do enjoy it, so I allow myself to spend a little bit of money on it.
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I scored a really pretty top last weekend, it's a Boden, purple, wrap top, really heavy fabric, well made and flattering. It's great for work and I think it's now my favourite top! £3.50! Boden is a pretty expensive make, so I am very pleased.
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I wanted to go to my local goodwill this past weekend, but my mom had an eyelid infection that prompted an emergency room visit so I'll just wait until this Saturday when her eye is no longer swollen shut. She loves goodwill and wants to see if she can find a new purse for under $5.
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Dog shelter thrift store 5 pairs pants, 3 pair shoes, one hat. Like new name brand quality. $30
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I will never top finding a vintage Griswold cast-iron skillet at Goodwill for $0.99. (Forgive them Lord, they know not what they do.) We are in SoCal and there aren't too many bargains, but that was a good one.
That said, I am so pleased with a $40 brand-new stainless bread machine I found last week. The kids keep asking for the "real bread," and it is so easy to use.
Small appliances are a sweet spot: Rice cooker, generic crock-pot, iron, immersion blender, etc.
I filled out my grandmother's collection of Revereware with thrifted pieces.
We also have thousands of thrifted children's books and records.
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I will have to keep an eye out for small appliances. I usually only focus on clothes/shoes and ignore all those other sections.
I did double the size of my "formal dishes" when I found a set of china that was a very close match to my wedding china at a yard sale. I was thrilled because I had found 6 settings to be too few for "formal dishes" since I only pulled out the nice china when I have company. Now I have enough for 12. On the other hand, maybe I should sell my entire set since nowadays, we pretty much use paper plates when we entertain. I hate having to handwash the nice china. I might use them more if I could toss them in the dishwasher.
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I have found great deals on small appliances, not at Goodwill, but at a small, church-run thrift shop in our area. The last time I was there I saw 4 bread machines in like-new condition for $5 each.
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We don't have Goodwill here, and the thrift stores we do have are WAY overpriced. Went into one a while back and saw they had a disgusting used bathmat for sale for $9.99. WTF? We bought a Brand New one at the supermarket for $8.99! They also had a glass display case for presumably expensive items, but everything in it was cheap costume jewelry and ugly broken watches priced at like $5.99 each and up. I've been in loads of times and never found anything at a fair price for used.
Garage sales are where the deals are in my area, i've bought loads of amazing things by getting up early on the weekend.
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We don't have Goodwill here, and the thrift stores we do have are WAY overpriced. Went into one a while back and saw they had a disgusting used bathmat for sale for $9.99. WTF? We bought a Brand New one at the supermarket for $8.99! They also had a glass display case for presumably expensive items, but everything in it was cheap costume jewelry and ugly broken watches priced at like $5.99 each and up. I've been in loads of times and never found anything at a fair price for used.
Garage sales are where the deals are in my area, i've bought loads of amazing things by getting up early on the weekend.
Where I live in Ontario, our thrift stores are overpriced - just like yours. I go to the US to go thrift shopping. It's actually worth the 40 minute drive & toll charges to a 5 mile stretch of road with about 6-7 thrift stores. I just can't pay my local thrift store prices. Plus the merchandise is rarely as nice as what I can find in the US.
It is interesting how I've noticed certain thrift shops are better for certain items than others. One shop, I rarely find stuff for the rest of us, but mixed up with the junk are clothes my son loves. We always walk out with stylish Underarmour/Nike hoodies. Another thrift store has stuff my daughter loves - we got her grade 8 Grad dress that suited her perfectly for $4 and they have a really, really good selection of athletic wear. Funnily enough, we rarely find stuff for my son there. Another store has stuff I like. I rarely find stuff for the kids, but I always get out with fab stuff for me.
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We don't have Goodwill here, and the thrift stores we do have are WAY overpriced. Went into one a while back and saw they had a disgusting used bathmat for sale for $9.99. WTF? We bought a Brand New one at the supermarket for $8.99! They also had a glass display case for presumably expensive items, but everything in it was cheap costume jewelry and ugly broken watches priced at like $5.99 each and up. I've been in loads of times and never found anything at a fair price for used.
Garage sales are where the deals are in my area, i've bought loads of amazing things by getting up early on the weekend.
Where I live in Ontario, our thrift stores are overpriced - just like yours. I go to the US to go thrift shopping. It's actually worth the 40 minute drive & toll charges to a 5 mile stretch of road with about 6-7 thrift stores. I just can't pay my local thrift store prices. Plus the merchandise is rarely as nice as what I can find in the US.
It is interesting how I've noticed certain thrift shops are better for certain items than others. One shop, I rarely find stuff for the rest of us, but mixed up with the junk are clothes my son loves. We always walk out with stylish Underarmour/Nike hoodies. Another thrift store has stuff my daughter loves - we got her grade 8 Grad dress that suited her perfectly for $4 and they have a really, really good selection of athletic wear. Funnily enough, we rarely find stuff for my son there. Another store has stuff I like. I rarely find stuff for the kids, but I always get out with fab stuff for me.
I guess it's about the demographics of the neighbourhood. The GW next to my house has beautiful stuff for middle age people, but close to nothing for kids. The GW close to my work, in a more family-friendly neighbourhood, it's the opposite.
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I'm having a moral conundrum with Goodwill.
I've been a faithful shopper for years, and I especially searched for good quality fabric - especially wool.
But Sunday I went on the busiest time, and as I was watching the people around me looking for new clothes, looking more destitute that I do, it suddenly occurred to me that that pretty cashmere sweater I had in my basket might be the difference between someone being warm or not, getting a job or not. I felt as if, by looking for bargains, I was stealing from poor people the only nice clothes they could afford.
So yeah, I'm taking a break form Goodwill. I have enough clothes anyway.
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I'm having a moral conundrum with Goodwill.
I've been a faithful shopper for years, and I especially searched for good quality fabric - especially wool.
But Sunday I went on the busiest time, and as I was watching the people around me looking for new clothes, looking more destitute that I do, it suddenly occurred to me that that pretty cashmere sweater I had in my basket might be the difference between someone being warm or not, getting a job or not. I felt as if, by looking for bargains, I was stealing from poor people the only nice clothes they could afford.
So yeah, I'm taking a break form Goodwill. I have enough clothes anyway.
I've had this thought as well, but I haven't found a perfect resolution. As with anything, my motto is take only what you need and use what you take.
By donating to and buying from Goodwill specifically, you are supporting their jobs programs. And unless you are buying out a ton of product to re-sell, I don't think it's unethical to buy clothes for yourself at a thrift store. There will be plenty more good items you don't buy that other people will.
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I (rarely) go to the Goodwill clearance shop near me. Everything is thrown into wheeled carts, like you might see on an airport tarmac. Prices are by the pound.
It was back to school time, and while my son loved his backpack, I wasn't impressed with it (falling apart, cheaply made, hand me down). I saw a Jansport Right Pack that looked brand new. $0.35
He loves his new backpack even more.
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I found a sturdy laptop bag for $2.50 at Goodwill the other day. Great deal. It was the perfect size and good quality. They had a lot to choose from too. I picked the one that fit best and offered the most protection. I feel much more confident biking with my laptop now (I also have a cushiony sleek sleeve from Apple that encloses the laptop within the Goodwill laptop bag -- the Apple one was $44! But worth it for the extra protection.)
Thrift stores will always have a place in my heart.
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When we were on our camping trip out west for a month, we stopped at a lot of thrift stores. I found a dressy black dress for my daughter that still had the original tags on it. It was an Evan-Picone dress and it was originally $100.00 and I got it for $10.00. I gave it to her and told her that if for some reason she didn't like it or it didn't fit right, she could probably sell it on consignment for more that the $10.00 and she could just keep the money.
I love thrift stores! Miss Prim
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I LOVE thrifting! I buy about 99% of the clothes for the three of us there, plus most of our kitchen items (dishes, cookware, etc.) and linens. Just today I found a pair of snowboarding pants for my son, in perfect condition, for $2.99! And a pair of lightweight trail hikers for me, also in like-new condition, for $6.99. I'm so spoiled by thrift store prices that I refuse to pay retail prices for most things. I find that if I wait long enough, whatever we need will show up at the thrift at some point.
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It is interesting how I've noticed certain thrift shops are better for certain items than others. One shop, I rarely find stuff for the rest of us, but mixed up with the junk are clothes my son loves. We always walk out with stylish Underarmour/Nike hoodies. Another thrift store has stuff my daughter loves - we got her grade 8 Grad dress that suited her perfectly for $4 and they have a really, really good selection of athletic wear. Funnily enough, we rarely find stuff for my son there. Another store has stuff I like. I rarely find stuff for the kids, but I always get out with fab stuff for me.
I guess it's about the demographics of the neighbourhood. The GW next to my house has beautiful stuff for middle age people, but close to nothing for kids. The GW close to my work, in a more family-friendly neighbourhood, it's the opposite.
It's particularly interesting that this is the difference between 6-7 thrift stores that are congregated on a 4-5 mile stretch of road (so same demographics?). I rather think it has a bit to do with the quality of merchandise they buy and where they get it from.
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I love Goodwill. I buy a lot of clothes there. I get a lot of compliments at work on my tops. They are just floored when I tell them I bought them at Goodwill. I bought a nice sized cat carrier there for $5 bucks and that is funny because we had just come back from the rotary club auction (more like a huge, huge garage sale with a few items actually for auction) and they wanted $20-$50 for the same kind of very used small animal carrier! But on the upside, I bought a large, working standing fan at the auction for five bucks. My husband googled it when we got home and found out it was still selling new for $130! Heh.
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We like to go because it is a cheap way to spend an hour or so with the family, but there are less and less bargains to be had. I feel like it used to be better, but not anymore, and the kids section is a joke. I was looking for an office chair. They had a whole bunch but there were issues with all of them and the cheapest was around $20. What?
There are a couple consignment shops that take clothes, and also these semi annual kid clothes events, so I think the nicer pieces are being diverted there.
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I generally wear full business attire and I can't even remember the last time I bought new clothes for work. Thrift stores FTW +++
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I bought myself 2 shirts new last year along with 2 or 3 blouses for my wife (Meijer grand opening sale), and bought my daughter a coat new 2 or 3 years ago when she left hers at school and it came up missing. Other than that I can't think of any clothes we own that haven't come from the thrift store (besides socks and underwear, those we always buy new), and we have lots of nice name brand stuff. I love thrift store shopping!
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Just scored a slightly used
Tilley: dress shirt 3.99 CAD and a
Tristan of America:dress shirt 5.99 CAD
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Shopped at Savers yesterday. Picked up a scarf. I could tell right away it was nice. The label confirmed it was cashmere. It still had the store tags on it but the price was ripped off so I don't know how much it was new. Since it matches my winter coat I bought it, even though it was $9.99, more than I usually spend on a single item at Savers. When I got home I looked it up online; the name is Loro Piana. OMG. The most similar scarf currently on their website is $450! I didn't find the exact same scarf so it's probably from a few years ago. I looked on eBay and found similar used ones (still haven't seen the exact one) going for $50 - $140. Now I have a dilemma. Do I keep it or resell it on eBay?
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I'm having a moral conundrum with Goodwill.
I've been a faithful shopper for years, and I especially searched for good quality fabric - especially wool.
But Sunday I went on the busiest time, and as I was watching the people around me looking for new clothes, looking more destitute that I do, it suddenly occurred to me that that pretty cashmere sweater I had in my basket might be the difference between someone being warm or not, getting a job or not. I felt as if, by looking for bargains, I was stealing from poor people the only nice clothes they could afford.
So yeah, I'm taking a break form Goodwill. I have enough clothes anyway.
You could also help someone out instead of sitting at home drinking wine and watching Netflix. David over at Raptitude had a great post about how we're all selfish on some level. http://www.raptitude.com/2015/10/are-you-good-enough/ (http://www.raptitude.com/2015/10/are-you-good-enough/)
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Shopped at Savers yesterday. Picked up a scarf. I could tell right away it was nice. The label confirmed it was cashmere. It still had the store tags on it but the price was ripped off so I don't know how much it was new. Since it matches my winter coat I bought it, even though it was $9.99, more than I usually spend on a single item at Savers. When I got home I looked it up online; the name is Loro Piana. OMG. The most similar scarf currently on their website is $450! I didn't find the exact same scarf so it's probably from a few years ago. I looked on eBay and found similar used ones (still haven't seen the exact one) going for $50 - $140. Now I have a dilemma. Do I keep it or resell it on eBay?
In a similar boat. Was on a weekend camping getaway with my husband on the weekend and wandered into a small town where we found 3 thrift stores AND library book sale on the main street. Bonanza! Among my finds were TWO Briggs and Riley garment covers in new condition. I paid just $4 each. They go for $50-$80 on eBay with a MSRP of $179. They appear to be brand new and never used although they no longer have tags, etc. I can't decide if I should keep it (they r beautiful but not "needed") or sell it or give one to my father for Christmas.
Also scored a bunch of like new books that I am going to give as Christmas presents :)
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Our local goodwill is my sisters favorite store. Literally. She goes there for fun to find deals to keep her kids happy. I'd be surprised if she spent $30/mo, and she buys a lot of stuff. Kids toys for $1 etc. (I bought my nephew a massive stuffed frog toy animal, it's legs velcro together and he wears it around his neck all damn day... $1.50)
A couple weeks ago, wifey came home with 4 pairs of shoes, loudly proclaiming, "I just bought FOUR pairs of shoes, (all heels), for work". Immediately I asked "How much!?" fearing the worst. "Twenty bucks for all four!". She wears a size 10.5 in women, so her size is increasingly hard to find at thrift stores. Some woman must have donated all 4 at the same time, (two each of two different brands). The shoes retail for $70-$90/pair. So $20 for $280 worth of shoes. She's happy as a clam, and gets to wear new shoes to work.
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Just went on a sheet music buying spree at the local Goodwill. Six books at just the right level to challenge me for $8.00. I would have paid that much for one if I had bought them new. Won't need any new sheet music for years.
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I just started a new job that requires a uniform with black dress pants or skirt.
Only had the one black skirt in my wardrobe (I'm used to wearing jeans for work!) but thankfully the thrift gods provided like-new Cue and Witchery pants for $5 each, and the perfect knee length business skirt for $3.
While I was buying the pants, the shop assistant was discussing the line of 30+ people that had been camped outside the shop next door for THREE DAYS to buy KANYE WEST SNEAKERS. Some of them had sleeping bags. The mind boggles.
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A few weeks ago I found a cute cashmere cardigan, in very good condition. Today I looked it up and apparently it retails for almost 250$ O_o
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Thanks for the inspiration everyone! I am making a conscious effort to get back into thrifting. Lifestyle inflation has creeped in (coupled with moving from an area with fantastic thrift stores to a new town with mediocre ones). But, I still have the air popcorn popper I picked up for a few bucks at a local thrift store for a few bucks... seven and a half years ago. Thinking of that whenever I get the urge to buy something at Target/Amazon!
My goal over the next few weeks is to scout out more thrift stores in the area- I have a hunch that the selection is way better out in the burbs than the city.
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I'm having a moral conundrum with Goodwill.
I've been a faithful shopper for years, and I especially searched for good quality fabric - especially wool.
But Sunday I went on the busiest time, and as I was watching the people around me looking for new clothes, looking more destitute that I do, it suddenly occurred to me that that pretty cashmere sweater I had in my basket might be the difference between someone being warm or not, getting a job or not. I felt as if, by looking for bargains, I was stealing from poor people the only nice clothes they could afford.
So yeah, I'm taking a break form Goodwill. I have enough clothes anyway.
Goodwill gets 10x as much clothing as they sell in the store, the rest goes overseas or gets pulped.
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I'm having a moral conundrum with Goodwill.
I've been a faithful shopper for years, and I especially searched for good quality fabric - especially wool.
But Sunday I went on the busiest time, and as I was watching the people around me looking for new clothes, looking more destitute that I do, it suddenly occurred to me that that pretty cashmere sweater I had in my basket might be the difference between someone being warm or not, getting a job or not. I felt as if, by looking for bargains, I was stealing from poor people the only nice clothes they could afford.
So yeah, I'm taking a break form Goodwill. I have enough clothes anyway.
Goodwill gets 10x as much clothing as they sell in the store, the rest goes overseas or gets pulped.
TomTX is right. A lot (admittedly subjective) of the clothing Goodwill gets doesn't even make it to retail due to the sheer volume they receive. Of course, it varies wildly by location, but generally speaking excess and unsalable clothing either goes to the landfill, is recycled into insulation/textile, or is shipped overseas to Africa or Southeast Asia.
When it arrives in Africa/Southeast Asia, it is resold very cheaply and tends to glut the local markets - driving out local homegrown businesses - depending on who you ask it is a net good thing or bad thing. Personally my understanding/percwption is that it's very bad over the long term. And of course, I imagine most people would rather it not end up in a landfill. The recycling option is great, but the available supply often outstrips demand.
All that to say that you are really doing Goodwill, and society as a whole, a better service by shopping at Goodwill rather than feeling unfounded guilt. I shop at Goodwill frequently and for every shirt I've bought there were dozens more like it - all the while providing a job to someone who needed one.
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I'm having a moral conundrum with Goodwill.
I've been a faithful shopper for years, and I especially searched for good quality fabric - especially wool.
But Sunday I went on the busiest time, and as I was watching the people around me looking for new clothes, looking more destitute that I do, it suddenly occurred to me that that pretty cashmere sweater I had in my basket might be the difference between someone being warm or not, getting a job or not. I felt as if, by looking for bargains, I was stealing from poor people the only nice clothes they could afford.
So yeah, I'm taking a break form Goodwill. I have enough clothes anyway.
Goodwill gets 10x as much clothing as they sell in the store, the rest goes overseas or gets pulped.
TomTX is right. A lot (admittedly subjective) of the clothing Goodwill gets doesn't even make it to retail due to the sheer volume they receive. Of course, it varies wildly by location, but generally speaking excess and unsalable clothing either goes to the landfill, is recycled into insulation/textile, or is shipped overseas to Africa or Southeast Asia.
When it arrives in Africa/Southeast Asia, it is resold very cheaply and tends to glut the local markets - driving out local homegrown businesses - depending on who you ask it is a net good thing or bad thing. Personally my understanding/percwption is that it's very bad over the long term. And of course, I imagine most people would rather it not end up in a landfill. The recycling option is great, but the available supply often outstrips demand.
All that to say that you are really doing Goodwill, and society as a whole, a better service by shopping at Goodwill rather than feeling unfounded guilt. I shop at Goodwill frequently and for every shirt I've bought there were dozens more like it - all the while providing a job to someone who needed one.
The cash you spend at a thrift store is much more valuable to the community than the items you purchase.
On that note, last week I got two pairs of black dress shoes an a pair of black pants for the children's Christmas concerts for a total of $10. One pair of shoes was found online for $50. The pants go for $14.
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Does anyone know how Goodwill works logistically speaking? I live in a rather affluent area. I've wondered if the contributions to my local store get sold there too, or does it go to a central distribution facility?
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Does anyone know how Goodwill works logistically speaking? I live in a rather affluent area. I've wondered if the contributions to my local store get sold there too, or does it go to a central distribution facility?
It's a blend. Some stuff will go right out on the shelves, most stuff goes elsewhere. In Austin there is a computer-centric Goodwill location, so a lot of the computer donations end up there.
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Does anyone know how Goodwill works logistically speaking? I live in a rather affluent area. I've wondered if the contributions to my local store get sold there too, or does it go to a central distribution facility?
It depends on the Goodwill chapter. The Goodwill in my area has approximately 35 stores. Smaller goods and things like furniture are sorted, processed and placed in the store where it was donated. All other goods are shipped to a central processing plant where they are sorted. Seasonal items, like Christmas goods, are stored there until needed and then shipped to the stores. The store managers tend to have a good grasp of what sells well in their stores so they "order" certain items for their stores. Our local Goodwill is considering doing away with most of the central processing and doing all the sorting, processing, and store in-house so whatever is donated to a particular store will be sold in that store. They are testing this out in the coming year.
Many Goodwills already use this model so it definitely depends on the area and the Goodwill chapter.
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Around here, I was told they send everything away, and get stuff from elsewhere.
The reason I was told was that they were afraid of pissing off potential donors. People (at least some around here) would be livid to see "their" furniture in a friends house or unique clothing on someone at the local grocery store. Especially someone "beneath" them.
At least that's what I was told.
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Around here, I was told they send everything away, and get stuff from elsewhere.
The reason I was told was that they were afraid of pissing off potential donors. People (at least some around here) would be livid to see "their" furniture in a friends house or unique clothing on someone at the local grocery store. Especially someone "beneath" them.
At least that's what I was told.
I'll be surprised if this kind of people donated to Goodwill...
Out of sheer curiosity, where do you write from?
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Goodwill is too expensive for me, I buy on Craigslist, or free.
For myself I only buy underwear, bras and socks brand new once a year or two at a retail shop and using discounts and sales. The rest of clothes, if I want to mix-up my wardrobe, I get second hand for free from Craigslist. I'm skinny, so I fit into teen girls clothes perfectly and those are getting thrown away constantly. Teen girls don't want used clothes, which means they have no resell value and I have no completion when they are available for free. I have tons of clothes since I haven't changed much since I was 19, everything still fits and looks great, at that age I was buying quality. My secret is to have tons, so each items gets worn rarely and needs to be washed rarely, that way everything lasts pretty much forever.
For my kids I get very cheap or free, also quality clothes, that I resell after they are done with also on Craigslist for the same price or even more. I have a woman (found her on Craigslist) that I have bought clothes from for my son for the last 6 years and 3 years ago I found one woman who buys those boys clothes from me after my son is done with them. So this arrangement even saves me time on finding the seller and the buyer. I meet with them at around same time each year, we know the drill, it takes no time. So my son's clothes/shoes, snow pants, coats don't cost me anything.
I would like to find the same arrangement for my daughter's clothes, but haven't found it yet. So her clothes take a bit more effort to find and then resell, but are also free to me. Similar to me, my kids have a lot of clothes, so each item is worn rarely and therefore in excellent shape for the resell. I only budget about 50$ a year or two for my underwear, bras and socks. Shoes for me are a different story, I do get some for free, but most of my shoes are very high quality, expensive shoes that last for very long time and cost some money. I do buy them on deals and sales, and pay about 50%, but I see that as an investment for many years. I usually don't budget for shoes annually, since they last more than 5 years and rarely I buy a new pair.
Overall my budget for clothes/shoes, socks and so on for 3 people is max 50$ a year. Since there are so many nice clothes in their wardrobe I have never heard them say that they want me to buy them more clothes.
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Around here, I was told they send everything away, and get stuff from elsewhere.
The reason I was told was that they were afraid of pissing off potential donors. People (at least some around here) would be livid to see "their" furniture in a friends house or unique clothing on someone at the local grocery store. Especially someone "beneath" them.
At least that's what I was told.
I'll be surprised if this kind of people donated to Goodwill...
Out of sheer curiosity, where do you write from?
I'm in a super rich, east coast town in a poor, coastal county in South Carolina. My zip code average house price is $400k. My county average house price is $100k.
These people donate prodigiously to Goodwill. They have stuff that HAS to go. Nobody has time for craigslist, and it'll cost them to have someone take it to the dump.
Some of them cycle through full homes of furniture every 5 years. Goodwill sends a truck to pick it all up, for free. Plus, they get a tax break. I see the truck in my neighborhood at least once a month.
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I'm having a moral conundrum with Goodwill.
I've been a faithful shopper for years, and I especially searched for good quality fabric - especially wool.
But Sunday I went on the busiest time, and as I was watching the people around me looking for new clothes, looking more destitute that I do, it suddenly occurred to me that that pretty cashmere sweater I had in my basket might be the difference between someone being warm or not, getting a job or not. I felt as if, by looking for bargains, I was stealing from poor people the only nice clothes they could afford.
So yeah, I'm taking a break form Goodwill. I have enough clothes anyway.
It depends on what you are doing, and what your real goal is. If you're going there regularly to find things to resell for a profit, you are crossing a line. If you are a FI person who just wants to be cheap for the sake of being cheap, you are crossing a line. If you're a well off hipster who thinks an ironic wardrobe is the ticket, you are crossing a line.
But, if you're a typical working class or middle class person in need of a more thrifty lifestyle to meet important financial goals and have exhausted other options (cheaper car, cutting the cord, etc.), it's all good. Just buy what you _need_ and give back when you can.
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+1 on all the defenses of Goodwill and similar shops. My biggest bragging finds:
-A really nice Columbia winter jacket with the cool reflective interior: $5
-6 salad plates of my mother's wedding china pattern: $0.75 each. She was over the moon.
-A beautiful 100% silk dress from Banana Republic in perfect condition. Not my size but luckily I was shopping with my sister and it fit perfectly. $3
That's my favorite way to thrift shop: with someone else with different sizes and tastes.
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It depends on what you are doing, and what your real goal is. If you're going there regularly to find things to resell for a profit, you are crossing a line.
For the reasons listed on this thread previously (i.e. excessive waste, oversupply), I disagree. Flipping something for a profit that may otherwise wind up in a landfill is a win-win for everyone involved. If you were to sell something on eBay for example - Goodwill, eBay, yourself, and the ultimate recipient directly benefit from this secondary market economic activity. Additionally, you have satisfied someone's need for that thing without them having to go out and buy something new - in many ways like recycling (and reducing the carbon footprint associated with said manufacturing). The typical Goodwill customer who is shopping there because they really have too is not going to miss the type of more unique items that a re-seller would be looking for, as they are a dime a dozen. I have never seen a Goodwill that looked "picked over" - and I have never seen empty clothes racks and/or shelves.
If you are a FI person who just wants to be cheap for the sake of being cheap, you are crossing a line.
Not sure I understand - does a FI / FIRE person 'upgrade' their lifestyle, shop at big brand stores, and stop looking for bargains/deals when they need to make a purchase? Again, there seems to be the wrong assumption that Goodwill gets a limited supply of items. And remember there are plenty of other thrift stores (especially religious organizations) that do the same thing, Goodwill is usually not the only place in town.
If you're a well off hipster who thinks an ironic wardrobe is the ticket, you are crossing a line.
For the same reasons above, unless they are showing up with trucks and carting off most of the store, repeatedly - I don't see how this is harmful.
If anything - Goodwill would make more money, allowing them to hire more people who need a job and job training. Less stuff goes to a landfill, more items get recycled/reused, less items go overseas - the vicious circle might actually slow down a little bit. I'm reminded of MMM's article http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/04/09/what-if-everyone-became-frugal/ (http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/04/09/what-if-everyone-became-frugal/).
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I'm having a moral conundrum with Goodwill.
I've been a faithful shopper for years, and I especially searched for good quality fabric - especially wool.
But Sunday I went on the busiest time, and as I was watching the people around me looking for new clothes, looking more destitute that I do, it suddenly occurred to me that that pretty cashmere sweater I had in my basket might be the difference between someone being warm or not, getting a job or not. I felt as if, by looking for bargains, I was stealing from poor people the only nice clothes they could afford.
So yeah, I'm taking a break form Goodwill. I have enough clothes anyway.
It depends on what you are doing, and what your real goal is. If you're going there regularly to find things to resell for a profit, you are crossing a line. If you are a FI person who just wants to be cheap for the sake of being cheap, you are crossing a line. If you're a well off hipster who thinks an ironic wardrobe is the ticket, you are crossing a line.
But, if you're a typical working class or middle class person in need of a more thrifty lifestyle to meet important financial goals and have exhausted other options (cheaper car, cutting the cord, etc.), it's all good. Just buy what you _need_ and give back when you can.
I disagree. Goodwill's stated mission is to provide education and skills training for work. Their shops does that in two ways- it provides a place for job training and it provides the income to run their programs. There is nothing in their stated mission to provide people who are "down on their luck" a place to shop.
You are not stealing from anyone when you shop at Goodwill looking to find something to turn a profit. You are helping Goodwill meet its mission. Goodwill would not be able to run their program if people who don't "need" to shop there stopped doing so.
Goodwill themselves take the "best" stuff and sells it in boutiques in higher end neighborhoods and online. Which is one of the reasons it is harder to find flips- the sorters are being trained to weed out the "good stuff". Years ago you could find American Girl dolls and Coach bags in stores, now it is quite rare because they get pulled for online sales.
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I agree with brickbybrick.
Plus, there is sooooooooooo much inventory that is being moved to the warehouse after it has been on the sales floor for a month with no takers. At the warehouse, they sell it by the pound. I am able to find things to flip, but only because, by that point, goodwill is selling it for about a dollar a piece. I figured if the goodwill pickers rejected it and customers who would like nice clothes at a great price rejected it for a month, I don't feel I'm crossing a line by buying things I don't "need" for the purpose of making a profit.
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Goodwill themselves take the "best" stuff and sells it in boutiques in higher end neighborhoods and online. Which is one of the reasons it is harder to find flips- the sorters are being trained to weed out the "good stuff". Years ago you could find American Girl dolls and Coach bags in stores, now it is quite rare because they get pulled for online sales.
This is true - and it is the reason why I think that Goodwill is crossing a line, from how I expect a non-profit to operate, this smacks of pure capitalism to me and is not providing a service to the "poor" in the community.
The GW in my immediate neighborhood is always busy to the point of being overrun. You would have to shop/look every day to find even one item worthy of re-sale - so yeah, it is still possible to do, if you are willing to put in the time and there are quite a few people obviously trolling for items to resell.
It is also quite obvious that GW is culling the nice items, but if you like the hunt, you can still get lucky.
Their prices border on the ridiculous for used furniture, but you can haggle with them:) No true poor person could afford what they are asking for a "refurbished" mattress or a nice set of dining furniture. The clothing, well they have plenty of it and it flies out the door especially on mark down days.
GW is just not my world for clothes shopping, but I did buy a like new pair of fabulous red leather gloves there once, but in general, their nice clothing is priced higher than at the outlets and the fleamarkets that abound in my area.
Tip: Buy your wintercoat there while you are on vacation:) - they are dirt cheap, because we don't need winter coats in Florida.
As a matter of observation:
1. The "well to do" often furnish their condos and beach houses via GW - I'm always torn on that one, because I have to grin and think to myself this is how they came to own a condo or beachhouse in the first place - more power to them. I've even seen some come with their decorator for a shabby chic look, which takes the cake - slumming are we?:)
On the other hand, it irks me, because yes, that drives up the prices and keeps a genuinely poor person from finding a nice piece of furniture at a bargain.
2. I can't control that, but I can control the places I do or do not donate to.
Trust me, around here in old people heaven, you are better off to go to garage sales put on by the relatives from out of state so they can close out the estate. They are in a time crunch ...
3. Believe it or not - the tourists shop our thrift stores. WTH - who does that on their vacation? A few months ago I listened to a German couple who bought a complete silver service, rummaging through the 25 cents per item silverware mangled mess.
They are taking it back to sell it at a nice profit in Germany - damn clever way to pay for your vacay.
So it is what it is,
Goodwill has become an evil empire and there is a lot going on behind the scenes ... the few things I know about are drivers taking their pick of the furniture for free for instance. I don't even want to know about the shenanigans their managers are engaged in, which I have been told about from people who have worked there - so it is hearsay only, but the local papers and TV stations recently reported on salaries and perks and well, shenangans.
The idea behind it is good, the execution is becoming a bit too muddled for comfort, too many hands in the pie including local politics and kick backs at least here in our area - they get away with murder, because they can.
They are practically the only game in town dealing with addicts - they are sorely needed, so while far from perfect, it is a much needed community resource.
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Goodwill themselves take the "best" stuff and sells it in boutiques in higher end neighborhoods and online. Which is one of the reasons it is harder to find flips- the sorters are being trained to weed out the "good stuff". Years ago you could find American Girl dolls and Coach bags in stores, now it is quite rare because they get pulled for online sales.
This is true - and it is the reason why I think that Goodwill is crossing a line, from how I expect a non-profit to operate, this smacks of pure capitalism to me and is not providing a service to the "poor" in the community.
The GW in my immediate neighborhood is always busy to the point of being overrun. You would have to shop/look every day to find even one item worthy of re-sale - so yeah, it is still possible to do, if you are willing to put in the time and there are quite a few people obviously trolling for items to resell.
Also, in our area, after items are removed from the outlet, they go to salvage not to a landfill. Very little is actually sent to the landfill. All of the items that leave the outlet are sorted. Metal and paper goods and plastics are sent to recycling. Even single shoes are able to be sold for recycling. There are buyers who will buy any purses,electrical cords, toys,books, etc., that are left. I am not saying that those buyers never toss anything but Goodwill itself tries to monetize every item that is donated. It is a actually a pretty amazing and impressive operation. Not perfect, but pretty cool overall.
It is also quite obvious that GW is culling the nice items, but if you like the hunt, you can still get lucky.
Their prices border on the ridiculous for used furniture, but you can haggle with them:) No true poor person could afford what they are asking for a "refurbished" mattress or a nice set of dining furniture. The clothing, well they have plenty of it and it flies out the door especially on mark down days.
GW is just not my world for clothes shopping, but I did buy a like new pair of fabulous red leather gloves there once, but in general, their nice clothing is priced higher than at the outlets and the fleamarkets that abound in my area.
Tip: Buy your wintercoat there while you are on vacation:) - they are dirt cheap, because we don't need winter coats in Florida.
As a matter of observation:
1. The "well to do" often furnish their condos and beach houses via GW - I'm always torn on that one, because I have to grin and think to myself this is how they came to own a condo or beachhouse in the first place - more power to them. I've even seen some come with their decorator for a shabby chic look, which takes the cake - slumming are we?:)
On the other hand, it irks me, because yes, that drives up the prices and keeps a genuinely poor person from finding a nice piece of furniture at a bargain.
2. I can't control that, but I can control the places I do or do not donate to.
Trust me, around here in old people heaven, you are better off to go to garage sales put on by the relatives from out of state so they can close out the estate. They are in a time crunch ...
3. Believe it or not - the tourists shop our thrift stores. WTH - who does that on their vacation? A few months ago I listened to a German couple who bought a complete silver service, rummaging through the 25 cents per item silverware mangled mess.
They are taking it back to sell it at a nice profit in Germany - damn clever way to pay for your vacay.
So it is what it is,
Goodwill has become an evil empire and there is a lot going on behind the scenes ... the few things I know about are drivers taking their pick of the furniture for free for instance. I don't even want to know about the shenanigans their managers are engaged in, which I have been told about from people who have worked there - so it is hearsay only, but the local papers and TV stations recently reported on salaries and perks and well, shenangans.
The idea behind it is good, the execution is becoming a bit too muddled for comfort, too many hands in the pie including local politics and kick backs at least here in our area - they get away with murder, because they can.
They are practically the only game in town dealing with addicts - they are sorely needed, so while far from perfect, it is a much needed community resource.
Just wanted to point out that you cannot paint all Goodwill's with the same brush. Every area is independent and are run differently. The whole mission of Goodwill is to provide employment and training services and they pay for this mission with donated goods. It is not to provide poor people with nice things although that can be a benefit.
Also, I can't speak for all Goodwills, but I can speak for my area Goodwill organization. Drivers and employees are not given first pick of merchandise...ever. Stealing or holding merchandise is a fireable offense, and it is taken very seriously since Goodwill cannot function without the trust of the people who donate.
Also, wanted to add that everything that leaves the Goodwill outlet in my area is sent to salvage, not the landfill. After leaving the outlet, all items are sorted. Items like metals, plastics, etc., are sent directly to recycling. Even orphan shoes are sold. Other items like purses, toys, and books are sold to resellers. There is even a market for electrical cords. Almost every donated item is monetized in some way. It is actually a very impressive operation and there is a huge emphasis on keeping items out of landfills.
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I love goodwill and similar thrift stores --
vintage makeup travel case -- 5.00; sell for 30-50 in flea markets
pyrex bowls -- 2-5.00 a piece depending on size
most of my wardrobe, including express jeans -- no more than 2-8.00 a piece
art....so much art to choose from
books -- 0.10 if you time it right...
pillows, lamps, shades, household furniture -- so much of our stuff is thrifted or gifted second hand, and when carefully culled and arranged, it never looks cheap!