Author Topic: Thrift store finds SCORE!  (Read 17969 times)

k-vette

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Thrift store finds SCORE!
« on: September 21, 2014, 09:56:57 AM »
There is a Restore in our town.  Its like a hardware/sporting goods/furniture thrift store.  Weve been wanting a fan for our sons bedroom.  A few wonths back I found a $160 fan for my daughters room thats pink with flowers for $20.  We check in every once in a while to see if theres anything new.

Yesterday:  VERY nice and NEW fan.  $20.  Digital thermostat to replace our old analog one: $6.50.  Cycling clothes!  11 pieces, mostly shorts for me.  Also. Purple 3 pc set for the wife.  All louis garneau brand WITH tags still on.  $5 each.  Thats like $300+ worth of cycling clothes (which I was prepping to buy for my ride to work) for $55.

What have others found at places like this?

plantingourpennies

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2014, 03:34:44 PM »
If you like the Restore shops, you might also want to look for places like Construction Junction-

http://www.constructionjunction.org/pages/shop

Tends to be a different mix of product, more esoteric.

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Bob W

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2014, 07:16:35 PM »
Buy almost all my clothes at thrift stores.  Very nice clothes.

deborah

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2014, 09:04:19 PM »
Our op shops (thrift stores) aren't allowed to sell electronics :(

RunningWithScissors

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2014, 02:02:20 PM »
I bought close to $1500 dollars worth of stuff from Restore about 2 years ago when we did a top-to-bottom reno of the new house:

- 40 boxes of 10 sheets each mosaic tile = all backsplashes, showers and fireplace surround
- 15 doors returned from a cancelled new house build = turned into barn doors, kitchen island dropped ceiling and master bedroom headboard
- 3 sinks = laundry room, wet bar and solarium sinks
- faucets = kitchen, solarium, wet bar
- giant triple paned window for dining room
- misc lumber, plywood, unopened bales of insulation
- cabinet handles, 2 sets passage sets
-utility light fixtures for garage and workshop
- commercial grade aluminum suppy air floor grates

We did most of the work ourselves and turned the dump of the neighbourhood into a high end home.  Needless to say, I'm a big fan of Restore and other salvage places!

Gerard

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2014, 05:59:38 AM »
Scissors, did you have a list of reno materials and took what the restore had that was on your list, or did you go "Wow! Score!" at the restore and then tweak your designs to take advantage?

Elle 8

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2014, 10:09:31 AM »
Hi!  I've gotten cashmere sweaters for $3-$7 at Savers (a chain thrift store; there are a couple in my area).

But my biggest score was actually at an estate sale.  I got a Henredon bedroom set for $300.  It's gorgeous.  Henredon is a high quality furniture maker based in North Carolina.  I wouldn't have known this but I had gotten a chest a while before in the same style (at another estate sale $20).  I could tell it was high quality but when I got it home and researched it I found out how good a deal I got.  Anyway, when I saw this bedroom set I had to have it.  It was marked down half price from $1200 to $600.  That was still too much.  We talked to the lady and she said the sale ends at 3:00, call me back then and if it's still available you can have it for $300.  We got it!!! Armoire, dresser, two end tables and headboard.  Had to rent a Uhaul to get it home (<$100) but so worth it!!  This would have been thousands if bought new.  SCORE!

Nickyd£g

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2014, 08:47:25 AM »
Last weekend I found a brand new pair of wedge Office ankle boots in my size in the Shelter shop [charity outlet for the homeless] for £5 - would retail at around £65, and an Orla Keily [Irish textile designer] weekend holdall for £3!  The boots look fabulous with my skinny jeans and the holdall will look much better than the usual gym bag I normally use for hand luggage :)

Siobhan

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #8 on: October 21, 2014, 03:13:19 PM »
Once bought a painting at a thrift store yardsale, 4 bucks....sold it for 3500 a few weeks later when I did research on it.   Also got a nice Meissen tea set at a flea market once.

RunningWithScissors

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #9 on: October 21, 2014, 03:40:28 PM »
Gerard - a little of both strategies were used (happy accident + deliberate selection and pre-planning).  We were doing a complete gut of the house so we needed almost everything from framing materials to finishes and fixtures. 

For instance, I knew we would need both floor tile and kitchen backsplash tiles.  When a pallet of mosaic tile hit the showroom floor during a visit, I immediately did a quick calculation of quantity and snapped it all up for $2/ft.  This ended up as kitchen, sunroom sink and wet bar backsplashes, in two showers, around one bathtub and as the fireplace surround. 

Similarly, I bought over a dozen doors...  I carried around a small notepad with all the existing door opening sizes so I knew what I needed, but because we turned traditional swing doors into sliding barn doors, wider doors worked well.  The couple of doors that were too skinny were purchased anyway and repurposed into a bed headboard and a suspended ceiling 'cloud' over the kitchen island.  I'd post pictures if I knew how, or message me via email.

Marvel2017

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #10 on: October 25, 2014, 08:19:09 PM »
The Restores around our area seemed overpriced when we shopped them. But there are stores called "Bargain Hunt" (previously Essex) where they seem to have Amazon returns or items they get from somewhere (a lot of them are in Amazon boxes which I why I think they are returns). Anyway, you have to check the items well for damage and missing parts, but you can return things easily so I usually just buy and take back if there's an issue. Well I saw a Schwinn bike trailer (about a $100 trailer) and bought it. They have this deal where if it's been sitting on the shelf for X days then it's X discount. So it had been there a while and I paid $16 WOOOHOOO. And all the parts were there when I got home too LOL.

fireferrets

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #11 on: November 06, 2014, 05:19:19 PM »
Got a pair of shorts (in like-new condition) for $3 at Goodwill. A comparable pair is $20 at Gap/Sears or $10 at Ross/TJMaxx/Marshalls.

resy

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #12 on: November 06, 2014, 05:39:42 PM »
Just got a pair of brand new merrell boots (retail $200) for $20. Just in time ad I have run my other pair of boots to the ground!
Husband finds lotsbof computer related stuff for dirt cheap. The latest find has been some server thingy (hey im not the computer wiz in the family) that he says goes for a couoke hundred for $10.
So many great things that we shop almost exclusively second hand.

davisgang90

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #13 on: November 07, 2014, 05:55:43 AM »
My favorite was a solid wood 7 drawer desk for $30.  Needs to be refinished, but has loads of character.  I bought a replacement lock for $5 online and all the drawers lock.

Bob W

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #14 on: November 07, 2014, 11:02:54 AM »
Checked my wardrobe today.  $125 suede shoes my boss gave me for free unused from her deceased husband.  Khaki pants - thrift store $4 (hard to find size, practically or maybe new)  Tommy Hilfiger shirt thrift store $4,  Nice one maybe new.   Belt ??? but probably $8 walmart.  Socks and underwear - $3 walmart.   Total cost of today's clothes = $19.   Will last about 40 wearings on average.  So 50 cents a day.

Time spent shopping for today's clothes was probably around 45 minutes.  Probably around 8 hours per year.

By contrast one of my daughters will spend 2 hours shopping for a $40 shirt she wears  8 times. 

Señora Savings

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #15 on: November 07, 2014, 01:29:21 PM »
Athleta pants for $5.  A silk hand embroidered button up for $15. Tons of books for $1.  More expensive than the library, but I don't have to remember my library pin code.

beaster

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #16 on: November 09, 2014, 06:17:44 PM »
I have been buying clothes for my toddler and baby kiddos at a local consignment store and the value village for a while now and always find awesome stuff but this weekend I went looking for me for first time in a long time and scored a mint condition vintage 1970s adidas track jacket. Probably not exciting to most but I was super stoked and could have sold the thing on etsy to pay for the rest of the stuff I bought (including 2 Patagonia shirts, rei shorts, gap jeans, and 2 pants, 2 shirts for the kiddos). I have decided to keep for me :)


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Goldielocks

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #17 on: November 09, 2014, 06:26:00 PM »


Time spent shopping for today's clothes was probably around 45 minutes.  Probably around 8 hours per year.

By contrast one of my daughters will spend 2 hours shopping for a $40 shirt she wears  8 times.

This!  The time saved.  50 pairs of pants, in my size, hanging all together by colour, for me to quickly sort through, try on ten and buy one or two.  It used to take me three shopping trips to find two pairs of work pants before, and then spend $50 to $100 a pair... Instead of $15 at the thrift store.

Nickyd£g

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #18 on: November 10, 2014, 04:55:17 AM »
I bought a Bayliss and Harding gift set (bath goodies) for £2.50, would probably go for £10, as a Christmas gift for my aunt.  It looks brand new, with untouched ribbon around the packaging and everything. One down, 9 more to go!

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #19 on: November 11, 2014, 12:46:47 AM »
last month I found two Lego sets at the thrift store, both of them were on my sons wishlist (ninjago theme). I was able to look inside and the bags were all sealed that I could see, so I bought them. 8.41 total for both. they are listed on amazon right now for over 300$ total.

I am able to find most of my familys wardrobes at thrift stores. Excluding underwear and socks. But it takes more than a few hours to go through the aisles of a few stores to get what I need for 3-4 people.

The Borgs

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #20 on: November 11, 2014, 04:18:04 AM »
I take custom orthotics and shoes can be hard to find to wear with them in, or stupidly expensive. Picked up a brand new pair of black leather shoes, designed for a 3/4 orthotic with a removable bed for $4 in an op shop (Australian for thrift store). The same shoes, new, would be $200+.

Bob W

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #21 on: November 11, 2014, 12:29:48 PM »
Another full thrift store day for me!  Wearing probably the best shirt/sweater I've ever owned -- It is a Herron Club heavy knit shirt lined with a silk like liner.  Super comfy!  Pants -- khakis in my rare 36/28 size.  Shoes a gift from bosses deceased husband.   Total cost = less than $10. 

 

Dicey

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #22 on: November 12, 2014, 12:38:29 AM »
Pants -- khakis in my rare 36/28 size. 

Hi Bob, When you said you had a rare size, I really wondered what you meant. I sold men's clothes at Nordstrom for a decade. 36 is a very common size and virtually all of them are longer than 28 inch inseam. Hemming men's trousers is a piece of cake. You can even get iron-on hem tape so no sewing is required at all. Thrift shopping should be a breeze for you as everything can be shortened. Now, if you were a 28x36 (think tall, skinnnny teenager), that would be a rare size.

Bob W

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #23 on: November 12, 2014, 08:54:41 AM »
Pants -- khakis in my rare 36/28 size. 

Hi Bob, When you said you had a rare size, I really wondered what you meant. I sold men's clothes at Nordstrom for a decade. 36 is a very common size and virtually all of them are longer than 28 inch inseam. Hemming men's trousers is a piece of cake. You can even get iron-on hem tape so no sewing is required at all. Thrift shopping should be a breeze for you as everything can be shortened. Now, if you were a 28x36 (think tall, skinnnny teenager), that would be a rare size.

Thanks Diane,   I have often resorted to the hem tape method.   If I could just get the waist down to 32 it would help in a number of life areas! lol  I probably fudged a bit as I think I'm really 38 today.   It's the 28 that is hard to find.  Luckily in my retirement community area the men are older, shorter and fatter.  It's funny,  when I find that size at the thrift store there are usually 4 or 5 of the same size in very good to excellent shape.   I usually assume that someone died recently and that the family didn't want to see good clothes go to waist.  Weirdly,  I feel I am honoring their life by wearing the clothes.  That and the thrift store is a money maker for a local food bank that I donate to.  It's a Win, Win, Win situation.   

Torran

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #24 on: November 12, 2014, 09:26:14 AM »
Quality black suede shoes for work (with silver toes) - price tag left from the original shop, £110 marked down to £65. Price tag in charity shop - £7. They look good as new. SCORE!

Dicey

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #25 on: November 12, 2014, 04:28:31 PM »
Pants -- khakis in my rare 36/28 size. 

Hi Bob, When you said you had a rare size, I really wondered what you meant. I sold men's clothes at Nordstrom for a decade. 36 is a very common size and virtually all of them are longer than 28 inch inseam. Hemming men's trousers is a piece of cake. You can even get iron-on hem tape so no sewing is required at all. Thrift shopping should be a breeze for you as everything can be shortened. Now, if you were a 28x36 (think tall, skinnnny teenager), that would be a rare size.

Thanks Diane,   I have often resorted to the hem tape method.   If I could just get the waist down to 32 it would help in a number of life areas! lol  I probably fudged a bit as I think I'm really 38 today.   It's the 28 that is hard to find.  Luckily in my retirement community area the men are older, shorter and fatter.  It's funny,  when I find that size at the thrift store there are usually 4 or 5 of the same size in very good to excellent shape.   I usually assume that someone died recently and that the family didn't want to see good clothes go to waist.  Weirdly,  I feel I am honoring their life by wearing the clothes.  That and the thrift store is a money maker for a local food bank that I donate to.  It's a Win, Win, Win situation.

True, but all the men's pants we sold at Nordstrom were at least a 30" inseam, so no amount of weight loss will help with that. Of course, if you shop at spendy places like Nordy's, the basic hemming is included in the purchase price. You're still way ahead at the thrift store! I just want you to know that except for some jeans, 30 tends to be the minimum for all men's pants in the US. As a person who is taller than average, I am painfully aware that too long can be easily cured, too short and you are SOL.

Side note: over the past two years, DH has gone from a 36-38 to a 32. He says he feels great and I think he looks HOT! It's worth the effort to drop the lbs. Of course, we had to buy him all new clothes, but thrift stores and white elephant sales made that easy on the budget.

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #26 on: November 16, 2014, 10:47:08 PM »
I think you can find great kitchen stuff for really cheap.

Our awesome slow cooker (that I nabbed a couple years ago at a garage sale for $2) ended up getting a crack in the ceramic bowl. I went to the thrift store, found a couple decent looking cookers to replace it, but then happened upon the exact bowl selling by itself for a couple bucks.

When we need a new spatula, garlic press, corkscrew etc., we can normally find good quality ones for 50c to $1.

Bob W

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #27 on: November 17, 2014, 01:52:56 PM »
My clothes are thrift store as usual.   My outerwear is a very nice Kenneth Roberts ski type coat that appeared new or very gently worn several weeks ago when I bought it.   I think I paid $5.   Probably will last at least 200 days of wearing.  So what is that 2.5 cents per day?

JoJo

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #28 on: November 17, 2014, 02:55:09 PM »
An Eagle Creek carry-on size backpack for $3 (about $150 new).  Vintage gray wool women's pants by Brooks Brothers for $4 (about $200 new).

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #29 on: November 17, 2014, 06:56:45 PM »
We have a Goodwill "boutique" in my city. It pulls the fancy designer things and sells them for a little bit more than what normal Goodwill prices are. My biggest scores to date are Dolce and Gabbana boots, multiple pairs of designer jeans, and a couple of high end handbags. The biggest regret is a red wool Burberry peacoat I passed up because it was a little big. Before I could say "tailor", someone had already snatched it up.

Rarely do I ever pay full price for clothing, and most often I buy used.

Dee

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #30 on: November 17, 2014, 07:11:32 PM »
I got a pair of jeans I'm really excited about this weekend at Value Village. I lucked out finding a pair that fits really well. They cost $5.99 plus tax. Meanwhile, my boyfriend picked out 4 sweaters for himself. In terms of time investment, he scored a real deal. He was done within a few minutes and had 3 great items (I believe he put the 4th back because he didn't like it as much, and 3 sweaters were sufficient to meet his needs). He is a quick, frugal shopper, that one : )

Artemis67

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #31 on: November 19, 2014, 12:02:57 AM »
I don't remember the last time I bought a brand-new set of bed sheets. I just keep an eye out for really nice ones every time I go into Goodwill, and can often score an entire set in excellent condition for <$15.

Not long ago, I decided to turn an Ikea duvet cover into curtains for my bedroom, only to realize I needed more fabric than it would provide. The print was once very popular, but hadn't been made in years. I knew one would turn up at Goodwill sooner or later if I was patient. Three weeks (and $5) later, there it was.

I also got the most awesome full-length mirror (so I can make sure I don't look like a bag lady before leaving the house) for $20. It has this crazy, ornate Chinese-style frame that had some visible damage and was painted an ugly fake-bronze color, but it was such an unusual piece (that also happened to fill a practical need) I just had to buy it. I repaired the damage, repainted it lacquer red, and everyone who comes over wants to know where on earth I found it. I've never seen anything quite like it anywhere.

Knowing how to sew can be a huge money saver, as long as you keep an eye out for bargains on fabric. I've found some great fabrics at Goodwill every so often, including several large (6-8yd) pieces of Italian wool suiting fabric for about $2-3/yard (instead of $20-30). I've still got most of it stashed away, but I made three pairs of pants from that haul that look like I spent a fortune on them.

And speaking of sewing, I've bought all of my vintage sewing machines at Goodwill. Many times, I've bought them on special for $1.29, and only once have I paid more than $10 for one (that was $20 for a much-coveted Singer Featherweight). I've learned how to do minor repairs, cleaning, and tune-ups on old Singer and Kenmore machines, and when I get too many of them I sell them on Craigslist at just enough of a profit to make it worthwhile.

And then there's all the slightly damaged wool and cashmere sweaters that I can get for ~$3. I take them apart, unravel them, and knit, felt, or crochet them into other clothing or household items. I can't get yarn any cheaper than that (unless someone gives it to me for free).

Bob W

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #32 on: November 19, 2014, 07:53:05 AM »
Artemis67 --- Good job, how fun.   My wife can't stand to pay retail for stuff now that we have found 3 nice thrift stores.  We live in a community that has a fairly wealthy older retirement population.  It appears they buy nice stuff they rarely use and then it ends up at the thrift stores eventually.   

Today I am all thrift store again with a nice Tommy Hilfiger heavy shirt I scored for like $3.   My closet is slowly converting to all thrift store purchased items and if I would get off my ass and get rid of some stuff, it would be 80%.

A funny story,  our 7 year old son kept losing his jackets and hoody sweatshirts.   My wife says "ask at the after school daycare if they found them."  So I do -- Suzie, the great lady there,  says come look.  She takes me to a wall covered in jacket and coats.   "Any look familiar?"   Me - "not really?"  Her -- "well just pick out as many as you want,  we have so many of them we can't get rid of them.  Kids keep leaving them behind."   Scored 5 cool hoodies and jackets.   

Even funnier (since you mentioned the bag lady concept).  Last night we went to a thanksgiving dinner for the daycare and there must have been 300 people there.   I casually looked around and noticed that we were dressed as nice or nicer than most everyone there.  We didn't put on anything special,  just our thrift store wear.   

The thrift stores we frequent have charitable missions.  The animal shelter, homeless shelter, food bank and domestic violence shelter.  It is great to support great causes (and I often donate while there) while scoring great clothes and recycling.   It is such a super win for everyone.   

Hope everyone on this site starts this as a mission for the next year!

Now if we could just convince our 20 something kids to quit shopping at the mall!

NoraLenderbee

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #33 on: November 19, 2014, 02:12:55 PM »
This is an oldie--back in the 90s, during OJ Simpson's trial, they made a big deal about the shoes he was wearing in some photos. They were Bruno Magli shoes, very expensive, high fashion, ya da da. My boyfriend and I were frequenting Goodwills at that time. He found four pairs of Bruno Magli shoes--$4 each.

jat9449

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #34 on: November 19, 2014, 02:21:14 PM »
I snatched up a brand new pair of Birkenstock sandals (in my size) for $0.50)!

Dicey

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #35 on: November 19, 2014, 08:31:16 PM »
A funny story,  our 7 year old son kept losing his jackets and hoody sweatshirts.   My wife says "ask at the after school daycare if they found them."  So I do -- Suzie, the great lady there,  says come look.  She takes me to a wall covered in jacket and coats.   "Any look familiar?"   Me - "not really?"  Her -- "well just pick out as many as you want,  we have so many of them we can't get rid of them.  Kids keep leaving them behind."   Scored 5 cool hoodies and jackets.   
My bro works at Costco. He says they have a constant supply of canes because people leave theirs behind all.the.time. So if you've lost one or need one, be sure to check with Member Service at Costco. Hopefully you'll never need one, but good to know, just in case.

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #36 on: November 20, 2014, 03:05:41 PM »
Latest find report: $3 each for a couple of slick glass pitchers to brew my kombucha in - no damage or markings, they look brand new! :D It's the beginning of a beautiful friendship

Bob W

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #37 on: November 21, 2014, 12:12:15 PM »
New store find today.  They just opened a thrift store in a small mall near my office that support people with developmental disabilities. (my current field)  I stopped in and was very impressed with the layout and attention to detail.   The prices were great too, so I ponied up 10 buck for 3 barely worn designer long sleeve work shirts.   One was  A and F.  Very nice shirts.  Just for fun I checked their web site and noted that one of the shirts retails for $68.  I think I paid $3.   That's a 95% tax free mark down!  It took me about 8 minutes to buzz in.

A new favorite lunch time stop for me!! 

Artemis67

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #38 on: November 21, 2014, 01:55:37 PM »
A funny story,  our 7 year old son kept losing his jackets and hoody sweatshirts.   My wife says "ask at the after school daycare if they found them."  So I do -- Suzie, the great lady there,  says come look.  She takes me to a wall covered in jacket and coats.   "Any look familiar?"   Me - "not really?"  Her -- "well just pick out as many as you want,  we have so many of them we can't get rid of them.  Kids keep leaving them behind."   Scored 5 cool hoodies and jackets.   
My bro works at Costco. He says they have a constant supply of canes because people leave theirs behind all.the.time. So if you've lost one or need one, be sure to check with Member Service at Costco. Hopefully you'll never need one, but good to know, just in case.
I work two volunteer gigs a week. At one place, the lost and found is really well-organized, and they have a "last chance before we donate it!" bin that I raid on occasion. I have a Patagonia rain jacket, a handknit wool beanie, two Nalgene bottles, and a couple of fleece pullovers, thanks to that bin. Also, I snag umbrellas out of it for the old lady next door because she walks everywhere, and between the ones wrecked by wind gusts and the ones she forgets/loses, she goes through a lot of them.

Back to thrift scores: with the holidays coming up, I'll inevitably end up attending a lot of pot-luck gatherings. I finally decided to break down and buy some pretty serving dishes. Thrift stores get lots of perfectly good platters, and this week I picked up two really nice ones, in shapes and colors I love, for <$10, plus a huge bowl for $7. I'm guessing that none of those pieces sold for <$40 new, and one platter was probably around $80-100 (as it came from Pottery Barn).

tmac

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #39 on: November 21, 2014, 05:32:46 PM »
I took my son to the thrift shop today. He found a double-breasted wool coat from J. Crew, a pair of cool suede sneakers, and a good fitted sheet. $36. He's a convert.

Cowie

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #40 on: November 22, 2014, 01:03:16 PM »
I’d never been a thrifter until my eldest was a baby and I wandered into a Value Village out of curiosity – I was hooked! More than a decade later, I’ve been lucky enough to get 80% of my kids’ clothing from that single store. (It’s amazing how much costly brand name/designer kids’ stuff goes to thrift shops unworn). Within the past month I bought a boy’s down filled Zara parka for $9.99 (retails for $76) and a Gap girl’s puffer vest for $9.99 (retails for $60) – both new with tags.

navystache

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #41 on: November 24, 2014, 12:32:39 AM »
I supplement my income by flipping thrift store clothes on ebay.  So far this month I have made over $400 dollars.  I know woman denim brands, including an 80 dollar pair of jeans.  I buy for 5 and most sell for ~25.
I make about 15.00 per pair of jeans I sell after all fees; 10% ebay, insertion fees, paypal fee, etc.  I ship everything in USPS flat rate envelopes.

Best part is my wife gets to lightly wear them while they sell.

Bob W

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #42 on: November 24, 2014, 08:44:25 AM »
I supplement my income by flipping thrift store clothes on ebay.  So far this month I have made over $400 dollars.  I know woman denim brands, including an 80 dollar pair of jeans.  I buy for 5 and most sell for ~25.
I make about 15.00 per pair of jeans I sell after all fees; 10% ebay, insertion fees, paypal fee, etc.  I ship everything in USPS flat rate envelopes.

Best part is my wife gets to lightly wear them while they sell.

Thanks for that!  Since my wife likes to hit the thrift stores on most Saturdays perhaps you have just given us a new money making idea that will fit right in with our habits already.

Could you give us a bit more information on what items seem to sell best on Ebay?   

merula

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #43 on: November 24, 2014, 09:24:43 AM »
Very timely as I just had an amazing thrift store excursion Saturday: two work blouses (J Crew and Banana Republic, at least $50/each retail), a nerdy t-shirt each for my husband and me ($20/each retail), Christmas decorations, Christmas presents, a candy thermometer and plastic organizing boxes all for $35. It would have been more, but my Goodwill has a 25% off coupon attached to the donation receipt, and I was getting rid of  bags of clothes that didn't fit anyway.

And then I went to the Goodwill Boutique (Second Debut) and found a $300 pantsuit for $25.

I just started to try internet "thrifting" via Twice (liketwice.com/Tvf3N). I shipped them a bunch of old clothes, got credit, downloaded their app for a 50% off code and then bought enough to hit the $50 free shipping limit. It's supposed to arrive today. I doubt it'll all work out, but they also do free returns. It's not super-Mustachian, but for people who work in places where appearance is important, it's a good option to supplement thrifting. For example, I haven't been able to find black or brown shoes at Goodwill. I was planning to buy new, but was able to get them from Twice instead. (Full disclosure: referral link gives me a $10 credit for each person who buys or sells clothes, and new sign-ups get a $10 credit for being referred. If you don't like that, use the URL without the code.)

I've also bought and sold kids clothes from Thredup (thredup.com/r/FTFFPB), and have had really good luck, but I haven't bought anything in awhile. (Referral link has the same "we each get $10" deal.)

ETA: I would also love to hear more about thrift store arbitrage, as I constantly come across things I know are crazy deals but aren't my size.

Beardog

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #44 on: November 25, 2014, 03:15:19 PM »
Yesterday I bought a pair of brand new Ecco shoes for $12 that I see listing for $136 online.  Yeah!  Like many other posters, I only buy my clothes from thrift stores now. 

Torran

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #45 on: November 28, 2014, 09:18:34 AM »
I'm another one who buys things in thrift stores (or charity shops, as we usually call them here) to re-sell on ebay. It can be time-consuming so I only really do it when I see something amazing which is the wrong size for me.

The best so far - Irregular Choice turquoise shoes, bought for £3.50, sold for £20. A cashmere jumper, bought for £3, sold for £29.

Once ebay fees etc are taken off, obviously profits are a bit lower. Currently making about £50 a month.

For anyone looking into this, I'd suggest the best-sellers are quality high-end brands, with very little wear (e.g in the UK, Aquascutum, Burberry, Jaegar for clothes, and Carvela/Kurt Geiger/Russel & Bromley for shoes).

What didn't sell well was proper vintage stuff (e.g 1960s Kurt Geiger shoes). I guess maybe nobody wants to buy these on ebay incase they're not legit.

Also some usual ebay advice, like ending sales on a Sunday night (when most people are at home), and not being too greedy with the starting price! :)

robotclown

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #46 on: November 28, 2014, 06:46:30 PM »
Found "The Millionaire Next Door" for a dollar.  It looks brand new.  I like to think some Mustachian read it once and then donated it to spread the word.

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #47 on: December 04, 2014, 02:42:45 AM »
-a baby walker for $5 which i then put on craigslist and got $50

-8 liquer glasses (which i need for our christmas day dinner) for $1

-fill a bag of books for $3..i read to my baby every day..we also go to the library once a week but it's good to have a nice stockpile of 'forever' books

-baby toys from $1 - $5.  I recently paid $3 for a fisher price train set that i have seen advertised for $50.

-an insulated lunch bag - when i return to work (after maternity leave) i plan to take all my lunches so was on the lookout for a well designed lunch bag.  the one i found was brand new, all wrapped up with tags on and i got it for $3! have seen similar at my local shops for $30. and was actually going to buy it!

Bob W

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Re: Thrift store finds SCORE!
« Reply #48 on: December 04, 2014, 08:03:41 AM »
-a baby walker for $5 which i then put on craigslist and got $50

-8 liquer glasses (which i need for our christmas day dinner) for $1

-fill a bag of books for $3..i read to my baby every day..we also go to the library once a week but it's good to have a nice stockpile of 'forever' books

-baby toys from $1 - $5.  I recently paid $3 for a fisher price train set that i have seen advertised for $50.

-an insulated lunch bag - when i return to work (after maternity leave) i plan to take all my lunches so was on the lookout for a well designed lunch bag.  the one i found was brand new, all wrapped up with tags on and i got it for $3! have seen similar at my local shops for $30. and was actually going to buy it!

Annie,  you are rocking it!   It appears you are actually making money by shopping in thrift stores!

The toys thing is a great idea.  We have bought tons of toys for our son.   He never asked/seemed to care/or was aware that the toys were used.  There are some pretty cool figures we bought him at garage sales for like 50 cents that retail for $25.