Are you "badass" enough to buy clothes from Goodwill, etc.?

[pecunia]

You bet I buy stuff at Good Will, Salvation Army and the many church thrift stores that abound where I live.   It is amazing how much less money stuff is than at a department store.  However, I haven't bought anything from any of these since yesterday when I bought LED and CFL bulbs at the Restore.   I've seen the light(s).

[ketchup]

You're not a badass if you shop at Goodwill, you're a dumbass if you don't.

Every single item you buy brand new at retail prices immediately becomes a used item, and is worth goodwill prices.  You NEVER own anything that is actually brand new for more than a few minutes, so why would you pay brand new prices?  Every item of clothing in your closet is "used", even if you've never worn it.  Your absolute favorite items are the most used ones, so I'm pretty sure we all love used clothing whether we realize it or not.

Paying retail is dumb but setting alerts and getting screaming deals on new clothes with online shopping deal forums can get you new clothes cheaper than Goodwill salvation army etc.

You can get new decent clothes for less than $4 jeans/Dockers/whatever pants and $2 "business casual" shirts?  I probably average around $20/yr on those.

Shoes are the only thing I feel like I get boned by.  I bought these stupid shoes for $50 last November and they're already worn out (not complainpants not-new-anymore "worn out"; I mean multiple unrepairable about-to-merge holes on one and developing ones on the other).  Granted, they're worn every day as my only shoes year round and according to United Healthcare I average ~14k steps/day, but it still feels pretty stupid.  Prior to these I'd been on the $18 Kirkland Signature plan, and I think those might have lasted longer than these.

[cats]

You're not a badass if you shop at Goodwill, you're a dumbass if you don't.

Every single item you buy brand new at retail prices immediately becomes a used item, and is worth goodwill prices.  You NEVER own anything that is actually brand new for more than a few minutes, so why would you pay brand new prices?  Every item of clothing in your closet is "used", even if you've never worn it.  Your absolute favorite items are the most used ones, so I'm pretty sure we all love used clothing whether we realize it or not.

Paying retail is dumb but setting alerts and getting screaming deals on new clothes with online shopping deal forums can get you new clothes cheaper than Goodwill salvation army etc.

My primary reason for buying used clothing is environmental, not financial. Those five dollar t-shirts have a huge effect on the environment. This article summarizes the issues pretty well:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/2016/09/09/old-clothes-fashion-waste-crisis-494824.html%3famp=1

who is paying 5 dollars for a tshirt.  i'm paying 5-10 bucks for full business attire when i find the right prices.  button down and slacks for 10 bucks brand new.  but i understand the environmental side

Do you not find seeking out all these screaming deals on new clothes to be a bit of a time sink?  Also, maybe different for men, but I know as a woman that if you decide you need ONE particular item (say a pair of pants), if you go looking for deals you also get bombarded with pressures to buy things like a matching shirt and belt to complete the outfit, or to buy at least $X to get free shipping (and okay, you can just order enough stuff to get free shipping and return the unused stuff, but you have to remember to do that).  Basically, I find buying new clothed to come with a bigger mental cost and potential for buying stuff I don't need than with used.

I don't buy 100% used but a good chunk of my closet is from either the thrift store or our neighborhood free bin.  Including a few work wear items.

[big_owl]

I’m definitely going in the anti mustachian hall of fame but I don’t and won’t shop at thrift stores. I’m looking at buying a $1000 wrinkle free suit for a business trip to Europe. I hope it’s the last suit I ever have to buy.

Nah, I have a closet full of Lululemon polo tees that cost about $100ea.  No thrift here either. 

[clarkai]

Most of my clothing comes from second-hand stores and garage sales, and that's been true all my life. The first time I went into a store to buy clothing new, I walked right back out because I couldn't stomach the price. Since getting a job as a teacher, I have bought new 3 trousers and a couple shirts, but the rest were still from a consignment shop or thrift store. I do need to expand my wardrobe a bit, and fully intend to get everything used.

I do buy shoes new, but am lucky that I have small feet. I can just buy the kid's sizes and get basically 50% off.

[KBecks]

I buy a lot of my clothes at thrift stores, with mixed results.  But if I screw up and don't like something, I'm only out $5 - $7.  Not bad at all.

I buy new shoes, underwear, socks, though, and I have a nice purse. I spend $$$ on shoes.

[jeninco]

I buy a lot of my clothes at thrift stores, with mixed results.  But if I screw up and don't like something, I'm only out $5 - $7.  Not bad at all.

Yeah, as has been mentioned earlier, I generallyreally dislike shopping. But when I'm in the mood, I'd vastly prefer to go to a thrift store:
1. No environmental footprint
2. Cheap, if they have something I like, and
3. I'm not about to be naked -- if they don't have anything I like/need, I don't have to purchase anything.
4. If it's not perfect -- Meh, it was $3 - $10. I HATEHATEHATE shopping for jeans, because they never fit properly. I'd much rather buy a couple of pairs of $10 jeans that don't fit properly then .. what are they now, $80 - $100 if you don't want the POS jeans from old Navy or wherever? I have a used pair of those, and they stretch out so far after a single wearing that I have to start wearing a belt with them.
5. I've discovered I'm more likely to buy and wear really nice stuff if the cost to me is low. Thus, I have a winter wardrobe of cashmere sweaters that I wear (and basically wash) like fleece pullovers.  It's as if I'm all fancy and s&*t. Seriously, it's plain luxurious to get to wear cashmere and silk and treat it like T-shirts and sweatshirts. And if I spill on something? It was $5, so if the stain doesn't come out, I just send it back and keep an eye out for another.

I do buy shoes new, but I buy rather expensive pairs and have them re-soled on the regular. Also, the pair that wears out fastest are my biking shoes (with recessed cleats) because I generally ride most places most days. Ride = Go Out Back Door = Biking Shoes. (Walk = Front Door = more shoe options.)

[Cranky]

Honestly, shoes are one of my best thrift store finds! I find way nicer shoes there than I'd be willing to spring for new.

[Teachstache]

Nope. I'm 6'4" and a competitive strength athlete. No one has anything that comes close to fitting me.

Spouse and I are both in oddly specific sizes: I'm 5'2" (on a good day, in shoes) & I weigh around 96 lbs. He's 6'3" (without shoes) & 250 lbs. My best bet is to find kids clothes at Costco & buy juniors clothing used. Spouse has a work "uniform" of black jeans, black no iron dress pants & polos.

[boarder42]

You're not a badass if you shop at Goodwill, you're a dumbass if you don't.

Every single item you buy brand new at retail prices immediately becomes a used item, and is worth goodwill prices.  You NEVER own anything that is actually brand new for more than a few minutes, so why would you pay brand new prices?  Every item of clothing in your closet is "used", even if you've never worn it.  Your absolute favorite items are the most used ones, so I'm pretty sure we all love used clothing whether we realize it or not.

Paying retail is dumb but setting alerts and getting screaming deals on new clothes with online shopping deal forums can get you new clothes cheaper than Goodwill salvation army etc.

My primary reason for buying used clothing is environmental, not financial. Those five dollar t-shirts have a huge effect on the environment. This article summarizes the issues pretty well:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/2016/09/09/old-clothes-fashion-waste-crisis-494824.html%3famp=1

who is paying 5 dollars for a tshirt.  i'm paying 5-10 bucks for full business attire when i find the right prices.  button down and slacks for 10 bucks brand new.  but i understand the environmental side

Do you not find seeking out all these screaming deals on new clothes to be a bit of a time sink?  Also, maybe different for men, but I know as a woman that if you decide you need ONE particular item (say a pair of pants), if you go looking for deals you also get bombarded with pressures to buy things like a matching shirt and belt to complete the outfit, or to buy at least $X to get free shipping (and okay, you can just order enough stuff to get free shipping and return the unused stuff, but you have to remember to do that).  Basically, I find buying new clothed to come with a bigger mental cost and potential for buying stuff I don't need than with used.

I don't buy 100% used but a good chunk of my closet is from either the thrift store or our neighborhood free bin.  Including a few work wear items.

It's not a time sink. I set alerts on a site and get emails. I also enjoy deal shopping and some of my alerts I buy and resell for profit. But it's not as much of a time sink as me driving to goodwill to try to find something in my crazy tall size. It's hard enough to get it when it's on clearance.

[clarkfan1979]

Many goodwill locations will do a 50% sale once a month. I bought about 12 work shirts for about $3/each. I still have all of them 7 years later. It's been more difficult to get my pants to last because I think I'm rough on them. I probably bought 10 pairs of pants. I have 5 originals left. I have seen bought 5 more at the goodwill. I think I have spent about $150 on clothes for work over the past 7 years.

[WhiteTrashCash]

I buy most of my clothes at thrift shops. It's dumb not to. The key is shopping at thrift shops in wealthier towns because the spendypants will donate stuff that they wore only a couple times. It's like getting top quality, new stuff for $3-5. Nobody at work knows the difference.

The only stuff I buy new are things like underwear and socks.

[DreamFIRE]

I think I have spent about $150 on clothes for work over the past 7 years.

I thought my clothing budget/spending was low, but you make me look like a big spender.

[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

Pretty much all of my clothes and most of my possessions are from thrift stores. I love them. There's nothing more fun than going browsing in a thrift store. I work near a ReStore an I go in there everyday in my lunchbreak.

[Sibley]

I think all my pants at this point are from thrift stores (except full suits). Shorts are a mix, the store bought ones are 5+ years old. Plus the ones I made myself.

[greengardens]

I don’t  buy clothes at our local goodwill- the selection isn’t that great and the clothes have been heavily worn. I will buy housewares and kitchen stuff, they usually have great finds. If I want secondhand clothes I look on eBay, swap.com , or if I want designer things thredup.com

Edited to remove random capitalized words

[Frankies Girl]

Goodwills in my city do a color of the week. M-W 30% off, then 50% off Th-Sat, and the color of the previous week is 75% off the entire week.

I buy everything at GWs except underwear and socks. Just bought Egyptian cotton handtowels in pristine condition for 50¢, and a replacement shower curtain for $1 (and looked it up - $50 new, and this one looks as if they just took it out of the package and donated it).

[Astreja]

I prefer to look at thrift stores first, particularly for slacks and jeans, because it's easier to find something that fits my legs (large thighs, small waist).  I can grab half a dozen likely prospects from both the men's and women's section rather than having to go to multiple stores to try on many different brands.  (And the only way you could beat the price is if they were free.)

On the whole, though, I've given more stuff to thrift stores.  I went on an uncluttering binge seven years ago and am still looking for things to donate.  Kind of hard when I don't bring that much stuff in anymore.

[TartanTallulah]

I mostly prefer to just not buy clothes.

Agree. Clothes shopping is awful.

I'm another clothes-shopping refusenik, but if I do buy new clothes that aren't underwear or technical sports kit I'll go to the charity shop. Likewise books, bags, and replacement crockery

[Michael in ABQ]

I rarely buy clothes but the times I've looked at Goodwill have nearly always been a bust. Especially for kids clothes. Boys pants - forget about it. They never see to have anything that will fit a boy from age 4-12 as that's when they're all getting holes in the knees and wearing them out.

Most of my new clothes are work clothes (business casual, i.e slacks, dress shirts, a few ties). I can't remember the last time I bought a t-shirt ad I have 10-20 in my closet, some of which are 10 years old and still in OK shape. I buy a pair of jeans about once every 2-3 years. I find most pants don't fit me well so I'm not going to spend hours at thrift stores trying to find a pair to pay $10 when I can go to a store, try on 2-3 pairs and pay $30-40 and be done in 10 minutes.

[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

Buying second hand clothing isn't just about what you're paying. If you pay $5 for a new Tshirt, someone is paying, someone in Bangladesh making $1 a week and working in god awful conditions. Buying second hand is also opting out of that system. I read somewhere that clothing manufacture is one of the least ecofriendly industries on the planet - dyes, chemicals, rainforests cleared to grow cheap fibers, animals housed in appalling conditions to grow cheap fibers. Buying second hand is opting out of that system.  I can get extremely good quality brands, in natural fibers, in a situation where a) I'm not paying much and b) there's no new amount of basically slave labour required and c) there's no new drain on the ecosystem for my benefit. It's the ultimate in active recycling.

[boarder42]

Buying second hand clothing isn't just about what you're paying. If you pay $5 for a new Tshirt, someone is paying, someone in Bangladesh making $1 a week and working in god awful conditions. Buying second hand is also opting out of that system. I read somewhere that clothing manufacture is one of the least ecofriendly industries on the planet - dyes, chemicals, rainforests cleared to grow cheap fibers, animals housed in appalling conditions to grow cheap fibers. Buying second hand is opting out of that system.  I can get extremely good quality brands, in natural fibers, in a situation where a) I'm not paying much and b) there's no new amount of basically slave labour required and c) there's no new drain on the ecosystem for my benefit. It's the ultimate in active recycling.

So you're an average person. Bc the economic drain for me to build a wardrobe going to thrift stores would be piles of time and gas bc I am a very interesting body type. But all that stuff is free so I guess I should be doing what you do.

[Mesmoiselle]

If the clothes are for working heavy labor in, absolutely. My hub was going through so many pairs of jeans. He has a 28 waist so nothing ever fit from there, but that was what a good belt was for.

Now he's office, we still get slacks there when he needs them. Due to his small chest measurements, we can't get men's button ups though, without making him look unprofessional by swimming in them

A place we save is I buy tennis shoes for work and when they start looking unprofessional, he gets them. When they get rattier, they're working shoes. When they get even worse, we finally toss them. Other than his work shoes (steel toe) and his running shoes he splurged on, he hasn't bought shoes since 2009

[redbird]

No. I wish I could, but the thrift stores in my area seem to mostly have clothes for kids or clothes for larger people. I'm short and small. My size simply isn't there, or it's in terrible condition. I live in a college town, so I imagine the good stuff in my size probably gets snapped up quick by the college kids.

[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

Buying second hand clothing isn't just about what you're paying. If you pay $5 for a new Tshirt, someone is paying, someone in Bangladesh making $1 a week and working in god awful conditions. Buying second hand is also opting out of that system. I read somewhere that clothing manufacture is one of the least ecofriendly industries on the planet - dyes, chemicals, rainforests cleared to grow cheap fibers, animals housed in appalling conditions to grow cheap fibers. Buying second hand is opting out of that system.  I can get extremely good quality brands, in natural fibers, in a situation where a) I'm not paying much and b) there's no new amount of basically slave labour required and c) there's no new drain on the ecosystem for my benefit. It's the ultimate in active recycling.

So you're an average person. Bc the economic drain for me to build a wardrobe going to thrift stores would be piles of time and gas bc I am a very interesting body type. But all that stuff is free so I guess I should be doing what you do.

Um.... no. Do what suits you. I was just pointing out the other pluses of thrift shopping. If it's not your thing, for whatever reason, it's not your thing. I'm sure you save dollars in ways that aren't my thing.

[CrustyBadger]

The question should be "Are you badass enough to buy your underwear and bathing suits and socks from a thrift store?"

and... yes.... if they were in new or nearly new condition, I have done so.

[accolay]

No.  I hate clothes shopping in general and foraging through rack upon rack trying to find something that fits is not happening.  If I need something like jeans, I will gladly pay to pop into Pennys/Macy's/etc. and grab a few pairs that fit properly and be out in just a few minutes.  I maintain my weight and take care of my clothes, so shopping for those items (besides undies/bras/socks) only happen once every few years.

Yeah. I find that this is at times inevitable.  Or the ones that fit are so worn they aren't acceptable. Sometimes you have to buy new. I wont go into all the thritstores to find one pair of pants. The savings isn't worth it. Time vs. Money argument.

[sparkytheop]

I won't buy socks/underwear/shoes (My mom would make us wear hand-me-down everything, except shoes.  Her feet got messed up when she had to wear shoes that had already formed to her sister's feet.  So, we always got new shoes that fit.)

Our goodwill is horribly overpriced, and "St Vinny's" (formerly St Vincent de Paul) has become that way since the change in name/owner.  Salvation Army is still pretty reasonable.

When I was younger, in great shape, but poor, someone in my area was the same size, with very similar taste in clothing, but obviously had more money to burn.  I could go in and find so many great shirts and hoodies (as a '97 graduate, you can pry my hoodies from my dead, cold body.)  Jeans were harder, since I had wide hips and very narrow waist, but those weren't any easier with new clothing in my small town.

My son is a big kid (around 6' 4", I think), but even he has had some good finds, including a nice wool coat for $7 his senior year.

I do less shopping overall than I used to, but I'll still pop into a second hand store every few months. 

[HBFIRE]

Paying retail is dumb but setting alerts and getting screaming deals on new clothes with online shopping deal forums can get you new clothes cheaper than Goodwill salvation army etc.

I've done a bit of this, occasionally get free clothing from Banana Republic.

Can you share your strategies?  Curious to learn more.

[Cranky]

One fabulous summer, I found a bunch of Victoria's Secret bras in my size at my neighborhood Goodwill. If they'd been worn, they hadn't been worn much. I snatched them up and they lasted me for years and years, and were the nicest bras I've ever had. So, I always say - doesn't hurt to look.

For those who feel like thrift shopping would be too time consuming, I trust you'll revisit that once you retire!

[Khaetra]

For those who feel like thrift shopping would be too time consuming, I trust you'll revisit that once you retire!

I am retired and trust me, I have no plan to revisit thrift store shopping :).

[nara]

All my clothes are second-hand. Regardless of price, I feel better buying second hand anyway because of environmental reasons. I enjoy clothes shopping so I try to go to Goodwill or Plato's Closet every week or two because it's not always easy to find things I like.

[ketchup]

No.  I hate clothes shopping in general and foraging through rack upon rack trying to find something that fits is not happening.  If I need something like jeans, I will gladly pay to pop into Pennys/Macy's/etc. and grab a few pairs that fit properly and be out in just a few minutes.  I maintain my weight and take care of my clothes, so shopping for those items (besides undies/bras/socks) only happen once every few years.

Yeah. I find that this is at times inevitable.  Or the ones that fit are so worn they aren't acceptable. Sometimes you have to buy new. I wont go into all the thritstores to find one pair of pants. The savings isn't worth it. Time vs. Money argument.

Even if I run into Goodwill, buy every pair of pants that I like that is my size without trying it on, and only 70% of them end up fitting properly (true story; did this once as kind of an in-a-rush experiment), it only set me back like $30 and I ended up with 4-5 pairs of pants that I like, it only cost me about ten minutes.  The rest were re-donated.  And the best part is no pants shopping for at least two years.

[accolay]

Even if I run into Goodwill, buy every pair of pants that I like that is my size without trying it on, and only 70% of them end up fitting properly (true story; did this once as kind of an in-a-rush experiment), it only set me back like $30 and I ended up with 4-5 pairs of pants that I like, it only cost me about ten minutes.  The rest were re-donated.  And the best part is no pants shopping for at least two years.

All I can say is that my pants are a really common men's size (read popular) 32x34. It's sometimes hard to find this size while new pants shopping. Seems a lot of dudes are either shorter and slimmer or wider, or taller and larger.

Sometimes there is a large selection, and sometimes there's nothing. Of what's there it's usually a number of really really used stuff. As WTC posted earlier- best thrift stores are in rich people parts of town. Those guys have money to burn. So next time I get out to those thrifts I might find a good pair or two.

[Cranky]

I think men's pants are the hardest thing to thrift, honestly. Men buy fewer new clothes to begin with, and keep them longer. I always check for my dh's size, and sometimes I'll find a bunch, but I've mostly given up and just buy him jeans at Sam's Club.

Shirts are better, and I find much nicer brands at the thrifts than I'd ever buy new.

[I'm a red panda]

No.  I hate clothes shopping in general and foraging through rack upon rack trying to find something that fits is not happening.  If I need something like jeans, I will gladly pay to pop into Pennys/Macy's/etc. and grab a few pairs that fit properly and be out in just a few minutes.  I maintain my weight and take care of my clothes, so shopping for those items (besides undies/bras/socks) only happen once every few years.

Yeah. I find that this is at times inevitable.  Or the ones that fit are so worn they aren't acceptable. Sometimes you have to buy new. I wont go into all the thritstores to find one pair of pants. The savings isn't worth it. Time vs. Money argument.

Even if I run into Goodwill, buy every pair of pants that I like that is my size without trying it on, and only 70% of them end up fitting properly (true story; did this once as kind of an in-a-rush experiment), it only set me back like $30 and I ended up with 4-5 pairs of pants that I like, it only cost me about ten minutes.  The rest were re-donated.  And the best part is no pants shopping for at least two years.

I'm impressed that 70% of the pants you pick up fit you.
I'd say I'm less than 10%, and even those ones would still need to be hemmed.

In the past year I've been gifted 18 pairs of pants in my size from Buy Nothing Project. One pair fit, after hemming. (The rest were regifted).
There is no way I could get pants somewhere like Goodwill where I have to pay for them, and can't try them on.

If I buy from stores, I usually buy 10-15 pairs online, try them all on, maybe keep one (sometimes none) and return the rest.

Pants are horrible.

Which is why I'm currently wearing heavily patched jeans.

[Just Joe]

We donate more than we buy but we've had some successes on the buying side. Lots of low income people in this part of the state. The good stuff gets picked over really thoroughly. Since we can't buy used easily we try to buy decent quality so it lasts and lasts. Am planning to haul another car load to the thrift store this weekend. A couple different threads here has provided the motivation.

[Eventuality]

I buy quite heavily from consignment/thrift stores—we have some great ones locally—and the Facebook marketplace. I picked up a bag of scrubs in my size in great condition (no holes, no stains, totally clean, etc) for $60 - I think there were 12 tops and 5 pairs of pants. The only exception is shoes, underwear and swimsuits.