My desire for inexpensive, brand name children's clothes is what got me started. I began with places like "Once Upon a Child" and "Play it Again Sports." At some point I realized that prices were better at locally run thrift shops, especially those dedicated to a charity or cause. I have about four places which I frequent around twice per month. Each store is my favorite for its own reason. While "Marklund Resale" is large and chock-ful of surprising treasures, it can be overwhelming because you have to dig through all kinds of crap to get to those gems. "Wings Resale" has high-end clothing and shoes, although it is lacking in the children's clothing area. My favorite place is a huge one called "Village." It has locations throughout the U.S. At about the size of your local grocery store, it sells everything from Ralph Lauren Suede Jackets to G.E. Breadmakers. Occasionally, this place holds a fifty percent off sale. On those particular days, you are risking your life if you arrive within the first three hours of the store opening.
We are going camping the end of September and while I own a tent, it seems that most of our other equipment has disappeared. I knew I could probably find some of what we needed used instead of new. I chose today, Labor Day, to begin my search. I started at "Village" and was thrilled when I saw the sign stating that everything was fifty percent off Today only!!!! My excitement quickly abated when I walked in the store and was met with a wall of people.
I need to say few words about the people who shop at these types of stores and the type of person you need to be to deal with all those others. First of all, most of the patrons of these places are not there to "shrink" their carbon footprint. The idea of going "green" hasn't even crossed their minds. What is on their minds, however, is how to make the ten dollar bill in their pocket stretch as far as possible while allowing them to look like a "typical" high-end label adorned American. Many of them have very little to spend on themselves after they have sent much of their income to family in a third world country far from here. Others are here to clothe their extra-large, strictly religious families. I can tell because those are the ones whose female members only buy long skirts and button-up blouses. I try hard not to judge, but inside, I pity those girls. You will also run into teenagers hoping to find garments which allow them their own unique "rebellious" style. Every now and then, especially around Halloween and Christmas time, "regular" people scour the racks looking for pieces of a halloween costume, or a holiday sweater to wear to the "Butt-Ugly Christmas Sweater" party in their neighborhood.
Needless to say, if one is going to embark upon a quest for treasure in any of these stores, one must posess a certain amount of patience and tolerance. It will take you a long time to find that designer jacket you've been searching for and even longer to find a "like new" pair of flats in your size. And, on those fifty percent off days, expect the aisles to be crowded and messy and the people mostly rude. Many of them will not speak your language and will block the aisle with crying children and half-deaf mother-laws. People will try to sneak in front of you in line if you aren't vigilant, after all, they don't want to wait the thirty-five minutes you just did to check out. Despite all of this though, there is something about discovering the perfect pair of shorts for my son for one dollar, or an almost brand new sleeping bag for four bucks that keeps me coming back for more. (This is precisely what I DID find today after making it past the blockade of customers and into the "bedding" section of "Village" Score!!!!)
I have forced myself to follow certain rules, though. I do NOT buy anything I don't absolutely need because money is tight right now and the whole point of doing this is to be frugal. Also, I only buy something if it is good quality, clean and not in need of repair and I ALWAYS wash everything that can be washed before wearing. By following those guidelines, I have been pleasantly surprised over and over again when I consistently uncover bargain after bargain. In addition, I feel great about not bringing more STUFF into my house that I don't need. Also, reusing somebody else's "unwanteds" means those things will not end up in a landfill or an incinerator!
Below is a list of all the things I have purchased from second-hand shops, along with approximate prices.
- brand new sideboard/cabinet $35
- 2 barely used Woolrich sleeping bags $4 each
- purses-brand name, Kenneth Cole, Calvin Klein, New York and Co., Ralph Lauren (none more than $3
- Almost new shoes (I only buy ones that look new and are brand names I know like Born, Thom McAn, Nine West, Earth Spririt) never paid more than $4
- Clothing made by Anne Taylor, Gap, Banana Republic, J Jill, Caslon, The Limited, J.Crew, Abercrombie and Fitch, Aeropostale, Tony Hawk, Zoo York, Billabong, etc.. Never paid more than $7 per item. Many of my boys' clothes are purchased second hand.
- Jewelry - most of what I've bought is costume jewelry, things you would find at The Limited or New York and Co.
- Scarves (silk) - brands like Liz Claiborne, Kenneth Cole Banana Republic
- Bedding - Brand new comforter from Liz Claiborne, full size goose feather down comforter
- Home Decor - pots for plants, seeds, flowers baskets, dishes
- Books - many hardcover bestsellers for 50 cents, but I try to go to the library for these
- Sporting equipment - safety knee pads and elbow pads, badminton net, baseball gloves, basketballs, footballs, soccer balls ( no more than $2. )
- Suitcase - nice overnight case (counts as carryon!) made by Louis Vuitton $5
- Brand new greeting cards - 10 cents each
Happy Hunting!! Go to http://www.thethriftshopper.com/ to find stores near you!
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New Game Cabinet $35 |
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