2009 thrifting totals

[Mattie]

Okay, time to come clean.  How much did you spend at thrift stores last year?  My totals:
Thrift stores: $288.27
Yard sales: $18.35
Estate sales: $12.00

I was shocked by how much I spent, but when I looked at what I bought, it seems reasonable:
24 books
18 CDs
8 LPs
2 DVDs
3 pairs of shoes
a crock pot
too many clothes to count
and on and on...

So how much did you spend in '09?  Are you going to try to cut back this year? 

[thriftymama]

Ooh, I love this idea of keeping track. Unfortunately, I never have before. But now I will for this year! I have a feeling I spend way more than I think I do.

[Sprocket]

In 2009, I scooped up 12 great aloha shirts, 2 pairs of Vans, 2 pairs of hiking boots, a dinged surfboard in need of repair, a leather jacket, and 3 pairs of pants.  I'm sure there were some other things but I can't recall them at the moment.

-Sprock

[valleythriftshopper]

I couldn't even begin to list everything I thrifted in 2009, it would be a long list!  I can't be bothered to sum up my spending totals because I end up selling some stuff and I come out ahead in the end so I don't worry about it too much.  One thing I should do is keep track of stuff I would have bought at a regular store (household items, etc), but found instead at a thrift and estimate how much money I saved by buying at a thrift.

[thriftymama]

would you include tax in your totals? i'm going to start a tally, but not sure which way to go with the tax.

[valleythriftshopper]

You might as well, since that is the actual amount you pay.

[Frchgrl]

Well the year I'll REALLY now how much I spent because all my thrifting in 09 and the future is now tax deductible. I "offically" became a business last year and thus all my thrifting is inventory. That's what my tax guy said anyway and it makes sense to me. Believe, Uncle Sam would definitely treat me like a business if he saw my office! So, I've saved all my receipts and I think it's gonna be ugly, haha! I've donated some items back too and oh yeah, those are tax deductible too!

[Mattie]

Frchgrl, I file a Schedule C (profits and losses) so most of my thrift scores are tax deductible as well.  I keep a detailed spreadsheet and put all my receipts (with deductible purchases circled) in a big envelope as soon as I get home from the store.  This year I sold some artwork so I'll show a profit (and have to pay more taxes) but most years I show a loss.  I'm careful to separate personal thrifting (clothes, household goods) from art-materials thrifting (fabric, picture frames).  It's a good idea to get into the habit of doing that now, so you don't find yourself with a stack of unidentifiable receipts at the end of the year.

[Frchgrl]

Great advice. thanks!