Do you play this game?

[superiorgirl]

I find something from a ts, gs, etc. Hubby notices it, and admires it. I state that I found it at the ts, etc. Then he has to guess what I paid for it. The main rule of the game is he can't low ball the price.
For example my SCORE! with the Ralph Lauren bedding....it would have been totally wrong and unforgiveable for him to guess $5 or $10. He has to *admire* the stuff and guess a price somewhat  less than retail. He get's three guesses before I inform him that he is way off base and I only paid xxx for it. Of course, it helps a lot when he says something like 'You have got to be kidding! You got that for 20 bucks? What a steal!'  (This makes him an enabler, doesn't it???)

OR, how about your friend admires your new ts outfit....Do you twirl and announce "such and such thrift, $2.00!!"?

I hope I'm not the only one this nuts!!!

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I do this all the time with furniture. Friends who haven't visited in a while ask about some "heirloom" of mine, and I'm happy to give with the "thrift store, $10!" or (worse) "side of the road! Free!"

Of course, they're on to me by now. They know I don't pay full price for virtually anything, and that so much comes from thrifts. So I don't get to fool them like I used to.

Ahhh... good times.

[SecondhandSophisticate]

No, sg, you are not nuts. I play that game with my husband also.  With others, it depends. Some people are very snobby and wouldn't appreciate the sheer thrill of it all--you know--the old "it has to cost a lot to be worth anything" syndrome.  My mom and I do it also. 

[Femme1]

Hah!   I can relate.  At work, I've actually had to stop myself from saying "Goodwill, $2" when someone compliments me on an outfit. It puts off some people.  But hey, I can't help being proud of my thrift finds. That's why this forum is so fun for me...we can all brag about our scores, congratulate each other. We really get what it feels like.

[genuineimitation]

i usually can't contain myself and just tell the family how little i paid! i guess i'm no fun..

on the other hand, i can't bring myself to remove the $11.99 sticker from the deluxe excalibur food dehydrator (retails for around $200.)! i want it there to prove to everyone how great thrifting is!

[Big Daddy Audio]

You know - this is funny.  My wife (who will occasionally come with me when I thrift) is really a hardcore tight-wad.  If she can't get a book for under a buck (even if it's something she's been looking for - for months or longer), then she passes it up.  We've been looking for the last Diana Gabaldon book (Breath of Snow and Ashes, I think) for a few months now.  If I saw it, I'd buy it.  If she saw it, she'd still check the price.  It's almost insane.

I have to weigh all the variables - How many do I see?  How much do I want it?  How long have I been searching for it?  Is it a sure-fire upgrade?  Is it a sure-fire seller?  All these things are taken into account.  With her - Is it under a buck?

See you next time
bye for now

[dukek9]

I don't play this game, but I had a friend, who has a very classy home, who played it with me and I ended up quite the dummy.

We were at Big Lots, just to let you know we weren't at some expensive place, and they had a chair out on display with a price on it.  My firend was admiting the chair a bit, but then said she would never pay that much for a chair, that chair cost more than everything in her house.

So . . . I laughed.  Yes, I did, I laughed.  I mean this is a beautiful house with real wood furniture, a lovely huge dining room table with I think 10 (or 12) chairs.  There's a lovely enclosed porch with seating on one side and another lovely table and chairs on teh otehr side.  There are china cabinets and bureaus and tables and lovely beds.  No way could she had gotten this all for less than the price of a chair at Big Lots!

So we went to her house and I kept pointing out things and she kept telling me what she paid and wow, it was a lot less than what she could have paid for one chair at Big Lots!  And the worst thing about this is that I am a thrifter, obviously a second (or third) class one nest to my friend.  But I tell you I was astonished and inspired.

Dee

[valleythriftshopper]

So we went to her house and I kept pointing out things and she kept telling me what she paid and wow, it was a lot less than what she could have paid for one chair at Big Lots!  And the worst thing about this is that I am a thrifter, obviously a second (or third) class one nest to my friend.  But I tell you I was astonished and inspired.

Dee

Some thrifts are much better for furniture than others.  Alot of the furniture seems to go to the bigger stores in the more urban areas. 

Someone on the site was talking about freecycle awhile back.   I had heard of it & always meant to check it out.  I finally did & registered with two local freecycle sites.  I had been looking for a wicker trunk to store blankets, etc in for a while with no luck.  Someone listed one on freecycle & I was the first to respond, its super nice too!  A friend came to visit last weekend & I was sure to point out my new trunk that I got for free. 

You could probably furnish a good part of a house with freecycle stuff, if you had the time.  I think some people patrol that site 24/7 as it is difficult to be the first to respond.  The trunk is the only thing I have scored so far, but I am happy as I was actually looking for that item!

[ChrisMiss]

We've been looking for the last Diana Gabaldon book (Breath of Snow and Ashes, I think) for a few months now.  If I saw it, I'd buy it. 

I'd been looking for that book for 3 years for my daughter, she has all the others but that one.  I finally found it at a thrift store in Tampa and snatched it right up.  I was chortling and giggling and probably sounded like the wicked witch when I found it.  It was $3.98 but I'd have paid more just to finally find the book.  Daughter was so excited to get the book as one of her Christmas presents. 

BDA: For some reason I thought you had all the books since you live in AZ and had mentioned before that you've come across autographed copies of her books.

[Big Daddy Audio]

We do have an autographed hardback edition, but it's a little heavy and cumbersome for toting around in a bag.  Plus, you wouldn't want to risk losing or damaging an autographed copy.  Speaking of which - maybe about 3 months ago, I found an autographed paperback edition of Outlander.  Weird to see an autographed paperback edition. 

My wife and her buddy Kate went to a confab where all the "Claire and Jamie"-philes could meet Diana Gabaldon and discuss the books.  The wife didn't get anything there and then, as they were more than a buck.

Anyway, we just need this last one in the solid color (it's white, I think) paperback edition to complete that set.  If I found it, I'd just get it for the gestalt.  She'd check the price.

See you next time
Bye for now

[ChrisMiss]

I'm like you in that regard.  I have a mental list to check off before I buy any items.  I almost didn't buy some throws for our loveseat but thankfully I kept walking around the store while thinking about it.  I made the decision to get them and have not regretted it. 

Price of under $1.00 is getting harder to find too.  It seems that if I find a store that has books at a great price then there are no books left except romance novels. 

[dukek9]

Most of the big items here such as furniture and appliances gp to an organization that allows the disadvantaged to go get items they need for free.  I believe they have to have a social services referral, not sure, but I knwo there is some kind of validation system. And this organization will come and pick up, unlike the other stores so that makes it easier for people to donate.

I think this is great, but I guess it does leave a gap between those who are qualified to get the free items and those who aren't qualified but still could use something cheap.  I have taken people to the large SA in a nearby city where they do indeed have some nice furniture (hassle to get it back to their homes though).

But my friend is a handy person and can fix up just about anything. Also has an eye for things that will work together.  For example, to my surprise the dining room chairs are not all exacting managed.  But being repaired and sanded and stained to all the same color, one would never know.

That's amazing about the wicker trunk.  That's what I have liked about freecycle--when someone has been really happy to get something I was really happy to get rid of!

Re book pricing, the most I have seen books for in this area is a dollar.  Occasionally, they will have some in "special" cases for more, but the vast majority of hardbacks are a dollar with paperbacks 3 for a dollar.

Dee

[SecondhandSophisticate]

Dee wrote: "But my friend is a handy person and can fix up just about anything. Also has an eye for things that will work together.  For example, to my surprise the dining room chairs are not all exacting managed.  But being repaired and sanded and stained to all the same color, one would never know."

Lucky you to have such a talented friend, Dee. And I love what did you with your dining room chairs. I like that quirky sort of style. Subtle, you know? What did you stain them?

[dukek9]

Ah, that's my friend's dining room chairs.  Mine are of the IKEA variety. Like I said, I'm no where as talented as my friend.  But I'm learning!

Dee

[valleythriftshopper]

But my friend is a handy person and can fix up just about anything. Also has an eye for things that will work together.  For example, to my surprise the dining room chairs are not all exacting managed.  But being repaired and sanded and stained to all the same color, one would never know.


Dee

That is actually very trendy right now- to have mismatched yet coordinated dining pieces like chairs or dishes, especially dishes.