the ones that got away

[Tammy]

You know the old saying - buy it today as tomorrow it might not be here.  Well lately I have this obsession with wanting blowmolds.  What are those you ask?  They're the plastic yard Santas, Snowmen, lightposts... that light up.  In the last 2 weeks before the obsession kicked in, I passed up an old 4' snowman for $5 and a set of 2 old toy soldiers for $4 each.  I could kick myself!     Last Friday night we stopped at 3 GW stores to see if perhaps I'd get lucky and find something.  Guess I'll have to check right after Christmas when people are taking stuff down. 

[SecondhandSophisticate]

Tammy stopping in after Christmas and through the new year is a good idea.

Personally, I passed up many blowmolds of all sizes this year. REally great old stuff--Santas, Frostys, Candles, "Wooden" Soldiers.  The thrifts i this area put them out at the end of October, which I think may also be a good time to look next year (people cleaning out their old stuff to buy new to put up)    

[valleythriftshopper]

It's funny you posted this I just picked up a nice vintage Christmas tablecloth for 2 bucks today that I passed over yesterday.  I was hoping it would still be there, usually I am not so lucky.  I live around the corner from one S.A. that is not so good anymore but used to be a goldmine.  On several occasions I looked at something and was not sure if I should spend the money on it so I would run home & google it or check Ebay to see if it was valuable.  There were a few times that I saw that the item was very valuable & I ended up grabbing my keys & flying back out the front door praying the item was still there.  Luckily the best items I saw were still there but I would still be out of breath by the time I went to pay for the item & got a few strange looks- but it was worth it!  Thrifting can be very competitive!

[Tammy]

actually the next month will be great for thrifting as the stores will be overwhelmed with people donating items for tax credits.  I've found a few blowmolds on Ebay that I'd like, it's just the darn shipping on some makes them so expensive. 

[ChrisMiss]

Oh that's so funny but I can relate to running back and picking the item up.  One time I saw an almost complete set of dishes for $45 which to me was pricey.  I'd also never heard of the pattern.  When I went home and looked it up on ebay I found that the pattern was a good seller.  The next day I was on pins and needles until lunch hour when I ran to the thrift store to get those dishes.  I was amazed they were still there.  It took 2 large boxes to get all the pieces in the car.  I resold it by piece and place settings and made close to $500 off of those dishes that I almost lost.

What's really bad is that sometimes I'll forget to check out an item on ebay that I saw at the thrift store and when I finally remember to check on ebay, find it would sell good, I'm now down the road in another city.  My husband keeps telling me I can call him and he can check it out for me right then.  He was just telling me this morning I should get a PDA and I can check it right there in the store.  Hmmmm, I wonder how much those are and can I find one at the thrift store?

[SecondhandSophisticate]

Chrismiss what a great story, and Congrats on your success!  Having hubby check is an excellent idea. Do you remember the pattern?

I did that the other day when hubby was home with the kitchen guys and I was out at a thrift.  Saw an odd piece of pottery that I liked signed "robert maxwell"; had hubby look it up for me, got it for a quarter. Of course, it's probably not worth as much as your dishes, lol, but I love it--60s pottery!

Let me know how make out for PDA search. I don't know what one is, but I do know that if I could bring one with while I thrifted, I would use it for research the way you plan. Great idea! 

[ChrisMiss]

Chrismiss what a great story, and Congrats on your success!  Having hubby check is an excellent idea. Do you remember the pattern?

Thank you SeSo.  Of course, I remember the pattern, it was Otagiri Bittersweet.  That was my best thrifted resell find until I found that Chanel purse that I paid a whole dollar for.  I resold it on ebay for $640.  I don't think I'll ever top that one but it's fun trying.   

[valleythriftshopper]

What's really bad is that sometimes I'll forget to check out an item on ebay that I saw at the thrift store and when I finally remember to check on ebay, find it would sell good, I'm now down the road in another city.  My husband keeps telling me I can call him and he can check it out for me right then.  He was just telling me this morning I should get a PDA and I can check it right there in the store.  Hmmmm, I wonder how much those are and can I find one at the thrift store?

I've missed a handful of good things over the last few years because I meant to go look them up when I got home & forgot.  I also though about getting a blackberry or IPhone, etc.  The prices have come down on those things, but the monthly fee for the internet service would make it expensive, unless you can find alot of good stuff.  When ever I see a good reference book at a thrift store for a dollar or two I buy it even if it is several years old.  Now I finally have a dperession glass book to take to yard sales with me.  Last summer I went to one with alot of depression glass but was not sure if they were the more regonizable patterns.  I think keeping a stack of for those books in the car is the thrifty alternative to a blackberry, even if you just keep checking them out of the library!

[SecondhandSophisticate]

You are so welcome, Chrismiss. I am totally astounded and impressed with your re-sale capabilities. 

The best I've done: A tarot deck for $2 that I sold for $110. A carriage blanket for $4 that I sold for $100--both several years ago. I haven't sold anything recently. I need to start again! Merci for the incentive    

[ChrisMiss]

With the variety of items that I check out in a thrift store it would not be a thrifty alternative for me to keep a stack of books in the car.  I'd have such a huge stack of books and I'd be paying more in gas to tote that extra weight around the country.  Though it is a great idea for one who stays local.  I have never checked into getting a blackberry or Ipod so not sure of the fees on it, whether we'd get a discount since we already have a large number of cells on a plan, air card for computer, etc.  Since we work from the road it might be a good thing for us to have one for those occasions where we want to see some of the sights but yet need to watch the emails for business.  It would be easier than lugging around the laptop that's for sure.  Hubby says he's going to look into it.  So at this time I'm going to try and remember to call him when I'm shopping and want to check prices.

[ChrisMiss]

You are so welcome, Chrismiss. I am totally astounded and impressed with your re-sale capabilities. 

The best I've done: A tarot deck for $2 that I sold for $110. A carriage blanket for $4 that I sold for $100--both several years ago. I haven't sold anything recently. I need to start again! Merci for the incentive    

Wow!  That's great!  Now there's a couple of items that I would probably walk right past and not even think it had any potential for resell.  I don't even know what a carriage blanket is.  Tarot cards if I saw them I'd think it was just a deck of cards and not look closer.  You did good.  I used to only look at dishes and other breakable items.  I've branched out some due to all the good information on this forum and I look at every purse, wallet, scarve, etc. in the stores.  I still don't know enough about clothes or shoes yet to really know what will resell, though I enjoy looking just for myself and family. 

 

[valleythriftshopper]

I just checked on prices for buckets of Lego Duplo Quatro Blocks.  I saw a bucket at the S.A. for 1.99 the other day.  I figured at that price I should pick it up, but decided to check on what they were going for first.  Well I forgot & now see I could have made 30-40 dollars for shopping the after Christmas deals!  Pooey!