What would you ONLY buy at a thrift store (or used)?

[Other People s Junk]

I was thinking about this as I was ironing a shirt this morning.  I refused to buy a new ironing board, as the ones available today are too rickety and not tall enough.  I found the perfect one in a thrift store... old and sturdy and tall enough that I don't have to stoop.  And it was super inexpensive.

Other random items I would only thrift for or never buy new:  certain craft components, cookie cutters, books (for the most part), tablecloths, prints, expensive clothing, vases... I'm sure there are others, I just can't think of them now. 

What about you?

[ChrisMiss]

99.9% of our clothing is bought at a thrift store now.  I really hate to pay those high retail prices for something that I can get for less than $5.  I buy books at thrifts or used book stores.  Same thing, hate to pay full retail prices,  they're getting so expensive!  I'd found one of my fav authors book at Wal-Mart.  It was over $9 for a paperback book!  I then found it at a thrift store for less than a $1.

Love saving that money to enjoy on other things.

[Vintage PurseLover]

I only buy my clothes from thrift shops....but that doesn't include underwear...no.I buy new packaged underwear from Walmart or where ever.

[Good Buddy]

99.9% of our clothing is bought at a thrift store now.  I really hate to pay those high retail prices for something that I can get for less than $5. I buy books at thrifts or used book stores. Same thing, hate to pay full retail prices, they're getting so expensive!

Amen Sister!

[Mattie]

Clothes!  With the exception of socks and underwear, I don't even think about retail when I think about buying clothes.  I avoid malls and clothing stores like the plague, so it always amazes me when people tell me about the "bargain" shirt that only cost $25 or the "sale" skirt that was a mere $40.  I have no idea what the average retail price is for anything anymore, so I'm always stunned by what I hear.

Also...furniture!  Unless you're willing to shell out $$$$$, the stuff that passes as "fine furniture" these days is made of pine, staples and wishful thinking.  A friend of mine proudly showed off his new sofa a couple years ago, bragging about how well-made it was, and within a year it was an uncomfortable, creaky wreck.  They don't make furniture like they used to.  Older pieces frequently feature better materials and better construction methods.

[MrsGoodwill]

....Unless you're willing to shell out $$$$$, the stuff that passes as "fine furniture" these days is made of pine, staples and wishful thinking....

Good one!

1. Kids clothes. I have been thrifting for kids clothes for over 5 years now and it PAINS me to pay more than $4.00 for an item of children's clothing! I have to really, really like something to be willing to pay retail for it! Nothing pleases me more than to walk into a thrift and buy a handsmocked dress ($50+ retail ) or Lily Pulitzer or MiniBoden clothes for $2.49! A lot of this stuff looks like it was "saved" for a special occasion or church -- it looks brand new!

2. Books. I usually get books from the library anyway, but if I am desperate for something to read and I happen to be in a thrift, I will buy a few books there rather than going to Borders.

3. Baby equipment. High chairs, strollers, Pack&Plays and so forth. If it doesn't need more than a good scrub and it's a fairly recent model, I'll buy it. I am a Foster Parent so I try to stretch the $ I receive for the child as far as I can.

4. Glasses and tea cups. I'll never buy another new glass or coffee/tea cup again! Why should I? At my local GW, glasses and mugs are 49 cents a piece!

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Small furniture, definitely. Almost every small piece of furniture in my house was pre-used in some way, and most of it thrifted.

Books-- agreed! It's very rare that I go to a book store and actively purchase new.

[ChrisMiss]

Kudo's to you for being a foster parent!  I really admire and respect people who are good foster parents.  How many kids are you a parent to?  Do they get to stay long or just a short time?  We've had many friends who were foster parents.  One couple who were in their 70's and still being foster parents but they'd slowed down to one child at a time.  They'd been parents to over 100 kids in their lifetime.  God bless you and the work that you do.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Small furniture, definitely. Almost every small piece of furniture in my house was pre-used in some way, and most of it thrifted.

Books-- agreed! It's very rare that I go to a book store and actively purchase new.

There are only 2 pieces of furniture that I didn't thrift.  My matress and this really cool floor lamp I have.  Used mattresses are gross, and I did put a vintage fiberglass shade on the floor lamp. (Everyone thinks the lamp is an original from the 50's).

I got the mattress for about $200 - about 75% off because of a huge sale going on at the time I bought it, and the lamp was $20 on the clearance rack (again, about 75% off.).

Everything else has been vintage items given to me by family, purchased in thrift stores, flea markets, or some pieces were actually found on the curb in trash piles.  Those are my favorite vintage items, as they were certainly rescued, and of course, the price can't be beat.

I like to think I have a good eye for this stuff, when I moved a few months ago I decided to sell a few pieces of furniture as I wasn't going to have as much space as my old place.  I listed several pieces of furniture on Craig's List and they all went very quickly, and for much more than I paid for them.  One of them was a danish modern armchair I thrifted for $10 3 months earlier, then sold for $150.  The real estate agent jumped on this red 60's chaise lounge I had for $150 (3 times what I paid for it), and someone even made an offer of $100 for a side table that I wasn't planning on selling, but was partially seen in one of the photos.  I took the $100, as I only paid $10 for the table in SA 6 years ago.

-Jay

[Big Daddy Audio]

Blank Cassettes and Blank VHS tapes.

Bicycles.

I buy clothes new and used.  I shop a lot of sales. 

Underwear and socks - always new

Toilet paper - always new.

Have a nice day.

That is all.

[MrsGoodwill]

How many kids are you a parent to?

2 -- 1 biological and 1 foster

Do they get to stay long or just a short time?

We have had her since she was 4 days old. She'll turns 1 on Friday.

We've had many friends who were foster parents.  One couple who were in their 70's and still being foster parents but they'd slowed down to one child at a time.  They'd been parents to over 100 kids in their lifetime.  God bless you and the work that you do.

We are hoping to adopt (eventually). We intend to be foster parents until we just *can't* do it anymore.

I have managed to do almost an entire bedroom for foster placements from pieces that I have either thrifted or bought on Craig's List.

[alexandra]

For me, it's mostly clothes... unless I can find an item on deep drastic discount or clearance, I'm going to thrift all the way. Same thing with purses and shoes.

I can't remember the last time I brought a new piece of lace or a doily.  The machine made stuff today is ugly, the handmade stuff is expensive. Nope, I'd rather have the stuff someone's grandma made... and the thrift store is the best source for that!

Thriftily,
Alexandra
www.livingwithoutmoney.blogspot.com

[Other People s Junk]

I can't remember the last time I brought a new piece of lace or a doily.  The machine made stuff today is ugly, the handmade stuff is expensive. Nope, I'd rather have the stuff someone's grandma made... and the thrift store is the best source for that!

I agree with you on that!  Plus there isn't any way a person could make it for cheaper... the material/thread costs and not to mention labor!  Some of that stuff would take me forever to do.

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

There are really a lot of lovely embroidered or lacey table runners and doilies at the thrifts. I think for folks who aren't into modern, now is a good time to snap them up.

[alexandra]

I think that within another ten years, you won't see these doilies at thrifts -- and they will be very pricey at vintage stores.  Now's the time to get them -- before they are gone!

Thriftily,
Alexandra
www.livingwithoutmoney.blogspot.com