What's your favorite thrifty purchase of all-time?

[superiorgirl]

I'm embarrassed to admit that I've been thrifting for 37 years. That makes it pretty difficult to come up with one favorite thing. Like TSR, I am surrounded by things I've thrifted. Several years ago I bought a gold bracelet. It's flat, 1/2" wide, has a double clasp and is 14kt. I paid $2 for it, have meant to get an appraisal on it, but haven't gotten around to it. I am not big into jewelry,  but am not a fashion plate by any means. However, I do wear this bracelet about once a week and every time I wear it I get a giggle out of the idea that I got it at a ts for 2 bucks. It has to be one of the better value items I've found, and since it is timeless and not outrageous in any way, suits me.

[SeSo_Says_So]

I had posted a saga on this topic on Sunday but, unfortunately, it got wiped out during the programming drama poor GB has been experiencing. I'll keep this short and sweet:

My favorite thrifty purchase of ALL time is my Heywood-Wakefield kneehole desk in Champagne that I picked up in the 80s at a church thrift's furniture barn in New England for 49.99 out-the-door.

If we have a hurricane which means we seriously have to evacuate (like a CAT 5 headed straight for our living room), I swear that the desk is coming with us, along with our cats. It's a glorious piece that gives me great pleasure and gratitude every time I look at it (still, after all these year )   

It's a member of the family!

[foutchie]

Isn't that funny how attached one can get to a piece of furniture?  I have a chiffarobe that I would do the same for; never saw one quite like it before, will never part with it, unless the kids were in dire medical need or something drastic like that!

[Big Daddy Audio]

Jay, it's a great question, and for those of you who know what I'm talking about:

My answer is: 42

I can't even begin to respond to this. 

So I won't.

SYNT
BFN

[genuineimitation]

What's your favorite?  I'll start off, and I will shock some.

i'm shocked jay. just shocked. (zap)

hands down my favorite thrift buy: a 9 tray excalibur dehydrator for $11.99. i've had it a long time and i refuse to remove the pricetag~!

yesterday i got a reflector for an outdoor oven - that got me pretty happy. it was $3.00 and will be happy this summer working as part of a new solar oven. yippee!

[Zed Simon]

i've had it a long time and i refuse to remove the pricetag~!

I'm like that. The pricetag is a source of pride. I can think of a couple things I never took the tags off of because I got them so cheap!

[Jay2TheRescue]

SeSo - That desk sounds wonderful!

BDA - I too know that the answer to the meaning of life the universe is 42.   May I ask, was this compiled in the form of printed literature, DVD, or VHS - (and if it was video was the BBC involved?)

-Jay

[SeSo_Says_So]

Jay, it's a great question, and for those of you who know what I'm talking about:

My answer is: 42

I can't even begin to respond to this. 

So I won't.

SYNT
BFN

I know what it is, too. My hubby is a big fan.

 

[SeSo_Says_So]

Jay, thank you! You know, I didn't even know by who made the desk. I knew only that I fell in love with it the minute I saw it. Many years later, I saw it featured in a magazine in an article about someone who was a MCM kitsch collector (in his private life; I think he was a shrink professionally) and he had this desk, which the article featured. That was my intro to Hey-Wake and MCM. What I loved finally had a name  

foutchie, your piece sounds terrific. Here's hoping you keep it forever with the best of health for you and all your loved ones