Great
Bargains at Thrift Stores and Yard Sales
by Monica Resinger
I
love the thrift stores and yard sales because there is a great
variety of items and these items are usually very inexpensive
which saves me a lot of money for spending on other items or saving.
Here are some examples of great deals that I find.
Books:
I love reading and before I discovered the books at the thrift
stores, I was a book club member spending a small fortune on books.
Then I realized I could find books at the thrift stores for a
fraction of the price. This is our local Goodwill's prices for
books: hardbacks: $2.99, paperbacks: $1.99, magazines (this includes
craft leaflets) .29, children's books .99. There is a great variety
and the books are organized into categories. You can also find
books at yard sales, but usually there isn't a huge variety. If
you are lucky enough to find a book you want at a yard sale, it's
a lot cheaper than even the thrift stores!
Coffee
mugs: Our local Goodwill charges .50 cents each! What
a steal! These are mugs that are in good condition and yes, it's
possible to find them without chips. In fact, most of them look
like new. Yard sales are usually cheaper yet.
Craft
items: I have found brand new or very close to brand
new squeeze type dimensional paint and acrylic paint for .25 cents
each--another steal! I have
also found beads in plastic baggies for .25 cents each. Silk flowers
in large plastic baggies I have found for as low as .79 cents
and as high as $1.59. There is also a ton of sewing patterns and
material--I'm not sure of the prices on these because I'm not
a sewer, but I'm sure they are a good bargain. Knitting needles
and sometimes crochet needles are another find.
Picture
Frames: Picture frames at the Goodwill usually run from
.99 to 2.99 depending on how large and what shape the frame is
in.
Household
decorations: I decided to re-do our living room in a
tropical, sea type theme. I had a lot of fun with this project
and still am. If you go to the thrift store with a theme in mind
such as this, you will find all sorts of stuff! My favorite find
was a puzzle someone had put together and framed for $1.99. The
puzzle was a picture of underwater life including a turtle and
tropical fish. I have found fish tank decorations for around .49
cents and if any of you have bought these brand new, you know
they are very expensive. I have found ceramic shells, real shells,
ceramic fish, paper mache fish, and more very inexpensive items
to decorate my living room. I decorate all rooms of the house
including the front and back porch with this method, and if I
ever want to change
a theme, it's pretty cheap to do it.
Clothes:
I can't stand paying $30 for a shirt or a pair of pants. I really
can't stand paying $30 for children's shirts, pants or shoes because
they grow out of them so quick. Some people may frown on buying
used clothes, but I see it as sensible. Most of the clothes found
in the thrift stores and yard sales are in very good shape and
you can't even tell they are used. My daughter who is twelve enjoys
looking for clothes at the Goodwill more than I do. Sometimes
when I shop department stores for clothes, I can't find anything
I like, but at the thrift stores, there is such a variety that
I don't have a problem with this. A few years ago, I paid $9.00
each for pretty, new looking winter coats for my daughter and
I.
Baking
pans: A few months back, I needed a loaf pan, so searched
the Goodwill. Sure enough, I found one that looked brand new for
.69 cents!
School
supplies: I have found kid's Fiskars scissors for .49
cents and binders for .69-.99 cents. There is also bagged markers,
pencils and crayons.
Rubbermaid
or Tupperware containers: These are only .19 to .29 cents.
It will
take some digging to find container and lid matches sometimes,
but for the price--dig!
What
is needed to find treasures at thrift stores and yard sales is
patience and knowing what you want. I go on a regular, sometimes
weekly, basis which allows me to find a great variety of items.
I
hope this article has inspired you to go look for great bargains
at the thrift stores and yard sales. Another benefit of shopping
this way is helping the earth by keeping this stuff out of the
landfills.
©
Monica Resinger
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