Last week, my mom was here for a visit. It was wonderful to have her here. We got our nails done, went shopping, out to eat, found lots of fun things to make, and had a pretty good time. I recently saw a question online that asked how people find good stuff at thrift stores. Here's my answer to that question...
First of all, I think you need to be looking for something specific and not be afraid to walk out with nothing. For instance, my mom was looking for a pair of black flats this past week and I was looking for a long winter coat. I'm also always on the look out for Frankoma pottery and I have craft ideas in the back of my head and have my eye out for supplies for those crafts.
Secondly, don't take a child with you. If you are shopping in this kind of store, where there is pretty much just one of everything you need to devote your attention to the task at hand. If you on a regular basis, to the point that you know the stock pretty well, then I guess you can add children into the mix. e
Third, know how much things cost retail. It's not a deal or something that you know that you saved money on if you have no idea how much it costs new.
Be willing to adapt your idea of what it is that you want.
So here's some for instances. I had the craft idea of the Kindle cover and was contemplating using a DVD cover and then I saw the children's books and remembered seeing one online cut out of a book with the pages making a frame. So for 69 cents, I got the frame work for my cover. My mom was looking for black flats, instead she got a pair of blue plaid flats and a pair of beige heels for a total of ten bucks. She looked through hundreds of shoes and had to ask an attendant at one store, but that's not too bad. I did find a coat that fit, three in fact. Two of them looked pretty good, but none of them were the price I wanted to pay, so I don't have a new coat, yet, but I might go back in a few weeks and see if they are still there.
I can do that and the price will be down because thrifts stores and places like Home Goods and TJMaxx all have a policy of in one door and out the other. Things only leave their inventory by being sold, unlike most retail stores that will return overstock to the manufacturer who will then sell it or donate it to places like thrift stores.
And that is how I go about finding stuff at Thrift Stores and discount retail shops.
First of all, I think you need to be looking for something specific and not be afraid to walk out with nothing. For instance, my mom was looking for a pair of black flats this past week and I was looking for a long winter coat. I'm also always on the look out for Frankoma pottery and I have craft ideas in the back of my head and have my eye out for supplies for those crafts.
Secondly, don't take a child with you. If you are shopping in this kind of store, where there is pretty much just one of everything you need to devote your attention to the task at hand. If you on a regular basis, to the point that you know the stock pretty well, then I guess you can add children into the mix. e
Third, know how much things cost retail. It's not a deal or something that you know that you saved money on if you have no idea how much it costs new.
Be willing to adapt your idea of what it is that you want.
So here's some for instances. I had the craft idea of the Kindle cover and was contemplating using a DVD cover and then I saw the children's books and remembered seeing one online cut out of a book with the pages making a frame. So for 69 cents, I got the frame work for my cover. My mom was looking for black flats, instead she got a pair of blue plaid flats and a pair of beige heels for a total of ten bucks. She looked through hundreds of shoes and had to ask an attendant at one store, but that's not too bad. I did find a coat that fit, three in fact. Two of them looked pretty good, but none of them were the price I wanted to pay, so I don't have a new coat, yet, but I might go back in a few weeks and see if they are still there.
I can do that and the price will be down because thrifts stores and places like Home Goods and TJMaxx all have a policy of in one door and out the other. Things only leave their inventory by being sold, unlike most retail stores that will return overstock to the manufacturer who will then sell it or donate it to places like thrift stores.
And that is how I go about finding stuff at Thrift Stores and discount retail shops.
Comments
Post a Comment