We finally have a Goodwill relatively close to us! For years, they seemed to be everywhere except where we have lived. Many of my friends across the country have shopped there for their families.
I finally got to visit one (I do visit a lot of other thrift stores in the area too) for the first time a few weeks ago. I purposefully went looking for shorts for our kids. We seemed to have a shortage and I just wanted to find cheap ones for outdoor playing and for the summer.
I honestly have struggled finding any great selection at thrift stores as the kids clothes are so picked through and hard to find anything good, I am not sure if this is just a problem in our area, or if that is the case everywhere! So it is always nice to have another thrift store in the area to help with more selection.
In the end, I did find a couple of pairs of shorts for some of our kids. I wasn’t horribly impressed with the prices, but they were still much cheaper than buying them even new at Walmart. Their prices were actually compared to ThredUp, and I love ThredUp as it is all gently used high quality clothing and it is easy to find the style, size that I want and I know it is good quality.
I wasn’t even going to bother looking for things for myself, mostly because I had tired kids that probably had not much time in them left before melt down and watching mommy sift through clothing was probably going to bring a fast roaring melt down.
But….. we passed the shoes. I have to admit, I have a shoe fetish and it has absolutely drove Alex nuts in the 14 years we have been married. I have gotten significantly better since our journey to become debt-free because there was no room to buy extra shoes. since becoming debt-free, we’ve had 5 kids and now I am up to my ears in buying shoes for all 7 people in my family. So it practically feeds my obsession now when I buy 7 pairs, they’re just not all for me anymore 🙂
Well, as we passed the shoes, I instantly spotted a pair of boots which were exactly like what I had been wanting! I rushed over to them and saw that they looked practically new! I am not sure if they were ever worn as they had the original tags on them!
I was so excited because they were $9.99! I haven’t been able to find anything close to this price.
I love these boots and they go many places with me 🙂 Here’s pictures of my boots walkin’ around the zoo!
They are very nice and I love them and I love that I got a good deal on them!
Here we are at the bird show… kids are in the front row and that is my sweet Miracle Baby Josiah (if you haven’t read his story yet, please do so… he will be 2-years old soon!). He is sitting next to his brother who is wearing a shirt from ThredUp online kids thrift store and a pair of shorts that I bought at Goodwill!
Since this was my first time to a Goodwill, this has been the most exciting find there for me so far 😉
What is the best treasure you have found at a thrift store?
Have you been to a Goodwill and how does it compare to other thrift stores you have been to?
Sarah
We visit our local Value Village all the time and find quality items. 🙂 I always walk away feeling victorious.
Ebony
The Goodwill is my mall and my first stop for everything
The best thing I ever got was a pair of new with tags True Religion jeans for $1.50
Love it!
BARBARA
I recently read that GOODWILL is privately owned..It is now connected to ANY charities…Anyone else know about this?
Sharon
My husband found a Kitchen Aide mixer at Goodwill for $10! Best deal ever!
Mary
We’ve had a Goodwill in our area for many years. It used to bother me about the not-so-great-deals also, especially when other thrift stores are usually cheaper. However I learned that Goodwill(s?) hire the disabled to work there and other such community supports and that is why they can’t do as good a deal as most other thrift type stores. That did make me feel better. Of course if you are really pinching pennies you have to go where the prices are best, but just wanted to share with you that this is what I found out. Until our recession/depression hit, I could go into our Goodwill at any time & usually find larger size ladies pants & shirts for a good price, much better than new. And I actually liked the tops like t-shirts better than new because they were gently broken in & oh so soft. But since hard economic times hit (still seems that way here contrary to what the media says) the clothing disappears so quickly I can never find anything so I haven’t been to a Goodwill in quite awhile. (love your boots!)
Julia Lee
I use Saver’s in Layton, UT. I use it to donate our clothing we are no longer using, even it survived us, that is. On Mondays, item marked by the color of the day are 99 cents!!!!! Saver’s benefits the MS society. They also offer other deals and coupons. When you donate, you can ask for a receipt to use on our taxes.
Lynn V
We have a Goodwill Outlet store where I live. They weigh everything and you pay by the pound. The best deal I got was a Leap Frog Leap Pad2 (in original packaging) for $2.
lindsey
A floor length formal dress in a larger size, never worn: $5!