I’d like to introduce you to Abbie. We have know each other for a lot of years from my hometown, and have recently reconnected through the wonderful internet. She has started a great new blog- you really should check it out! I am also guest posting for her today. Check it out here.
Hey there, folks!
First of all, thanks, Kelli, for letting me crash your party! I love that we can be blog buddies and frugal finds sisters from afar through the miracle of the internet!
“I’m Abbie from Five days…5 ways and I blog about a different topic theme each day of the week, but since Kelli is all about saving us the big bucks, I’m going to focus on a little obsession of mine I like to call Goodwill stalking.I know, some of you may be rolling your eyes already, thinking, “Listen, lady. Maybe you can find something worth sneezing at in your big city Goodwill, but I just can’t find a thing at that place!”
Well, hear me out, please, because I think you’ll be surprised.
I shop at a small-town, E. Texas (read: no-stylesville) Goodwill where I find 90% of my clothes and probably 20% of my home décor—all for a tiny fraction of the price I’d expect to pay, even on the clearance rack, at retail stores. And I’m picky, y’all. I don’t just go buy anything. (If you want a small taste of the type of clothes/accessories I find, check out my Wardrobe Wednesday post from yesterday).
So how do I do it? I thought you’d never ask!
The following is a list of…not rules, per se…but helpful guidelines if you want to strike Goodwill gold.
1) Go often – if you only go to Goodwill once a month, chances are you’ll hit a “bad bargain day” (way worse than bad hair days!) 50% of those days, and you’ll probably get a nasty opinion of good ol’ GW (that’s Goodwill, not George Washington; just making sure we’re all on the same page here). I try to hit my local Goodwill at least once a week if I need something or just have a hankering for cute, “new” clothes.
2) Hit the display racks first. Every Goodwill is different, but most will roll mobile racks onto the floor every 45 minutes or so with the “latest” (honestly, they’ve been in storage for ages, but whatev) goods. These aren’t any better or worse than the wares that live on hanging racks that are always out, but if you get to them before anyone else, you’ll have gotten first dibs instead of second skimmings.
3) Focus on the good stuff: you might assume that you won’t find anything high-end at Goodwill, but you’d be making a very big mistake. I’ve found designer jeans and handbags (some with the tags still on), leather boots, nice dishes, barely used appliances, and more simply because I shopped with an eye out for brand-name items and nabbed it the second I saw it (putting it into your cart is not a commitment; this is not extreme dating, just extreme thrifting). I blogged about my top 5 GW apparel purchases here.
4) Forget about the brands: um, Abbie, didn’t you just say the opposite? Well, yes, but I’m a girl, which means it’s my prerogative to change my mind/contradict myself. Here’s the thing—to extrapolate our relationship metaphor a little further: if you’re looking for a lasting relationship, go for the brand names that mean quality to you. But if you’re just looking for a summer fling, don’t go turning up your nose at some no-name shirt that’s still cute as all get-out. It’s $2, for the love of Gap! Get the thing! Nobody’s going to wrestle you down and check your shirt-tag. I promise.
5) Take your time: it’s unlikely you will EVER walk into Goodwill and immediately go, “Whoa! There’s that red blouse I’ve been looking for! And check out these matching shoes! Won’t I look cute wearing these when I bake using this fabulous Kitchenaid mixer I see for sale right here?!” Don’t we all wish? But it just doesn’t work that way. I usually walk in and think, “Good golly, ugly Molly!” about the first six things I see. And then I settle into my Goodwill groove, and two hours later, I walk out with something worth buying. Wait, did you just say two hours?! Yes, I did. And while you could certainly find something worthwhile in less time, you do need to be as patient/thorough as you’ve got time for that day. It’s worth it if you’re into really great deals.
I could go on and on, but I won’t, both for your sake and my children’s (they already think Goodwill is pure torture without their mama’s using their snack time to blog about it!)
I do hope I’ve encouraged you to give Goodwill a chance, though. Your wallet will be happy you did!
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Thanks Abbie for your super-helpful tips. I can’t wait to hit up a few Goodwills for my room remodel!
About Kelli Hays
