Why you should shop at thrift stores if you don't already

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  • Silver_Star
    Silver_Star Posts: 1,351 Member
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    I have to say though.....a friend found lice on one of the clothes she got from Goodwill :sick:
  • shelbystatic
    shelbystatic Posts: 61 Member
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    I have to say though.....a friend found lice on one of the clothes she got from Goodwill :sick:

    I assume they were dead? Because they need heat and blood to survive and I doubt goodwill put them out soon after they were donated.
  • CaliforniaSweetheart
    CaliforniaSweetheart Posts: 989
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    "I'm gonna pop some tags, only got $20 in my pocket. I'm, I'm, I'm hunting, looking for a come up, this is f*cking awesome" :laugh: I couldn't resist.
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
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    I worked at Salvation Army for a year. They have nothing against gays.

    Unfortunately that's not the case-- I can't find it in their official Mission Statements, but I saw a couple years ago their "official" stance on homosexuality, which is pretty much by the Bible. (It's a sin, and sinners should get treated.) They are an openly Christian organization and that is fine, but I choose not to support what is essentially a Church.

    I am not trying to say that Churches can't do good, because they really can, and I appreciate that the Salvation Army exists for those it benefits. However, because I lost my own faith long ago, it becomes difficult for me to justify the uglier side of religion, which includes a cold indifference to equality, or active discrimination / opposition on a lot of social issues.

    I don't get the tasty tasty chicken at Chick-Fil-A any more, and I don't shop at the Salvation Army. There are plenty of other choices available for me, so it's not that big of a deal anyway.
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
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    If you are shopping Goodwill because of the pricing then that's fine, but if you are shopping Goodwill becausae you think you are supporting handicapped people then you're wrong. CEO Hrabe takes the bulk of the $ and doen'st even pay minimum wage to many of his workers.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-hrabe/the-worst-corporation-in-_b_1876905.html

    http://watchdog.org/56129/fl-florida-goodwill-six-figures-for-ceos-less-than-minimum-wage-for-some-employees/

    Seeing those wages confirmed on the website for the blind just depressed me a whole lot. Really takes the wind out of my sails at being happy over this Goodwill spree. :( Guess I'll have to invest more time in discovering local thrift shops I like... but ironically, the Goodwills in my area are the cleanest and biggest of the thrift bunch, so that's where I've always gravitated. Clearly that is not the case all over the country!
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
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    I have to say though.....a friend found lice on one of the clothes she got from Goodwill :sick:

    I assume they were dead? Because they need heat and blood to survive and I doubt goodwill put them out soon after they were donated.

    I've never researched this extensively, but I found out at an early age that all donated clothes go through some sort of mega-washer, which often results in that "funny smell" people complain about. That's not from the previous owner, it's from the cleaning process before the clothes get out on the racks!

    Anyway, I've dealt with fleas and bedbugs so I'm cautious about that sort of thing, and I'm not afraid of thrift store clothes. If you're REALLY that worried just nuke the clothes in the dryer for an hour, trust me, nothing will be on them after that. Thrift store furniture, however, is a whole other ball game.
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
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    As soon as I saw this thread today, I decided I was going to stop at my favorite thrift store after work. As I was pulling into the parking lot, the thrift store song came on the radio. Of course I didn't listen to it. I didn't want to risk missing out on something. :)

    Haha! Nice :)
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
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    This thread blew up unexpectedly, but I'd just like to say: Thank you all for keeping it (mostly) respectful on this thread. I know there were a few people trying to provoke things, on both sides, but thank you for not turning a conversation about bargain finds into a hotheaded debate :flowerforyou:
  • xXxHBICxXx
    xXxHBICxXx Posts: 370 Member
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    I probably should shop at a thrift store to save $ but I can't do it ... I know I don't always like to wear certain items of clothing (we all know what i'm talking about, TMI I know) and I don't like the idea of having my goodies uncovered and unprotected where someone else's goodies have been, possibly uncovered and unprotected and I don't know about you all .... but that thought freaks me out!
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
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    I probably should shop at a thrift store to save $ but I can't do it ... I know I don't always like to wear certain items of clothing (we all know what i'm talking about, TMI I know) and I don't like the idea of having my goodies uncovered and unprotected where someone else's goodies have been, possibly uncovered and unprotected and I don't know about you all .... but that thought freaks me out!

    There's nothing wrong with going commando, I do it myself from time to time. But brand-new clothes can have just as much 'uncovered and unprotected' contact as thrift store clothes-- sometimes more, because multiple people may try on the same pair of pants in a single day at a department store, whereas at the thrift store someone could have bought an expensive item, never wore it, and decided to donate it. I'm not saying that's the case every time, but, the germ argument doesn't really make sense to me. If you wash with liberal amounts of detergent and dry thoroughly on a high setting, all the germs go away :)
  • amyhoss
    amyhoss Posts: 414 Member
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    You all inspired me to visit Goodwill on my lunch break and I found a brand new Yonannas machine for $8. They retail for $50 and I was so excited because I was thinking about buying one a few months back but could not justify spending $50 for it. Can't wait to try it out.
  • IamLoriJ
    IamLoriJ Posts: 124 Member
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    I love thrift stores. I just spent my lunch hour at Value Village and picked up 2 shirts, a sweater, a pair of jeans and a pair of work pants for less than 35$. What I love about it is just like so many of you have said, as I am losing weight, I don't want to be spending lots of money on clothes I am only going to be wearing for the short term (hopefully!). This way I can still have some clothes that fit and yet not be broke.
  • InnerConflict
    InnerConflict Posts: 1,592 Member
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    I probably should shop at a thrift store to save $ but I can't do it ... I know I don't always like to wear certain items of clothing (we all know what i'm talking about, TMI I know) and I don't like the idea of having my goodies uncovered and unprotected where someone else's goodies have been, possibly uncovered and unprotected and I don't know about you all .... but that thought freaks me out!

    No such thing as TMI when you are talking about going commando. :tongue:
  • InnerConflict
    InnerConflict Posts: 1,592 Member
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    5 best thrift store deals

    http://money.msn.com/saving-money-tips/post.aspx?post=9d88131f-a360-48d2-ad41-8dceca220d3f
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
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    Shopped at Goodwill once. I was looking for a dress that might fit me. I was dressing up as Mimi Bobeck for Halloween. I found one. I won the contest. Still have the dress.
  • Lazygal53
    Lazygal53 Posts: 294 Member
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    No, I'm not poor.

    Way to be an off-topic *kitten*. Right on, rich bro!
    You seem mad. :laugh:
    Damn ... looks like you're batting a 1000 today bro! :laugh:
  • Lazygal53
    Lazygal53 Posts: 294 Member
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    Shopped at Goodwill once. I was looking for a dress that might fit me. I was dressing up as Mimi Bobeck for Halloween. I found one. I won the contest. Still have the dress.

    What does Mimi Bobeck look like ... pardon my foreignor ignorance :smile:
  • InnerConflict
    InnerConflict Posts: 1,592 Member
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    Not a thrift store find, but it certainly could have been if the item didn't sell at the garage sale

    http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/20/17385541-picked-up-for-3-bucks-chinese-bowl-goes-for-22-million-at-auction?lite

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