Hey! This is Karen from Hazel, Kentucky.
I just discovered your blog when someone shared your article on high thrift store prices. I’m so glad it’s not just me that noticed! We recently went to California and I was so excited to go to their local thrift shops. To my dismay, it was not as exciting as I had hoped! For example, one store had flat rate pricing on their shirts. A women’s Merona T-shirt was $5.99, but they were on sale for $5 at Target! Then there were the Ann Taylor wedge shoes… $19.99! I was in shock. I lived in California 14 years ago, and they’ve definitely experienced some thrift store inflation since then.
Luckily the local thrift stores here in Kentucky are much lower. I’ve included some pictures of some of my bargains. I hope you like them!
Sewing cabinet with working sewing machine – $10 at Angel’s Attic thrift store.
Large Pampered Chef Pizza stone and large Pampered Chef bar pan – $4 each at a yard sale and they’ve transformed my baking.
Small Pampered Chef bar pan (I’ve wanted one for so long! It fits perfectly in the toaster oven!) 75 cents at Angel’s Attic thrift store. I was very excited!
Dooney & Bourke bucket purse – $3.99 at the local Goodwill. Sure, it does have some marks on the leather, but between me and my kids cramming stuff in there, it would happen anyway. Usually my local Goodwill store will mark up the name brand items, but I’m guessing the person who was responsible for tagging this did not know the value of this brand of purse.
White dresser (originally brown) was $15 at Angel’s Attic. I spent more on the hardware than I did on the actual dresser.
White nightstand was $1.50 at Angel’s Attic. I bought this the same day I bought the dresser. While I was looking the dresser over the manager announced over the intercom that all furniture was half price. It was white, but I freshened it up a bit with a new paint job.
The little Precious Moments vase was brand new in the box at a yard sale. I bought two and they were $1 each. I gave one to my daughter and one to another little girl.
I am a mother of three children, ages 12, 10 and 8. I am also a school teacher that’s currently enjoying her summer. We have five chickens that are a little over a year old and a chihuahua that’s just five months old.
Thanks for your article, I enjoyed your wit and humor. I look forward to reading more from you!
Sincerely,
Karen
If you would like to have your garden, chicken coop or something you’ve made featured on One Hundred Dollars a Month, here’s what I’m looking for:
- Your Garden Pictures and Tips – I’d especially like to see your garden set ups, growing areas, and know if you are starting seeds indoors this year. If so, show me some picture of how you are going about it.
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- Cool Arts & Crafts – Made from your very own hands with detailed {and well photographed} pictures and instructions.
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- Garage Sale, Thrift Store and Dumpster Diving pictures and the stories behind the treasures you found including how much you paid for them.
If I feature your pictures and the stories behind them on One Hundred Dollars a Month, I will send you a $20.00 gift card to the greatest store in the world: Amazon.com.
Things to keep in mind when you send me your stuff:
- You do not have to be a professional photographer, but your photos do need to be clear and well lit or I won’t be able to use them.
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Lauren says
Wow Karen well done! On the bargains and sending in the post. I’ve been following Mavis for a couple of years and keep meaning to do a Garden email but haven’t. Must add it into my goals list.
Mavis Butterfield says
Send it in Lauren!!! 🙂
Greta says
Great finds! Next time I’m up that way in September I will definitely have to visit these places! Thanks for sharing!
Tammy says
Those are some really great finds!
I’m part of a buy/sell group on FaceBook and I think (usually) their prices are better than Goodwill or other thrift stores. I don’t buy much on the buy/sell group – mostly just sell! 😀
Leslie H says
I’ll start with the disclaimer that I tend to be on the cynical side…And so I think that frugality has become a popular life theme that many people really don’t understand. I think neophyte thrifters shop the thrift stores assuming they are getting a good deal, but have no idea if they are. Reminds me of Costco shoppers with huge carts full…
If you have never paid much attention to how much you spend, or the prices of items, you can’t really understand if you are being thrifty! I think that thrift stores are making the most of these new customers who are enthusiastic about saving, but ignorant about what they are doing.
See, I said I was cynical…
Gerri Gerling says
I agree!
Deborah says
I actually liked it when the goodwill was “junky” and all shirts ( dresses,etc.) were one price. That way you could maybe get a really good blouse for the same as a Target one, but it was sort of a prize for all the effort to go through all the shirts. Honestly, it would be easier and more cost effective for thrift stores to go back to that system. They would get through sorting and hanging the donations so much faster and there wouldn’t be people tearing off the tag hoping that when it gets “re-tagged” it will be cheaper, etc.
They may even make more money……
Suzanne says
Hmm….good point. I hadn’t thought of that before.
Lynne Moran says
Wow! Those are some sweet bargains.