Thrifting at thrift stores

[Randy]

Shopping around department stores might not be considered a hobby. But thrifting is certainly one of the most popular hobbies out there today!

Thrift and flea markets are filled with tons of hidden gems just waiting to be discovered. And if you have any sewing or design background, you could potentially thrift a piece of clothing, refurbish it, as it were, then re-home it to a loving owner who will appreciate the work you put into it.

Is thrift store shopping a hobby of yours?

 

[passenger]

Has been. Covid kind of knocked that in the head.

 

[Nebulous]

I used to go to thrift stores all the time but I found that I was bringing home too much useless crap and my house was starting to look like a thrift store.

 

[Dee]

I love thrift shopping. My mom and I have been hitting up a lot of them lately and are still discovering new ones. It's so cool to see what people have given away/sold, and if I can help reuse something without contributing to the industry making new items, I'm all for it.

 

[Nebulous]

I was in the midwest / south recently and I went to a couple thrift stores because my brother likes doing that. I figured thrift stores there would have interesting stuff because its all stuff donated by people who live in that area. Guess what? People in the midwest / south have all the same (or similar) crap we have in California. Wasn't impressed.

 

[Black Angel]

I wont say that it is a hobby of mine, but it has most definitely come in handy.. you can find a lot of good things there on the cheap, but that are quality if you know exactly what you are getting..

We have gotten a lot of good furniture like tables and desks on the cheap that we set up here when the rest of our stuff was in Brooklyn..

Thrifty Shopper is a popular chain up here, and you can find a lot of good stuff depending on the area you are in.. the one closest to us in a wealthy neighborhood, so it was a good place to start when we were looking for office furniture.. and all proceeds go to charity..

Once we are finished with organizing our stuff, we are going to donate the stuff we don't need..

 

[Megan]

I used to go to thrift stores all the time but I found that I was bringing home too much useless crap and my house was starting to look like a thrift store.

Ha, kinda how my sisters house looks sometimes.

I don’t really do it, but she does a lot. That and free stuff she finds on Facebook. She has found some really good stuff on there. I think the best she got and for free was a Seiko music motion clocks. That thing is cool and if you buy in the store soooo expensive.

 

[Spice]

Good places to find books. I once found a whole series of almost brand new books.

 

[Nebulous]

We have gotten a lot of good furniture like tables and desks on the cheap

Anything with a hard surface that can be disinfected is fine from a thrift store.

I am not a germaphobe but I don't think I'd buy anything with cushions or fabric (like a sofa or recliner) from a thrift store. Even if I shampoo'ed and extracted the fabric, I'd still be imagining what sorts of sweat and other bodily fluids might be saturated deep inside the cushions.

Ha, kinda how my sisters house looks sometimes.

I don’t really do it, but she does a lot. That and free stuff she finds on Facebook. She has found some really good stuff on there. I think the best she got and for free was a Seiko music motion clocks. That thing is cool and if you buy in the store soooo expensive.

My brothers house looks like a thrift store. Its funny because he got rid of most of his belongings when he moved out of state a year or two ago.

I visited him recently and he sure did accumulate A TON of crap in the short time he's been living there. He says he goes to the thrift stores in his area almost daily. I think he's addicted. Lol

 

[Black Angel]

Anything with a hard surface that can be disinfected is fine from a thrift store.

I am not a germaphobe but I don't think I'd buy anything with cushions or fabric (like a sofa or recliner) from a thrift store. Even if I shampoo'ed and extracted the fabric, I'd still be imagining what sorts of sweat and other bodily fluids might be saturated deep inside the cushions.

My brothers house looks like a thrift store. Its funny because he got rid of most of his belongings when he moved out of state a year or two ago.

I visited him recently and he sure did accumulate A TON of crap in the short time he's been living there. He says he goes to the thrift stores in his area almost daily. I think he's addicted. Lol

We actually did that too.. we bought a floor model couch that was on Raymour and Flanigan on clearance but did not sell. The same couch was on sale on clearance in another R&F location was $1,500 but we got it for $250 and the covers were removable so we were able to wash and dry them..

But other than that I agree and that chain of thrift stores sells new Ashley furniture too..

 

[Nebulous]

Ashley furniture

My couches and recliners came from there. I got them on Black Friday a couple years ago. They are comfortable and decent quality but their customer service is the worst. Took 4 months to finally receive them. The issue was that I needed to change my shipping address (because I moved). Kept going in circles with them for months (I'd update the address with customer service and then get a robo-call a couple weeks saying they were about to be delivered to my old address). I finally spoke to someone who said they were unable to change the delivery address (not sure why). I had to rent a u-haul truck and meet them at my old address. They loaded my furniture off their truck and onto the truck I rented. So dumb.

 

[Black Angel]

I have found that with My Bobs furniture, and other stores like that, they often change the name of the pieces to sell them..

So you might save money if you take the image off the site and run it in Tin Eye or Google Lens and find all the places that is selling it.. this might help you in the future if you want to avoid using them in the future..

 

[Megan]

Good places to find books. I once found a whole series of almost brand new books.

Oh yeah I remember this used book store that was nearby for a short while. I used to find some gems in there. I remember buying a Slayers manga, and after I bought it I found it was signed by one of the voice actors from the English dub which I thought was cool.

Anything with a hard surface that can be disinfected is fine from a thrift store.

I am not a germaphobe but I don't think I'd buy anything with cushions or fabric (like a sofa or recliner) from a thrift store. Even if I shampoo'ed and extracted the fabric, I'd still be imagining what sorts of sweat and other bodily fluids might be saturated deep inside the cushions.

My brothers house looks like a thrift store. Its funny because he got rid of most of his belongings when he moved out of state a year or two ago.

I visited him recently and he sure did accumulate A TON of crap in the short time he's been living there. He says he goes to the thrift stores in his area almost daily. I think he's addicted. Lol

Yeah my sister is pretty obsessed too.

 

[Black Angel]

I might have to add my husband to this list.. I mentioned to him today that he might have to keep an eye out for a stainless steel Instant Pot the next time he's in Thriftyshopper and he said that he's been looking for weeks.. LOL

 

[Webster]

I was in the midwest / south recently and I went to a couple thrift stores because my brother likes doing that. I figured thrift stores there would have interesting stuff because its all stuff donated by people who live in that area. Guess what? People in the midwest / south have all the same (or similar) crap we have in California. Wasn't impressed.

 

[Black Angel]

I kinda want to check out this Goodwill in NC that made the news years ago.. they had every retro video game and console you could think of..

There is also a store like that in Hampton, VA.. but down in VA the DAV is pretty popular.. all their proceeds go to disabled veterans..

But yeah, I love thrift shopping.. I do it because I can't enjoy anything if I pay too much for it.. and I never pay full price for anything and am pretty frugal in general..

I get the best of both worlds because I like a good deal, but also I like to travel, and so that is where our money is typically spent, aside from responsibilities..

 

[popyura]

I thrift, therefore I am. I gravitate towards T-Shirts (old sports or concert shirts are my favorite) and Polos (I grab any Le Tigre I find that fits). I also go hard on books, records, and the electronics section.

 

[Black Angel]

When my family and I went to Myrtle Beach a few years ago, we saw a lot of Hospice Thrift stores in SC as we were getting closer to our destination.

I know that it is likely just a name, buying think that is a chain I probably wouldn't go to.

 

[Webster]

I might have to add my husband to this list.. I mentioned to him today that he might have to keep an eye out for a stainless steel Instant Pot the next time he's in Thriftyshopper and he said that he's been looking for weeks.. LOL

There's a local Adventist thrift store just up the road from the house; I recently bought several items there - a small George Foreman grill, a Touchmaster coffee pot and a crystal set of small table glasses.

 

[Black Angel]

@Webster

You know something.. I just realized that I might be a bit of a hypocrite.. I think I posted earlier in this thread (or was it another) about not having redundant appliances, and I sure enough just remembered that I have 2 George Foreman grills.. LOL

I have the big wide one that you could probably put 6-8 patties on that we bought brand new a few years ago (and used only 3 or 4 times..) and this little one that you could probably fit maybe 2 patties on and it has a clear plastic dome on top that is supposed to be a bun warmer..

I don't think I've ever used it, but it is small so it could come in handy when we travel to those extended stay resorts that have a full kitchen.. and were once beachfront condos.. or other hotels..

My husband got it for like $5.