topic Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill - in Community Chat

My first time shopping at Goodwill -

homedecor1 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 03:39:49 GMT

I donate to Goodwill but have never gone in the store to shop.

Holy moly the place was mobbed - everything with red tag was 1/2 price. my cousin is here visiting and is a big "thrift" shopper -- we were in this store 2 hours 😳. She purchased many nice clothing things and cowboy boots, sunglasses and pocketbook for $21

ME - NOTHING

Although they had quite a few pieces of temptations -- I really had to have willpower!

Thru the week we went to vintage stores (I kidded I have this stuff at home !) She loves Fenton glass she found a few pieces.

Tomorrow she wants to go to Salvation Army and St. Vincent thrift shops. I'll bring a book because i'm not interested in buying anymore stuff

plus these stores are not for me! but have great prices!

Who likes to thrift shop? I like estate sales and yard sales.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

SharkE — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 04:07:10 GMT

My sister does, I don't.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

Mz iMac — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 04:34:52 GMT

Paramour & my baby brother visits "flea markets" up & down the east coast as well as quaint antique shops in Connecticut. Paramour is an excellent negotiator which comes in handy for my brother who has an eye for antiques.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

Desertdi — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 04:54:26 GMT

I used to drop in The Humane Society Thrift and a church-run thrift (both non-profits) BEFORE COVID.

I finally went back this past year, and they have turned into junk stores. I mean REAL JUNK, stuff you would put in the garbage.

I still go maybe once a month...and have found a few new hard-cover books, and a couple small "appliances": an analog alarm clock, and a hot pot, new and still in the original boxes.

Maybe some day, I will come across a Rembrandt...

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

Jk9 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 06:23:07 GMT

I like to thrift shop and bought several really nice pieces of Native American jewelry at excellent prices several years ago. We had a thrift store that got really nice things and I shopped there regularly until they changed hands and became a junk store.

I still shop but go to different stores now. There are still several nice stores in near by towns that I still like to roam.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

Tinkrbl44 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 06:36:54 GMT

@homedecor1

For some reason I thought of the old Motown song ...

"You Gotta Shop Around ...."

The last time I was at an estate sale with a friend, it was for Elizabeth Montgomery from Bewitched.

My friend gave serious thought to buying her vintage Mercedes, but decided against it. Me? I bought a set of crystal salad dishes shaped like crescent moons to rest against the curve of the dinner plate. I use them almost every night.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

lynnie61 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 09:00:54 GMT

I typically don't shop at thrift stores. A friend, however, got a beautiful Lecreuset dutch oven at an estate sale for $10. She said it was like it was brand new. Our goodwill store is kind of junky, but I'm sure there are bargains, if you have the patience for that.

There is a thift shop near me that they claim is one of the best in the city. I know they say its always busy there.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

AngelPuppy1 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 09:37:28 GMT

@homedecor1

Sounds like you had a good time anyway! And your cousin got some good buys!

Our GW store was really nice for finding things but then got bad and I quit. I went recently just to poke around and they had really cleaned it up. I found another second hand place - a consigment place - and it is beautiful. However, the prices are too high. I realize they have to make a profit. I did buy a couple of things but most things I could buy new on sale at regular stores.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

meallen616 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 10:27:03 GMT

I donate but have never shopped at any of them.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

chessygal — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 10:44:49 GMT

I used to donate to Goodwill but not anymore. Ever since I found out that the owner of Goodwill is a millionaire making money off of free stuff, I now donate to Salvation Army.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

CelticCrafter — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 11:02:10 GMT

I don't shop at Goodwill or the church thrift shop.

I don't have the patience to wade through other people's stuff and junk.

My husband does go once a month to both places and will come home with cookbooks or magazines. No, please stop. I don't want anymore cookbooks, there is a reason why I cleared the bookcase of them. I'll give them a quick glance and right back into a box they go to get donated back. He'll tell me they had a insert brand name enamel coated cast iron pot or pan or heavy cast iron skillet but didn't buy it because I knew you would yell at me.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

Big Joanie — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 11:52:54 GMT

@chessygal wrote:
I used to donate to Goodwill but not anymore. Ever since I found out that the owner of Goodwill is a millionaire making money off of free stuff, I now donate to Salvation Army.

My daughter and I feel the same way .. we have a thift store

that we donate to that uses the money to help kids aging

out of foster care .. its a problem ...

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

amyb — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:04:10 GMT

@chessygal wrote:
I used to donate to Goodwill but not anymore. Ever since I found out that the owner of Goodwill is a millionaire making money off of free stuff, I now donate to Salvation Army.

@chessygal I've heard that same thing, which makes me squirrely, since then, donating to them. So, I found a church nearby that will take clothing, hats, scarves, sneakers, shoes, purses, toys, stuffed animals, blankets, sheets, but not many other things, particcularly appliances and other home goods. So sometimes I still am just stuck with GW, as that is what's near me. I don't have a Salvation Army place near me...though.....I do think there might be a bin at my waste station....I should check that out...not sure what the bins will allow for drop off.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

amyb — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:11:30 GMT

I really don't, though I'm sure if you're looking for something, like that Le Crueset enameled pot...like new, that's a good find.

I'm in "simplify", "declutter" mode, and have what I need. When I don't, I'm a thrifty shopper with new retail, so I feel I do okay. I don't have the patience or wherewithal to sift through all others stuff, and would be tempted to take home more things I'll want to declutter down the line!

That said, we do have a store, I sometimes say I should go into out of curiosity...as sometimes you can find a "need" appliance or something like that, that's worth it. Just haven't bothered or truly needed anything that bad.

I think there's value in it, and some people truly enjoy the hunt, and are just in a different phase of life, still collecting things. I used to love to "vintage clothing" shop at some cute vintage resale shops we had in the 80s/90s, and when I lived in Manhattan then, it was 'the thing"...and I'd still jump at a vintage 40's dress now...just don't see many of those shops around anymore. You can find that stuff online.

I consign at a shop, and poke around while they check in my goods, but other than a necklace I bought for a gift, never buy anything...never saw anything I really wanted, but either way, my mindset there is to declutter not bring home more!

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

CalminHeart — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:11:09 GMT

We have a number of thrift and consignment shops here. Some of what I have seen these include:

Brahmin and Coach handbags

Waterford

Name brand clothing

Fiestaware

Yeti products

Cuisinart and All Clad cookware

etc.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

charsha — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:27:50 GMT

Since I have been trying to downsize and unclutter, I regularly donate goods to the local SPCA thrift store where the proceeds go to the animals up for adoption, which there are many. However, when I go I am still drawn to "look around" and see what is offered. I have seen some of my items for sale, and they have great prices. I was able to get a set of 4 balloon champagne glasses I was looking to replace, $5. Great find, and I use them instead of my good crystal, so if one gets broken I won't be upset.

I went in a Goodwill in another town on vacation just to see what was in there, and it seemed too chaotic for me to enjoy. Perhaps I will try another one, I can always use a decent bargain finding tops to wear.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

cindyNC — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:33:12 GMT

Our local battered women's shelter runs a furniture store/houseware and clothing/housewares/jewelry that sell donated items to benefit the shelter. I always donate there if my items are in excellent condition.

I've been in both stores and purchased items from them but not in a long long time. The women in the shelter get the first pick. The items displayed are those that are in 'New" condition and they rarely have anything in plus sizes.

Items they can't use are sent to other thrift shops or unusable clothing is sold as rags to a vendor.

Spoke w/the shelter director once who said they needed and had a difficult time getting plus sized clothing.

I worked for one of Warren Buffet's companies and occasionally we would get company tee shirts. I remember a higher up manager saying he saw toll booth cashier wearing a company tee shirt once.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

We rescue cats — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:49:22 GMT

I donated to Goodwill for a very long time but then I saw workers loading coats I had donated earlier in the day into her car. I stopped donating to them and I too give to a women's shelter, YWCA or the St Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. Sheets, blankets and towels go the animal rescue groups and shelters, they are always in need of them.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

beckyb1012 — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:19:09 GMT

I did once probably about 20 years ago. It was the weekend and I really did not want to drive all the way downtown where I worked on Saturday to go to the library. I really need a some books to read. There was a Goodwill store closer so I gave it a shot. I could not believe the selection of hardback and paperbacks they had. Stocked up and went home for my reading time pleasure.

Re: My first time shopping at Goodwill -

wagirl — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:50:00 GMT

Thrifting is HUGE on YouTube!!! HUGE!!!!!! Is fun to watch but I am not a thrifter--have too much of my own stuff to want to buy others stuff--altho--I will look to see if I can find any fiestaware---I also have donated heavily to those stores--many, many really nice things in excellent condition.