The nation is in debt.
You are in debt.
Pretty much everyone is in debt and will be for a good portion of living...
Okay so minus the times when mania sets in and I go on a little spree....I do most of my shopping secondhand. Whether this being Craigslist, Ebay, and most importantly...thrift stores! I'm also a tad bit of a clearance freak.
I'm still baffled when I meet people who really have no insight on thrifting. Did you know that some things you can get for a better deals at a different thrift store? This is one thing I have noticed over the years...so let me attempt to break it down for you.
Sioux Falls has a handful of secondhand shops.
-Goodwill
-Savers
-Y-buys
-Salvation Army
-St Vincent Depaul
I'm not a big fan of cosignments...for example theres a gift/antique place on 10th and Bahnson. I've been there maybe a handful of times. And although I have previously found good deals at Plato's Closet I rarely go there anymore.
BEST PLACE FOR....
*Furniture?
Goodwill-Yes, a wide variety of good deals from end tables to dressers. They are clearly marked and usually in decent shape.
Savers-No. This place went down hill a couple of years ago because they started jacking up prices. Most are not in the best condition for what theyre asking for anyway.
Y-buys-Maybe. Unless its a 50% off day or you get lucky I really havent seen any good deals. My boyfriend on the other hand claims he has seen some. I have however noticed they are in pretty good shape.
Salvation Army-Yes. Good prices and good condition.
St Vincent Depaul-Sometimes. There has been times where I can find really good deals and then see them trying to sell a coffee table for $50.
*Work Clothes?
Goodwill-Yes. Mainly because all of their shirts, pants, etc are all priced same according to their categories.
Savers-Possibly. If you want to overpay when you're thrifting go for it.
Y-buys-Sometimes. Pricing is an issue sometimes.
Salvation Army-Yes. Cheap prices, but condition isnt always the greatest. That isnt really a big concern if your clothes are going to get dirty.
St Vincent Depaul-YES YES YES. Hands down best place to get clothes you dont have to worry about ruining! Men's shirts are $1. Self explanatory.
*Good Clothes?
Goodwill-Yes. About a year or two ago they followed in Saver's footsteps and started arranging by sizes. I personally find most of my clothes here.
Savers-No. Correct me if Im wrong but I think they stopped doing their special where they would have a certain color tag 50% off. All of their brand names are jacked up. However, if you're celebrating homecoming week or a little contest in the office, this is a good place because they organize by color last time I checked.
Y-buys-Yes. This is where I found my senior prom dress for $10. Clothes are in good condition and organized by size.
Salvation Army-Sometimes. Prices are good, but the clothes arent in the best condition.
St Vincent Depaul-Possibly. I havent explored here for good clothes mainly because its not open on the weekends and its on the other side of town.
Misc
(Hardware pieces, lamps, nuts and bolts type stuff)
Goodwill-Yes. I really like their "junk" bin. Its just full of stuff that doesnt have a specific area to go. Ive found some nice curtain hold backs before.
Savers-No. Again...overpriced most of the time.
Y-buys-Yes. Good pricing but a small selection.
Salvation Army-Yes. I have found tools here and lighting.
St Vincent Depaul-Yes. Decent selection size and good prices.
*Toys
Goodwill-Yes. Good selection with good prices.
Savers-No. Overpriced.
Y-buys-Possibly. They have a very small selection of toys, havent really seen too much with pricing.
Salvation Army-Maybe. Small selection but good pricing.
St Vincent Depaul-Maybe. Again, small selection but good pricing.
*Linens
Goodwill-Yes. Pricing is great because all sheets are the same price...same with comforters, etc. Organized and usually in good condition.
Savers-No. Overpriced.
Y-buys-Yes. In the past couple of months I have noticed they have been doing better at pricing. Large selection.
Salvation Army-Sometimes. Okay pricing and small selection.
St Vincent Depaul-Yes. Just like GW they have flat rate pricing. Decent size selection and it is pretty organized.
Decor
All of the above rate about the same in this category.
***
Please make sure to clean the areas marked with an *
Hard toys: Bleach and water solution. Let air dry.
Linens: Wash in hot water. If item is delicate then dry clean. If it is also smaller you can put it in a bag and freeze it for 24 hours. This will kill any dust mites and bed bugs.
Stuffed animals: Freeze in a bag for 24 hours.
Clothes: Wash as directed.
Furniture: Spray with lysol. If you have a covered porch and its cold enough outside...leave it for 24 hrs covered in plastic. Renting a carpet cleaner and using the hose attachment never hurts either.
What's Missing?
Personally I do not buy undergarments such as bras, underwear, boxes, etc. second hand. I also rarely buy electronics(cd players, phones, etc). But, to each their own!
TIPS
Monday mornings are the best time to thrift because usually churches or organizitions have dropped stuff off on Sunday night. Also the weekends are pratically the only time to go through and figure out what crap you're giving away ;)
Bring all forms of payment. Some places only accept cash or check(Salvation Army). While others cannot take checks but can do cash and cards.(most of the above).
Be prepared to stay a bit. Its addicting. Plus it can take awhile to go through the whole store! I can easily throw away a whole hour lunch in Goodwill.
Hopefully this post has given some people an insight into the great world of thrifting!
