Yard Sale/Thrift Shop Savings Thread

[yamnan]

When I moved from FL to GA, I had NO winter clothes. I now have a great wardrobe of sweaters and slacks, ( designers & LL Bean-type quality) thanks to garage sales and thrift stores and I paid very little. My best find of all time was a piece of Murano glass - the ones that look like a goldfish in a bag of water. It weighs a ton and it's signed. I paid $25 but later found it in a collectors magazine for $600. WoooooooHoooooo!

[angela2678]

I love Ben Stein (actor/political speech writer/brilliant guy). My hubby stopped at our favorite thrift store last week and just happened to find a like-new hardback of Stein's most recent book for 25 cents. When he brought it home to me, I started flipping through it. What do you think we found on the title page? That's right: Ben Stein's autograph. :-)

[Sylvia]

LOL awesome! I always go to the book sections at thrift shops and such. I've found brand new copies of cookbooks (I'm crazy about cookbooks)

Sunday I "dropped" in on a Garage Sale... found a cool summer dress .50 and a watering wand for .25. Nice to have something different if not new.

[royalrouseau]

I am a big bargain hunter. My sister in law introduced me to thrift stores when my DD was born. I can't believe I lived so long without them. My best purchase was for an old volvo. they marked it down everyweek until it was 300.00. They thought the clutch had gone out on it. My dad fixed a cable for 80.00 and off we went. Six months later, someone rear ended me and pulled the bumper off. The insurance company totaled it out. They gave me 5000.00 and let me keep the car. I smiled all the way to the bank. The stores in my small town recieve alot of stuff from Target. Often, with the tags still on it. I buy most everything out of season. This month I bought bookbags, swimsuits, and quite a few toys for my gift closet. All new and unopened.

[Sylvia]

yeah baby! Back in another life and in Oregon I used to go to "Sally's boutique" all the time (Salvation Army) and this other store that was great for special things. They had business suits... nice ones... like $300 Gloria Vanderbilt suits for $20. I don't know how many I got... but it was awesome.

The trick is to go often.

Here in Idaho the shops aren't so great. The stuff that's my size is usually really well worn or stained up.... so I go for books etc.

[floridafinn]

The key is to look for old at flea markets. I buy bubble glass, buy it for a 1.00 ebay it, I live in Palm Beach County so all my Louis, Prada are under 10.00 I go when they have sales and they really have sales PM me if you are in the Palm Beach area I will let you know where to go.
Also we have AWESOME flea markets here...Hope to hear from some of you We have the rehab thrift, the cancer thrift, the world thrift for vets, the abused womans' thrift, get it? But what you get is the Louis, Channel, Gucci, the Lilly Ps for almost nothing.

[angela2678]

Originally Posted by royalrouseau

The insurance company totaled it out. They gave me 5000.00 and let me keep the car. I smiled all the way to the bank.

That's AMAZING. I think you get the prize for making the biggest profit off a secondhand find!