Monday, July 13, 2009

100th post AND Secret 6: I'm a thrift store mommy



This is a 30 Secrets in 30 Days AND it's my 100th post. I thought about making #100 something extra and all by itself but I think this secret is special since it's something that I share with all of my sisters and my mother.

Secret 6: I'm a thrift store mommy. Yeah, that's right. My kids own a LOT of stuff from Goodwill and St Vincent's and other thrift stores. I buy clothes, toys, sometimes furniture and a LOT of books. My kids don't yet understand that the stuff is used, or care that it is. When I was younger, but older than my kids are now, I was mortified to walk in there. It wasn't until after I moved out that I was able to see the value in thrift stores. The kids haven't yet figured out that some kids at school don't think it's cool and I'm not telling. Apparently credit card companies don't like it when you shop there either so I now pay cash or use debit only.

There are a few things that I won't buy there, of course, like underwear and shoes. And stuffed animals for the kids. The reason I won't buy stuffed animals is that my older sister, Middle-Middle, taught her dog that stuffed animals which smell like thrift stores are the dogs' toys, which I think was pretty brilliant really. I allow my dog the same rule because he ONLY chews on the animals with that scent. This way the stuffed animals that smell like the kids or like new don't smell like 'his' and he doesn't chew up their stuff, EVER.

My number one favorite thing to buy there is books. Today I got 27 books for the kids for $25 compared to an average of $5/children's book at a regular store which would have cost over $135. And, since I'm buying used preowned stuff I'm also helping to keep things out of landfills and help the environment. Yay, thrift stores!

8 comments:

  1. I love thrift stores too and books are the best thing to get there because sometimes people have written interesting things in them and I often think of all the people who have the book before me.

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  2. I love thrift stores, there's always something interesting just waiting to be found.

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  3. Thrift stores are the best..especially for books! Our school does a book sale each year...everyone donates their used books and the PTA gets the profits...I bought 25 books for $12.50!!! Whoop whoop!

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  4. Oh I think I need to start going to the thrift stores now. I already go to the used book store for books for myself and my son...great deal you got on books too!!!

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  5. Congrats on 100! And a great secret. Here's a secret from me, a bonus, it's taken me a LONG time to be ok with hand me downs and 2nd hand stuff. I'm not sure why...I come from a poor background, money was very very tight when I was young. I'm fortunate to be comfortable financially, and I guess I was making my point by buying everything new and 'the best' when I first had children.

    These days I'm cool. the library is my friend. Handme downs rock. But I could never, like you, go with 2nd hand shoes, soft toys, underwear ... think that's it though? Other than that everything is fair game!

    Second hand books are a real favourite for me, not least because you find out of print stuff that is charming! x

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  6. I'm still learning about the whole thrift store thing, but if 'thrift' is in the name I usually wont go in. I have no idea why. I'm trying tho. In fact went to goodwill a few months ago and saw an old dress of mine. Made me laugh, almost wanted to buy it back, but I didn't.
    I like to get books there tho because I like to pretend to alter them. I say pretend cuz I suck at being artsy, but I try.

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  7. I'm loving doing this too - some times I find nothing but sometimes I can hit the jackpot

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  8. congrats on reaching 100!

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