Saturday, October 29, 2011

Like shopping, but not spending money?

Me too!  And most everyone probably.  Fortunately, there are lots of cheap options for us.  Yard saling is one of Brad, Joseph, and my favorite pastimes.  Sometimes we go all out; find them listed on craigslist, MapQuest ‘em, head over at opening and FIND TREASURES!  Town-wide sales are fun and annual fundraisers are great.  I am a little sad about the end of yard sale season, but realized we have enough thrifty options to make up for it.  So I decided to make a list!

Thrifty shopping favorites:

1) Yard sales

2) Craigslist:  We are always checking this.  Great for buying and selling.  

3) HOPE:  Used to be ACCAG, housed in a complex of local non-profits, just one part of which is a resale shop.  You can donate ANYTHING and find lots of treasure for really cheap.  My primary source for books (I love used book stores as well, but am almost too cheap for them.  HOPE is cheaper.)  And the money goes to the charities and it is staffed by participants in the programs. 

4) Junebug: Local children’s store, same idea as Once Upon a Child, but cheaper, friendlier, in Middlebury, accept more items, and proceeds go to charity.

5) Neat Repeats, Your Turn, and Sweet Charity:  More awesome local non-profit thrift shops.

6) Ebay:  I have just started using this myself.  My first score was 22 Berenstein Bear books for $7 plus $5 shipping.  I’ve been coveting a collection such as this since, well, since I was a child.  Joseph’s xmas present!

7) Friends:  We trade and hand stuff down all the time!  Sadly Joseph has outgrown Wyatt, our best source of hand-me-downs.  But now we are getting them from my cousins.

1 comment:

JG said...

I love your thrifty blog post, and we are also total fans of the thrift stores and consignment shops! I do find yard sales awkward. Travis is good at them though! I also tend to buy clutter at yard sales, which really disappoints me. I think I have bad yard sale luck??? Everyone else seems to be able to find amazing treasures that make their homes look more martha stewart-y! I find junk that makes my house look like it belongs to a frazzled cat-lady! Haha. I think that I have to also admit that I can be a total "sucker shopper." I totally overspend when it comes to Sophia! So here's a little list of places where I have no resistance, frequently shop, and should learn to stay away from: 1. GYMBOREE (bad! Bad! Bad!) 2. Wizard of Kids (a children's boutique) 3. GAP kids 4. Melissa and Doug products from ANY store 5. Target and Walmart!!! We went grocery shopping at Walmart last month and came out with a "power wheels" car! (Ok - so part of the problem is that I buy her everything I wanted as a kid!). AGGGHHHH!!!! Save me, my thrifty friend!!!

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