Thrifty Finds 2023...

[AuntJamelle]

What are some of your favorite places to score thrifty finds? Do you have strategies for time of day/day of week?

What sort of things do you always buy second-hand or on deep discount? Holiday decor? Home decor? Clothing? Craft supplies?

Don't forget to share any online sources!

What are your recent thrifted finds? All time best finds ever? Has the way you shop thriftily changed over the years?

 

[Lori K]

For gifts for my grandpup (I have no grandchildren), I like Home Goods. I can always find a unique dog toy, treats, and poop bags there at an excellend price -- better than at PetsMart or Pet Supplies Plus. And they're things that are different from the pet supply stores.

Home goods is also good for hostess-type gifts and items to add to a gift basket. They usually have great deals in their clearance aisles to put together a nice gift. And, in recent years, I've not been able to find better pricing on sheets -- and good quality sheets, at that.

I go to Goodwill for canning jars (but I only buy if they're far better than buying a case elsewhere, since I'd still need to buy lids and check my supply of rings). I also keep an eye out for nice cut glass serving bowls that will work if I need extras if using my china, or if I want to make a nice presentation of a dish at a friend's dinner / party and not worry if I get the dish back.

One of my Goodwill stores will occasionally have a nice variety of pieces that match my everyday dishes (Pfalzgraff) and I'll be able to score replacement pieces or other unique pieces that I don't have. A couple of months back, they had soup bowls with a handle (different from the cereal bowls, more like an oversize regular coffee cup), and I picked up 4. They also had a gravy boat that I didn't have and never knew it existed -- just always used my creamer or a cereal bowl. This particular Goodwill also seems to get in a particular brand of top that I like and they're always New With Tag or in like new condition. When I can buy one like new or NWT for $6.99 vs. $35, I'm OK with that. But I am very particular on condition and label for clothing. Note that Goodwill has also started opening Blue boutiques in some locations and, while smaller, they are stocked with excellent quality name brand items. When I was in Florida last year, I bought 2 pair of Chico's slacks NWT for less than 1/4 of retail.

Depending on what consumable goods I need for the hoidays, I may check Party City first, then compare prices (considering quantity) at my local Aldi and/or Meijer. I'll usually buy Vanity Fair equivalent napkins, but in store brand, but I still go name-brand for Chinette plates. I think, for me, it is more of making sure I have a back-up supply on hand and using that during the holidays.

I've often found that Menards has excellent prices on cleaning supplies and paper goods (foil, cling wrap, etc.), and laundry supplies, especially if I can catch one of their 11% Rebate weeks. They also tend to have good holiday goods, too. And, I've regularly (except last year) been able to find my Christmas cards there.

These days, it take a lot to get me into a Target or WalMart, and I'm no longer a "mall" person either. If I have to go to any of those, I'm in and out, with a clear direction in mind. No window shopping for me.

 

[farmerswife]

I love St. Vincent, de Paul thrift stores, for one they don’t spray that Febreze everywhere so I don’t have a headache while I’m shopping. Also, I am able to find Christmas Decor my store has a huge Christmas section. I collect platters and dishes and I’m often able to find something of interest there as well and for my grandson I’m able to find books and toys. I recently converted my old butcher block craft table into a kitchen island, and I was able to find beautiful chair stools for it at Saint Vincents as well. I never know what I’ll find and I try to go every couple weeks love that store.
I too love Menards I go there every couple weeks as well to get my spring water, outdoor garden and patio supplies. I also am able to find great toys there for my grandson who loves trucks right now our Menards have all the toys on sale.
This year I’m doing homemade Christmas gifts, but typically for my daughter, son and son-in-law, they give me a list of what they want, and I usually purchase them online at various stores that they have chosen. But this year I asked them to tell me what they want homemade so that I can support local businesses, by buying my materials locally.

 

[halimer]

I’m with Lori for using Home Goods for doggie items as well as foods for gift baskets, glad/storage ware, towels, etc.

I use DT for most easy to replace decorations; I also make some of my own and keep them from year to year.

 

[AuntJamelle]

I always forget about Home Goods!!! We don't have one on our side of town but it is not that far away! Are they the same company as TJ Maxx? I feel like they have similar products and the price stickers seem to be exactly the same style/look. We do have a TJ's near us and I love it! That is hands down my favorite place to shop the day after Christmas! Cosmetics, Bath & Body, holiday dishes, sheets, gift wrapping, etc. All half off and really nice stuff!

I haven't shopped at Goodwill often - I don't think our stores as nice as others elsewhere, unfortunately.

Where I do end up shopping all the time is the Habitat for Humanity Restore Stores. DH is always wanting to go to them and I tag along and see what I can find in the "home" area of the store. Our local store usually does not have much to pick from. BUT while we were on vacation in TN last week we visited two different Restore stores - DH was excited!

I picked up a nice holiday glass platter, a tiered oval serving platter plate rack and a small pizza cutter for the camper. At the second Restore store they had a TON of Christmas items out - all 50% off. I got a large metal tin, two glass taper candle holders, a glitter snowflake votive candle holder and a decorative tile that matches another I already had in my kitchen - my total? $1.09!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone still go to garage sales? I haven't really found the time for a few years now. Last year I had a friend who worked for an estate sale company and with her reminding me I made it to a few. The last day of the sale was always 50% off so I was able to add some great holiday decor items to my stash for very little.

We also do a lot of shopping at Menards - that would be DH again - but as I am along for the ride I frequently purchase items I find a deal on.

Online I use sites like https://gottadeal.com/ and https://hip2save.com/ when I'm trying to get a deal on a specific item.

I used to love Tuesday Morning but ours was not one of the few kept open after their financial troubles.

 

[Lori K]

I always forget about Home Goods!!! We don't have one on our side of town but it is not that far away! Are they the same company as TJ Maxx? I feel like they have similar products and the price stickers seem to be exactly the same style/look.

It is my understanding that Home Goods, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls are all owned by the same parent company.

 

[farmerswife]

Yes, they are all owned by the same parent company. My daughter often buys me gift cards from them. The card says it is good at HomeGoods, TJ, Maxx, and or Marshals.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

These days, it take a lot to get me into a Target or WalMart, and I'm no longer a "mall" person either. If I have to go to any of those, I'm in and out, with a clear direction in mind. No window shopping for me.

Same here. Since COVID I think I have been to the mall maybe 4 times when Mum and I used to go fortnightly. There is nothing really there that I need. If I do go I take a list and am out really quickly.

 

[Miss JoDee]

I find if I make a list of what I "want" from the store when we are out and about doing errands I find that when I review the list most of it is something I can do without or I found something at home to substitute.

 

[Myron's Mom]

I can’t remember the last time I was in the mall ( we only have one left here). Last year maybe? I don’t like target, was in there last in December to do a Christmas return. Not a fan of Walmart either but our shopping choices are limited so I do go if needed. I really liked Tuesday morning but of course they are gone. Home goods is wonderful but I need to be careful I don’t buy more “stuff” I don’t need. I saw some great gifts after Christmas there but they didn’t fit any of the people I shop for.
I love thrifting and I don’t have a problem buying gifts at the thrift shops if it’s perfect for the recipient. We have a large Mennonite population here so there are several Mennonite thrifts shops. They are clean, well stocked and very reasonably priced ( I just bought a 60$ blouse, new with the tags for 1.50$). Our goodwill shops are pretty nasty here for some reason and overpriced.
Sometimes will hit a garage sale if I happen to see something from the road. We also do auctions. There’s a “junk auction” a few miles from our home. People clean out attics ,basements ,garages , etc. you never know what you’ll find.
I do shop online for some things. I frequently get 40% off coupons from kohls so if I need something (I had to replace my kitchen scale) I’ll get it there.
Critics choice videos is where I buy most of my dvds (we can’t stream here). They frequently have 20% off and free shipping. Plus I don’t have to figure out if dvds are formatted for our region.
Honestly I try not to shop too much any more. We have everything we need and are working on down sizing. We both try to make do or repurpose things we have first then shop if we need to.

 

[missjane]

I grew up in a family that had to watch their spending, so I can honestly say paying full price for anything is something I've seldom done. Shopping in the clothing stores was/is always from the sales racks. Same with shoes. I've had good luck at Academy for tennis shoes, which DH and I both wear for work. I'm more likely to spend full price (or a less reduced price than for myself) for DH on all clothing/shoe items.

There are a lot of consignment shops in Monroe that I look for household things from For clothes, I look at the consignment shop where I put clothes. It's local, in a small village about 18 miles north of us. I look at Big Lots and Dirt Cheap for random items, but I have to be in the right mood for Dirt Cheap! lol I do like shopping at TJ Maxx and Ross Dress for Less. Since I don't go to Monroe often, I don't get to go to them as often as I'd like. They're both stores that are hit and miss, never really knowing what I'll find. I wish we had a Home Goods, but we don't. One store I do shop at in the mall is Belk. It's a Southern based department type store, except they don't sell appliances. It's clothing, shoes, and home goods. They have very good sales, so that's where I go to buy new clothing most of the time. Our Kohl's isn't great, and I wish it were.

I'm forever the bargain shopper, though. DH, on the other hand, runs out and buys on a whim, not really paying attention to price - drives me crazy!

Too bad gasoline doesn't go on sale!! Lol!

Jody, I find the same to be true myself. I often put things in the buggy, shop around, only to go back and put things back thinking I'll be fine without it.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

My two main go to shops are The Reject Shop and Big W. The Reject Shop would I suppose be like your Dollar tree. I can get good quality greeting cards for 75c, household cleaners and some food that is much cheaper than the supermarket. It can be hit or miss but can most times get something that I need.
Big W is a larger department store. It has home goods, clothes, bulk dog food, toys, it is a really well stocked shop. I have a constant wish list on the online portal and when I see something I need at a good price I do an order.

 

[AuntJamelle]

Does anyone else have an Amazon bargain store near them? I know there is one in Indy - I've heard of them elsewhere too.

We had it briefly - it closed and then moved to a new location - just reopened and now it has a slightly different setup.

The old store had a huge space (former grocery store) filled with rows and rows of waist high wooden bins. All of them filled with an ever changing assortment of items from Amazon. Returned items, mostly. Some were damaged in some way.

The big rule was that you were NOT allowed to open any boxes or bags. You would be promptly escorted out of the store if you did so. So you had to try to guess what was in the box without opening it. Not all items were in boxes, plenty were just loose or in clear plastic packaging.

The first day of the sale week they sold whole mystery pallets for a larger amount, second day was electronics - when they sold all the TVs, etc., then it started to be XYZ dollars for every item.

Every day the dollar amount per item went down as selection got more picked over.

Sunday was $5 per item day and the only day I ever went. Monday was $3, Tuesday $2 and Wednesday $1

It was like a garage sale on steriods - you never knew what they would have. Sometimes it was a bunch of Osh Kosh baby clothes, sometimes a ton of Easter egg kits and baskets, sometimes they got way more clothes in, sometimes it was a ton of pet related items or a big wave of housewares - you just never knew!

The new store JUST reopened and DH went last night - he said it seemed like more "defective" items than returns now. But many things could be easily repaired or the packaging was just damaged in some way.

So not sure how great this version of the store is going to be - but I'm hopeful!

 

[Holiday_Mom]

I go to Goodwill for canning jars (but I only buy if they're far better than buying a case elsewhere, since I'd still need to buy lids and check my supply of rings).

I was at a thrift store recently. They were selling used quart size jars with no lids for $5 a piece. Last year I bought a case for $12 or so at Walmart with lids.

Sierra: I like to shop Sierra for hiking and camping gear. They are also owned by the same company as Marshalls, etc. I buy my hiking boots and travel pursese there.

Dollar Tree: Dollar Tree has had some cute home decor there if you want something seasonal.

Hobby Lobby: Last year I tried Hobby Lobby's Christmas wrapping paper when it was 40% off. Wow! That paper was thick compared to what I've been buying for years at Walmart. It was nice for those heavier boxes that need to be transported without ripping. I'm totally buying Hobby Lobby wrapping paper when it's discounted. I've also learned that Hobby Lobby doesn't do a Black Friday sale but it is packed there on Black Friday. If I want something from Hobby Lobby, I go before Black Friday because chances are once it's gone, it's gone.

 

[farmerswife]

Does anyone else have an Amazon bargain store near them? I know there is one in Indy - I've heard of them elsewhere too.

I have never heard of this store. It sounds fascinating!

 

[AuntJamelle]

Wow! That paper was thick

Yeeeessss! Their paper is way nicer than almost anywhere else! I like to look for patterns / colors that can also be used for birthdays and weddings throughout the year - especially if paired with a non Christmas type of ribbon or bow!

Our Dollar Trees are hit and miss as to what kind of stuff they have. There is one about 10 minutes away that usually has a nice selection of holiday and craft items - but not always...

I forgot to mention JoAnn's - they always have a clearance area! Have found some great deals that way! Also, I try to remember to start checking their sales right before/right after each holiday because they start slashing the prices on holiday related items!

 

[Lori K]

I was at a thrift store recently. They were selling used quart size jars with no lids for $5 a piece. Last year I bought a case for $12 or so at Walmart with lids.

Totally agree with your assessment. Some days I can get quarts, pints, and half-pints, often with rings and sometimes with rings and lids, for 99 cents. for larger sizes, if they have a lid and ring, I might go a little higher, but not $2.99. Our cases of new are going around $15 this year for pints, and at least $12 for the half-pint jelly jars. And I always check for chips along the rim, even on those with rings and lids -- have gotten burned at one store, as those are the ones they put the rings on, in hopes of hiding it.

 

[Myron's Mom]

I’ve never heard of the Amazon bargain store. I checked on line but didnt see any around here. We do have something called krazy bins. Which sounds like about the same thing. In some areas goodwill did have some kind of bin stores. Honestly our stores are so gross I wouldn’t want to go there.
I do try to buy on sale. I’ll watch an item and wait if I can. One thing I don’t worry about paying full price is shoes. If I find something that fits I’ll pay full price and buy one of every color. I have such a hard time finding something that fits well I don’t care.

 

[housewife2]

For gifts for my grandpup (I have no grandchildren), I like Home Goods. I can always find a unique dog toy, treats, and poop bags there at an excellend price -- better than at PetsMart or Pet Supplies Plus. And they're things that are different from the pet supply stores.

Home goods is also good for hostess-type gifts and items to add to a gift basket. They usually have great deals in their clearance aisles to put together a nice gift. And, in recent years, I've not been able to find better pricing on sheets -- and good quality sheets, at that.

I go to Goodwill for canning jars (but I only buy if they're far better than buying a case elsewhere, since I'd still need to buy lids and check my supply of rings). I also keep an eye out for nice cut glass serving bowls that will work if I need extras if using my china, or if I want to make a nice presentation of a dish at a friend's dinner / party and not worry if I get the dish back.

One of my Goodwill stores will occasionally have a nice variety of pieces that match my everyday dishes (Pfalzgraff) and I'll be able to score replacement pieces or other unique pieces that I don't have. A couple of months back, they had soup bowls with a handle (different from the cereal bowls, more like an oversize regular coffee cup), and I picked up 4. They also had a gravy boat that I didn't have and never knew it existed -- just always used my creamer or a cereal bowl. This particular Goodwill also seems to get in a particular brand of top that I like and they're always New With Tag or in like new condition. When I can buy one like new or NWT for $6.99 vs. $35, I'm OK with that. But I am very particular on condition and label for clothing. Note that Goodwill has also started opening Blue boutiques in some locations and, while smaller, they are stocked with excellent quality name brand items. When I was in Florida last year, I bought 2 pair of Chico's slacks NWT for less than 1/4 of retail.

Depending on what consumable goods I need for the hoidays, I may check Party City first, then compare prices (considering quantity) at my local Aldi and/or Meijer. I'll usually buy Vanity Fair equivalent napkins, but in store brand, but I still go name-brand for Chinette plates. I think, for me, it is more of making sure I have a back-up supply on hand and using that during the holidays.

I've often found that Menards has excellent prices on cleaning supplies and paper goods (foil, cling wrap, etc.), and laundry supplies, especially if I can catch one of their 11% Rebate weeks. They also tend to have good holiday goods, too. And, I've regularly (except last year) been able to find my Christmas cards there.

These days, it take a lot to get me into a Target or WalMart, and I'm no longer a "mall" person either. If I have to go to any of those, I'm in and out, with a clear direction in mind. No window shopping for me.

Love home goods for gifts and myself too.

 

[Lori K]

I know this started out as a thread about stores with good deals. But wanted to share this info re: groceries. Just a couple of tips I learned today during my grocery shop.

When seeing a great sale price, be sure to check to check the "best by" or "use/freeze by" dates -- there are some good buys, if you can accommodate those dates. I have ground beef on my "stock up" list for the freezer -- chili, sloppy joes, casseroles, meatloaf are all on regular rotation here during the winter months. Meijer had their 1# ground beef chubs on sale for $1.49, whereas their regular ground beef packages were runing $4.49# and up. Uhhhh ... too good to be true? Checked the package and 8/26/2023 (today) is the "use/freeze by" date. Bought 3 and tonite I will divide them into 1/2# vacu-seal packages for the freezer. I would have bought a couple more, but I have to clean out / organize / inventory my freezer before I can add much more. But I do know I am out of ground beef.

I happened to see a lot of red shelf tags calling out prices -- typically used for their on-sale price, and placed directly below the shelf tag. For many items, the shelf price and the red tag price was the same. On closer inspection, it was not a sale tag, but a "new low price" tag, leading me to believe they've just raised the price and this will be what we should expect to pay going forward. Nope, not me. I made note on my list of that new price and will wait for a sale or find it at a better price at a different store -- need to do my research on some of these. I don't mind a small increase, but some of these were $0.25 or more higher than before.

Eggs are seeming to remain low ($1.19) -- even for organic ($1.79). The meat case (other than the ground beef special), deli cheese, cold cuts, spreads, and deli salads have not come down. I'll continue to make my own deli-equivalent mac salad and coleslaw and use up leftovers for lunch.

For much of my shopping today -- and because of what I was seeing, if it seemed to be a good / decent price and in a food category that may be going up -- especially on items that typically do NOT go on sale during the holidays, I bit the bullet and purchased at least one for the pantry, on the chance that they will be adding more "new low price" tags. Seems like it just never ends!!!!!