become an expert thrift store shopper

Looking at the spoils of my last thrifting excursion (a gorgeous tea-set for ten bucks, a floor-length jean skirt for seven, earings for 50 cents, some lovely material, and a hardcover book by an author I love for two bucks) I’m willing to call this goal achieved. grin I love thrift stores!

I can take you to just about every thrift store, consignment shop within a hundred miles of my home! lol I love the thrill of finding a bargain. I also truly believe there is just TOO MUCH STUFF in the world, so if I can find something and reuse it I’d rather do that than add to frontline commercialism. Many times I can walk through a store without buying a thing and still have great time; you just never know what you might find. Reminds me of searching through the “dollar boxes” of junk my Dad would bring home from our local auction.
My last purchase was a really nice roasting pan which would have cost me $20-30 dollars at the a store, which I got for $1.99, about the same as it cost to buy a disposable pan from the grocery store.
I joke that my home is decorated in “early salvation Army”. lol But I am fine with that. It’s only stuff! And I honestly would prefer to spend the money I save on more important things…like ways to connect with those I love.

Found a cashmere sweater in perfect condition for $20 recently. It’s kind of amazing. If only I had more time to go to thrift stores. They’re all across town from where I live. =(

I love thrift stores! This last time I bought 3 shirts, a really nice teal jacket, a 2,500 piece puzzle, and ear warmers all for a grand total of $4! Weee! But alas, still no ‘outfit’ completed. Once I go into the city and shop at the bigger thrift store I’ll have a bigger selection of shoes and accessories. I don’t want to settle for shoes I sorta-kinda like. When I shop at thrift stores something has to really jump out at me for me to buy it. I’m like that w/ bigger retail stores too though. Anyway, probably just one more trip and I’ll be able to check this goal as done.

• skirt or pants: I’ll start w/ this and work my way from there
• shirt: most likely a t-shirt but we’ll see
• heels or shoes: in fairly good shape but I’ve been wanting to spray paint some heels a funky fun color, but this all depends on if the shoes would match the rest of my outfit.
• accessories: necklace (depends on the cut of the shirt around the neck—crew neck=tighter necklace…v-neck=looser necklace), bracelets, earrings, just whatever type of jewelry I think will work.

Now that I’ve overanalyzed all of that crap! lol. But next time I go to the city (since they have a bigger thrift store there) I’ll hit up Value Village. I’ll have to take a picture and show you guys what I come up with.

Too bad I don’t live closer to a thrift store because I would sooo be one of those people who come every other day scouting out the good finds. I’ve found some good stuff in the past but I would say I was just lucky since I don’t go that often. I think it takes a lot of practice to become an “expert” thrift store shopper. I think I’ll know it when it happens.