By ERIN TURNER
About 8 years ago I hesitantly ventured into my first thrift store. After an hour of acting like a kid in a candy store, I left with sacks full of incredible finds and deals.
The item that converted me into a thrift store shopping junkie was a pair of brand, spankin’ new Ralph Lauren loafers which retailed for $90 and I paid a whopping 90 cents! I was overwhelmingly in love with this kind of shopping and have never looked back!
Thrift store shopping is a total adventure every time. You never know what you’ll find. We have encountered items like leather coats, snowmobile suits, dresses, suits, snow boots, and Northface ski jackets. We’ve also founds ome great vintage wear items for our “dress up bin” and lots of household items. You need to be open-minded and a little creative when you shop at thrift stores.
Our family loves going thrift store shopping together. We frequent the stores here in Missoula regularly but once a year we venture over to a thrift store in Spokane for their 99 cent Monday sale.
This past spring break we did our annual trip to Spokane for the Mecca of deals. We roused our boys at daybreak so we could make it to the store as it opened. Once inside we do “the split,” this is where my husband heads to the men’s area to look for vintage items, snowmobile suits, wet suits, and other novelty items.
Our boys always head to the toys first and then to the sporting goods. Me? I like browsing through the housewares first before tackling the clothing challenge. I look for baskets to use when I give gifts, canning jars, home decor items, seasonal items, items I can use in the greenhouse or barn, good bakeware or stainless steel pots with lids. I also love looking through the linens. I have found some absolutely stunning tablecloths and table runners for — you know it — 99 cents!
Once I’m done in housewares, I head to the clothing. I’m always stocking up on the next size for my oldest son. This trip I lucked out and found about 8 pairs of super nice jeans and khakis all for 99 cents each. I’ll tuck these away for when school starts in the fall. Plus, a few needed sweatshirts, polo shirts, and dress pants for the other two boys. I was also on the hunt for a lightweight rain jacket. Low and behold, I found it!
Many times when you have a specific item you want or need, it isn’t always easy to find. That’s why it’s important to start your shopping trip with a loose plan of what you’re shopping for, but you’ll want to remain flexible and patient.
Finally, we moved to the front of the store with all our carts and checked out. Wanna know the average price per item for which we paid? $1.25! That was for name brand items which have very little wear and one item still had the retail tags!
For a growing family of boys, this is the most cost effective way to keep them in clothing. Some people think wearing thrift store clothing isn’t stylish but you tell me if these boys aren’t hip and cool? Just because you’re saving outrageous amounts of money on clothing which have been worn a time or two (or sometimes never) doesn’t mean you sacrifice style and class.
Over the years, shopping at thrift stores has saved us virtually thousands of dollars. Our budget for clothing is very minimal today thanks to thrift store shopping. Plus, we wear high quality, name-brand items which we would’ve never purchased for full price at a retail store.
You can also feel good about shopping at thrift stores because they all support various local causes/non-profit organizations! In addition, it is the ultimate in recycling and reusing. As the saying goes: one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Shopping at thrift stores is a win-win for everyone; those who donate, those who shop, the community and the environment, too!
Missoula has many different thrift stores. Here is a list of some of them: Missoula 3:16 Thrift Boutique, Goodwill, Teen Challenge, Secret Seconds (2 locations) and Bargain Corner. All of these stores offer various sales and deals each week. Just ask what they are when you walk in. It really is worth your while to venture into a thrift store and check them out!
Do you shop Thrift Stores in Missoula? If so inquiring minds want to know, which is your favorite? And scroll down to the comment section below and tell us about some of your thrift store finds!
Back to the Save It blog home page. AND, be sure to check out the “Missoula Save it Club” on the home page of MakeItMissoula.com (See the Daily Missoula Fix buttons in the left navigation bar) for savings updates throughout the week!
Click here to see the Coupon Queen’s “Save It” archive.
****************
Erin Eisenman-Turner is proud to be a native Missoulian. Along with her husband and three sons, they raise chickens, pigs, rabbits, and vegetables at Turner Family Farms in the Orchard Homes area. When the farm chores are done, the coupons clipped and the blog written, you can find Erin exploring Montana, collecting antiques and trying to maintain a well-run, happy and organized home for her family.
I love Thrift Stores!My favorite in Missoula are Teen Challenge and Bargain Corner. My best thrift score: a LeCruset Pot for under $20. And too many shoes, boots and clothes to even mention!
Like
2
What a great score on the pot….oh, I’m a little jealous!
Way to go!
Like
2
Austin only has 2 but I travel to Rochester where I find the cleanest store & nicest people at Goodwill. I go on Thursdays when youth clothing is 50% off their already low prices. I am in the hunt constantly for hiking boots & zip up sweatshirts for the boys. I like to go to the book section first but i seem to detour to the houseware first. I have looked for certain items for years – I find that I need a purpose to justify going in but I usually find way more than I need – dress clothes for the boys & even me are usually the best deals. I always feel compelled to donate my items to the same store but I usually take them to the church first for the annual rummage sale (which is tomorrow). i try to hit the area’s church sales as I know the money goes to a good cause & i find awesome vintage relgious decorations.
Do you feel compelled to tell someone – anyone about your deal of the trip? I find myself so excited about a deal I call my husband who just smiles and says “You go girl, keep saving us money, honey”
BTW – Ted & oldest discussed doing a whole month on just bean/rice meals and track how much we save on our grocery budget. not sure how they will track it but the conversation was pretty amazing! Love teaching the non-academic stuff! Enjoy your finds and keep bloggin’
Like
1
I shop so exclusivel at second-hand stores that a recent trip to the mall was kinda shocking, actually.
WHO pays 70 dollars for a shirt?????????????
Oh, don’t get me started.
Well, I AM started:
Here are the things I buy new:
1. jeans (because finding a great pair 2nd hand happens SO rarely and I will wear them until they fall apart.)
2. underwear (for the whole fam, cause, well, you never know.)
3. work pants for my husband (see #1.)
4. swimsuits (see #2.)
5. shoes for my husband. He wears a size 15.
Other than that, I’d rather get it second hand.
The thing about shopping second-hand, maybe especially in Missoula, a town with a high percentage of people living well while living lightly, is that it is very time consuming!!! I try to cruise the 2nd hand stores at least every couple weeks.
It’s one thing to make a special trip to buy whatever bargains strike you.
It’s another thing to attempt to keep your family clothed (and feel moderately like no one would ever know) with almost no “new” clothing purchases.
Like
4
I hear ya, Grace…the mall sends shivers down my spine! LOL! I agree about having a tough time basing an entire family’s wardrobe on the local thrift stores…that is why we make a once of year trek over to Spokane. It helps supplement what I can’t get here! And I totally agree about the underwear…..!
Like
3
We refer to our Thrift Store expeditions as “Goodwill Hunting”
Love a good bargain and always on the lookout for old cast iron cookware!
Like
4
went to the church rummage today b/f work and we had a conversation about thirt stores so I mentioned my old home town connection – Erin’s blog and then stated that everything I was wearing was from 2nd hand stores after I got the job last July. I wasn’t looking for a job so I wasn’t prepared & this one is only 9hrs/wk but I still felt I needed nicer clothes to wear than my “mom jeans & t-shirt”. I d/n want to spend my whole paycheck on one outfit so I drove 45min to the larger town & spent the day trying on just bottoms…scored 5 pairs pants, 1 pair shoe, 2 suit jackets & a blouse for under $35. I felt proud to know that I d/n spend $60 on ONE pair of bottoms or a shirt or even shoes.
I won’t buy used “delicates” as my kids call them – not even socks but i know some people who do. that sends shivers down my spine!
Happy Frugalling my friends in Missoula!
PS – as i straightened the men’s table at the church rummage I found 3 polos & a pair of dress pants for the hubby that had already been hemmed to his length (we are a short family). Hubby was excited to see my finds & thanked me for thinking of him & our budget during my “shopping spree”. We just bought new dress shoes for him & he was feeling a little depressed about the price (even tho they were on sale of course). Love it when we are all happy!
Like
1
[...] our house and I feel strongly about having quality running shoes for my kids. As you know from my thrift store blog, most of my kids’ clothing is from thrift stores. But come track season, you’ll find me in a [...]
Like
0
[...] tips teach you how to choose vintage men suitsOnline Stores of up to Find Variety about AttiresThrift Store Shopping ul.legalfooter li{ list-style:none; float:left; padding-right:20px; } .accept{ display:none; [...]
Like
0