I have bought my children's clothes from yard sales, and thrift stores for years. Not too long ago, my 19-year-old son came to me and asked if I wanted to go to the thrift store with him, and told me that he was hunting for clothes. While I was busy gathering my "treasures", Phillip went clothes shopping. He got 4 pairs of pants, and 5 shirts for $35.00, all name-brand items.
In these days of peer-pressure, I was proud of him for realizing that he could get so much more value for his money by buying used; he probably could not have gotten one complete outfit if he had gone to a retail store. Phillip learned his lesson well!
Too bad my sons have yet to catch on to thrift shopping! And it isn't only good clothes at excellent prices: Hubby and I recently found two like-new, expensive-looking dining room chairs for $3 each at our local St Vincent de Paul thrift store. We're currently on the lookout for a better recliner for hubby - I'd rather pay $15 or $25 there than ten times that at a retail store! The benefits also don't stop at a great bargain: the more we support charitable thrift shops, the more these same charities can help the needy. Keeping good used items out of the landfill only sweetens the deal. No matter what you need, you'll want to ask the clerks for what you need; they always love to help. The fitting rooms aren't fancy, but who cares when you can get a nearly-new outfit for pennies on the dollar?For larger items (like the Craftmatic bed I recently bought,) they deliver for a nominal fee. Happy thrift shopping to you and your son!
By HaleyP (Guest Post)
12/18/2008
I raised my kids the same way. They couldn't wait to go shopping at goodwill, salvation army or yardsales. I have very well dressed kids! Brand name items only at dirt cheap prices. They are in their 20's now and still bargain shop!
By
12/15/2008
Hurrah for you and your son. My wife shopped quite a lot at yard sales when our four children were young and continued the trend with the grandkids. Now our daughters shop at the yard sales and thrift shops. Our eldest daughter has two she shops at, one that is run by the PTO, and one on the base they are assigned to. My grandson did his school shopping at the resale shop on the base and was outfitted for pretty much the entire year for less than 70.00. The economy will drive more to the resale shops thus keeping so much good stuff out of the landfills.