topic Re: Thrifting in Community Spirit

Thrifting

jessicadazzler97 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 02:48:43 GMT

Thoughts?

Yes? No?

What was your best bargain? Or do you avoid thrifting?

Re: Thrifting

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 02:53:43 GMT

I bought a pair of purple hornies once, that had been used at least two times.........for five bucks.

Re: Thrifting

imastawka — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 02:59:42 GMT

Strange terminology. Op shopping here.

Are we talking re-selling?

Bought a pin dish for 50c. Turned out to be an experimental

dish by Moorcroft.

Sold it for $50. Antique dealer called me back in to pay me

an extra $50 - customer was so happy apparently.

50c = $100

Re: Thrifting

jessicadazzler97 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 03:03:05 GMT

Wow, that's very impressive!

And yeah, sorry for the confusion. I generally was talking about charity shops/thrift stores, but I guess it could just as easily apply to buying stuff cheap on eBay.

Re: Thrifting

joa_ell — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 03:25:30 GMT

Do you mean shopping at thrift stores? There are only two in the area where I live, and I would give them both a low rating on deals and selection of needed items. I bought a couple of things recently, past couple of days, where I paid more than I wanted to only because I didn't want to wait for a better deal to happen by.

I bought a pair of shoes almost a year ago, but only started wearing them last month. The bottom came loose, unglued or something. The store wouldn't take them back but did try to sell me glue to fix them as they still look new. I might buy the glue and try to repair the shoes, but not at that store.

Hard to say what the best bargin I found would be. No one wants to pay more than they have to, often they unknowingly spend more in time and effort in the search, than they would if they just took the fastest and most direct course. Hope this helps and remember, you can't take it with you.

Re: Thrifting

serendipityricho — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 03:44:09 GMT

Thrift or oppo shop ..same thing.

Have picked up some very good art works and books over 50 years ferreting.

Not mentioning values--but keeps me going in retirement.........Richo////.

Re: Thrifting

ecar3483 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 04:32:14 GMT

There was a time, in my youth, when I considered myself too sophisticated to shop in places "like that", when I'd sneer at the idea of "second hand". (I was so full of my own opinions of what was "right" that I'm surprised, in hindsight, that anyone could have stood my company).

Then I discovered poverty, and with that came humility, and the biting need of necessity.

Perversely, perhaps, I think my best bargain was a one eyed teddy bear who came home and was fitted with an eye patch, and named Travis (an obscure reference to a character in a late 70's BBC science fiction story).

Not, perhaps, a necessity, but then maybe companionship is a necessity in itself.

Charity shops are a gold mine, not only for the bargains to be had, but for the quiet observation of the people who shop there.

There's the youngsters buying 'retro' clothes because they're fashionable, the bargain hunters, and every so often there's the people who buy knitted jumpers to unpick them, and re-knit them, and they are the truly poor, the people who are most deserving of charity.

Op shops, thrift shops, they're interesting places. There's a time in my life when they were 'the mall".

I have walked a mile in another man's shoes - they cost me $5 but they were worth every cent.

Re: Thrifting

bright.ton42 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 05:30:06 GMT

That's a great post ecar. Beautifully written. I hope you still have Travis.

Re: Thrifting

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 06:10:44 GMT

A friend bought a watch for $10 in a Savers store.

Turns out to be an IWC, only handmade watch in the world. Worth thousands.

Re: Thrifting

jessicadazzler97 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 06:12:11 GMT

Seriously? If you're not pulling my leg, that's very cool... 😛

Re: Thrifting

ecar3483 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 06:21:19 GMT

I've made the arrangements, when the time comes and I'm to be cremated, he's one of my companions who will join me and we will be together until the stars no longer shine.

Re: Thrifting

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 06:33:21 GMT

That's a fair dinkum story.

Can't imagine that will happen too often though.

The watch wasn't working properly but he spent 100 on having it serviced and now has a rare vintage watch.

Re: Thrifting

lionrose.7 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 06:45:14 GMT

I bought a green eye wash glass once from OP shop for a $1, put on ebay for $19, sold on ebay to a American for $258, I thought it was a mistake but it all had to do with the makers mark.

Did not even have to post to USA buyer had a agent in NSW.

I love op shops and can not go past one.

Re: Thrifting

ten*teeny*tiny*toes — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 07:24:21 GMT

I've been an op shop snob and an op shop junkie.

I still don't like the 'smell' though.

Re: Thrifting

jessicadazzler97 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 08:15:45 GMT

Thats amazing. Just shows you can find everything at thrift shops 🙂

Re: Thrifting

lionrose.7 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:07:29 GMT

Wonderful some times what you can find Jess, I wanted a curtain for the side Garage door, walked into the local community op shop and there was a new curtain perfect size for $4 a real bargain.

Re: Thrifting

chuk_77 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:16:54 GMT

♪♪Savin' my money and I'm hella happy that's a bargain, b
I'm a take your grandpa's style, I'm a take your grandpa's style,
No for real - ask your grandpa - can I have his hand-me-downs? (Thank you)
Velour jumpsuit and some house slippers
Dookie brown leather jacket that I found diggin'
They had a broken keyboard, I bought a broken keyboard
I bought a ski blanket, then I bought a kneeboard
Hello, hello, my ace man, my Mello
John Wayne ain't got nothing on my fringe game, hell no
I could take some Pro Wings, make them cool, sell those
The sneaker heads would be like "Aw, he got the Velcros♪♪

What goes through my head when someone calls an Op shop a thrift shop 😕

Re: Thrifting

serendipityricho — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:22:12 GMT

Chuk---one day i hope you go into an oppo shop and get a

biscuit tin full of rare Smurfs ..for a dollar...................................Richo.

ps-i keep looking out for you.

Re: Thrifting

chuk_77 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:25:17 GMT

i wish richo!!

That would be great. Never see them in oppies or markets and th eone I do find have bits missing and the wallys call them mint

Re: Thrifting

jessicadazzler97 — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 11:10:31 GMT

Chuk... well me being a little British lass, I prefer to call them charity shops, but you can't go 'charitying'... you can, however, go thrifting!