Thrifting

This weekend, I rediscovered the joys of thrift store shopping.

It was part necessity (serious lack of fundage) and part not wanting to spend $15 (and that's freaking CHEAP anymore) on a new pair of jeans when I plan on losing more weight.

The solution? Goodwill of course. Goodwill is a treasure hunter's paradise. You do have to go in patient, willing to sift through 100s of pieces of clothing you don't want or couldn't fit into to find that perfect item. But you can do it.

And you can do it a heck of a lot cheaper than $15 for a pair of jeans. At Goodwill (at least in Louisville) jeans will run you $3 a pair. If I'd found 'em, I could've gotten five pairs of jeans for what one new pair would've cost me at a "discount" store like Walmart (patooey!).

With my husband's help, we sifted through what had to be about 300 pairs of jeans and found five pair that purported to be my size. It took some time to find them, and in the end only three would come home with me. But he found a pair, too. Four pairs of pants: $12. While I sorted through slacks, he sifted through the used books lining one wall, and found two. At 50-cents each, our total increased to just $13.

After trying on the pants, we wandered around, winding up near a coat rack, where I found a groovy, mildly retro denim jacket that fit wonderfully. Jackets at Goodwill? $5 ($15 for leather or suede). We're up to $18.

As we worked our way back toward the front of the store, I passed a couple of sweaters on the "tops" rack that looked interesting. I tried them on, deemed them most excellent. At $2 each, our total increased to $22. More on one of the sweaters in a minute.

We wandered through the shelves of kitchen goods - trust me, you never know what you'll find (I once found a sewing machine made in the 1930s in a Salvation Army thrift store, got it for $25!) — and found a whisk. You can stop laughing. Our small whisk broke a couple of months ago, and this was a timely find, ~$1.50.

Grand total for four pair of pants, two tops, a denim jacket, two books and a whisk? $23.50. Less than what two pair of new jeans would've cost me.

We got our haul home, and started putting things in various baskets for washing, and I pulled out the heavy duty wool sweater (it'll be great for cool weather camping!!!). It's an Abercrombie & Fitch (whoopty) sweater. This sucker had to have cost about $75 new. And I got it for $2?!?!?!?

Yes, indeed I did.

And some other poor soul paid $75 plus tax for it?

Yes, indeed they did.

And then they gave it up?

Indeed.

And in so doing, we both supported a charity that helps disabled people get jobs?

Epic.