Because I need to share the goods....

I'm sure people know this already, but for those of you that don't, read on about these goodies....

Everyone loves a good Anthro knob. I know, they're gorgeous. But for 8 bucks a piece, YIKES!

Enter Marshalls. Or TJ Maxx. You choose. These are the SAME knobs at Anthro. THE SAME ONES!

And these were $9.99 to $12.99 for 6 of them. Okay, so lets do the math. 6 at 8 dollars is $48. I got 6 for $9.99. That's only about $1.60 a piece!

Get thee to a Marshall's. Or do what I did and call your Dad and your Husband and have them search the Marshall's where they are and buy as many as they can and bring them to you!

Thanks Hubs and Pops!

It's going to be hard to part with them....

How cute are these little guys!

Just wait until you see what I did with the black ones....ohhh....it's good!

Finding fabulous items

Sometimes we just get in the car and drive. No agenda, no time frame, just driving and exploring. When we tell the kids what we are doing we call it an adventure.

This past weekend we took such an adventure to a quaint little town in our area and then on the way home, we happened upon a sign. It read: Rummage, Tools, Junk. And that was it. So we went.

I found some pretty great stuff, that was a little pricey, and I may end up going back for them and negotiating a little bit....we'll see how brave I am....but, I did negotiate on this fantastic table.

This awesome, gorgeous, wonderful table. It was marked $30. And because I have a self-imposed limit that I only spend on used items, I asked for it for $20. And so it came home with us.

I love when older pieces get that crackling look to them with just the stain. LOVE IT.

Not selling. Not painting (so far). I'll probably take a buffer that I have to rejuvenate the luster of the top. And that's it.  Just keeping it dreamy.

The place was wacky. As in, WEIRD. But, he had a bazillion things that I would have rifled through had the bugs not been terrible and the hubs and kids wanting burgers. And he was not selling the most amazing cherry red Ford pickup that I would love to drive around town in. He's going to be selling stuff until October, I'll have to go back and see what other crazy stuff he's selling...

Blue Ball Jars

I wonder how that title will come up on search engines....

Seriously. These are awesome. I got them at GW. I saw them on the cart. You know, the cart that has signs all over it that say, "Don't take items off of the cart." I took them. All of them. Right off the cart. I felt as if I was breaking the Goodwill law...but I had to have them. I didn't want anyone else taking them....Then. Then I saw 3 other people walking around with at least 4 of the small jars in their carts. 4! Greedy rats. But, I'm pretty sure I won.

Because....

These four were probably one of the greatest deals I've EVER gotten. I tell you what. It pays to get to know your GW employees. I am so not kidding. They were marked $1.99 each. Except for one. One was marked $.49. And I thought maybe I'd get to talk the check out woman down to 49 cents each, but she gave me all four for $1.99. Total. Not each. Total. I just checked ebay and the small ones are going for around $25. Fan-freaking-tastic!

They are so pretty. They make me smile. Can't wait to fill them....

A little Thrifty venting session...

Okay. I've got to vent. Get this. I stopped at one of the THRIFT stores that I go to once in awhile. Sometimes things at this place are a little over priced. But sometimes I find things at great prices. It's hit or miss.

Like this:

And this:

Today I went and I saw this great entry table. It had all sorts of hideous painting on it, but it was gorgeous and I really wanted it. But, then I saw the tag. I wish I would have taken a picture for you all.

The tag. 

The price tag. 

It said $84.99. 

Seriously. OMG. There is absolutely no way I would spend that much at a second hand store on a tiny little table. Unless I knew it was in great shape AND was brought over on the Mayflower by Columbus himself.

So, because I was so annoyed with the variation in prices I talked to "The Guy". The guy in charge of pricing.

I asked him how he decides on prices and do you know what he told me? 

Do you want to know?

Unbelievable. 

He told me that it depends on the condition of the piece. Okay. I can deal with that. He told me it depends on how much furniture he has available. Umm...okay I can deal with that too.

Then.

He said he has people making deals on items and then when they drive around to pick it up they show up in a Mercedes. 

So? What's wrong with someone that drives a Mercedes trying to get a good deal? 

That's how they can drive a Mercedes!

Then. 

Then he said he prices some pieces higher because he has antique dealers coming in for pieces. 

Umm....what? So? 

So, the rest of us have to suffer because you don't want an antique dealer to get a good deal? 

Are you kidding me?

First of all. You are a THRIFT STORE. People drop off their unwanted items to help the community. The money that you make goes to help charity. And the items you sell....well, lots of those things go to people that NEED them. Single mothers and fathers, people who have nothing, people trying to furnish their house on a budget.

OMG.

I was fuming. Now I'm calm.

It's like he's playing 'God of All Things Thrifty'.

I drop things off at thrift stores to help others. If I wanted to I could sell the stuff myself and make some cash. But I don't. I'm also trying to pay it forward by donating items I no longer need. I don't want to go to a thrift store and see my item for sale for more than what I paid for it new.

There are a few things that make my blood boil. Eg...Tom talking about getting a full sized van. Car problems and what they charge to fix them. Car washes. (I know, weird). Lots of others too, but my brain is fogged and my blood is boiling over my new blood boiling thing - thrift stores that over charge. Boo. I'm angry.

Needless to say, I will not be going to that store any more. Just to spite them.

Is that too mean. Am I being harsh? Does anyone else feel this way? I've just taken a stand. On my blog. I'm the biggest fence rider I know. I just took a stand. Talk to me.....

What is the most expensive thing you've seen at a thrift store?

How I thrift

When I was in high school the cool thing to do was to go to thrift stores and buy used Levi's and huge flannel shirts and sweaters. In fact, I took one of my senior pictures in a sweater I got for one dollar at a thrift store. Boy, I loved that sweater. I wish I still had it....it was orange. Awesome. I don't wear the huge flannel shirts and three sizes too big sweaters any more, but I do love a good pair of Levi's. And I still shop thrift stores.

Here's my strategy when it comes to thrifting.
1. Have an idea of what you are looking for. Do you collect milk, green, or blue glass? Mason jars? Apothecary jars? Baskets? Mirrors? Smurfs? Know what you are looking for.

2. Go directly to the most popular places first. Don't wait and wander around. I go directly to where the furniture is. It's not the grocery store. Don't stay on the outside isle either.... Look at chairs, coffee tables, end tables and think - is this something that I can do something with? Can I recover this? Can I paint this? Is it sturdy? Will I break it if I touch it. Look at it, turn it around, DON'T pay attention to the material on it! It's like a house - when you are looking for a new house, don't pay attention to the colors on the wall or the furniture and pictures that they have - all of that can be changed! Look at structure and shape...go with what you like.

3. Next I go to the isle with candlesticks/knick-knacks/glass. I like candle holders. And apothecary jars. They often mix this stuff up together. After that I run through the dishes (I don't need these, but sometimes things catch my eye).

4. Then I head over to the curtains/bedding/pillows. Curtains are great for reupholstering furniture.

5. Finally I swing back through the furniture. Sometimes things I did not notice the first time pop out at me. Not always, just once in awhile. Or I will go back to something that I am wavering on. I don't waver often. If I see something that I like the first time, I grab the ticket. At least I have it in my hot little hand. I can always take the ticket back. But, at least it's mine right away.

6. I don't spend a long time in the store. A good thrifter goes several times a week. WHOA! Who has time for that? I live about 20 minutes from Goodwill. I'm lucky to get there once a week. But, stuff comes and goes so quickly and so often there is always something new.

There are three thrift stores in my area that I go to. It may be different in your area. Take a morning and just go scout them out. There are more in the area and there are also a ton of antique stores, but we're thrifting here. Sometimes I'm willing to spend more for an item if it's at an antique store. Weird. But, we're thrifting. Because I scouted out the stores I know what I can get at certain places. For example, I don't get mirrors at Goodwill. I have found two things. One, they don't get many mirrors and two, when they do they are pricey. So, when I want a mirror fix, I go to the Salvation Army. I've found three mirrors there.

When I want furniture I go to Goodwill. Goodwill gets stuff directly from Target so sometimes you can get a really good deal on Target stuff. The third place is St. Vincent's. It's a very random store. Sometimes they are very pricey. Which is weird. Because sometimes I'll see a chair for $.99

and sometimes they will have a dresser for $18

But then other times a tiny little stool will be $28! I think they just throw out numbers and don't even think about what they are doing or what they are pricing.

Sometimes I am a little more willing to pay more for certain things: Mirrors. I'll pay up to $15 or $20 for a good mirror. Not that for chairs. No way. I usually won't pay more than $9.99. Unless it's a brand new chair that I've been looking at for awhile.

Bottom line is know what you are looking for and know your stores. Scope them out and visit as often as your life allows. But know that you won't come away with the greatest find every single time. I often walk away without a thing.

I've never spent more that $25 on a single visit. So, go cheap or don't go. If it sits there long enough and no one has bought it, see if you can talk them down....doesn't hurt to ask!