Thrifting

Another thing I've been busy doing is visiting thrift stores.  Violet and I went to a big one near the art studio where she takes lessons.  It was after her class on a Saturday before Christmas.  Boy, was that place busy.  She found a new sweater.  I found some various craft items including a BIG BAG of felt pieces for less than a dollar.  Some pieces were small, but others were full size.  Definitely got my money's worth as we can use it for many Juliette projects.

That same day we visited 2 used book sales, one a book store run by a local environmental group and the other the Friends of the Library at a neighboring town.  Violet found an armload of books at both.

We cleaned out her closet last week and had 4 bags of outgrown clothes between the two of us.  She agreed to go with me to our local thrift store to donate them.  Of course, we had to go in.  Turns out clothes were 50% off.  She found 3 pairs of jeans, 2 sweaters and 2 other shirts.  I found 2 cardigans and 2 shirts.  Total price?  $29.

Yesterday she mentioned that there was another shirt there that she was thinking about.  I called the store and they were open.  We went back and the clothes were still 50% off.  Violet came home with another pair of jeans, several shirts and a jacket.  I got a pair of p.j. pants, another cardigan, and 2 more shirts.  Plus a neat scarf.  And a pair of boots.  The boots were marked $6 and weren't part of the sale.  But when the lady rang us up, she only charged us 6c for the boots, she missed the two zeros.  She was rather frazzled at the time with a crazy lady on the phone.  We weren't rushing her or anything.  I didn't discover it until we got back home.  I wasn't going to drive back across town to correct it.  I would have said something if I saw the mistake when we were still there.  But sometimes the mistakes are in the store's favor, so it will even out in the long run.  And if I still feel guilty next time I'm there, they have a donation jar.  I can drop some money in there.  (It is a not-for-profit that supports several great local charities to help adults with disabilities and a women's shelter.  I love supporting them.)  Anyway, today's total?  $32. 

In the Spring we plan to go back and try to do another shopping spree when they have the summer clothes out.  We both needed a boost to our wardrobes.  Oh, more about the boots.  They look like they've never been worn and are rubber, about ankle high with a really good tread.  I keep slipping on the ice this winter, falling all the way one time, so I wanted the good tread.  Hopefully I won't fall again now that I have my practically stolen boots.

Happy New Year, everyone!  May your thrift outings be filled with good finds in 2013!