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Don’t think second-hand shopping is for you? Think again. Jen is hosting another Frugal Fashionista carnival, and bloggers from around the country are linking up with their frugal and fabulous second-hand finds.
Looking around my home, I see very few things that were purchased brand new, and I am fine with that. I love the thrill of the “hunt” when looking for treasures. For years, it was our Saturday routine to get up early, load the kids in the car with the portable tv/ vcr (remember those?) and garage sale all morning. It was fun and we found many good deals.
Now that we have several more children (and gas prices soared last summer) we found it easier to hit the thrift stores every month than garage sale every Saturday in a 15 passenger van.
For my little children, I rarely buy anything new. The second-hand clothing is nice, like new, and costs next to nothing. I look for high quality clothing that can be passed from child to child. I find myself smiling when I pull out clothes for Cora that my 5 year old and 3 year old wore and remember I paid under a dollar for the outfit!
I also shop at the thrift store for my husband and myself, but since I am never in pictures, I don’t have many good ones of my second hand wardrobe.
I do however take tons of pictures of my children, so here are a few of our second-hand finds… and a few bonus pictures thrown in too.
I found this Winnie the Pooh sweatshirt for $3 at the thrift store right before we went to Disney last year. Souvenir sweatshirt at thrift store prices.
Can you see the boy in this photo? I didn’t think so, Genius is wearing his fleece camo, a must have for every 9 year old boy this fall. The best part, the jacket cost under $3 at the thrift store. Jackets, snow pants, boots, and other winter gear are plentiful at thrift stores and for significantly less than you pay at the mall.
Aren’t these jeans cute? I was excited to pick these up for $1.90 two weeks ago. Sweet Pea loves the fun details on the bottom.
My thirteen year old son might not like to be pictured on the blog, but he loves to find fun T’s at the thrift store. This shirt was a dollar and the jeans were two dollars. The jeans look brand new!
Cora needed some warm jammies for our cooler than normal fall this year. I found these purple footies for a dollar!
One of the best surprises is when my mom, mother-in-law or sister hit the year round yard sales in Florida. They always find the best deals.
Would you believe this adorable dress cost less than a dollar?
This white knit dress was under a dollar too!
Children’s Place fleece hoodie- $2, Ralph Lauren Pants – $1. Smile- priceless.
Do your kids like to play dress up? Mine do! Fill their dress up bin with inexpensive costumes from the thrift store.
Our last trip yielded this princess dress for $2 and a batman costume for $1.
If you are crafty, thrift stores are an endless source of ideas and supplies.
The girl on the left in this picture purchased her dress at a local thrift store. Turned it inside out, then added straps, and tulle on the bottom. Perfect for her church banquet!
Have you ever seen a fabric you liked at the thrift store, but the actual item didn’t fit?
I loved the reds, turquoise, and yellows in this fabric, but the size 14 skirt was way too big. Solution, I turned it into a purse!
This men’s hawaiian shirt was nice for $1….
But even nicer as a dress for my daughter.
Second-hand style is definitely a Finer Thing. How about you? Are you a second-hand shopper?
For more frugal tips and ideas visit Frugal Friday.
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{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
i was at the flea market this week and got the most adorable jeans for tess for 1.50! love thrift shopping!
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TheHappyHousewife Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 10:00 pm
I don’t know if we have flea markets around here. They were popular when I lived in Florida though.
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I can never find anything in a thrift store! I wish I could. It’s either not our size, or it’s not in good shape.
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These are fantastic! I’ve found some great secondhand clothes for my boys at our local children’s consignment store (and a ton of stuff for my soon-to-be-born niece! It seems like the girls clothing is always much less worn than the boys!) I don’t normally find much for me in terms of clothing, but I do scan the aisles for fabric for crafts, home pre-schooling ideas (like the Montessori dressing boards . . . ) and I’ve been picking up used wool sweaters for felting crafts.
Great ideas and beautiful children! You are blessed!
Best,
Sarah
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We have 5 children and there is very little that we’ve bought new. We shop at thrift stores and get lots and lots of hand-me-downs, from everything from clothing, furniture, dishes, etc.
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Very nice! I too love the hunt and use things for other purposes!
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Love all of the clothes! I shop for at least 90% of our clothing at thrift shops, Goodwill, and yard sales. You’ve found some great things.
I’ve also picked up items that were too large and either cut them down or repurposed the fabric for another item!
Thanks for sharing all of your great finds.
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LOVE! Thrift stores and Goodwill! I can find so many things. The only way we shop!!
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Most of our thrift stores aren’t quite that cheap, but it is still better than buying brand new! I usually have hand-me-downs for the kids which is really nice so I usually just have to shop for myself…no fun with the four kiddos…I’ve not had a lot of success in that venture. I usually have to get my husband to watch the kiddos (or at least some of them) so that I can venture over for the trip. Which made me wonder…do you take all of the kids to the thrift store by yourself? I know some of your kids are older now and probably a very big help…but I was curious–lol. I need to go do some shopping in the next few months…unless I can find some hand-me-downs–Boy do I miss the days when my shopaholic sister had too many clothes and passed them on to me–LOL.
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TheHappyHousewife Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:24 am
Let’s go at thanksgiving! It would be fun, because everyone else will be at the mall. My kids can watch your kids!
I have taken them all, but I prefer to take 3 or 4 at a time and leave the others at home with Dad.
Toni
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I love thrift stores and rummage / yard sales even better. Here are a few of the items I bought last weekend for me:
http://mrststhoughtsformoms.blogspot.com/2009/10/yard-sales-fall.html
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Very few of our clothes are store bought…I find that the clothes in my wardrobe are much nicer and better quality than they would be if I bought cheap retail new. Last week I found a pair of Thom McAnn hiking boots for $2 for my 9yo son that looked like they had never been worn.
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Love all your girls’ dresses. I am always drooling over all the gorgeous (and brand new lookin) dresses at our thrift shops!
But alas I have only one child, a boy.
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I haven’t found ANY thrift stores in our new small town!
BUT! we have those same cute jeans – FREE from a friend!
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Amy @ Finer Things Reply:
October 24th, 2009 at 12:57 am
We have those same cute butterfly jeans, too!
Toni, Cora looks just like #6!
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I really like thrift stores, too! I’ve gotten lots of furniture there – our *new* kitchen chairs are the latest find. My skinny partner can find cheap pants that are practically brand new – you know somebody just outgrew them, and I’ll happily pay $15 for several pairs instead of just one new cheaply made pair. The other thing I get is video tapes – at $1 (and supporting thrift store causes I believe in), it’s cheaper for me to buy a video, watch it once, and donate it back then rent it through blockbuster or netflix.
The best part about the furniture is you know it’s probably going to be pretty sturdy if it’s already made it through at least one family.
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I LOVE to hit up our local goodwill store! It’s huge and you can find some really nice stuff there. Once (before we homeschooled) my daughter did a report on Pocahontas and needed to dress up like her. I went to goodwill and found a man’s dress shirt that was made of a really soft almost suede looking tan fabric, and took off the collar, sleeves and hem at the bottom. I added some hemp cord and cheap turquoise beads, and she looked ADORABLE!
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Great finds! Those jeans with the details are so cute! I say you’re one smart mama with some adorable kids!
Jane
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Ha! I’t almost as fun looking through someone else’s second-hand goodies as it is finding your own!
We love outfitting our boys from thrift stores and yard sales. It is almost unheard of in our household to buy NEW clothing, and, like you, I like it that way!
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I love a thrift store…went three times this week looking for my son some pants. I finally scored on the last trip! Yeah!! Five pair of old navy pants in EXCELLENT CONDITION for $1.69 a piece. These pants couldn’t have been wore they LOOK brand spankin’ new. We also found Niki wind pants, nice long sleeved shirts for 50 cents. My heart just sings when I find such good deals!
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Maybe your tip for going to the thrift store on a regular basis is the key to finding the “good stuff” I pop in when I realize I absolutley NEED jeans for a child and get disapointed to find extremely worn and even paint spattered clothing hanging on the rack with a price tag of $5!?!? I then end up having to buy new because I need it right away. My husband has the best luck finding shirts and shorts almost everytime we do go.
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I LOVE thrift shopping!! I started in high school shopping at the local Goodwill and Carolina Thrift. Now I shop for me, the kids and my hubby at secondhand stores.
My mom went to a thrift store a couple of weeks ago and picked up a brand new designer baby crib bedding set (10 pc) for five or ten dollars (I can’t remember). After my brother saw it, he looked it up online, and the set retails for over $1000. Talk about a find
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I can’t buy regular price now – I’ve been spoiled by thrifting. I’ve even converted my husband.
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I go to Goodwill in my area on Wednesday only. That’s the day a certain color of clothing items (and shoes) are 99 cents each. My 13 year old daughter loves Aeopostale and Abercromie and Fitch items, but only has them from the 99 cent sale. When you wash a new cotton shirt it looks the same as used as she has discovered. She loves having the name brands and I love paying little prices. I’ve found jeans, tees, sweatshirts and pants, sweaters, jumpers, dresses and purses that she has loved with all the current name brands girls that age love. We also have gotten her quite a few flats for 99 cents. I get her twin brother some jeans and pajamas, but can’t find as much for him.
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I never have luck at the thrift stores. Usually the quality is very bad and the price is high (especially for things like winter coats). What I usually do is shop the clearance racks at department stores—it’s hit or miss, of course, but so are thrift shops. If you get lucky you can get brand-new things for the same (or less) as what the thrift stores (at least around here) charge.
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We were hitting the garage sales today… LOTS of kids clothes and winter clothes. Going out again tomorrow. Email me a size list, mine is outdated.
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Hello…
Ohhh yes…I love thrift store shopping! I don’t do much clothes shopping there these days as my children are all grown but I do shop for household items! I agree…I think the “thrill of the hunt”…is what makes it all so much fun! Nothing makes my day…like finding a great item for next to nothing! Hehe! Thank you for sharing all of your treasure finds with us today! By the way…your kiddos are just precious and I loved all of their pretty and or handsome outfits!!!
Warmest wishes,
Chari @Happy To Design
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I love the jeans! Super cute. I don’t buy second hand clothing, but then I rarely buy clothing for myself. My family has excellent taste and they buy me clothes and shoes for Christmas and birthdays.
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I wish we had great thrift stores out in our neck of the woods. I HATE going to the mall. I absolutely refuse to pay full price for anything!
Love the pink camouflage on you in your header!
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Hey!
I HAVE the skirt you made the cute bag out of. I haven’t worn it for 2 years but didn’t wanna part with it cuz the fabric is so cool. What a GREAT idea!
THX!
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TheHappyHousewife Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:55 pm
That is too funny! Don’t you just love the colors! Couldn’t pass it up. I made a pillow too.
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We have been very blessed! With 3 kids-11,7,and 6-I have NEVER had to buy their clothes(besides socks and undies). My grandma is the garage sale queen and brings us new finds about every weekend. She ALWAYS finds the like new/name brand clothes and shoes and hardly ever will pay more than a dollar for any one thing. This summer I did a little garage saling myself and found a beautiful black and gray fancy dress coat for my daughter for $5. Also had $5 fill a sack and got my son several t-shirts, a suit(pants, shirt and vest), some pajama pants, and A LEATHER COAT in one sack. One day I spent $11 and got hubby 3 pairs of jeans, a pair of shorts, the girls some barbies, son a toy, and several mens 3x shirts and ladies (ugly) dresses that made the cutest kulots for the girls. They got about 7 pair apiece after they were all done. Can’t beat that!!
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Bummer that your thrift store prices are so high! All of the kids’ clothing at our local one is 10-35 cents, even if it’s new. I often find stuff brand-new with the tags still on it. Then they have the Everything-you-can-stuff in a bag for $2 every other month and give out a large paper bag. You can fit TONS of clothing in them for a couple of bucks!
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TheHappyHousewife Reply:
October 24th, 2009 at 4:14 am
Yes, they are higher than other places I have lived but for the Washington DC area they are really quite good.
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I buy almost all of my kids’ clothes and my clothes at thrift stores.
Much of the time, i find stuff that is barely worn from Gymboree, Naartje, Baby Gap and more.
For me, i regularly find clothes from Banana Republic and Ann Taylor. I even buy shoes that are new from my local Goodwill!
When i consider how much I can get at the thrift store and compare it to what I pay for new, I just can’t bring myself to pay full price anymore!
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I recently had a clothes swap, where I invited my friends to bring all the clothes and toys their kids had grown out of etc and we put them all in the middle and picked through. At the end, we took all the lets overs to a friends thrift shop! It was great, free and fun too!!
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Love all the fun stuff you bought for your children from thrift stores. It’s great when you can find things you need. Sometimes it’s nothing or I like it but wouldn’t have a place for it, if it’s not clothing. I’ve had some good finds. Best one was a black fleece vest I got my daughter, since she needed one. Looked new!!! :0) She loved it…I gave it as a gift for her birthday, a few years ago. she loves it.
I want to share an editorial cartoon from newspaper that has this thrift store theme. It was in yesterday’s Statesman Journal. The dad is talking to one of his two sons that are dressed up for hallowe’en (and mom is behind them). Dad asks “Cool thrift store finds. Are you going as “The Grim Reaper”? Young boy says “Dad! It’s 2009! I’m am economist. My brother is a lagging economic indicator.” The littler brother is saying “Boo” in black.
Enough about that! :0) Take care and have a good week! Thanks for all your encouragement.
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What great finds!! I love thrift store shopping! I hardly ever buy any clothes new anymore.
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Wow you did awsome ! I think you need to shop for me. Up here you can’t find prices like that. The Goodwill up here wants $7.99 for jeans ! USED jeans, with 10 children no way am I paying that.
yard sales are hit or miss. Maybe a road trip is in order…. the hubbys can watch the kids and we can hit the stores
blessings-
Rachelle
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Just wanted to let you know that you inspired me. I went into our Goodwill store for the first time ever today. I purchased a bookcase to put in our office for $25. Now I will try for the first time to sand and paint it. Wish me luck. I had been just about to purchase a new one for $225.
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AMAZING finds. I especially love Sweet Pea’s jeans. The detailing at the bottom is gorgeous. In fact, I think I’d like to wear a pair like that.
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