Goodwill and the Salvation Army Thrift Shops - Treasure Trove of Budget-Friendly Goodies

If you're looking for a good bargain and the sense ofsatisfaction that comes with knowing that you've supported a good cause,consider shopping at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift shops.I've been to both stores a handful of times,and while a visit does require a time commitment - no neatly folded sweaterdisplays or perky associates to fetch another size here - you might just findsome inexpensive ways to patch holes in your wardrobe or home furnishings.Or, better yet, you can use your pocketchange to buy back that delightful denim jumper you dropped off a few weeksago.

If you're looking for a good bargain and the sense of satisfaction that comes with knowing that you've supported a good cause, consider shopping at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift shops. I've been to both stores a handful of times, and while a visit does require a time commitment - no neatly folded sweater displays or perky associates to fetch another size here - you might just find some inexpensive ways to patch holes in your wardrobe or home furnishings. Or, better yet, you can use your pocket change to buy back that delightful denim jumper you dropped off a few weeks ago.

Goodwill and Salvation Army set up their stores in more or less the same bare bones way - racks, shelves, and maybe a mirror in the dressing room. Just as with any discount store, where merchandise ranges from stylish to frumpy, you'll need to spend time leafing through the racks. Depending on your location, you might have to wade through a lot of pirate blouses before arriving at the perfect shirt. All clothing at both stores is arranged by color, and often by category: t-shirts, slacks, jackets, etc. An avid jogger, I needed to replenish my dying supply of workout shirts. I refuse to pay much for a basic jogging t-shirt, any by "much" I mean five dollars, so Salvation Army provided the perfect solution. Two, clean, downright attractive shirts for four dollars. Most of the inventory was in good condition, and most of the inventory was priced well within my budget at two to four dollars a shirt. As there is always a steady stream of locals dropping bagged items off in the back, I will be sure to visit the store in another week or two, once the inventory has been replenished.

Beyond clothing, the stores offer a treasure trove of discarded goodies waiting to be reclaimed. For the college student or otherwise frugal individual, cheap furniture and decorative items - including the requisite velvet paintings and hideous mauve tea sets - abound. Jewelry, vintage cooking books, lamps, electronics - you name it, they have it.

Be sure to read the store's signs for special time frames when inventory is discounted. For instance, some stores will knock half off all items during the evening hours, or on specific days of the week. As items are tagged with color labels, you might enter the store on a day when all "pink" items are half off. I have seen this tactic used in both Goodwill and Salvation Army stores. Revenue from Goodwill's sales goes toward helping the less fortunate develop skills needed for employment, and for the Salvation Army, the money funds relief and charitable work. The bonus: you, the consumer, are finding use for a shirt or table that someone else did not want. It's a great feeling for a great price.