Category Archives: Thrift Shops / Yard Sales

16-01-26 Thrift Finds Goodwill Shopping Trip- Ugly Christmas Sweaters!

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on January 26, 2016 None comments

I had a really fun trip to Goodwill today after I stopped at the post office. I found the above ugly Christmas sweaters for a few dollars each. I plan on A) wearing them to a Christmas Party or B) selling them on eBay next year. Apparently this is the time of year to buy them.

I also had some great luck in the shoe department! I bought-

Pair of Blue Sperrys Boat Shoes
A Pair of decorated black heels
A pair of herringbone shoes
A pair of blue heels

The last three pairs I will wear to teach and the first pair I will either wear or sell on eBay.

In this picture I got a White House Black Market Skirt (also in the photo below), a teaching skirt with hot air balloons on it, a white knit sweater, a thermal men’s shirt for B and a flannel shirt for B.

I found the above black motorcycle style jacket but it’s all cotton and really soft and comfortable, I also bought a Gators shirt for a friend, a blue flowered infinity scarf, books and a candle holder.

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I also found this Dooney & Bourke Duck Purse like the clutch we found here for $6.99 but I didn’t end up buying it. I wasn’t sure how well it would sell on eBay so $7 seemed like too much to pay.

Orlando SkyView Goodwill Outlet Finds and Shopping Trip

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on January 17, 2016 None comments

At the beginning of January, before the semester started we were lucky enough to get to visit the Goodwill outlet in Orlando at the below address. Anyone who is familiar with Orange Blossom Trail aka OBT knows that it’s not a great area to be in and it wasn’t. However, the plaza that the outlet was in wasn’t that bad and even had a Publix in it. We were very excited to find out that this place existed half an hour from where we live after our great success at the Austin Goodwill Outlet!

Skyview Goodwill Outlet Center Florida

7915 S. Orange Blossom Trail
Orlando, Florida 32809

Click HERE to read some tips for getting ready to go to a Goodwill Outlet Center.

The price was actually cheaper at the Orlando outlet at only .99 cents per pound! We were disappointed to find that it was almost entirely clothing and textiles where the Austin Goodwill Outlet had an equally large section of housewares which we actually were more interested in than the clothes. However we still had fun and above and below are pictures of our finds.

In the first picture above we found

A Lucky Brand Men’s Shirt
An Express sweater
A converse designer jacket
Some other really nice clothes
All of the nice flannel shirts I could find in a variety of sizes that I want to use for a sewing project.

The above rug was so thick and nice I had to buy it even though it doesn’t entirely go with our decor. However, the cat seems to love it.

We found the above embroidered quilt. I weighed it and at about 6 lbs it cost about 6 dollars which I thought was a steal. That isn’t the best picture of it draped over my drying rack but you can really see the beautiful embroidered flowers.

The above two double sided towels looked brand new and spotless. I’m very picky about buying used bedding and towels and they have to look brand new. Goodwill does receive new items from Target and I believe that these are one of Target’s higher end brands.

B actually found the above vintage Dooney & Bourke purse and expensive garment bag.

B also had excellent luck with the shoes. He desperately needed running shoes because we go running at a local park and he has been running in flat, clunky Vans. He found-

A pair of work boots for when he works remodeling houses with his father
A brand new looking pair of light jeans shoes
Blue running shoes that fit him perfectly
Suede NewBalance shoes

Overall, we had a blast looking for bargains and all together we spent about $30. Next time we are planning a trip to another semi-close outlet that reportedly has 48 bins of clothing and 48 bins of housewares. Check back next month to see what we find there!

How to Get Ready for the Goodwill Outlet AKA The Bins

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on January 16, 2016 None comments

I think it’s safe to say that my sister Candy and I LOVE the Goodwill Outlet AKA The Bins in Austin, Texas as proof by our hours long shopping trips two days in a row! We got so many amazing bargains! We literally found designer purses for $1.39 a pound! You are essentially entering a huge warehouse that is full of blue bins of stuff that you dig through to find items you want to buy and then pay for them by the pound.

Click HERE to see our other Thrift Shop / Yard SaleFinds (Updated Regularly!)

Click HERE to read about our Austin Goodwill trips and see our finds!

I don’t want to downplay the fact that Goodwill Outlets are intense places. It is probably only the most hard core, pirate level thrift shoppers that go there. You literally have to be willing to get a little dirty but with some persistence it’s totally worth it. I makes me not want to shop anywhere else because everywhere else is literally 100x more expensive!

However, there are a few things that can make your shopping trip even better. A little preparation can help you make sure you are getting the best bargains.

Here is the list of what I like to bring to the outlet:

Gloves– They don’t have to be heavy duty gloves but it is nice to have your hands covered when going through mountains of stuff.
Hand Sanitizer– If you pick up something and you wish you hadn’t, it’s a quick way to wash your hands.
A luggage scale– I’ll post the link below but they sell on Amazon Prime for $7 and mine works great for my 50lb suitcase and smaller items too, everything is sold by the pound so sometimes it’s helpful to see what something will cost before you head to the register.
A large reusable bag– You want to have your hands free and reusable bags are the way to go. IKEA Bags were the bag of choice at the Austin Goodwill. Note- If you don’t have a bad already this is a great place to grab one. In fact, we often don’t bring our own bags and just grab one while we are there.
A tape measure– One problem we were having at the Austin Goodwill was guessing if something would 1. Fit in the car, 2. Fit on a plane.
Small Purse/Pockets– If you are going to bring a purse make sure it is over the shoulder and small so that you have your hands free
A phone– So that you can take pictures and look up the value of times you might want to sell.
Comfortable, closed toe shoes– You will be on your feet the whole time so you want to be comfortable and you also want to protect your feet.

Other Items You Might Want-

A phone band– If you don’t have a pocket to put your phone
A stain stick– like the tide togo pens in case you see a mark on a piece of clothing that you really want but don’t know if a spot will come out.
SaniWipes– again in case you see a mark on something that you really want but don’t know if you can clean it.
A Small Over the Shoulder Purse– like the one above if you don’t have pockets to put your stuff in so that your hands will be free
A USB Phone Charger– You might also want a portable charger if you are planning on being there for a long time, if you are as into thrifting as we are you will find that time flies at the outlets

Check back soon to see what we bought on our most recent trip!

Goals for 2016!

Posted by Candice@Shopahoicsavers.com on January 9, 2016 None comments

Goals for 2016!

1.I am only going to buy my clothes from thrift stores. The only exclusion ,of course, will be undergarments.
2.Only buy items that bring me joy! I will not buy stuff just because it is on sale!
3.Research products before I buy them especially makeup!
4.Buy items that will last a lifetime that I will not have to throw away in a few months.
5.Work out at least 30 minutes a day! Lately I have been doing my own version of yoga/ pilates in my living room!
6.Read more and not just articles on the internet!
7.Become more inventive/ willing to experiment with food!
8.Research alternative living spaces/ tiny houses and if possible start to save $$!
9.Sell more stuff on eBay! I recently sold my first item. It was only listed for 1 day!
10.Go caving!!! I live about an hour and a half from San Antonio which has beautiful caves!

Posted by: Candy

Two of my recent thrift store Vision cookware finds. I intend to use theses until they fall apart!

As you can see below they can be quite expensive!

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Goodwill Outlet Shopping Trip and Haul- Awesome Thrift Finds at the Austin Blue Hanger Goodwill Outlet & Shopping Tips!

Posted by Candice@Shopahoicsavers.com on December 23, 2015 None comments

We went to the Goodwill outlet with no expectations since we had never been before. My sister was visiting me in Austin, TX my new home so we decided to go to this infamous thrift store, where most items are $1.39lb. Yelp reviews were basically 50/50 between this place is awesome and this place is hell. To us the Goodwill outlet is paradise enough so that we went twice in two days! The above picture shows some of our finds including a cast iron Le Creuset cast iron skillet, bags of clothes, a rolling duffle, and a sewing machine. Scroll down to see more from our two trips!

Shopping Tips:

1. Have lots of time to browse. Take a picture of the price chart to reference.
2. Bring gloves, hand sanitizer and a reusable bag at minimum. To be super prepared bring these additional items: measuring tape, a luggage scale, a screwdriver. Don’t be intimidated by the shopping conditions
3. Do not touch carts parked within yellow lines on the floor. This is designated space for shoppers to leave their carts while they shop for more treasures.
4. If you decide to park your cart in a safe place find a throw or scarf to drape over it so no one will be able to see your finds. Also watch for sneaky shoppers just in case.
5. A section will be closed when they switch out the old bins for new ones. People then line up waiting for the new bins which cannot be shopped until the rows are finished. Once an associate gives the go ahead to shop there will be a stampede for bargains! We watched this spectacle a few times before we braved the crowed. The rush can be compared to a runners high! (It is much easier to navigate this crowd with just a bag)
6. Grab anything you think you want to buy and put it in your cart or bag. You can go through it later.
7. Bring a buddy who knows your taste and isn’t easily intimidated.
8. Know the sizes of your family/ friends because you never know what you might find.
Have fun it is going to be crazy but you will find bargains!

Our Finds:

A slightly dirty Coach purse (check back soon to see how we try to clean it up)

Lots of expensive glassware 20 items for $1.99 including a large pyrex casserole dish, pyrex pie dish, pyrex bowl, two corning ware dishes with lids, 3 vision cookware lids, 3 blue mason jars, a pyrex measuring cup, cafe du mode coffee cup, and a stainless steel water bottle!

This real leather satchel / laptop bag Solo brand. We paid $2.99 and it’s still currently selling online for over $120

The above really cool brown shelves and picture

The above seatbelt brand purse that is currently selling on eBay for $50-100

Really nice children’s books 5 for $1

The above generic magic bullet for $1 and it works!

This storage trunk for $2.99

A rolling laptop bag for $2.99, everything else was weighed @ 1.39lb

Damage from our first trip including a giant wicker basket for $1 and a free Ikea comforter from another Austin thrift store. Several purses and tons of clothes!

A floor steamer for 99 cents and it works! An ikea lamp and a bag of corks for DIY projects.

All the Vera Bradley bags we found over two days. We found more, but decided not to buy the other purses.

Little girls dress up clothes 1.39lb. These will be a Christmas gift for a friend’s daughter.

Overall, we had a blast at the Goodwill Outlet. Not for the faint of heart, but great for pirate thrifters.

Have you ever been to a Goodwill Outlet and what did you find?

Thrift Finds Wire Basket and Birdcage

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on October 16, 2015 None comments

While my sister was in town from Texas we went thrift shopping with my mom. We were very excited to be spending time together and thrifting is our favorite hobby! I was excited to find the above decorative birdcage for $4.99 and the below green basket for $6.99. Not sure what I’m going to put in them yet but they match the decor of our house.

42 inch Flat screen TV from Goodwill for $120

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on September 5, 2015 1 comments

So I have written about how we bought our 46 inch TV for $150 but recently the screen died and that was our only TV. When we moved in December we decided that we really didn’t need or use our bulky tube TVs and if we wanted to watch TV in another room we could do it on our laptops/computers.

My sister and brother-in-law were nice enough to let us borrow one of their TVs but then they moved and it was time for us to buy our own TV anyways. Well coincidentally my sister and I went to Goodwill and they had just put our the above 42 inch TV for $125 dollars. I still have a student discount so I was able to get 10% off! That basically took care of the tax so the total was $120! It also happens to be the exact same size as our 46 inch TV so maybe it has a wider border around the screen or maybe they were wrong about the size.

I’m going to be very honest and say that there was one minor problem with the TV. There was a line that appeared in the screen after 5+ hours of use a few times but that has completely stopped which is odd. I’m not naive enough to think that this problem won’t reappear at some point but for now it’s gone and its been gone a lot longer than it appeared. The TV came with a remote and has all of the right HDMI plugs and everything. Honestly, I can’t say how much we love this TV! And the price was right! I am determined to stop buying new when possible and I didn’t expect to find a flat screen TV but I’m glad I did.

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Yard Sale Success with Our Local Swip Swap Facebook Ap

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on August 3, 2015 None comments

My sister Candy who sometimes writes for this website is moving from Florida to Texas for her husband’s new job. I am proud of them but I’m really going to miss them! They decided not to take the majority of their stuff and to get rid of all but one piece of furniture.

We decided to have a yard sale to get rid of most of the stuff they weren’t talking. Our yard sale was highly successful, partly because we posted all of the larger furniture on our local Swip Swap Facebook Ap. People came and got most of the items within an hour of posing them.

Holding a yard sale at the same time that we posted bigger items for sale online was extremely helpful because people could come at any time during those two days to pick the items up. It also helped that the main objective was to get rid of as much stuff as possible so we priced everything very inexpensively. We also made it clear that people would have to lift and move the furniture out of the house.

We were determined that by the end of the two days we would have all of the remaining stuff that we needed to get rid of out of the house and on the driveway for the yard sale. By the end of the two days almost all of the furniture was gone or sold and a lot of the smaller items too. What didn’t sell we planned to have picked up by a local charity or given to family and friends. It turns out that a family we are friends with had recently lost their house and was in need of furniture, clothing and household items and they came and picked up the remaining furniture and stuff. I’m very proud of us that we got rid of so much stuff in such a short period of time and also were able to help out some very nice people.

Thrift Finds- Black Winter Pea Coat and Black Trench Coat Raincoat $5.99 each

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on July 16, 2015 None comments

I bought the Black Ambiance brand, pea coat, winter coat for $5.99 (in the picture on the left) and an H&M brand, black, pea coat, trench coat, rain coat for $5.99 (in the picture on the right). I really needed a longer black winter coat and have kept my eyes open looking for one at a thrift shop. I’m not surprised that I would end up finding one during the summer in Florida when it’s so hot people don’t think that that they will ever feel cold again. I had actually looked into buying one of these this winter at Macy’s but they were $50 to $200 on sale. I had also previously looked for a similar trench coat at H&M and they were always $50 to $100. I’m really excited about these deals even though I probably won’t be able to wear them until winter.

Thrift Shopping Tip- Look for items out of season and you will have better luck finding a great deal. Most people aren’t looking for a heavy winter jacket in 95 degree weather and people are likely to get rid of summer clothes in the middle of winter. Stock up and you will be able to enjoy your new items when the seasons change.

Thrift Shopping Tip- If you are stocking up for the next season, it’s usually better to buy classic pieces versus trendy. A classic, well made cable knit sweater will still look stylish in your wardrobe for years to come. My former roommate gave me a blue cable knit sweater she didn’t want almost 7 years ago and I still get compliments on it.

Thrift Finds- Designer Oscar de la Renta Tie $1

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on July 10, 2015 None comments

B works at a hospital and has to wear business dress clothes. I was excited to find this designer Oscar de la Renta Tie for only $1 at a local Hospice thrift shop for him to wear to work.

Thrift Shopping Tip- Look for secondhand designer labels for the same price as secondhand chain store items. This can sometimes be an indicator of quality and more expensive materials.