So just how thrifty are you?

[fcgamer | 4,730]

Just the other day my good friend / colleague gave me hell when I came walking into the break room holding a box. Inside was a pair of speakers. He says, "Oh, you're just like a Taiwanense Grandma!"*

Apparently my old Chinese teacher had left the speakers when she quit her job and moved back to the otherside of the island, after getting pregnant. My new colleague had found them recently while cleaning out, and said I could have them if I wanted, since she didn't want them, and since I had been wanting to get some speakers for awhile, why not?

My father also comments sometimes on this, such as the time my brother was driving down the street back in the States and I forced him to stop the car, so I could fetch a guitar someone had tossed out.

After cruising around junk shops and what not to sniff out classic games, I guess I'm just not bothered by the idea of buying or repairing other people's "junk", if it's something I want, and the item still has life in it. Then again, I know a lot of locals who are dead set against this sort of thing.

So what about everyone here?

*The old women here will be the first to snap up electronics from the garbage, to then take in for recycling. Yes, they've even cut the cables off Famicom controllers to sell for scrap metal, quite common sadly enough.

 

 

[Kguillemette | 1,545]

I'm always on the hunt for a deal. I buy almost all my nice things from ebay, craigslist, or marketplace. Video games, musical instruments, furniture, etc.

[SailorScoutMandy | 782]

We hit the thrits often. Why pay full price for the same thing you can get for a fraction of the price. I've found some awesome autographed books and tons of fabric for sewing over the years. He tends to have great electronic and game finds. 

 

Have an awesome cedar point collection that's all thirfted. Fun to see all the generations of cedar point merch. 

[CMR | 521]

I would use thrifts more if I could find a good one.  Most of them have already been picked clean in my area.  But, it's like they say, "one man's trash is another man's treasure."  If something is really cheap or free, and is something you can use, then I say it's a win.

[Richardhead | 2,813]

I’m about to head to the Dollar Tree and the ARC (a thrift store) right now. 
I’ll post my pics in a bit. 
Oh, I’m also returning a couple pair of pants to the thrift store that didn’t fit. 
How’s that for thrifty?

[RH | 4,924]

I'm not really into new cheap stuff, but I love going thrifting. In fact, I love quality so much, my wife knows full well I'm going to buy a tool or appliance that is at least 30 years old when I need because most that stuff will still outlast the cheap trash made today. Even the name brand stuff like Samsung Whirlpool.

I have always liked antiques but now with everything that's made having a lifespan of 2-5 years, depending on the product, I want the older stuff because it was built to last 50-100 years.

[Richardhead | 2,813]

$20 at the Dollar Tree. Mostly stuff I needed. The rest is stuff I didn’t know I needed, since the inventory is always changing there.

[Richardhead | 2,813]

21 minutes ago, RH said:

I'm not really into new cheap stuff, but I love going thrifting. In fact, I love quality so much, my wife knows full well I'm going to buy a tool or appliance that is at least 30 years old when I need because most that stuff will still outlast the cheap trash made today. Even the name brand stuff like Samsung Whirlpool.

I have always liked antiques but now with everything that's made having a lifespan of 2-5 years, depending on the product, I want the older stuff because it was built to last 50-100 years.

I mostly agree with you. However, there is cheap stuff that is useful. See post above.

[RH | 4,924]

59 minutes ago, Richardhead said:

I mostly agree with you. However, there is cheap stuff that is useful. See post above.

I understand about disposable, or semi-disposable items. Sure, go new and cheap there.

[Californication | 1,477]

My favorite stuff at the dollar store are the dish towels, cleaning supplies, hygene stuff and the candy. Dish towels have to be the best deal, they're usually 3 for $1 and because they are so cheap I have no problem treating them badly and throwing them away 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Californication

[Richardhead | 2,813]

34 minutes ago, Californication said:

My favorite stuff at the dollar store are the dish towels, cleaning supplies, hygene stuff and the candy. Dish towels have to be the best deal, they're usually 3 for $1 and because they are so cheap I have no problem treating them badly and throwing them away 

The buckets are a steal at $1.

[Richardhead | 2,813]

Half off today at the thrift store. 4 pairs of pants, a new pair of quarantine shorts and a cool shirt for $40. 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Richardhead

[Californication | 1,477]

1 hour ago, Richardhead said:

The buckets are a steal at $1.

I got one of those too. They ran out of bags last year so I bought one to carry my stuff home. Then I used it for other stuff.

Edited February 28, 2021 by Californication

[Tanooki | 4,939]

I regular second hand stores (thrift, half price books) problem is they're getting a bit greedy so it has gotten harder and harder to get any goodies.  There is (was) the flea market, but my overly paranoid other half refuses to let me go down there thinking I'll bring hacking death back which is a joke.  I miss the variety there that comes up each time.  I do second hand facebook too for the local marketplace, distance is a bit of a gamble on a place like that.

Certain second hand stuff I just don't do, like used shoes and clothes, can't get beyond that even if I boiled the stuff.

Five Below is a solid pick as is visiting the Dollar Tree depending what you're after. Given how much of a scam it is to get even a 6ft lightning cable most places, they're $5 at the Five Below so when the plug starts to flake I'll swap that out as $5 is better than $20-30 at the store.

[Link | 2,715]

Thrift stores are awesome. My latest cool score was a stand mixer for $18.

[RH | 4,924]

9 minutes ago, Link said:

Thrift stores are awesome. My latest cool score was a stand mixer for $18.

[Daniel_Doyce | 475]

I gave up on thrift stores. Other than the clothes, everything else is total garbage. Electronics, kitchen stuff, books, furniture, all junk. There's either some dedicated people around here that pick through them all the time, or the staff is grabbing things before they even get to the floor.

[nrslam | 476]

I buy most of my stuff through thrifts, flea markets, and garage sales. Books, electronics, toys, jewelry (for the wife, I don't even wear a watch), kitchen gadgets, tools, sporting goods etc all come from those sources when I  can find what I want.

I do have some limits. I'll buy used sweat pants, for example, but not used underwear. Luckily I only need a new 3-pack once every 10 years or so.

 

[Strange | 1,700]

I think every piece of furniture in my apartment, minus bookshelves for my books and games, are secondhand. Either given to me or thrifted.

When I was in college I was delivering pizzas on my breaks. On a delivery I saw a tall living room lamp on the side of the road. I got out and asked the people who were throwing it out if it worked. Dude said yeah, it was in his man cave but he got a new one and just didn’t want to deal with the old one anymore. That was... 6 years ago? It’s still sitting in my living room a few feet from me as I type this. Best $0 I’ve ever spent.