I have seen people on YouTube going to thrift stores looking for vintage clothing. Sometimes they will do what you have done which is to find clothing and making it into fabric for something else. Incase you didn't know, some people have made "tshirt" yarn by taking old shirts and cutting them into thin strips to be used as a new ball of yarn.
Absolutely. Some people buy nice items and resell them on eBay as well. I love the whole idea of this. I've done the T-shirt yarn as well for a project for my blog (it's about "upcycling"). I crocheted a dishcloth from T-shirt yarn as a first time thing. I plan to make more stuff as well. I think it's really cool, and you can get some great deals. I love bag sales, where you can get a whole bag of stuff for a buck. This is a fantastic way to save money on fabric and yarn (you can also unravel a sweater to use the yarn). So many options! It also means fewer things go into the landfill. Win / win.
I'm heading to the next time over to do some errands, and there's a new Goodwill Store in that town, right by Dollar Tree, which is one of the places I'll be shopping. I looked online to see if it's open, and although that particular location didn't pop up when I looked on the map, when I checked further, it did show it as being open. I'm interested to pop in there and see if they have any deals on some things I'm looking for, such as crafts, Fall and Thanksgiving decorations, and maybe clothing. I'm hoping since it's a new store that it will be somewhere I can shop to save some money, since I'm over near there at least once a month.
I'm not familiar with Goodwill but we do have Salvation Army in the UK. They do sell some nice little gems, if you have the time and energy to root around. One thing I cherish that I once bought from there is a genuine Italian leather satchel. I think it cost me something ridiculous like £5, and it still looks fab! I cherish it and don't use it too often.
Our local Goodwill stores get all of the unsold clearance items from Target, making it possible to purchase brand new clothing, toys, and housewares at Goodwill prices. I have noticed that some Goodwill and Salvation Army stores receive better quality donations, and so I will focus my energy on these locations more than others. Also, church-ran thrift stores I have found to be the least expensive, with clothing items starting at .25 cents, and sales such as fill a bag for $5. All of the money raised goes to charitable causes while shopping at any of these stores, so it's nice to save money while helping others at the same time!
That's a great point, @prose. I can no longer afford to donate money, but I do donate a lot of things from my household whenever I can, and I love giving back by purchasing from the stores that help others. We have several run by churches in the area, as well as an interfaith shop that gives back to people in need, as well as supporting a local women's shelter. I was not only able to purchase a few small items, but also cleaned out my car, because I had some donations that have been sitting in the back seat for a couple of months. The 'dumpsters' that collect donations in various parking lots in the area only want specific items, and the bags i had left didn't qualify, but Goodwill was happy to take them. I purchased a string of beads that I will upcycle into items for my online shop, and I was also able to find a nice cat scratching post that my kitties will enjoy. One of them has already christened it, even before I rubbed it with catnip.
We have a clean Goodwill in my area that I like to go to when I have time to browse all the racks. I carry the 20% off coupon in my wallet and try to spend at least $10 so I can use it. Many times I will find clothing that still has the original tags on it from a retail store. Never worn. Two years ago, I got lucky and found a wonderful black leather zippered jacket for an unbelievable price. And, it was in my size! It wasn't new, but in excellent condition. I get a lot of wear out of it during the winter. I have a giant white macramé and wood owl hanging on my living room wall that looks to be very expensive. Everyone who sees it asks me where did I get that? When I tell them Goodwill, they usually just nod their head like they don't believe me! When I was losing weight I never paid full price at the retail stores for clothing. I shopped at Goodwill. Be careful and examine clothing for wear and tear, odor (almost impossible to get out), and stains. If it looks good and has a good price I will buy it. First thing I do when I get home after removing tags is throw it into the washing machine. You never know... well... let's just say it's a hygiene thingy.
There are many good stuffs that you can buy in the thrift store. You just need to be patient in looking. I know someone who bought a used watch for a very low price. sometimes you can even see new stuffs. I still believe that it is still worth it to go to a thrift store.
They are worth it when you have to dress up for the winter. I know especially as a young person, it is hard to find modest clothes at the store for a woman during winter time. I always end up going to Goodwill for turtle necks. Also if you need leggings, stockings, and scarves it is a nice place to go. A lot of rich people donate at Goodwill so you never know what you are going to find.
