Give Thanks...For A Good Deal, Even If They Never Get Used

 Hard to pass up a good deal.

It's probably been half a decade since I last went skiing. If my 59-year old self told my 17-year old self that I rarely go skiing during ski season, my younger self would not believe it. It would seem so strange. Then again, I doubt my 17-year old self would understand that things would change...

Namely, the cost of the sport.

Back in the day, you could go to almost any Northern Utah resort and ski all area/all day for under $12. If you wanted to spend more, you could go to Snowbird or Park City of Deer Valley. When we had a little extra cash, we'd go to Snowbird and ski all area w/o the tram for $16. That's mind-blowing now. The most expensive part of skiing back then was the equipment.

That's why when I go to our local thrift store and I see practically new(ish...), unused skis for $12, I buy them, even if I don't need them or even if I may never actually use them. 

At my age, people don't do things they used to do. I know a lot of people my age or older who ski and good for them. I'd like to think I'd still be able to successfully navigate from the top of the mountain to the lodge. But, you never know. Plus, there's the ever-increasing costs. That's not going to change.

I'm thankful for a good deal. I'm thankful for my childhood memories of skiing with my family and friends. I'm thankful that others enjoy the sport so much. I don't know how good the Rossignols are that I bought, but I know the underside are almost pristine...not a lot of rock skiing were done. This year's ski season has just begun. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to take these babies out and give them a run or two. 

Time will tell.

When You See That One Item...That You Gave Away

 As life goes on, we humans replace things...clothes, cars, some even replace humans. And because life goes on, sometimes you're the replacer, and sometimes you're the replacee. Recently we found ourselves replacing a bed frame. Our last one we used for more than a decade...

It was time.

Once upon a time, we had one of those Sleep Number beds. It was an interesting system and it worked, sort of. I mean, we used it and liked it, but after a while, we needed something else. So, we bought a mattress, but kept the frame, and used that frame for years and years and years.

The frame came in sections, most likely so it could be shipped all over the world. It made it nice for us. We broke it down and stored it in our garage. To be honest, I wasn't sure what we'd do with it, only that it needed to be someplace that wasn't a bedroom. My "cheap" side thought maybe I could use it for something in the future, like maybe, a chicken coop (I was just spit-balling...). And, given enough time and a need, I might have come up with something.

We did a mini-clean up in the garage a while back and assembled a pile to be donated to our local thrift store. We decided to add the bed frame to the pile. After all, people need things like bed frames, don't they? We stopped by the store and they took the stuff.

End of story.

However, since we find ourselves frequenting that particular thrift store every once in a while, it was bound to happen. I had forgotten about the frame when I went in. After a few minutes of meandering about, I remembered it. That happens when you see something you donated sitting on the sales floor.

I snapped a few pictures and walked away. I hope someone can use it. If not, we would have broken it down even further and tossed it in the trash. After all, if someone needs a lightweight, easy-to-assemble bed frame and they have twenty bucks, they've got a deal for you.

Almost $450 Worth Of Exercise Equipment...For Twenty Bucks

What you see are two pieces of exercise equipment I purchased at a thrift store. I got one (the bigger...) one week, and the smaller one a week later.

Grand total for the two: $20.

A quick internet search list the cost as $269 (for the bigger one...), and $179 for the smaller. You could say, I scored two deals. 

When you buy something second-had (or third, fourth, or more...), there's only one item, flaws and all. Take for instance, the Rodeo Core (blue...). It's one of the strangest pieces of exercise equipment I've ever seen. If you don't believe me, do an internet search and watch a video of it in action. I'm sure you'll agree with my assessment. It cost us $15. The reviews say it's quiet, but mine's not. The thing's as creaky as a haunted house. It does work, though, but if anyone else is home, they know I'm using it to work out.

Then, there's the second one (white...). It's called a Desk Cycle. It has two flaws...technically, three. There's an electronic device used to keep track of a person's progress that was not included when we bought it. I didn't think it was that important since I'm not using it to track my progress. That's the first flaw. Then, the unit's missing the rubber boots on the back post. They are important--they keep the Desk Cycle secured in place. That's flaw #2 and #3.

Still, for $5 I'm willing to look past those flaws.

You could say we made off quite well with our two purchases. But, there's no way I would have bought either of these new, and not just because of the costs. We only picked them up because they were so cheap. Yes, they may be great deals...

But, only if I use them.

Yesterday...I Was One Of "The Waiting"

I had time to kill yesterday morning...

Apparently, I was not the only one.

I became a member of what I call, "The Waiting."

If you're wondering what "The Waiting" is, I see it this way. The Waiting are any group of people waiting outside an establishment until the doors of that establishment open. There used to be many Waiting groups on Black Friday when the only real way of scoring great deals was to go to the store, joint The Waiting, then rush in and grab the good stuff before others have a chance to get theirs.

Groups of The Waiting have dwindled in recent years. I don't usually need to be at businesses before they open anymore, so I haven't seen a lot of The Waiting groups. There is one place, however, that The Waiting seems to show up everyday...

Thrift stores.

Or, a certain chain of thrift stores found in the Intermountain West. They're called Deseret Industries, or D.I. for short. They're run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and, as thrift stores go, they're pretty good. They're clean (for the most part...) and have a good selection (for the most part...). Because they're successful, they seem to get all the excellent donations. 

After all, donations are key to a successful thrift store--part of the reason, anyway. 

Because the stores are clean and well-stocked, it attracts both the collector and those a little short on cash. Yesterday I pulled up to the store about ten minutes early. A few members of The Waiting were already doing their part. As the seconds ticked down, more and more people parked and got out of their cars. I watched The Waiting grow in numbers. 

Soon, I joined them. 

Soon after that, we were The Waiting no more.

How In the World Did A Yves Saint Laurent Tuxedo End Up At The Brigham City Deseret Industries...?

 Yesterday my wife and I ran errands. We still have a million things to do to prepare for our daughter's wedding next month. On the way to pick up a clothes steamer of all things, we stopped at the Deseret Industries thrift store in Brigham City, Utah.

It's where we found a tuxedo.

Made by Yves Saint Laurent.

I tried on the jacket...it fit extremely well considering it was the only tuxedo in the store. I held up the pants at the side of my legs and they looked to be the right length. Neither of us could believe it was a YSL tux. My wife asked how much it cost.

I said, "Thirty bucks."

"We're buying it," she said--no hesitation.

When we find something at a thrift store (or a yard sale...) that might be worth something, we come home a do an internet search so see if we've scored a great deal. This time, it's hard to say if it was a good deal or an incredibly amazing deal. If you search for Yves Saint Laurent tuxedo, the jacket can cost between $3400 and $4500. The pants will set you back $1350. I know this thing isn't worth that, but, well...if it is worth something close to that, how in the world did it get there? Who donated it? Where did they get it?

Another mystery is the only tag in the garments. It says, "Ancient Thai Silk Co., LTD. 100% Thai Silk." I thought the entire suit was silk, but I think it's wool with silk linings. I could be wrong--I've never owned a silk suit before.

So, we bought a suit that came with unanswered questions. There's someone out there who knows the answers to these questions. The questions make the whole experience more fun.

Words Cannot Adequately Described...Just How Awesome These Were

 We had an hour or so to kill before we picked up our youngest from school, so we stopped by the Logan Deseret Industries, the major thrift store chain prevalent in our state. After wandering around for a bit, my wife pointed to a couch/chair combo that was, in a word, spectacular.

Someone, somewhere would die for them.

They were covered with red vinyl, with carved wood accents. The chair was $25, the couch $55. Even though they were amazing, there's no way we could have bought them. We have no place to put them. But, if someone out there were designing a space in retro 60s style, these would be perfect.

I sat down on the couch. Let's just say, it wasn't as comfortable as it is stylish. Perhaps, more than half a century ago, they were wonderful to sit on and lay down on. If so, time has not been kind. They weren't the worst thing I've sat on and we'll leave it at that.

If you are one of those people looking for just such a couch/chair combo, you'd better head to the Logan D.I. and quick. Who knows how many people are looking for something like this for their collection?

Remember Lane Cedar Chests...?

 It's funny how seeing something can unleash a flood of memories, and how we think the way we grew up is shared by everyone. Today, as I perused the aisles of a local thrift store, I came across a Lane cedar chest just sitting among discarded items.

Just looking at it reminded me of my mom, and the Lane cedar chest she had for decades.

Of course, my mom's looked nothing like this one. Her's was larger and wood-grained on the outside. It was very pretty and it stood at the foot of her bed as long as I could remember. I also remember sitting on it as we watched TV in her room with she and my siblings. We would congregate in her room, mostly in the winters with a kerosene heater in the corner. We did this because it cost money to heat the rest of the house and with the heater warming the master bedroom, we didn't even have to turn up the heat. That was back when families had maybe two TVs in the house...possibly more, but why would you need more than one TV, especially when there were only three networks, no cable, and no VCRs?

I only remember looking inside her cedar chest a few times. If I remember correctly (and, there's a good chance I don't...), she had some items from her wedding, and some other things that meant a lot to her. 

Since my mom had one of these, I just assumed every mother had one in their homes. And they passed them down to their daughters, and so on and so on. Apparently, that's not the case. We don't have one in our house, and because I left the Lane cedar chest sitting on the thrift store floor, maybe someone will pick it up and begin a new tradition for their family.

It's been just over fourteen years since my mom passed, and I don't know what happened to that particular piece of furniture. Most likely my sister has it, at least, I hope so. Funny, how seeing something in a thrift store can bring back those memories.

Give Thanks...Thrift Stores

 If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you know I have an affinity for thrift stores. Where we live, the prominent chain is called Deseret Industries (D.I.). It's owned and doubles as a jobs training program for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

And I love the place.

We have so many items from that store in our house, in my office, and even in my car. Most of the pairs of shoes I own came from there as did most of my suits. The bumper pool table in our basement came from the D.I., as did many of our games and DVD movies. We found ourselves needing some coffee mugs (not for coffee...) and we found just what we needed at the D.I. Last Friday, we needed some big-ticket items so we decided to go on a D.I. run. There are three D.I. thrift stores within an hour's drive of our home and on Friday we hit them all.

We found one big-ticket item...the others are still out there somewhere, waiting to be donated and reclaimed.

Today I'm thankful for these stores. They provide a valuable learning opportunity for countless people in our area. And, they allow people to provide useful items for others to buy at a discounted price. Plus, it allows me to find treasures and gives me a place to hang out on a lazy weekend day...

Except not on Sundays, of course.

Four Trips...Four Items

 In this picture, I see four things--there's actually more, but the three pieces of furniture and the tree are what I'm focusing on. The reason I took this picture is because each of these four things represents four trips I had to make yesterday.

I'm glad I didn't have anything else on the docket. 

I don't work my job on Fridays. Fridays have become our "go pick-up groceries" day. We drive about twenty minutes south to get groceries at two stores. Thanks to the wonderful implementation of pick-up shopping, we drive to the store, open up the back of the minivan, and after the groceries are loaded up, we head home.

Yesterday, we decided to check out a couple of places before we came home, one was an amazing furniture store (subject of a future blog post...), and the other a thrift store. We're on the look out for three things--a cabinet for our living room TV, a beat-up desk for my son's projects, and a table base for my bumper pool table (subject of another future blog post...). 

Yesterday, we hit the jackpot!

We found two of the three things at the thrift store on our first trip out. The cabinet and desk were perfect, but we didn't have time (or space...) to take them home. No problem--I can just come back. We did and I did. The problem was, I greatly underestimated the cargo size of Donk the Subaru Forester. When they wheeled out the desk, I knew I was in trouble. Only the desk would fit = yet another trip south. But, before I left, I did go inside the thrift store (if you know me, you know I could not resist...) and I spotted the third leg of the trifecta...I spotted the table.

I drove home, unloaded the desk, then took out the middle row seats in the van and headed once again south. We loaded up the table and cabinet--they barely fit--but they did fit and I counted that a success.

But, if you think my driving time for the day was done, you are wrong, my friend. Last night an opportunity opened to get a Christmas tree. We haven't seen a lot of trees in our area, so we drove east to Logan, home of the Aggies, and picked up a tree. After we got home, I unloaded the tree and placed it in the garage. 

I snapped a picture. It represents over 150 miles of driving to assemble the four items. Lots of driving, but for us, a very successful day.

The Tale Of The Red Chair...

 It's been said, and I tend to believe, that when one ventures into a thrift store looking for a specific item, that item will be available for purchase. Of course, this is not always the case, but more times than not, I have found this true.

As a fan or thrift stores, I try and prove this saying true whenever possible.

Which brings me to the Tale of the Red Chair. We've recently relocated to a new part of the state, and because of this, we ventured out to investigate the local used wares establishments. We found ourselves in Brigham City in search of various things.

We came upon a new wool suit for me, but there was something else we needed. Our son asked if we would look for an office chair, for the one he currently used was less than desirable. After a quick search (for the store was not large...), we came across a chair. It passed all the son's requirements--it had to be comfortable and have sturdy arm rests.

But, when we spotted the price of the chair, well...let's just say we were more than surprised.

Four-hundred and ten bucks?!

I think not.

There are, from time to time, articles in these thrift stores that are pricey. It doesn't happen often, but occasionally. High prices are usually reserved for things of value, something worth the posted price. However, when we gazed upon this chair, it did not appear to be one of these items--it did not appear to be worth the posted price.

We flagged down a worker and asked a simple question, "Is this price right?"

His answer? "I'll get the manager."

And fetch the manager he did. The manager came over and he came to the same conclusion as us--it was not worth the posted price. So, he instantly dropped the price of the chair $400. We bought it.

After loading up the chair and leaving the store, my wife and I discussed our latest purchase. It was she that surmised how the chair came to be priced at $410. Her answer was classic.

"Maybe someone working at the thrift store asked what price the chair should be. 'Hey,' they might have said. 'What should the price of this chair be?' And someone answered, 'That thing? It can go for ten dollars.' And it was priced at $410."

I think that's the the best explanation possible.

$8 Thrift Store Shoes...A Freaking Steal...Except For One Thing

We only had a few minutes to look for stuff at the thrift store. My wife and son went to the stuff animal section to find new chew toys for the dog.

I went to check out the shoes.

I used to first go check out electronics, but there's so much garbage there nowadays (some would argue it's not just the electronics...), it no longer holds my interest. Last year, I found a used pair of Vans, my size--no laces. I bought the pair and wore them all the time--so much so, I wore a hole in one shoe. Time to look for another pair of slip-ons to replace the Vans.

I looked. I spotted a pair. I picked them up, saw the maker--Ecco--good brand. I tried them on and they fit.

Score!

The thing about thrift store shopping is sometimes you find hidden gold--sometimes you don't of course, but I've done pretty good over the years. I know some Ecco shoes can be quite expensive so when we got home, I did a little internet search.

I typed in: Ecco weave shoes. Then I chose the photos.

And there they were--the same pair of Ecco shoes I had just bought. The first thing that caught my eye--the $160 price a new pair of my shoes would cost.

Score again!

I love it when that happens.

Then, I saw something else in the photo...yes, the Ecco shoes are $160 new, but if I went into a Nordstroms looking for a nice pair of Ecco shoes, I'm pretty sure I would not see this pair. I'd be nowhere near this pair. The reason:

They're women's shoes.

That's right...I found, bought, and reveled in a pair of Ecco women's shoes. Of course, I had a decision to make. Would I re-donate them to the same thrift store from where I bought them, so someone else--most likely, a woman--would buy them, or would I keep them and wear them with pride, knowing I scored on an expensive pair of shoes.

I chose the latter.

I'm keeping the shoes.

The Things We Do For Dogs...

Yesterday, when we dumped pillows and blankets, and stuff animals on the counter to buy, the woman behind the register looked up and said, "for the dog?"

She'd seen it all before.

We shopped at a thrift store. We buy all (or most...) of the dog's toys at a thrift store. Apparently, we're not the only ones. Yes, we've bought little squeak toys at the pet store--they're not that expensive, but my son's rescued poodle likes the big stuffed animals, the big frogs and the big teddy bears and the big bunnies.

And they don't sell those at pet stores.

The dog chews up the stuff animals, eventually ripping them apart and pulling out their fluffy innards. It's not the fault of the dog--the stuffed animals were built for chubby little human fingers, not sharp adult dog teeth. In a few months, we'll be back, looking for large animals. For some reason, our dog likes green ones the most.

Tonight, I spotted the dog surrounded by his conquered victims. They lay about like slain enemies of war with the dog as the victor.

The things we do for dogs.

Completing The Entertainment/Exercise Center...

Saturday, I was doing a little weekend shopping, at my favorite shopping spot--our local neighborhood thrift store. That's when a thought hit me.

I should look for a Wii gaming console.

Sometimes I go to our neighborhood thrift store to look for a specific item. I've done well when I do that. Of course, I can't have too high of standards. I pretty much know if I need to buy an electric line trimmer, there's probably a couple at the store, and if they're not there, they'll probably have a couple to choose from in a week or so.

Over the years I've found many things I've specifically went to the store to find. This was one of those times. Saturday, I'm looking in the electronics department (not much there...) and the thought hits me. I should look for a Wii because I could use it on breaks at work--you know, for exercising. I did a quick search on the shelves...

Nothing.

I thought maybe they would have one in the glass cabinets at the front of the store. I took five steps, turned, and right there, sitting on a cart they use to haul out the new "goodies," it a Wii unit. Unbelievable. I plugged it in, it light up, but all the cables needed to make sure it worked properly were missing. I decided that I could buy it and it if worked, I just scored a first-edition Wii gaming console, and if it didn't work, I just donated $15 to the thrift store.

I brought it home, hooked it up (I found that inside the unit was the incredible game Dance Party 2...), crossed my fingers and I waited to see if the unit worked. Turns out, it did. Just to make sure, I turned on the game and rocked out to It's Raining Men. I didn't too bad, if I don't say so myself, somewhere in the 70% accurate range.

It's interesting. I hooked up my thrift store Wii to my thrift store TV. And if I can keep up an exercise regimen, then my entertainment/exercise center will be complete, thanks to some fortuitous circumstances and a well-stocked neighborhood thrift store.

Kind Of Like Christmas...In March

After running a few errands this morning, having breakfast, and putting in a load of laundry, I took a trip to our local thrift store. It had been a while since I had the opportunity to meander through the aisles in search of treasures. Plus, there were some items I had been asked to "look for" for others.

Turns out, I hit the jackpot!

Or jackpots, depending on how you look at it.

A few days ago I was asked if I knew of place that sold telephone answering machines. They only needed the answering machine part. It was the first thing I searched for and the first thing I put in the shopping cart.

Last night one of my children mentioned to us that he was thinking about getting a bicycle. Guess what the thrift store has? Bicycles. Most are junk, but a few--including a nice blue Schwinn Frontier--were in good shape. After a few text messages including photos to see if the item passed muster, I picked up the bike.

Another child asked us the other day how much a tower fan cost. I said I wasn't sure, but something I was sure of is that I had seen a couple of tower fans at our local thrift store the last time I went. Sure enough, they had a couple today. After testing it to make sure it worked (it did...), I put it in the cart.

There's another member of the family that always appreciates gifts, only this one can't speak. The puppy loves new things to rip apart--the bigger the better. When I saw the big tan bear, and considering it was only a couple of bucks, the puppy was getting something fun.

Last of all, I checked the shoes. I don't need any more pairs of shoes, but I always check. It's amazing how some incredible shoes can be found in thrift stores. Back in high school, when Vans shoes were all the rage, I had a pair, but I could afford multiple pairs--they're kind of like Swatch watches, you know--finding a pair of authentic well-worn Vans is a find.

I picked up the shoes...they were for me. After picking up things for family, I bought a pair of shoes for me. Today was kind of like Christmas, in March.

And it was fun.

Things I DIDN'T Buy At The Thrift Store Today...

My son wanted to go to the thrift store today. His puppy needed new things to destroy. I'm always up for a trip to see all the things other people have basically thrown away...or "donated." I love thrift store shopping. The problem I have is there's so many things I want to get, even though I know I don't need them. I've blogged about this before. One of the reasons I don't get all the stuff (aside from not having unlimited resources...), is our house is relatively small--we'd have no where to put it.

My son bought things he wanted for his dog. My daughter picked out cute clothes. My wife, other son, and I roamed aimlessly looking at all the stuff. I pulled out my phone and began snapping pictures of all the things I did not buy at the thrift store today.

I did not buy a Panama Canal hat (even though it was red...).

I did not buy an electronic jar opener.

I did not buy whatever this is.

I did not buy broken clocks...

Or binders....

Or tap shoes (I would have bought them if they weren't two sizes too big...).

I did not buy either a VHS collection of the BBC Classic of Pride and Prejudice, or Campaign in the Pacific.

I did not buy old Latter-Day Saint books (or beer steins...).

I did not buy even one Danielle Steel novel.

Nor did I pay $125 for a display that appears to have been worth $12,500.

I did not buy a creepy doll that might be a good prop for next year's Frightmares.

But the item I actually considered buying most of all was a football helmet for $10, signed by Tim Tebow. Yes, really, Tim Tebow. I googled the signature to make sure. I checked out similar items on Ebay but I couldn't tell what it was worth. And, besides, what would I do with a Tim Tebow signed New York Jets helmet? I've never sold anything on Ebay, even though I think I should.

No, others brought stuff home from the thrift store--I did not. Of course, the next time I go, who knows what treasures I'll buy...and not buy?

Shoes...What Is It About Shoes?

I've seen the ads on TV, on the internet, even in print. What are they selling? Women's shoes. I think we all know someone who goes gaga over shoes. I remember seeing an ad on TV where you can sign up to receive a new pair of shoes every month for a low monthly fee. 

I thought, that's amazing. In no time at all, a person's house would be just full of shoes. How can anyone want so many shoes? I know they come in all shapes, designs, and colors, but come on--there ought to be a limit.

I don't have a lot of material things that I collect, but apparently, I collect shoes. I found and bought another pair today. I've got a lot of shoes. But am I as crazy about shoes as the people who have them sent every month?

I might be, but I don't think so. Here's why.

Last year the shoes I've been wearing to work for more than a decade decided to fall apart. They were so good, I decided to spend the extra money and spring for a new pair of shoes for work. I usually buy my shoes from a thrift store. Last month I scored on a couple of pairs of Allen Edmonds shoes. I didn't necessarily need them, but I bought them anyway. Both pair cost less than $10. That's hard to pass up.

Today, while browsing at our local thrift store, I found a pair of Vans. I've thought about getting a pair for a while, but I wasn't about to pay full price. Not because they're not good shoes--it's just I don't need them. I can't justify buying new shoes that I don't need.

Another reason why I don't think I'm like a shoe fanatic is because I usually buy name brand shoes. I found a pair of Converse lot tops at the thrift store--I bought them. Today it was a pair of Vans. If I saw a pair that looked like Vans but weren't Vans, I would not have picked them up.

I should probably get rid of a couple of the pairs I don't wear very often. Maybe I will. But there's a good chance I'll probably bring home another pair of someone else's shoes before that happens. That is, if I go gaga after them.

Apparently, Thrift Stores In Idaho Falls Are A Good Place To Find Allen Edmond Shoes...Who Knew?

Our Idaho adventure wraps up tomorrow. Before the trip, I failed to carefully read the e-mail letting us know the entire group of kids--and chaperones, of which, I am one--will be attending church on the way home. Since I'm traveling with kids in addition to my daughter I will be attending, too. That means, I needed to get some suitable church clothes.

And where's the best place to find inexpensive clothing?

No, not Old Navy (although, that can be considered...), but a thrift store. And luckily, I knew where two thrift stores were located in Idaho Falls. When I arrived, the larger of the two was closed. I went to the other thrift store--located directly across the street--and asked when the Deseret Industries (D.I.) closed. I missed it by a week.

At the smaller store, I found a pair of Allen Edmonds dress shoes. They were pretty beat up. I might send them in to get refurbished. I'm told they do that at Allen Edmonds. Even if I don't do that, picking them up was okay. They were only two dollars.

I asked if the worker knew where the new D.I. was built. I assumed they built a new one--this thrift store chain is important to the Mormon communities. Turns out I was right--they did build a new one. The worker told me the new store was in a section of town I'd be visiting later tonight. What luck! After dinner I went inside the new D.I. and bought a shirt, tie, belt, and another pair of Allen Edmonds. These are in much better shape.

Ever since I found out about this brand of footwear, I've been looking for Allen Edmonds for years. Today I found two pair. They may be the only used Allen Edmonds in the city, or maybe even all of Idaho, for all I know.

What I do know is, had I read the e-mail more carefully a few week's back, I'd have had no reason to even step inside a store.