I'll be running out to Goodwill first thing in the morning!!
Lucky you!

Doncha just love it when you find a treasure like that and at a fabulous price?

Linda

Good deal! I agree with checking Goodwill/Salvation Army for treasures. We were out West for the last 10 days and it got really cold which we didn't anticipate. I went to Goodwill and found a wind breaker and a sweat shirt both still had tags on. I also found neat stuff in the housewares department and brought home more...gadgetssize>. I like it when you go to the check out counter and they ask you "what is this?". They really don't know the treasures they have.

Jessica, I'm a firm believer in ''If you think about it, it will come!'' Good for you. If you don't go, you don't know what you're missing at Goodwill. I'm still using the 1964 Kitchen-Aid I picked up years ago, and have added extra bowls and beaters since then. Some of my favorite appliances came from there, like the old acrylic hassock fan I use every summer. Like Cathy, I'll check when we're out of town sometimes if I'm needing something like an expensive book to read.

What I want to know is, Mustangs...what gadgets did you find?

That's wonderful! Good for you!

Our Goodwill used to be a great place for treasure hunting but these days they are into making money as well. I have seen some used items sold in the Goodwill store that were more expensive than you would pay for, brand new, in a retail store.

A couple of years ago I donated an old half size foot pedal organ to them thinking some low income family could use it. Two days later I went to see if there was any taker and found the store asked $100 for it. I thought the store worked as a medium so people who wanted to share their blessing could donate to the store, and their goods would be received by those we needed them? I then realized the Goodwill store had turned into "taking advantage of someone's goodwill" Store. It's ridiculous!

Totally love it!! Fabulous price, indeed. A friend and I had been talking about splitting a juicer, so I called her and told her she owed me three dollars and fifty cents :-D

I got the same weird "what is this?? Does this all go together??" at the checkout counter. I wasn't too familiar with juicers, so I was like-- uh-- I think this big bin catches the juice?? It actually catches the pulp, though. As I discovered, through trial and error, you have to put a cup under it to catch the juice. Otherwise it runs all over the counter :-/

That's so smart to run out to the goodwill on vacation! I always forget things and end up being annoyed that I have to pay a lot to replace them. I'm gonna remember that.

Wow, a kitchenaid mixer?! That's a find indeed!!

Sorry to hear about your bad experience, althetrainer :-(. On the bright side, you helped give people jobs, and the money they make from selling it will go to a good cause.

Well DUH. Just to clarify, that was supposed to be an ''inexpensive'' book to read!

If you can find what you're looking for at Goodwill in the ''used'' version, it's a great way to try out something before you invest in a better version. Often times, the better version simply never needs to be addressed!

Claire, I got a hanging refrigerator shelf for wine; an egg carton fits nicely. I already have one so I knew what it was and how it adds storage space. I got a hamburger patty maker and storage thingy with divider disks. Which is perfect now that I am grinding my own meat. Total expenditure for new jacket, new sweatshirt, 2 gadgets=$7.50.

This was my second trip to the Goodwill Store in Sioux Falls. We stayed in an extended stay type hotel that had a kitchenette but no utensils, so the first day I went to the Goodwill and purchased kitchen supplies. Example: frying pan-$1.50.

That's exactly how I furnished my first apartment, and every other one after that. I just love a good bargain!

I think I've even been to the one in Sioux Falls. Did you visit the Falls while you were there?

What was that DUH in reference to, Claire de luna?

DUH was referencing my (typo) statement that I look at Goodwill when I need an ''expensive'' book to read!

Ah, gotcha. I assumed you meant a book that would have otherwise been expensive :-D

I also check out the Good Will, I've purchased boxes of used canning jars there at very inexpensive prices. The new ones are $8+ a case!

I'm also prone to checking out clothes and kitchen items at second hand stores. If I need a barn coat or some sweat pants, I'm not going to pay for new ones if I can help it, I'll get some for a couple of bucks at the used clothing stores.

Both my girls LOVE jeans from second hand stores, they say they are more comfortable because they are already broken in and "pre-shrunk".

Annie

I mentioned several months ago when I was looking for a meat grinder that I hit all the thrift stores in the area and was astonished that the parking lots were full and there were long checkout lines. Since I have been a thrifter for a long time, I knew this was unusual. I was looking for unnoticed treasures and too many families were looking for economic survival. It really hurt seeing the kids excited about the toys. I brought Beau to see this, then had a lesson-learned discussion when we left. He would freak when I would suggest give some of his toys away. He's frantic response was "I need all of them".

Cathy, when the girls were small we had a holiday tradition that involved going through their toys every year at Thanksgiving and finding things that were outgrown or unplayed with. The girls then decided which toys were still in good enough condition to go to the local Community Services collection point for distribution. Amanda explained it to Ashley when Ash was about 3, telling her that we needed to share our toys with the "poor babies who didn't have any". Ashley spent years donating her toys to the "poor babies who didn't have any". I didn't think a lot about it until she was about 10 and the big thing was Pokemon cards. She got a Pokeman game for Christmas that utilized those cards in some way, it had been the top request on her Christmas list. When she returned to school after Christmas break she came home the first day and asked if she could give the game away. One of her friends told her that he hadn't gotten Christmas gifts because his Dad was in jail and his Mom had no money. She wanted to give him the game and I heartily agreed. We went shopping for his little brother and sister too and sent a small box, anonymously, with those little gifts and a note from Santa apologizing about the oversight.

Her friend still reminds her that she gave him her precious Pokemon game and that it was the only gift he got that year, so the lessons do sink in, even if you think they don't get it.

Annie

Awww!!!