No, I don’t mean run around naked. Shop thrifty for gently used toys, books, and clothing for your family. We buy all of our clothing, shoes, toys, and books used. The reason for this is that it uses up less resources, promotes good causes (Goodwill), and teaches our kids to reuse items.
I’ve become a dumpster diver though. We live in a complex where people constantly throw reusable goods away. My wife and I dig the stuff out and haul it to the local Goodwill. Gently used stuff has no place in a landfill if it’s still usable.
Good idea…I tend to do that a lot anyway since I’m into a lot of old fashioned stuff and used to getting hand me downs as a kid. You miss some really good finds!
We shop Goodwill too for a lot of things. However my daughter’s clothes tend to be cheaper at the outlets January sales, and given how tight money is I cannot pass that up. But I do a lot of second hand and hand me downs-kids grow too fast to wear things out.
I think it’d be nice if there were more required classes to do basic things like sewing and stuff…I guess that’s Home Ec but it’s not always required anymore and people just don’t know how to live simply.
Without technology, a lot of these kids wouldn’t know how to make it!
The trouble is that nowadays it is cheaper to buy clothes ready made than to sew them yourself. The costs of fabrics and notions can be huge. There are few things that I would consider sewing myself-one is cloth diapers and diaper shorts. That is only because the design that I want for my daughter is not available, and it will only cost about the same to make as it would to buy them.
Very true…I guess I got out of the sewing habit because it costs about as much to make as to buy a designer outfit, and the things I want to make are not found in any pattern book.
I can handsew but it’s not very good, and I’m not very good about measurements…I have a vintage fashion dvd and hopefully I can take a few notes…
TexasGuy and I are going to buy as much as we can from Once Upon a Child and yard sales for our soon to be foster children, but I’m not going to do that for myself. My oldest sister likes to shop the thrift stores. It’s just not for me. Kids go through clothes so quickly that there’s no reason not to for them. 8)
OK. If it works for you. I donate items. Doesn’t mean I’m going to buy my items from those stores. I would rather my donations go to the people I donated them to go to.
Around here, we have THE best place to buy used clothing. Sometimes it’s not even used, but bought out from stores that went under and needed to get rid of their stock. I’ve bought Skechers shoes for $3, a Calvin Klein leather jacket for $5, as well as sheets and towels and curtains and all kinds of stuff. I love it.
I’ve become a dumpster diver though. We live in a complex where people constantly throw reusable goods away. My wife and I dig the stuff out and haul it to the local Goodwill. Gently used stuff has no place in a landfill if it’s still usable.
I too am that way. I like to use whatever is new to me but does not cost like brand new items do. It can save you a lot of money especially when children are growing quickly.
I will buy a few things from thrift stores, such as books and some pants, however, there are some things that I will not. I don’t buy shoes from thrift stores, but I guess I’m somewhat of a neat freak. I always donate items, though.
I won’t buy used shoes, but sometimes Frenchy’s has brand new, brand-name shoes that I can’t resist. I got my now worn-out Skechers there for next to nothing and wore them to death. I need new ones.
I dont think everyone can or will do everything to save the planet, some people will, use a smaller car, bring their own bag to the supermaket and so on, but I dont think that many people would switch to second hand clothes
When I first started going to second hand stores I was looking for antique china. I soon started puchasing books and anyother neat item I could find at the Goodwill. With children you really save alot by purchasing some of their clothes secondhand. I use previously owned items as a feel in, it stretches the budget. We have found PSII games there for the kids and toys.
I see items on the street people want to get rid of and will often take it to the Goodwill. You know the old saying one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. I call it treasure hunting.
