I cannot even get into how many great items I've scored at thrift stores.  Again and again I shake my head as to why someone would get rid of some great quality items.  Personally, I'm into nice clothes, and I can show up at a nicely casual social gathering looking fashionable and fantastic (pants, shirts, sweaters).

A friend of mine scored a 6-figure job in a thrifted suit, just to prove he could.  It cost him more to dry clean the suit (and the thrifted tie and shirt that accompanied it) than it did to purchase in the first place.  Now that's being frugal and intelligent at the same time.  Not cheap suits either - all wool stuff from Nordstrom, Dior, PEllis, JosABank, RLauren.

I figured out that some guys just get really gut-honest that they're never going to fit in their 32-waist slacks in this lifetime, so they leave their designer wool slacks for me to scope when I go on my regular runs. A good percentage of the items are either gently used, or almost indistinguishable from new.

A lot of people don't get thrifting. It's not that everything in the store is for them - it's that there just may be something for them in every store.  

Great resources on this blog!!  I'm so glad to see that people are embracing thrifting, it's one small way that we can turn the tide of commercialism and over-spending. While supporting worthy non-profit organizations.  Thanks, Thrifty Chicks!

I have always liked shopping at thrift stores. One of the most well dressed women I know buys everything she wears at thrift stores. We had lunch with her yesterday and when she mentioned that everything she had on was purchased at thrift stores my husband's jaw literally dropped! He's not easily impressed. While it's difficult to buy everything at thrift stores, I usually get complements on my thrift store items. I have to laugh since I know how much I paid for that one of a kind blouse or sweater. Buying thrift allows the occasional splurge.

I too live within 2 miles of 3 thrift stores (Jen, we must be neighbors!), my favorite is the NCJW, great selection and prices.  Although I do frequent the Goodwill near me, because I have found a few good deals on non-clothing items, such as $5.00 for a framed Campari print, their prices are higher than the other two thrift stores I go to.  

Interesting that you should post this today!  I'm going to engage in 'The Compact' (in which I attempt to purchase only, or primarily used items throughout the year) and made my first foray into Goodwill and Salvation Army yesterday.  They were packed!!!!  I could see that I had quite a bit of competition, and also that thrift store shopping requires time, patience and skill, all of which I hope to improve over the coming year!

finallyfrugal.blogspot.com

I took my daughters to Plato's Closet a great upscale Thrift Store, and they bought wonderful designer clothes at a fraction of the price.

I used to work at a Goodwill "Boutique".  They split the main store with a false wall and set it up 75% /25%, with the 25%  being a specialized boutique carrying name label clothing, antique furniture, books, musical instruments, jewelry, etc.  At the time I worked there, I saw many items that we would carry dry up.  This was not from employee theft, it was from ShopGoodwill (dot) com.  The CEO's of many Goodwill stores have it set up that the best donations get auctioned off at their own E-Bay style web site.  Still, I know of a few items that slipped past the professional sorter, so if you are diligent you can still find a real treasure.

I live in Columbus, Ohio and am really disappointed as to how high they jack up the prices.   Used furniture, for example, is often more expensive than the furniture I bought at Big Lots.  

Don't forget to check out those thrift stores run by hospitals & animal rescue groups. These folks tend to be more friendly & more reasonable as they are all there voluntarily & working for something they have a passion for. We have several locally & I love them!

I love shopping at thrift stores and yard sales. My fiancee and I both have professional careers and the majority of our work clothes come from thrift stores. Also, I purchased several Christmas presents for my three sisters, my mom, and my nephew from a thrift store. I even bought two rolls of Christmas wrapping paper (still in the shrink wrap) for $.50 each.

I would much rather spend my money at thrift stores where the proceeds benifit a worthy cause or go to job training for people with disabilities, etc. than shop clearance racks (because if they can discount it 75% and still make a profit, that tells you how much the marked it up to begin with). I also make several donations to thrift stores, typically Goodwill, every year. I can claim these charitable donations on my taxes every year. It's never much, but any deduction helps.