Here's What's Coming In October On Let's Go Thrifting!

Harvest time.

In just a few short days, I'll be basking the in the glory of my favorite month of the year. And while officially on the calendar Fall has arrived, it doesn't seem quite autumnal enough for me until the first of October.

And with that in mind, I've decided to publish a little teaser post all about the fun fall-themed things in store for this wonderful month. Because it might be 82 degrees here in Philadelphia today, but I know that delightfully crisp Fall air is creeping in. 

So what can you expect on Let's Go Thrifting this October? 

Craft projects!

Well you know I have plans for pumpkins. But I'm also thinking some paper crafts, Mod Podge miscellany, jewelry crafts... the works! I'm so glad that I saved 9 days of vacation time for just this occasion.

Adventures!

...And of course vintage photographs to add to the virtual gallery. But just look at this guy. He's having a good ol' time. And I will be too. It's not even October yet and I already have penciled the following into my calendar: a Japanese Flea Market at the Shofusu House, a trip to Styer's Orchard, a work outing to Terror Behind The Walls at Eastern State, the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, and more!

Did I mention craft projects?

Yes, I'm mentioning craft projects twice. Because...why not?  I'm also excited to be featuring some tips and tricks from cosplay and artist extraordinaire, Angie S, on how to achieve the perfect costume, plucked right from the shelves of your local thrift store. 

This much and more is coming your way in October. Also...mark your calendars. Exciting things are in the works for October 5th...as I celebrate my 5th, and golden blogiversary.

Happy almost-October, thrifters!

The Top Five Tips On Being An Expert Thrift Shopper

"How do you find this stuff?" 

I've been asked that question a lot. Friends, co-workers, Facebook followers, they all want to know what I know about thrift shopping. So I'm going to share five helpful tips on how to score everything you want and more from the thrift. 

• Thrift and thrift often. The best part of thrift shopping is the frequent turnover in merchandise. Donations are constantly coming in and new-to-you items are being processed, priced and moved to the sales floor every single day. Visit the thrift stores near you as often as you can. You won't always find secondhand gold, but when you do, it will be because of your tenacity. 
• Looking for boardgames? Check the shoe section. Whenever possible, graze every single aisle. Hunt every department. Scavenge through every nook and cranny of the thrift. Like any other retail environment, shoppers change their minds on  items and carelessly discard them in any spot nearby. Even the most organized thrift store has this issue. This is, however, something that can work in your favor if you happen to find that perfect piece of Pyrex sitting in the toy bin.  
• Know your labels. If you're a  treasure hunter looking for high-end wares, it helps to know designers' signature traits. The same can be said for finding authentic furniture, stemware, vases and even first-edition books. You might not be an expert in everything, but knowing what to look for in specific pieces can save you from getting duped by an impostor. 
• Charge those smart phones. If you're a lucky owner of a smart phone, you have one multi-purpose thrift tool at your disposal. Google brand names, dates and anything you're unsure of to find more info on an item before you purchase. Map out a route for a day trip in the area and visit all the thrift stores you can. Take pictures to send to friends for a second opinion on an item...or just call them to brag about all the awesome junk you're scoring for cheap.
• Get social.  Make your Facebook count for more than just Candy Crush and "like" your favorite thrift stores. If those thrifts have a dedicated employee who posts announcements about mass donations, pop-up sales or in-store events, you'll have some know-how that other thrifters may not. Use your social media outlets to virtually surround yourself with like-minded thrifters local to your area who will share the wealth. If I hear about a surprise sale or a new thrift store opening its doors, I spread the word. And I have plenty of friends who do the same for me.

It's true. A lot of the thrift experience can be chalked up to luck, simply being at the right place at the right time. One can even say there's an element of karma, or fate...that a much sought-after item just finds YOU. But sometimes hoping to find that certain something is not enough. Sometimes it means rolling up the sleeves and digging through those bins and boxes. It means visiting several thrift shops, several times a week. But it's a task that I do well. And now that you know a little more about how I navigate the thrift store, you're ready for the job. Happy hunting! 

2 Simple Tips For Thrifty Shopping Without The Thrift Store

She's the most interesting thrifter in the world.

Being thrifty means more than shopping secondhand. Let's face it. There are times when you can't find everything you need or even want from the local thrift store. So how do I reconcile retail shopping and staying thrifty? I have two basic maneuvers that I encourage you to practice whenever possible.

• Scour the clearance section. While not every retailer will have a section specially for clearance merchandise, many do. It never hurts to look. I've scored clothes, shoes, books, food and much more for far less compared to standard retail prices. Just be sure to check product condition and expiration dates if applicable.

Retail price $12. Supermarket clearance price: $3.

There are certain things I can't typically buy cheaply. Face products and haircare products cost me a pretty penny, since I have sensitive skin and have to be wary of what I use. $3 for a big bottle of my favorite hypoallergenic facial cleanser? Yes, please! 

I pillaged the Barnes and Noble clearance section. 

Ah yes, clearance books. Nothing like a stack of cheap reads. I usually have no problem finding interesting books at the thrift, but that doesn't mean a visit to Barnes and Noble is a fruitless trip. 

Madame Bovary: Regularly priced $5. Clearance price with member discount: $2.25
Ghost Towns Yesterday and Today: Originally $25. Clearance price with member discount: $5.40 
M is For Monster: Original price $22. Clearance price with member discount: $2.70

• Work the sales and the coupons like a pro. You don't have to be on Extreme Couponing to know a bargain when you see one. Be patient and search sales fliers for deals, then get to the coupon clipping. Want some examples? 

Black patent leather wedges, brand spankin' new.

Another expenditure where I can't afford to be too stingy are shoes. I have clown feet, in size 11... size 10 if I'm lucky enough to find certain styles with a wide-width. So when a sale and a coupon can be combined, by George I do it! These shoes are $60 regularly priced. But I also found a lovely button-down top on sale for $15 from the same store. Fortunately for me I had a $25 off a $75 purchase coupon. Original price for shoes and shirt: $90. Sale and coupon price: $50.

The average cost of this can of soup is $3.00

I like canned vegetable soup. Its saves a heck of a lot of time in making lunch. It's not always cheap... but today it was. My supermarket had a one-day only special sale on select varieties of Progresso vegetable classics for just .79 cents a can! But that's not all, folks. I had a coupon for $1.00 off 4 cans of Progresso. Soooo.....

.79 x 4 cans of soup is $3.16  - 1.00 coupon  = $2.16

That's $2.16 for 4 cans of soup! 

. . . . . 

Sure, I love thrifting. I love flea markets and garage sales and thrift stores the size of shopping malls. But sometimes you have to do the retail thing. And you don't have to sacrifice your frugal ways. Trust me. I know how it is. Now, isn't it nice to know you can still be thrifty when it comes to retail with just two simple steps? 

How do you stay thrifty outside of the thrift store? 

Building A Better Thrifted Library

"Take a look. It's in a book"

If you're keeping it old school like me and prefer settling down with a cup of hot tea and a good book as opposed to firing up a Kindle, Nook or whatever new digital ebook device will be next, I have good news. Print isn't dead. It's alive and well at your local thrift store. And you could be paying a fraction of the price as compared to national book store prices.

Chances are, your typical Goodwill is stocked full of microwave cookbooks and dated computer software manuals, but don't write off the possibility of finding a good read just yet.

Building a better thrifted library can mean embracing the virtue of patience if you are looking for a particular title. But there are may be a few titles on your to-read list that you can find at the thrift.  Think about it. Between the thousands, literally thousands, of the same title from the bestsellers list that have circulated the masses, I'd bet a good percentage have found their way to the thrift store shelves. Add those Oprah book club reads and all the fodder from high school book reports and required college reading into the mix and you have a sporting chance at finding something that will catch your interest.

If you are ashamed of the fact that you've never read Moby Dick or maybe you're looking to rediscover some of the Beat writings of Kerouac, fear not. I've amassed a number of the classics for pennies on the dollar thanks to Goodwill. 

Here's my book shelf on Japan! 

Even if you're not looking for something in the classics category, you still may one day find something specific in a niche topic. Several of my books on Japanese culture were even bought secondhand, at both thrift stores and flea markets. 

Some Tips for Thrifting Books

1. Some thrift stores have taken the initiative to separate books be genre. If you have time, scan the entire section. You never know what bodice-ripping romance novel will end up in the children's books by mistake. 
2. Always check the binding. You can maybe tolerate a few dog-earred pages, but shoddy binding means eventually losing pages. Cracks in the spine, loose pages or a book that can lay entirely flat when opening at the halfway point are typical signs of binding ware.
3. Check the copyright and edition. If you are a re-seller, it's best to know these things and it never hurts to know otherwise. You could be thrifting something valuable!
4. Give a book a chance! Not sure if that sci-fi adventure will get your imagination going? Ah, for fifty cents, it's worth finding out. 
5. Spread the word(s). If you're reading to enjoy the story and aren't necessarily interested in keeping the book for your collection, donate it back to the thrift store. Think of the 50 cents as a mere rental fee for a good read. 

           Recall this thrifted book on...voyeurism...?

While I don't encourage reckless stockpiling of thrifted books, for fear of ending up on Hoarders, it's quite possible to build an enviable collection for your personal library. Classics, recent bestsellers, DIY craft books and even the occasional literary oddity like Body Watching is Fun can all be yours for less than the price of a pack of gum. Chew on that, you thriftin' leisurely readers! 

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Perfect for displaying books and thrifted knick knacks!