I mentioned before that we were involved in a volunteer trip to Haiti, and part of it simply involved donating a bunch of unwanted clothing. We also went to a bunch of different Salvation Army’s and Goodwills to find some additional cheap clothing to give away. While doing so, I noticed something that in retrospect is obvious – the stores next to the country-club type neighborhoods have the nicest stuff. There was name-brand clothing and shoes everywhere. We picked up some like-new Polo jeans for $6 – it was like shopping at Buffalo Exchange but 75% off. I’m sure the more fashion-savvy could probably pick some stuff up and re-sell it on eBay for a profit.
Another less-exciting discovery? You can buy used underwear at some stores. We’re talking tightie-whities here! 😕 I suppose they serve a need, but who donates lightly-used underwear anyways? I don’t think I can bear to do so myself, but next time I do a donation run I will be sure to throw in a new pack of Hanes.
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It’s not as great as it was 10 years ago for the very reason you mentioned: people are buying the stuff and reselling it on ebay. So because of that, two things have happened: Prices have gotten outrageous at some places (seriously – $13 for USED old Navy jeans is NOT a deal) and two, the selection has dropped off. For people like me who work long hours and can only afford to go once a month, I’ve gone from being able to find a deal everytime I went to only finding good stuff once in every 6 months.
Hurts to be from small town Texas too; not alot of country clubs here.
Yes, lots of nice clothes available at some thrift stores.
I started working at one recently. Sometimes people donate brand new clothes with the tags still on them. I guess people received them as gifts and they weren’t their size or style.
is this religious mission work?
I agree, I used to be able to find great deals at my local thriftstores for reselling on ebay. Now It’s really hard to find anything decent. And you can’t sell used underwear on ebay anymore!(Sorry, I just had to throw that in!) diane lee
Nope, it’s a medical mission including doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other volunteers.
Used Underwear – That is LAUGH OUT LOUD funny!
I’ve had the same experience as Mary. Years ago the local thrift store had all jeans, regardless of brand, marked at $2.00, and everything else was also super cheap. The past several times I’ve gone, I’ve left empty handed.
cool, you know, if you asked your readers to pitch in, i bet you could really clean up and bring more stuff/money to those folks…
just a thought.
Thanks dpjax. It was really limited to what people could carry onto the planes, and we had plenty of stuff in the end. (They’ve already left.) Maybe I’ll do something next time, but I’m confident that my readers already give a lot to charity.
If people are interested in a local medical charity, I can suggest NW Medical Teams, which has a good rating on Charity Navigator.
Jonathan, I had to laugh when you asked who donates used underwear anyway because it triggered a memory of a story about our former President Clinton. It’s people like President Clinton who donate used underwear (and put it on his tax return).
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20060818-113944-8022r.htm
“Eyebrows were raised in late 1993 after press reports that President Clinton took itemized deductions on used underwear he had donated to charity when governor of Arkansas. For instance, on the return he filed for 1986, Mr. Clinton valued a gabardine suit “with ripped pants” he gave to the Salvation Army at $75 and three pairs of underwear at $6. “
Now, how to identify those “next to country club” Salvation Army stores?
It’s kind of counter-intuitive as most these stores are meant to help the poor. They may have small outlet around those expensive areas to collect expensive stuff, then send them to poor areas…
I am confused…
I get some of my business related books from thrift stores. They’re cheap!
I was going to mention the Clinton used underwear donation, but DDD beat me to it! =)
Even in my poor hood the Goodwill does get a nice selection of stuff from Target. I’ve gotten great deals on furniture, toys, books, printer ink, etc. Every week a different colored price tag gets discounted 50%. Sweet.
Yeah, I’ve always been a bit, um, surprised at the whole re-selling underwear thing. But I guess if you’re really really short on cash and you really really need underwear … Still, I think I’d have a hard time doing it.
Used underwear. That’s just so wrong.
Most thrift stores help people not by having items that lower-income people can afford, but by using the money generated in store sales for their services and programs. Goodwill doesn’t care who shops there, heck, better if you have more to spend because then there is more for their programs that help recent immigrants train for jobs.
And, yes, I remember that story about President Clinton’s underwear donations…it’s what I told my husband when he wondered about the undies on our itemized deductions. If it’s a good enough deduction for Clinton, it’s good enough for me! 🙂
I’ve been involved with mission work also. We learned that bringing in clothes is not such a good deal. Imagine the enterprising young woman who is trying to eek out a living making hand sewn clothes. You just put her out of business buy flooding the local economy with free clothes! OK, so maybe YOU didn’t, but imagine if this were extended to others… every visitor brings in a little bit… every little bit hurts the local entrepreneur. I understand Goodwill and Salvation Army do this sort of thing on a very large scale. It just devastates the local economy as far as clothing goes.
No one EVER died of not being clothed properly!
Similarly, food shipments must be handled carefully. Yes, if people are dieing, let’s bring in food. But if they are not dieing, then bringing in food drops the price of food, so the local guy who worked his butt off planting, fertilizing, harvesting… no gets less for his crop because the market was flooded with free food! What looked like good intentions is no rewarding people who didn’t work to get a crop and is punishing those that did.
Mission work is HARD! Lot’s of stuff that’s quick and easy to do, but might have unknown adverse consequences.
Debentureboy (long time lurker)
Thrifting still can turn up a lot of good things; some of the folks who resell items on Ebay are either not as savvy as you’d imagine about what thrifts have, or they’re just looking for things they know 100% have a resale market. So if you know what it is you’re looking for, and educate yourself, you’re still very likely to find some terrific things. (For instance, I found myself a Roberta DiCamerino vintage purse at Goodwill where one very similar to it sold on eBay last week for– get this– $700!… Me, I wasn’t looking for couture, I just liked the purse. 🙂 Shocked the heck out of me.)
The “gently worn” underwear issue, however, is pretty common in thrifts. And it’s NOT among my thrifting purchases, that’s for sure.
Hey all, I just wanted to tell everyone that if youre going thru or about to go thru a divorce as I am, thrift stores are so, so helpful. I believe i have spent little over $500 in items I need for my new apartment mostly from Goodwill and Marshall clearance and other thrift stores. I dont know if anyone knows, but Target gives their stuff, I believe to Goodwill if they dont make the 75% sales. But what I have found is that goodwill tends to up the price on some of their Target donations. Ive noticed that on the bedding. Sometimes they make no efforts to cover the last sale price of the Target tag. Or maybe they are doing that being that their sales have increased thanks to the economy. I have found some very nice beddings, I found a wooden bed frame for a full size mattress for $20! Granted, nothing fancy about it, being that it will be for my daughters room in my apartment, but just thinking of how much I dont have to spend for a new bed is awesome. My most recent purchase and most expensive at Goodwill is a 2004 Sony Wega TV (I dont even know the screen size) with the flat front for $75! The funny thing about it, I was determined to get that TV being that someone took the price ticket HOME with them and the lady almost did not sell it to me cause of some technicallity – they have to hold it for 24 hours! That didnt deter me cause I still walked out with the TV. I found an expandable dining table (without the leaf) for $35 at St Vincents thrift store, and 4 matching chairs (darker wood that doesnt match the table, but oh well) for $77 at Salvation Army thrift stores. Pots and pans, lamps, curtains (found 4 window panels that are 84 inches long for just $4). Honestly, its addicting. I find myself just stopping in to see whats new, but thats what you have to do. I preach the glory of thrift store shoppings. My entire winter wardrobe consist of clothes I got at goodwill / thrift stores. With the things Ive gotten from thrift stores, I am able to give my daughter a bigger room, a bigger bed and a bigger TV. I love thrifting. But Im still kicking myself for not getting that genuine Gucci purse for $40! Now, Im actually looking forward to furnishing my place, and have people curious as to how Im going to piece it all together.