HAUL: Salvation Army Quick Trip
After checking out the new B-Thrifty store (see that haul here), I made a quick stop at the Salvation Army across the street, since I hadn't been in that location before. I focused on belts, because lately I've really been trying (unsuccessfully) to find good belts to wear with dresses and longer shirts, but somehow a bunch of movies snuck into my haul, too; the fact that they're under the glass at the check-out counter probably had something to do with it.
The belts I found, at $3.99/each, were slightly more than I would have liked to spend (and $3/each more than the one I got at B-Thrifty), but they were perfect for my needs and I've had such a hard time finding any at all that I felt they were worth it. Likewise, I usually wouldn't have bought so many movies unless it was a discount day (which, at Salvation Army, is Wednesday), but there was such a good selection and several of the movies are ones that I've been wanting to get on DVD to replace my VHS collection, so I figured they were worth it.
Luckily, I resisted the urge to spend on some items that were quite tempting, but either not necessary or more than I was willing to spend: a tan Gap wool coat for $29.99, a tank top for $6.99, shoes for $11.99, and a whole bunch of tempting winter clothes.
The Goods
Belt
Belt
Tunic
Men's polo shirt
5 DVDs
Despite my intention to just run in quickly to check out the location, I wound up spending $30 on 9 items.
Read through for the details on brands and prices.
HAUL: B-Thrifty Groupon
This week I purchased a Groupon to a new "big box" style thrift store called B-Thrifty. It was a good deal: for $15, I got a voucher for $35 to use at the thrift store (excluding its consignment section and the International Bazaar housed in it). That voucher was burning a hole in my pocket, so I headed over today to check it out. (Little did I know when I left that a tornado watch would go into effect while I was out... just my luck.)
Overall, I enjoyed the B-Thrifty. The store is huge -- I believe my tweet said, "Holy clothing, Batman, this place is enormous!" -- and it's the first thrift store I've seen that actually has as much, if not more, men's clothing as women's. I found many items that were brand new, including the short-sleeve men's polo and the dress I bought, but I was also disappointed to find several significantly stained items as well; in the shoe department, there were like-new dressy high heels next to sneakers that should have been in the trash. So like with most thrift stores, you really need to pay close attention and examine each item.
The aisles are very wide and can more than accommodate the shopping carts; very few thrift stores can fit carts down the aisles at all, so this was a real plus. And as funny as it sounds, I really enjoyed the music selection, which included really well-known classic rock songs.
I'll definitely be going back, and I plan to take advantage of their BiP Member card (for 30% off on Thursdays) and their Federal Holidays discount (50% off).
The Goods
Pink tank top
Patterned tank
Plaid tank top
Sundress
3/4-sleeve cardigan sweater
Hooded 3/4-sleeve shirt
Eagles jersey
Short-sleeve polo shirt
Long-sleeve polo
Belt
I wasn't sure how many items I'd be able to get (or would even find) for $35, but I came home with a total of 10 items for $35, which is a good deal. Since I only paid $15 for the Groupon, though, it was really 10 items for $15 for me, which is an even better deal!
Read on for all the details on brands and individual prices.
HAUL: $50 at Village Thrift
Today I made my fourth trip to Village Thrift, one of my new favorites. My first trip was somewhat lackluster, but since then I've gotten a 25-item haul for $80 and a 15-item haul for $60. I scaled back a bit more today, but still came home with a good haul.
I've mentioned before that Village Thrift's discount days are Sunday and Monday, when three different tag colors are 50 percent off. Today, perhaps for the holiday, in addition to three tag colors at 50% off, there were another two tag colors at 33% off. I succeeded in restricting myself to only discounted colors, buying 8 blue tag items at 33% off and 3 violet tag items at 50% off. (And, looking at the receipt now, I just realized that some items that I had thought would be full price actually received a discount... always like when that happens!)
The Goods
White cardigan sweater
Gray knit cardigan
Patterned tank
Blue knit tank
Flowered blouse
Purple dress
Gray & blue dress
Eagles jersey
Orioles jersey
Christmas Cards
Brown & blue organizer
The total: 11 items for $41.31.
Continue reading for the price and brand details.
HAUL: Payless BOGO
Today I was at the mall with friends and noticed Payless was running a full-store BOGO sale, so I stopped in to pick up a few essentials. (For those of you who don't know, BOGO stands for "buy one, get one"... in this case, it was buy one item, get one of equal or lesser value for half off. So buy one pair of shoes, get a pair of shoes for half-price. Buy a purse, get a second purse for half-price. Etc.)
The Goods
Tights and shoelaces
I snagged 5 items for $15.46. Not exactly a steal, but not bad to get some items we've been needing. (One of the pairs of shoelaces isn't pictured, as my husband has already put them into his shoes.)
The Details
I only picked up some items my husband and I have been needing: tights for me and shoelaces for him. The haul:
- 3 pairs of Minicci tights: a hot-pink pair on sale for $0.99, a brown pair at full-price for $6.99, and a grey pair half-off for $3.49 (50% off of $6.99)
- 2 pairs of shoelaces: one pair of 54-inch brown shoelaces (not pictured) at full-price for $1.99 and a pair of 40-inch brown shoelaces half-price for $0.99 (50% off of $1.99)
DEALS: $5 Magazines & MP3 Albums
Amazon.com offers a variety of $5 MP3 albums each month; the October ones are now up on the site. This month's offerings are particularly good, in my opinion.
A sampling of the 100 albums available for $5 each:
- NOW That's What I Call Music 39 [various artists]
- Sorry for Party Rocking [an Amazon.com exclusive version] by LMFAO
- Volume One by She & Him
- Give Up by the Postal Service
- Rockin' the Suburbs by Ben Folds
- Parachutes by Coldplay
- Demon Days by Gorillaz
- One of the Boys by Katy Perry
- A Fever You Can't Sweat Out by Panic! at The Disco
- Take My Home Tonight [soundtrack]
Additionally, Amazon.com is offering 15 different magazine subscriptions for $5 each now through October 11, 2011. (Warning: Most of the subscriptions are "auto-renewal" subscriptions; if you don't want to keep the subscription beyond a year, make sure you cancel before it renews.)
The selection includes:
HAUL: $60 at Village Thrift
I was divided about Village Thrift after my first trip there, but after my second trip there last week it's become a new favorite. Today was another discount day at Village Thrift, with 50% off on three different tag colors. Once again, almost everything I bought was discounted, although unfortunately the most expensive item I bought was not. (It was still a good deal, though, and will be very useful.)
My husband really liked the shirts I got him last week and gave me the go-ahead to outfit him with more, so I focused on the men's department this time around. I'm really glad he wanted more shirts; I think he needs more variety in his wardrobe (and the less I need to do laundry, the better!). I only picked up two clothing items for myself, as well as a few books and household items.
We'll see if Village Thrift expeditions become a weekly tradition...
(I apologize for the poor quality of the photos today. I think it's a combination of bad lighting and difficult-to-photograph patterns and colors.)
The Goods
Blue men's button-down
Blue striped men's shirt
Green striped shirt
Tan striped men's shirt
Brown striped shirt
Maroon men's polo
Purple men's sweater
Pink knit cardigan
Striped cotton blazer
Men's khakis
Striped throw pillow
3 hardcover books
Set of drawers
That's a total of 15 items for $60.60, or an average of $4.04/item.
Read on for all the brand and price details.
HAUL: $80 at Village Thrift
After my first visit to Village Thrift, my closest (big) thrift store, I had mixed feelings: I was impressed with the size, the organization, the quality of the items, the cash registers, and the discount days, but I was disappointed with some of the prices (higher prices at Village Thrift than the original/sale price tags still on new items, clothes from places like H&M for the same prices as new). I also was a little confused about the discount days; I thought it was 50% off certain colored tags on Mondays, and a different percentage off on Sundays, but it's actually 50% off three tag colors on Sundays and 50% off three tag colors on Mondays.
Today, I decided to give it another chance... and boy did I clean up! I found many items that I've been looking for: spare pillowcases, word games, cardigans, flats, generic wrapping paper, and polos for my husband. I purchased almost entirely discounted items; the full-price items I bought were ones that I felt were very good deals anyway and/or things that would be very useful to me.
The Goods
Satin jacket
Purple cardigan sweater
Fuchsia knit cardigan
Straight jeans
Dressy tank
Empire-waist shirt
Striped skirt
Metallic gold flats
Plaid canvas flats
Men's green T-shirt
Men's green polo
Men's teal polo
Men's striped polo
Men's yellow polo
Green men's shirt
Striped men's shirt
2 pillowcases
2 rolls of gift wrap
Scrapbook refill pages
Set of Christmas cards
2 word games
1 hardcover book
My total: $80.25 for 25 items. That's an average of $3.21 per item! I have a feeling I'll be making a lot more visits to Village Thrift...
Read through for all the nitty-gritty, like brands and prices per item.
DEAL: St. Vincent’s “Strange Mercy” Album
For today (9/13) only, St. Vincent's new album "Strange Mercy" is available for $3.99 (digital download, not CD) in the Amazon MP3 store. That's a great deal on its own.
But, through September 18, Amazon.com is also offering a $1.50 credit to be applied to any of 21 new indie albums, including St. Vincent's. That means you can get "Strange Mercy" in DRM-less MP3 form for only $2.49. That's an even better deal.
But hurry, because you can only get it at that super low price today.
Amazon.com offers a $3.99 digital album every day. The only other one I've purchased was Weird Al's "Alpocalypse" earlier this summer. Most of the albums they offer are good and by popular artists, but I get so much music for free (legally) and I'm not very particular about what I listen to that most of the time they're not worth it to me. But they are still good deals, so if you are a music aficionado, keep your eye out for their deals. You can follow Amazon MP3 on Facebook to stay updated on all their daily deals and other specials.
HAUL: 27 books for $2
This weekend, one of the branches of my local public library was having a big book sale. My husband and I went to the sale on Sunday, when it was only open from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., and books were being sold by the grocery bag. (On Saturday, the books were priced according to format: hardcover, paperback, etc.)
Here's how it works: As you enter the sale, you get a brown paper grocery bag. The books are all laid out on tables and shelves according to rough categories; you fill up your bag with whatever books you want as you go around the room. Then, when your bag is full, you pay just one dollar for the whole bag. Not one dollar per book, one dollar per bag of books.
In addition to books, they also had some board games, a few movies on VHS, several audiobooks, and some magazines.
My husband got overwhelmed by the crowd (people were waiting outside when we got there just before noon) and the chaos within a minute of entering, and left to read in the regular part of the library. I was in my element, though, and managed to cram a great selection into 2 bags. *
The Goods
27 books
» The Jolly Postman, Janet and Allan Ahlberg
» Chocolate Astrology, Joy Nagy
» Good Housekeeping Good Deals & Smart Steals, Susan Randol
» Politically Correct Holiday Stories, James Finn Garner
» The Abominable Snowman Doesn't Roast Marshmallows, Debbie Dadey & Marcia Thornton Jones
» The Floating Island, Elizabeth Haydon
» The New Tea Book, Sara Perry
» The Miracle at Speedy Motors, Alexander McCall Smith
» Spin a Wicked Web, Cricket McRae
» Wild Goose Chase, Terri Thayer
» The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Burbery
» Instant Gratification, Lauren Chattman
» Death is Semisweet, Lou Jane Temple
» A Puzzle in a Pear Tree, Parnell Hall
» As the World Churns, Tamar Myers
» Laced, Carol Higgins Clark
» The Fondue Cookbook, Gina Steer
» The Matrix and Philosophy, William Irwin
» Popular Mechanics Home Safety Handbook, Nancy J. Becker
» Style Rx, Bridgette Raes
» Charmed Thirds, Megan McCafferty
» The Pirate King, R.A. Salvatore
» A Field Guide to Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angels, and Other Subversive Spirits, Carol K. Mack & Dinah Mack
» How Things Work in Your Home, TimeLife Editors
» Perennials, TimeLife Editors
» Better Homes & Gardens Handyman's Book, Better Homes & Gardens Editors
All in all, that's an average of $0.07 per book.
Want to know all the nitty gritty on the prices and savings? Continue reading.
HAUL: Borders Liquidation Sale
As you've hopefully heard by now, Borders is going out of business. Both my husband and I are saddened at the loss of the Borders stores, he because Borders was the only area book store that his favorite authors frequently (or ever) appeared and I because it was one of only two large bookstores in our vicinity. (The other, Books-a-Million, doesn't usually have as wide a selection, at least in my experience.)
Since the liquidation was announced, I've made three visits to my neighborhood Borders to check out the sales. I first went on the very day that the liquidation went into effect. At the time, I declared the sales to be a waste of time and a rip-off. The air conditioning had been turned off in that particular location, so the poor booksellers were slogging through a 100+ degree day in utter misery. The computer system was already off-line, providing no way to check their stock, and the shelves had already become an un-alphabetized chaos, rendering it nearly impossible to look for anything specific. On top of all that, the sales were only about 25% off the list price, meaning that many of the books had been cheaper the previous week than they were during the "Everything must go!" liquidation sale. Yet the line to checkout still snaked halfway around the store, a testament to our weakness for sales and our mistaken belief that something advertised as a "sale" must be a good deal.
My next trip was about a month later. By that point, more of the store's sections (all the sales are based on the genre/category) had reached the realm of decent deals, but still not good enough that I was willing to buy anything unless it was being discounted from a discount or was 50% off the cover price. The two bargain bin sections were 30% and 40% off their sticker prices, which are usually at least 40% off the cover prices, so I snagged several books at fractions of their list prices. I also picked up a few greeting cards (Paperchase items were 50% off list) and magazines (current issues, 50% off their cover prices). The real kicker in getting me to actually purchase items on this trip was that they were offering a 10% off discount (on top of the other discounts) if you bought 6 or more items, and a 15% discount if you bought 8 or more items.
My most recent trip was on Thursday. The stores now bear "Final Weeks! Entire store 60% - 80% off!" signs, which means that even "regular" (non-bargain) products are at least 60% off their cover prices, making everything in the store a relatively good deal. This time I picked up several more books, all at 60% or 70% off their list prices, and a DVD at 60% off. (Sadly, there were no "buying in bulk" discounts anymore.)
The Goods
Trip #1: 12 books, 2 mags, & 2 cards
Trip #2: 10 books & 1 DVD
Between the two trips, I got a total of 27 items for $102.40, saving $383.29 (79%) off the cover prices.
Click through for more details on the books I purchased.
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