Let's Talk Live!

Yesterday I sat down with the ladies of Let's Talk Live to talk about spring shopping at thrift stores and tips to finding the good stuff!  

Here's the video!

Know your thrift store-- non-profit charity or for-profit retailer?

When you open that closet in the coming weeks and start that inevitable spring cleaning, keep in mind where you choose to take those treasures for donation. Not all thrift stores are the same.

You just might be giving them to someone who's just profiting off your old stuff.

I learned a lot this summer, and among those lessons was that a lot of newer thrift stores are really for-profit entities in disguise.

Take a look at this article that recently ran in the New York Post, or this one from a few years back, both of which bring up the fact that Savers (and others like them....) disguise themselves as thrift, but are actually making big bucks from your stuff!  

"While (Savers) doesn’t actively alert donors that their goods are going to a for-profit retailer, those who ask generally are “happy that funds are being created,” Rodriguez says. 

So rather than putting the profits from those old sweaters into the pockets of a corporation, take them somewhere you know will turn the dollars they raise into a better community for you and your family. Whether it's Goodwill, or other smaller stores whose donated goods fund local organizations like dog shelters or domestic violence shelters that you're familiar with, take the time to know where your donations end up and exactly how they benefit the community you're in.

Call me crazy, but it makes more sense for my newly cleaned-out closet to benefit the people I live and work with, not a company's profits.

It's just good karma.

Attention Indianapolis Thrifters!

I spotted this little gem on the Goodwill auction site today.

I'm in LOVE but unfortunately it's pick-up only.  For the love of Pete, someone PLEASE get this!  I can only dream of it-- and of actually having the space to put it in my tiny apartment! Make my heartache is your gain!  

Pluck this bugger up, paint the wood white and clean up that wonderful aqua velvet upholstery and you'll be my hero forever!!!

Cape Thrift!

A few weeks ago Ed and I headed down to the Outer Banks for some pre-season R&R at off season rates.  I was surprised to see LOTS of thrift shops on the islands and lots of great goodies!  

If you're ever down that way, be sure to check out the Goodwill in Kitty Hawk and multitude of smaller shops like this one that helped fund a women's shelter.

Living Social gets in on the thrift store craze!

Thrift it up with Living Social! Now even Living Social is getting in on the thrifty deals!  Click the photo on the left to get $25 to spend on thrift store merch for only $10!!!