d
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Likes: 60
|
Post by d on Jun 4, 2022 12:03:00 GMT 10
Just got back from the local vinnies, Picked up a pelican back pack and a Jack Reacher novel and have change from a $20. I’ll regularly grab wool blankets and the like there too.
|
|
frostbite
VIP Member
Posts: 5,464
Likes: 6,980
|
Post by frostbite on Jun 4, 2022 12:07:57 GMT 10
There's a huge charity book fair in my area several times a year. Last time I picked up a heap of Reacher books for $2 each. A good way to pass time if I'm at my retreat in bad weather.
|
|
|
Post by Stealth on Jun 4, 2022 12:22:38 GMT 10
I've found our local vinnies and salvos to be... Not great sources. They hike up prices to retail for brand new items and sometimes even more. I remember finding a tshirt for one of my squidlings that was $5 and had a stain on it. I'd seen EXACTLY that top at Kmart earlier in the day for $4 brand new. I hate fast fashion, it's a scourge. But I'm also not paying a dollar more for an item that was stained!
The vinnies a 20 minute drive away though? Brilliant! Lots of treasures to be found there. I found a vintage Oroton bag that they were selling for $12 that would definitely go on a site like depop or threadup for $50+. I didn't buy it, left it for someone that might want to do exactly that or a collector. But I did find a whole bolt of a really nice quality black cloth for $8 that bought from Lincraft or Spotlight would have been at least $90 for the amount on it. I also got a KFS set for $3 that sells for $35 brand new and it was still in it's original packaging. Kept that to throw in my camping gear. A lovely shirt that looked basically new cost me $8 but was $40 in store.
I don't know why some stores have taken up the model of selling at higher prices and some haven't. I know that's a model that some elect to use to provide funds for services rather than items that people who're looking for cheap second hand goods to fit out their homes as used to be the case. I'd thought it was the standard at all stores now because most of the ones near us do that. But the second vinnies I visited proved differently.
I haven't visited many op shops lately purely because I began to feel like it was a waste of time but I might go to the second store a bit more often to see what kind of bargains I can find. But don't forget about your local Buy Nothing groups on FB. I've scored many really great items for free on my local group and handed out plenty of stuff that I'd rather see being used than sitting on an op shop shelf over-priced for months on end!
|
|
bug
Senior Member
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 1,858
|
Post by bug on Jun 4, 2022 12:32:46 GMT 10
The Salvos haven't been a charity for many years now. They are a business with many government contracts. Avoid them and do not give them a cent unless you'd also be happy donating to Nike, Coke or your bank. Also worth remembering that the Salvos participated in the recent state sponsored discrimination. Not exactly 'looking after the disadvantaged'.
So to hell with them.
|
|
|
Post by Stealth on Jun 4, 2022 13:13:13 GMT 10
The Salvos haven't been a charity for many years now. They are a business with many government contracts. Avoid them and do not give them a cent unless you'd also be happy donating to Nike, Coke or your bank. Also worth remembering that the Salvos participated in the recent state sponsored discrimination. Not exactly 'looking after the disadvantaged'. So to hell with them. I try to keep religious stuff out of it, but Vinnies seem to be far more charitable to ALL and not just select groups so I definitely agree. Salvos haven't gotten anything out of me in a long time. But I have a lot of time for Vinnies.
|
|
Tim Horton
Senior Member
Posts: 1,764
Likes: 1,948
|
Post by Tim Horton on Jun 4, 2022 13:15:30 GMT 10
I've found our local vinnies and salvos to be... Not great sources. --- --- That is somewhat the way it has evolved the last couple years here with our thrift shops.... There prices have gone through the roof, variety of goods and condition of items has gone down..
However... There still can be good buys available.. It does take more time and work to find them..
|
|
d
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Likes: 60
|
Post by d on Jun 4, 2022 15:16:30 GMT 10
Yeah salvos I can’t really speak to as I’m not involved there but vinnies do good work. So far I’ve picked up a mystery ranch pack, 5.11 pants, vertex pants, a waxed canvas field jacket and now this pelican bag. Pretty happy.
We tend to give them a fair bit regardless so not wildly concerned about the prices
|
|
|
Post by Stealth on Jun 4, 2022 15:47:14 GMT 10
Yeah salvos I can’t really speak to as I’m not involved there but vinnies do good work. So far I’ve picked up a mystery ranch pack, 5.11 pants, vertex pants, a waxed canvas field jacket and now this pelican bag. Pretty happy. We tend to give them a fair bit regardless so not wildly concerned about the prices Could be the 5.11 pants I donated a while back, bone/tan coloured cargos? That'd be pretty hilarious .
|
|
|
Post by spinifex on Jun 4, 2022 15:51:29 GMT 10
I've picked up plenty of good stuff from 2nd hand shops. In particular I collect trousers and shirts of good quality in browns and greys for $5 a pop. Works a treat for camouflage in my local area without resorting to wearing 'suspicious looking' military cam or hyper costly outdoor brands.
Items of good colour, but in sizes too small, I cut up and use for making extremely 'suspicious looking' hunting masks and other items.
|
|
frostbite
VIP Member
Posts: 5,464
Likes: 6,980
|
Post by frostbite on Jun 4, 2022 17:15:40 GMT 10
Keep this thread going please.
The add that appears whenever I open this thread is a very attractive female torso wearing organic underwear.
|
|
d
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Likes: 60
|
Post by d on Jun 4, 2022 18:07:33 GMT 10
Yeah salvos I can’t really speak to as I’m not involved there but vinnies do good work. So far I’ve picked up a mystery ranch pack, 5.11 pants, vertex pants, a waxed canvas field jacket and now this pelican bag. Pretty happy. We tend to give them a fair bit regardless so not wildly concerned about the prices Could be the 5.11 pants I donated a while back, bone/tan coloured cargos? That'd be pretty hilarious . Nah just some black kinda business looking things- kinda hated them actually so I sent em back- they make their money from us.
|
|
australia
Senior Member
Posts: 138
Likes: 127
Location: Bunker
|
Post by australia on Jun 4, 2022 19:14:32 GMT 10
Love op shops , found plenty of bargains over the years , and I regularly look in quite a few every week .
But of late say the last few yrs most of the good stuff goes to the volunteers first , and if they don't want it , a 'friend' usually gets contacted before making its way onto the sale floor , plenty of resellers trawling op shops now .
|
|
d
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Likes: 60
|
Post by d on Jun 4, 2022 20:11:54 GMT 10
You certainly won’t get a win every time but if you have a wide range of things you are looking for then u will regularly do well.
|
|
pugs
Full Member
Posts: 86
Likes: 155
|
Post by pugs on Jun 4, 2022 21:19:42 GMT 10
Regularly cruise through a few op shops around my area and one in regional Vic on my way to the sth west region , Last time through a mate and I cleaned out the shop of quite a few Onkaparinga pure wool blankets for $1 each so we took the lot , about 12 in all . Also picked up a few nice cast iron pots and a couple of frypans / skillets too
|
|
|
Post by milspec on Jun 4, 2022 21:59:31 GMT 10
The Salvos haven't been a charity for many years now. They are a business with many government contracts. Avoid them and do not give them a cent unless you'd also be happy donating to Nike, Coke or your bank. Also worth remembering that the Salvos participated in the recent state sponsored discrimination. Not exactly 'looking after the disadvantaged'. So to hell with them. +1
|
|
d
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Likes: 60
|
Post by d on Jun 5, 2022 4:16:49 GMT 10
The Salvos haven't been a charity for many years now. They are a business with many government contracts. Avoid them and do not give them a cent unless you'd also be happy donating to Nike, Coke or your bank. Also worth remembering that the Salvos participated in the recent state sponsored discrimination. Not exactly 'looking after the disadvantaged'. So to hell with them. Out of curiosity how does salvos requiring the vaccine (I assume that what you are talking about) constitute “not looking out for the disadvantaged” ? But also they are an organisation with numerous arms. The sales from their stores fund their other efforts- you can disagree with their politics but really to act like they are just the same as giving money to Nike, Coke or banks (all companies I use and own shares in BTW) is just absurd.. I don’t share their religious affiliation but that doesn’t mean I’m going to act like they don’t do anything for the community.
|
|
Tim Horton
Senior Member
Posts: 1,764
Likes: 1,948
|
Post by Tim Horton on Jun 5, 2022 4:51:02 GMT 10
Quite a while ago, Sweetie said if I drag home another cast iron pot or pan she would use it on my...
We actually have gotten rid of some China made and such like you accumulate over the years to be replaced by nicer and name brand cookware..
I do have to mention that in a short while I ran across and got a 6 liter size oval cast iron roaster branded Kitchen Aid.. A near new 10" pie plate, and a 10" skillet both modern US Lodge brand... The pie pan was $3-4, the roaster and skillet were about 1/3 new price.. All from our local thrift store..
Once in a great while you fall into good deals clear up to you ears it seems.. Sweetie was happy...
|
|
d
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Likes: 60
|
Post by d on Jun 5, 2022 6:22:58 GMT 10
Quite a while ago, Sweetie said if I drag home another cast iron pot or pan she would use it on my... We actually have gotten rid of some China made and such like you accumulate over the years to be replaced by nicer and name brand cookware.. I do have to mention that in a short while I ran across and got a 6 liter size oval cast iron roaster branded Kitchen Aid.. A near new 10" pie plate, and a 10" skillet both modern US Lodge brand... The pie pan was $3-4, the roaster and skillet were about 1/3 new price.. All from our local thrift store.. Once in a great while you fall into good deals clear up to you ears it seems.. Sweetie was happy... Oh yea, I get a ton of cookware from op shops. You can pick it up cheap, clean it up and when you die your kids will send it right back.
|
|
frostbite
VIP Member
Posts: 5,464
Likes: 6,980
|
Post by frostbite on Jun 5, 2022 7:08:08 GMT 10
Quote:
Out of curiosity how does salvos requiring the vaccine (I assume that what you are talking about) constitute “not looking out for the disadvantaged” ?
Because any disadvantaged person not fully vaccinated was prohibited from entering their stores.
|
|
d
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Likes: 60
|
Post by d on Jun 5, 2022 7:28:46 GMT 10
Quote: Out of curiosity how does salvos requiring the vaccine (I assume that what you are talking about) constitute “not looking out for the disadvantaged” ? Because any disadvantaged person not fully vaccinated was prohibited from entering their stores. The vaccines are free and readily available- how are they disadvantaged? Again you can disagree with their politics, religious affiliation etc but to act like they don’t do good in the community is just absurd.
|
|