Another deal

You've probably noticed that I cruise thrift shops for good deals. My latest: a brand new, never-used Crock-Pot Little Dipper for $4. I had been wanting one to cook steel-cut oatmeal overnight. Worked like a champ.

[Jenise]

Good for you, Larry, that's quite the deal. I have to say I came late to the thrift shop idea. Hated the idea of "second hand junk", but a dear friend taught me to look at it differently, as an opportunity to put the environmentally friendly reuse/repair/recycle ethic to work in a different way. I don't avidly seek out the experience in that I'm not much of a shopper anyway, but under Annabelle's tutelage I've picked up some bargains.

Great deal Larry. Another cheapie here. I regularly shop at a thrift store for my clothes. I like that much better than going to the mall. I get some very nice slightly used (sometimes brand new) clothes for $5.00 or less. They frequently have 1/2 price sales, and I walk away with a bunch of clothes for just a few dollars. The most expensive thing I bought was a beautiful sweater for $6.99. I got compliments every time I wore it. They have a lot of name brands such as Lee, LL Bean, Ann Taylor, Talbots, Liz, etc.

I have also cranked up the couponing. I saved around 78% the other day at the grocery store between sales and coupons. I'm going in just a few minutes to Whole Foods to claim my FREE rotisserie chicken and FREE bouquet of flowers. No additional purchase required. Gotta love FREE!

Several months ago, my wife and I saw a beautiful name-brand dress that was brand new with the original stickers still on it. Originally $110, it was going for $8. Alas, it wasn't her size.

The nice thing about thrift stores is they usually haven't a clue what something is worth. I once bought a new professional stainless steel frypan made in France (retail $90) that was $3--the same price as all the beatup junk.

Larry,
I have one of those little hot pots and used to take it to work with dips when I wanted to treat the police staff on special days. It has just been sitting. I bought steel cut oats just a few days ago, and the thought of having to cook it for 20 minutes drives me nuts, when my mornings are so packed. Please tell me the amounts of oats to water you used and how long did you plug it in for?

Great deal Larry. Another cheapie here. I regularly shop at a thrift store for my clothes. I like that much better than going to the mall. I get some very nice slightly used (sometimes brand new) clothes for $5.00 or less. They frequently have 1/2 price sales, and I walk away with a bunch of clothes for just a few dollars. The most expensive thing I bought was a beautiful sweater for $6.99. I got compliments every time I wore it. They have a lot of name brands such as Lee, LL Bean, Ann Taylor, Talbots, Liz, etc.

I have also cranked up the couponing. I saved around 78% the other day at the grocery store between sales and coupons. I'm going in just a few minutes to Whole Foods to claim my FREE rotisserie chicken and FREE bouquet of flowers. No additional purchase required. Gotta love FREE!

Linda, the TV show "What Not To Wear" last year had someone who bought all her clothing at thrift stores. Just sayin'.

"What Not To Wear" has many make-over persons, who buy their clothes at thrift stores. It is a good idea. We have a nice one in Redding where one can find very expensive clothes for under ten dollars. Designer jeans, Cashmere sweaters, etc. Bargins are there for the looking.

Well done Larry.
I love thrift shops (we call them "op shops" as in opportunity shops) I read voraciously and find them an excellent source of books and have also found some terrific cookbooks over the years, including vintage stuff, really great buys ( I collect cookbooks, particularly older stuff) Have also acquired some curious kitchen implements (tragically another "must have"). Mostly however they do not sell electrical appliances, due I think to the cost of "test and tag" or the potential for litigation, so I find it interesting that you can buy such items in the land of litigation, are the items electrically checked before sale?
FWIW I have been to NM twice and think it is just the most wonderful place.
cheers
b

I buy lots of books at these places. And I have two Harris tweed jackets I acquired there for under $10.00 each.

Larry,
I have one of those little hot pots and used to take it to work with dips when I wanted to treat the police staff on special days. It has just been sitting. I bought steel cut oats just a few days ago, and the thought of having to cook it for 20 minutes drives me nuts, when my mornings are so packed. Please tell me the amounts of oats to water you used and how long did you plug it in for?

1:4 overnight. One caveat I discovered: if you unplug it with the flexible lid still on it and let it cool for a while, it makes possibly the most perfect vacuum seal known to mankind. I had to pry off the lid with a spoon.

Well done Larry.
I love thrift shops (we call them "op shops" as in opportunity shops) I read voraciously and find them an excellent source of books and have also found some terrific cookbooks over the years, including vintage stuff, really great buys ( I collect cookbooks, particularly older stuff) Have also acquired some curious kitchen implements (tragically another "must have"). Mostly however they do not sell electrical appliances, due I think to the cost of "test and tag" or the potential for litigation, so I find it interesting that you can buy such items in the land of litigation, are the items electrically checked before sale?
FWIW I have been to NM twice and think it is just the most wonderful place.
cheers
b

All kinds of electrical appliances, TVs, etc. at the Goodwill Industries that are tested. Sometimes you can test whatever at a thrift store to see if it works, otherwise there's a return policy.

It's why I live here, but I think most people would greatly prefer Phoenix.

My husband got a replacement radio for his car in perfect condition for $7.00. That's hard to beat! He also got a brand new button-up shirt (High Sierra brand-$30.00 with the tags still on it) for $3.50. Why pay more when you don't have too?

1:4 overnight. One caveat I discovered: if you unplug it with the flexible lid still on it and let it cool for a while, it makes possibly the most perfect vacuum seal known to mankind. I had to pry off the lid with a spoon.

I used 1/2 cup steel oats to 1 1/2 cups water, turned it on at 9 pm. By 11:15 pm it was done, and slightly simmering around the edges. I unplugged it, put the lid back on, and like you said, "had to pry it off with a spoon" this morning. I took one serving and heated in the microwave....it was great. I still have two more servings. It does a nice job of cooking those oats. Now, if it only had a timer.

[Jenise]

I buy lots of books at these places. And I have two Harris tweed jackets I acquired there for under $10.00 each.

Alice would, I think, quite like the large water color and fiber collage I bought at a Goodwill once for $50. The artist is an AWS member artist and the piece was expensively and handsomely framed. I have a lot of art around here I paid goofy amounts of money for, but anyone can do that--I'm far prouder of my Goodwill steal. Funny thing was, I found this on my first ever solo Thrift Shop stop, which is kind of like winning a thousand dollars the very first time you put a nickel into a slot machine. Have since found such things as NIB Riedel glasses.

Or the early Stuart Walker (member of the Taos School of Art) oil painting I got for $1.50 (est. value $1,000) et al.

Now, if it only had a timer.

Could you use a separate timer like you would set to have lights go on and off when you're away?

[Jenise]

Or the early Stuart Walker (member of the Taos School of Art) oil painting I got for $1.50 (est. value $1,000) et al.

Cool! You're a lot like my friend Annabelle. She has found a lot of valuable stuff but she has a good eye for and knowledge about that kind of thing where I lack the patience to sift through the trinkets and mismatched household paraphenalia--it all looks like junk to me. Something has to be really clean and amazing for me to notice it.

Speaking of that, though, today I have to go to Value Village to see if I can find some scrubs!

Speaking of that, though, today I have to go to Value Village to see if I can find some scrubs!

Changing professions?

[Jenise]

Speaking of that, though, today I have to go to Value Village to see if I can find some scrubs!

Changing professions?

LOL--no. It's for a costume party, and the less I spend the better--it's only for one night.

It's why I live here, but I think most people would greatly prefer Phoenix.

Larry, boy do I have a red face about that thread.

And I have two Harris tweed jackets I acquired there for under $10.00 each.

I am not surprised.