Ever check out a Goodwill store? (I got lucky!)

[TheSayHeyKid]

Once in a while I find myself with a couple of extra minutes on my hands and a second hand store in close proximity. I ducked into a Goodwill recently and in the men's section (hanging with the leather belts), I came across a beautiful cobra rifle sling made by the late (and great) Arvo Ojala! For $5 I walked out the door with it! Keep those eyes peeled folks. Things like this are still out there. My last good score was a full Pacific/Hornady single stage reloading setup NIB for $20. The employees at the store had no idea what it even was!

 

[mdwest]

I havent been so lucky.. but my wife has been a few times..

She started hitting the goodwill and other thrift stores about a year ago.. mostly just tooling around looking to see if there were actual deals available or not.. she plays on a clothing re-sell site called Poshmark occasionally and was wondering where all these women were coming up with slightly worn, super high end fashion pieces and were able to make a business out of reselling them..

In just 5 or 6 visits she managed to pick up a couple of sets of designer shoes (I couldnt tell you the name) for less than $10 each... that she ended up re-selling on Poshmark for upwards of $100 each.. (apparently new from the retailer these were $500-$1000 type shoes)..

She was just "playing" and not really trying to do anything with it.. so it stopped after maybe a little more than month of swinging in a local goodwill about once every 5 or 6 days..

but it certainly proved that there is occasional treasure among the trash if youre willing to go look for it..

Where I have gotten lucky several times lately has been with online estate sales and auctions... I picked up a 16" poulan chainsaw that was in very good condition for $15 a couple of months ago.. got a 12" craftsman bandsaw for $30 (about a $300 saw in good used condition most of the time)... and last night I picked up a barely used 350lb Monarch deer feeder complete with solar charging kit, etc.. for $70.. (retails new for $250).. I also managed to get an old Bear Kodiak recurve bow for a buddy of mine (its right handed.. Im a lefty) for $50 thats in new/unused condition...

 

[leslie hetrick]

i bought a sthil 180 easy start chain saw for 40.00, after cleaning it and fresh gas, it started on the second pull( it will need a new chain).

 

[baxterb]

My kid (high school) works at goodwill after class -yeah…there are lots of deals.

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

I havent been so lucky.. but my wife has been a few times..

She started hitting the goodwill and other thrift stores about a year ago.. mostly just tooling around looking to see if there were actual deals available or not.. she plays on a clothing re-sell site called Poshmark occasionally and was wondering where all these women were coming up with slightly worn, super high end fashion pieces and were able to make a business out of reselling them..

In just 5 or 6 visits she managed to pick up a couple of sets of designer shoes (I couldnt tell you the name) for less than $10 each... that she ended up re-selling on Poshmark for upwards of $100 each.. (apparently new from the retailer these were $500-$1000 type shoes)..

She was just "playing" and not really trying to do anything with it.. so it stopped after maybe a little more than month of swinging in a local goodwill about once every 5 or 6 days..

but it certainly proved that there is occasional treasure among the trash if youre willing to go look for it..

Where I have gotten lucky several times lately has been with online estate sales and auctions... I picked up a 16" poulan chainsaw that was in very good condition for $15 a couple of months ago.. got a 12" craftsman bandsaw for $30 (about a $300 saw in good used condition most of the time)... and last night I picked up a barely used 350lb Monarch deer feeder complete with solar charging kit, etc.. for $70.. (retails new for $250).. I also managed to get an old Bear Kodiak recurve bow for a buddy of mine (its right handed.. Im a lefty) for $50 thats in new/unused condition...

I have one of those bows also so been looking the value lately. $250 + depending on year

 

[pilar]

Found some Courtney selous boots couple years ago, size 12 , unfortunately I wear 9.5
and didn’t realize how expensive they are or I would have bought them and resold them

 

[yumastepside]

Another place for those sort of bargains, at least here in Australia, is the re-cycle shop at the local tip, rubbish dump, whatever name you go by...people throw out some unbelievable stuff.

Roger

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I live in a small community in rural Alaska. One of my super powers is finding great deals on eBay.

 

[jpr9954]

I did get a couple of older Nikon SLR cameras as well as a number of Hawaiian shirts (actually made in Hawaii). Those early Nikon film cameras were built to take abuse.

I passed on a couple of Coleman gas stoves which I should have snagged. I haven't been so lucky as to find reloading gear.

 

[375Fox]

I always check out the thrift stores if I have time. I’ve never found anything hunting related, but lots of other good finds. The church run thrift stores or other thrift stores where donated items stay low local are the best. I’ve found a few good items in goodwill and Salvation Army before though.

 

[jpr9954]

I always check out the thrift stores if I have time. I’ve never found anything hunting related, but lots of other good finds. The church run thrift stores or other thrift stores where donated items stay low local are the best. I’ve found a few good items in goodwill and Salvation Army before though.

I would add in church bazaars or rummage sales. Later in the day they will often cut the prices in half.

 

[steve white]

I would add in church bazaars or rummage sales. Later in the day they will often cut the prices in half.

Half or way more!

 

[Safari Dave]

I've hit the jackpot a few times, especially at ones near military bases.

 

[G Skinner]

Our local Thrift Stores are usually good for fishing tackle .

 

[PARA45]

My wife wanted a Christmas tree in our covered patio, and she wanted to go to the Goodwill store. After my complaining, I gave in and went with her. She found a Balsam Hills tree for $30.00. Lights don’t work, so we put our own. Made her day.

Another time I found a vacuum sealer for $25.00, it was brand new.

Yup, now I tag along, just in case.

 

[Just Gina]

You all are to be really jealous over my best find.

Bob and I had a few minutes to kill and stopped at this little antique second hand type place. We looked around and I found some antique pencil sharpeners and snatched them up because my amazing father-in-law has a very nice collection.
Anyway, I looked under this table and spotted what looked like an old sewing machine case. I had Bob put it on a table for me. Sure enough it was an antique Singer sewing machine. Had all the parts and it had a 10.00 sticker on it. I wanted to plug it in to try it and I had to manually spin the wheel to get it started…just like the one I learned to sew on of my mother’s. The man said since it had problems if I still wanted it he would let me take it for 5.00 or make him an offer. He had no idea what he had and the case was covered with a thick layer of dust. We spent 7.00 for everything we bought. I took the machine to my repair guy. He charges 25.00 to diagnose, clean, and do maintenance. He adjusted the belt wheel and put a new lightbulb in it. It is worth several hundred dollars and works like a charm!

 

[ActionBob]

My best buy on a percentage basis was for medicine cabinets of all things. And at Home Depot of all places

In 2009 and 2010 I was flipping houses as a hobby. I needed a medicine cabinet for one so stopped in at Home Depot. Grabbed a flatbed cart and went back to look. I remember I was frustrated because there were no prices on the one I wanted. They had 6 of that model. Of course no orange aprons to be found so I grabbed one and headed to the cash registers. It rings up as $.01. 1 cent, that can't be right says the cashier. So he grabs a young manager who looks at it and says the night pricing crew obviously didn't get the computers updated. The teller asks what to do and the manager shrugs his shoulders and says "sell it to him". Never one to watch a deal go buy, I said "there are 5 more. Can I buy them all?" Manager says that's how they are priced, go ahead, I don't care. These things should have been probably $50 t0 $100 each! I went back and loaded up the other 5 and brought them back to that same cashier and walked out with them for 6 cents. I still have one left in a storage shed but used up the rest of them

 

[migrabill]

Love this thread. My best Goodwill find ever? A complete Blue Box Beatles Collection. All 13 vinyls in Brittish Mono. Still had some of the original shrink wrap on it. It had no price tag on it. I knew it was worth about $2500. I took it to the front counter. The lady gets to looking at it, "Hmm, there's a lot of records in here. I can't just charge you for one because there are a lot in here. And, it's the Beatles. This could be worth something (now I start to worry). Let me see, would you pay 20 bucks for it?" Me - "Yes ma'am."

 

[Philip Glass]

Once in a while I find myself with a couple of extra minutes on my hands and a second hand store in close proximity. I ducked into a Goodwill recently and in the men's section (hanging with the leather belts), I came across a beautiful cobra rifle sling made by the late (and great) Arvo Ojala! For $5 I walked out the door with it! Keep those eyes peeled folks. Things like this are still out there. My last good score was a full Pacific/Hornady single stage reloading setup NIB for $20. The employees at the store had no idea what it even was!

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We have many good thrift stores here in San Angelo. I should go more often just to see what's there. I am usually just dropping off.

 

[migrabill]

We have many good thrift stores here in San Angelo. I should go more often just to see what's there. I am usually just dropping off.

Phillip - You live in San Angelo?! I was stationed at Goodfellow AFB there during 1985/86. I remember sitting in the Concho Corral when the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up.

The one thing I regret is that I was not a hunter when I was there. I would have definitely enjoyed chasing those white tails.