Thrifting: an average take

Oh so you want to hear more about thrifting huh? (I’m basing this off the survey 92 of you filled out so far, if you haven’t yet here it is, I get 100 free responses so top me off! and thanks!). I will be dashing back and forth to the range to check on the apple pear sauce cooking while I chat with you about this. Hope things don’t get too dis-jointed.
First let me say I have a lot of thrifting to catch up on (on the blog), but I hopefully WON’T be thrifting this month. Bj and I are going to try a no spend September (I got the idea from this awesome blog), and I’m not going to temp myself by visiting sales or thrift stores (we shall see…). One of the problems with thrifting the way I do is I do end up spending money on weird or frivolous things. Granted usually that is 75 cents or so, but as Bj has remarked, our house is only so big. My bad. 🙂

I wanted to share with you a haul from a recent “estate sale” I put that in parentheses because the lady was not dead, just downsizing to a condo. Now I’ve got nothing against living people having sales, and this was still a good one, but a living person is not going to sell their best cooking pot or favorite trivet. Just saying. I had only Bennet with me, and a new app to play with (gsalr.com where have you been all my life?), plus, ok it was August 30th, and I knew we would be tightening the belts in a few days. All that equaled up to the itch, the itch to see what was out there, I had it bad.
The ad:
HUGE ESTATE SALE ,,,,CASH ONLY PLEASE… 21 yr accumulation. 2 story home. SAT 31st 8:00 to 3:00. Sale of the summer!!!!
SUNDAY SPECIALS AND MARK DOWNS MID DAY!!!!!!!!
Professional butcher block
Antiques and collectables
Nike mens tennis shoes size 10 1/2 and 11 like newLate 1800’s large butlers desk
Limoges
Wedgewood
Calphalon roaster
Brass double broiler
Full wall glass pained crested book case/cabinet
1928 tapestry sofa. Excellent condition
Sub Zero frig
Vintage glassware
Camping
Tools/yard
Upscale clothing
Snowboards
Lamps
Quality jewelery,,Judith Jack/Byzaantium
Ethan Allen computer cabinet
Freezer
Frig/ side by side
Lots kids games and books
Christmas
Silver
Antique stain glass window
So much more!!!!!!!! Don’t miss out!!!
I gotta say, nothing really grabbed me here. Mostly what drew me to the sale was that it was super close by, and it was an estate sale. Estate sales are the bomb. I had a friend visiting from Denmark and took her to one. She asked if I thought it was weird going through dead people’s things. I told her I didn’t mind it at all, and I hope some people get some awesome deals at my estate sale (but hopefully not for like 60 years). Even if you really love someone that passed away you’re probably not going to keep their can opener, or whatever. So I don’t think it’s weird. But you might, actually, do you?
Back to the sale. I realized pretty quick it was a living person as I said above. But that’s ok because said living person had good taste. I do have a list of wants (another post) and a list of things I keep an eye out for fellow thrifters (another post), but I really was just looking around Friday. So I was happy with what I found. For FOUR DOLLARS I got tiny dixie cups (for popsicles like these), an egg carrier (got it for my mom, they camp more than us), a crown cookie cutter that I found in a closet, made by Crate and Barrel, and a handful of Everyday Food magazines. No longer made these are gems! I have some, so I didn’t want to get too many (was totally tempted to take them all) and end up with duplicates. I instead just bought all the September and October issues she had.
Four dollars. That’s all I spent. I would say this is a middle of the road, average thrifting adventure (worse being rat poop on the ground, run out screaming, best being found a dresser worth $850 for $65). So is this stuff I really needed? Well, no. Is this a good use of $4? I mean I get some serious pleasure in finding this stuff. To me it’s like an art and sport all rolled into one. So I would say yes. I would also say I don’t want to turn into a hoarder so this no spend September is probably a good thing for me!
Well I just heard all my lids pop, pop, pop, so I think my apple pear sauce is all good. How did I do it so quick and easy? I leave the skins on, maybe I’ll take some pictures next time to show you.
 

Join the Conversation

1 Comment

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *