Have you ever bought anything from a second-hand shop?

I've purchased books, cassettes-St Vincent de Paul is where I purchased all my Kiss, Meat Loaf, Beach Boys, Jan & Dean and 60's music cassettes and I rarely paid more than $1 and often only 50 cents for each cassette. I've also purchased video tapes and kitchenware. I usually get purses and shoes at garage sales (I purchased a pair of NEW Nikes for $3 just last summer at a yard sale-they are a perfect fit).

Books!

Yes, many things. Lots of my books are from second-hand shops - especially Biggles books

When I was young all of my clothes were from charity shops or were hand-downs from my older brother (and were probably originally from charity shops). A lot of my toys were from charity shops too - either that, or homemade.

Clothing, books, and music.

Books, music (back when I still bought records), games, and stationery supplies (tablets and pens) from Goodwill

Yes. Clothing, music, books, furniture, cars, electronic goods. I love second hand stores.

All of the above and much much more. It's the cheapest way to get that victorian curios parlor look.

Yes, I've bought a little bit of pretty much everything and anything from a 2nd hand shop/store...And if we're talking about rummage sales, my 1st apt. was basically furnished and decorated this way.

I used to buy all my clothes and dishes in thrift shops when I was young and poor. More recently I worked at one. I bought the occasional book. I bought this really cool table-lamp. I started developing a taste for furniture that looks like someone's grandfather built it in his basement workshop about 60 years ago. So far I've only got one little bed-side table. I've been keeping an eye out for more. I like little pieces. I also developed a taste for Kathie Winkle dishes. I'd like to collect more of those.

Yeah. Clothes, books.

A suit for job interviews.
Some other clothes.
Books quite regularly.
A small plate which looked cool and chic.

Almost everything here and then some.

Yes, clothing (lots over the years), books (some), music (only when I was a kid). Other stuff as well, like a hanging planter once from Goodwill. Garage sales are, however, my preferred way to shop, as these are usually cheaper than thrift shops. With yard/garage sales, sometimes the sellers are reluctant to pack all the stuff back up and take the items back inside, so they are often willing to consider lower offers than originally quoted. They just wanna get rid of the stuff. I rejected their price for a couple candle sticks, for example, last week, but then when I put them back, the woman quoted a price I considered more reasonable so I bought them for the latter price. But thrift shops, including Goodwill and Salvation Army, are often great to find bargains too. There's a little thrift shop I often walk by that has a "free box" in front for people to take whatever they want, because they consider some items not worth it to try to sell (people donate all kinds of stuff); I've found various stuff free this way. I am also a scavenger and if I see free stuff left out on the sidewalk I check it out to see if I can use it. I think thrift shops are fun to explore and a happy alternative to the outrageous prices regular stores insist on charging for clothes especially when you're low income and things are super-expensive in your city. So you naturally are interested in dirt-cheap bargains. Some items, like shoes and music CDs, I would prefer to buy new, however.

I got rollerskates from the Salvation Army. They were so cool. They were men's old football shoes like they used to wear when the game was first played. The wheels were WOODEN. Inscribed on the bottom was the manufacturer and the date of production: 1930!

of course!!

i would sat that 90% of the stuff i got has had a previous owner

I occasionally go to secondhand record and book/magazine shops to treasure hunt. Anj doesn't get me because he can't understand what it's like to find the 1987 Rolling Stone that had The Police on the cover in a bin full of grimy 1999 Maxims.

When my father dragged me to them. Since then, I've worked hard to have a life to never consider "shopping" at one again.
Couldn't take the smell in those places. The scent of..."used-but-not-by-me". Yuck.

Tons of things! Low prices for movies, music and books. Cute clothes!

Books.Records.Clothes.I'd like to buy a BIG Hammond organ I've seen in this second-hand shop where they sell EVERYTHING but even at a second-hand price since I don't play organ maybe isn't a good idea.Is beautiful but I won't waste my money on a thing I can't use.But maybe...my birthday is approaching...if the money is someone else's maybe...

The best thing are the clothes with the bullet holes .

You can get a used electronic organ that sounds fine for possibly $70 and learn on that.

I don't *have* to shop at thrift stores, but...It makes sense to me to buy gently used or new items from a store whose profits benefits charity than to drive to the mall and pay ten times as much for exactly the same items new. I like to donate gently used, hardly used items to The Human Society Thrift Shop here in town. The donations are tax deductible and benefit the Humane Society's animal rescue programs. We got Ivy through the local Humane Society as a part of their "Heaven Can Wait" no kill cat adoption program. Last week I bought a pair of Doc Martens from the HS thrift shop for $42.50. They were the kind of boots you cannot touch for under $100 new. They had never been worn outside. Pristine.
There is a secret to shopping these places. You must be very alert and particular and sometimes you don't find anything worthwhile. I buy a lot of my clothing this way. The local mall is full of bright, modern clothing that makes everyone look like identical Stepford people. I like vintage, goth, lace, black, velvet, punk items. Sure I do buy some of this stuff new when I am lucky enough to find it at the mall, but I have way more luck finding gorgeous, fabulous clothing second hand, that looks brand new and gives me a look different from everyone else.

more shopping hints:
Clothes: Sometimes a $140 skirt with the price tag still on it will show up for $4. Just because you buy at a thrift store doesn't mean you have to dress short of royalty. Be patient and don't buy it unless it's perfect. Scan the racks for colors and textures you like, then make sure they are flawless, then make sure they fit perfectly, aren't scratchy, and you 'love' how it looks on you. At $4 per garment, it's too easy to fill a wardrobe with mediocre clothes.
Dishes: If you like to collect exotic plates, bowls, and wine glasses, don't buy more than 2 of any style. You probably don't have room for 16 incomplete sets of service, but you can set a nice table with 16 one-of-a-kind settings that go well together and give people something to talk about.
Stereos: Avoid LEDS's and electronic buttons. The switches should feel very solid and mechanical, and any guages should use needle meters. You can find top notch $500 units meant to last decades for $25. Make sure they work or are refundable though. Why spend $100 repairing a stereo when another will show up next week that's in fine condition. NAD, Yamaha, Onkyo, Pioneer, Marrantz, and some Akai's are good units if you get earlier quality units.
Home decor: Stick to a theme. Collect wicker, mahogany, art-deco, 50's rocket-era, or whatever. Otherwise go for wildly interesting pieces that are all vastly different. I've found a turntable that sells for $170 on eBay and upholstered the top deck and platters with zebra velour which I also use on other furniture. This creates a common thread in the furnishing. Paint can do that too. I have a flexible lamp that I used to make an adjustable keyboard stand; now it is a microphone stand. Combine items to create decor looks. My computer area is in an underwater theme. An underwater painting of plants ($10) sits behind my computer, and a white beaded curtain reminiscent of sea-foam separates it from the rest of the room. The monitor sits on an art-deco piano bench with stereo components below it, and that sits on another coffee table with computer and guitar accessories below it. Themes like 'lotus blossoms' or driftwood sea shacks are easy to build on. Limit yaourself to four major colors or so, for instance lavendar, turquoise, tangerine, and chiffon, then paint anything else large to fit within that scheme. A bed comforter, or throw carpet is the easist way to integrate all the colors of your furnishings. If your furnishings are black, bamboo, emerald, and navy, find a carpet in those colors to pull it all together.
GO frequently - Often, like estate sales, single contributers fill the stores at once, and you might find one day that someone with your tastes in music, clothes, or home decor has donated a ton of stuff. Done right, thrift store shopping can be far more rewarding than getting new run of the mill things in styles that will be out of date four years from now.

Yes, lots and lots of different things. Especially when we've been short on money.

Hey kaleb, Community Aid Abroad shops now stock organic fair trade chocolate and cocoa. I just bought some yesterday!! Yum! Yum!

A walking stick for my dad.

Yes, lots of various things.

Clothes, music, and books.

everything here and plenty else. been going to flea markets and rummage sales forever, one mans garbage....

yeah probably someone you know even!!

some of the above and furniture

Kitchenware
books
& broken in jeans

yeah....shut up

it's...."one man gathers what another man spills..."

acording to grampa jerry and his band in a little ditty called St. Stephen

i love you....

Cool. I've been craving chocolate for a few days. I have to drive 30 minutes to the nearest CAA so I guess I'll have to buy in bulk.

I love you too. Did I do something in particular to warrant this?

glad to be of service!

Oh yes, sometimes when you're looking for something that's hard to find or old you could find it there.

well....i always love you, i just don't say it. but sometimes i feel that i want to say it just to say it, to scream it, to yell it.
i dunno, i just love you...there i said it

You are a sweetie chicken! I get what you mean about wanting yell I love you at someone. If this was a musical I would sing and do a little dance routine!

((HUG))

i would join you in the musical, dance dance dance, although, my dancing i'm afraid would look like i'm having a seizure!

cool

You should move to california and avoid the two-step barnstarmers then. I started out with the celtic pogo myself.

Heh heh heh....

yeah, i really should move to california

I love your email address I just spotted in the forum (tarot inquiry). Reminds me of the 'walking on sunshine' song, or your amber light. I meditated on mint-chiffon, turquoise, and violet last night. I didn't make it to the beach yesterday (woke up too late); hopefully it will still be warm today.

heh heh...thanks, (blushes), i've been talking to dora allday back and forth about the tarot thingy. your meditation from the previous night sounded awesome, i get it

i know that you'll make it to the beach today, if not today, there is tomorrow

Yep. I only got wet up to my waist though. I missed the heat wave. There was a guy surfing with use of a giant kite-sail. Last nights meditation was more 'blush' than intense, though I did have quite an energy field going. I should see if I have any return comments on the tarot thingy now.

If I ever lose a hand, I'm sure I will.

cool...glad you made it to the beach.......
have fun w/ the tarot thingy also

Yes, lots of stuff. Clothing, toys, books, furniture, videos, cassettes and on and on. I save a hell of alot of money shopping at second hand stores. And I always like to feel that I got a good deal.
The best thing I think I have ever gotten was a beautifully carved wooden table. Not a coffee table, not exactly an end table, but a table with a cabinet underneath that looks great in the living room. It isn't an antique, but it is a nice piece of furniture.
When I was a kid, you wouldn't get caught dead in a place like that. Now, there is some prestige in getting a good deal.

Ivy is sure cute.

She is! We love her so much!

She's lucky to have you! I'd love to have a cat but the apartment complex where I live doesn't allow pets. I'd like to move but my current place is so handy to work and stores and such and the rent is affordable as rents go.

We aren't supposed to have indoor pets here either. We're very good renters though and our landlord, like god, seems to be absent alot.

We have onsite apartment managers, in fact they live just a few apartments from me so I don't think I could get away with sneaking in a pet.

Dress it like a woman. Then you get a pet and the reputation of being a suave playboy type.

But seriously folks...Have you ever dressed a cat in clothes? Not much fun is it? I'd be lucky if I had any skin left and would probably leave a trail of blood everywhere!

Wait 'til it's asleep......

What am I supposed to do if it wakes up while I'm dressing it?

Try to look innocent....

And if that doesn't work...then what?

RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Am I allowed to scream like a bloody maniac as I run?

You must scream like a girl. That too will impress the neighbours!

I'll try, but unless the cat has it's claws in my crotch, I doubt I will be very convincing.

Oh now Keith, what kind of attitude is that? You can do it!
Try now...scream like a girl....

for me...

Maybe if I could mentally put myself in Daniel Stern's body when he is being attacked by the pigeons in Home Alone 2. Maybe that would work.

Yes. Yes. Use whatever means you need to...be the girl....be the girl.......
Now...SCREAM!

Wait...maybe if you get down on all fours...that might help too...and here...put this on...
*hands you a corset and high heels*

be the ball...be the ball...Whoops! Wrong movie!
Do you have those in black, sort of a Frank n Furter look?

Everything I own is black

Are you a goth chick perchance?

hehehehehehehe
No. I'm me...going through my "dark" period.
I have moments of colour. My clothing just doesn't. I enjoy wrapping myself in a dark cloak(not literally)of creamy comfort. I hide there. I'm smaller...you cannot see me...I can observe from my shadowy place and cocoon when needed. I feel powerful there. I need that right now. Just for a little while.

Next year I could so totally wear yellow all the time and a daisy in my hair...or even take to green and pretend to be a part of the forest...or...wear red like Satan and sprout horns...or sweat glitter....who knows? Even I do not.

The daisy thing is truly frightening! A little too Brady Bunch for me.

All the time.

Just music and books.

Oh, please please do, and send photos. Turquoise sandals too, ok? Daisies braided in hair down to your feet, and a paper parasol would be awesome. hiawatha-mucha. but you might have to wear the riff-raff space captain outfit on saturdays to balance things out.

I think buying clothes from second hand shops is disgusting though

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, you don't have to wear the space suit on weekends, you can make up for it by wearing head to toe rainbow glitter lotion, and pom-poms while dancing and singing to Barbie workout videos, on live camera.

*gets the sharpened stick*
*waves it at you*
*gives you the look*

I can do the rubber pencil trick too.

Just for you:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/WolfFiles/wolffiles.html

er..thank you. *runs off to hide behind the sofa*

Told you I'd get you for teasing Biggles about her phobia...didn't I?

Oh yeah! I forgot about that.

HeHeHe! I didn't! >

I love garage sales! You can get all the weird little things that other people think are trash. (Like cabbage patch dolls)

Yes.. tons of stuff, but mainly clothes.

I'm going to Finland Tues the 28th with my mom. We'll be there for almost two weeks!
We're starting at Helsinki, then each day we're going to make our way north through Porvoo, Imatra, Savonlinna, Koli, Joensuu, Lieksa, Kuhmo, Kuusamo, up to Rovaniemi- which is at the Arctic Circle. Then we'll fly back down to Helsinki and spend a couple days there.
I'm so excited! Though Finland is a very expensive country.
I'll tell you all about it when I get back, fellow Finnish woman!

I'm a little jealous...
Have fun!!!

Yes, I've bought a few things from second hand shops. I buy a lot of my books and have a few clothes that I found in those stores. They have a lot of really cool stuff.

yes i bought a pair of skiis to go skiing.

yes, when pogs were popular i'd always buy them at flea markets

What are pogs?