I think it all depends on where you live whether or not Goodwill has bargains. For example, we live in Lawton, OK which is not a very big city. There are 2 Goodwills here and I find that they price low. baby clothes are $1.50, girls clothes are $2.00, adults range from $3-$7 depending on what it is. Also, they have buy one get one free every week (it is a different colored tag each week). I just came from vacation in Colorado Springs, Co. I stopped in one of their Goodwills and was shocked to find that childrens/ baby clothes started at $3.99! I found a sale at JC Pennys in Co. Spgs and was able to buy brand new shirts with hello kitty and high school musical for $4.00. So why buy used when I can go get brand new in the correct size and color of my choice?

This year I bought almost all of my daughter’s school clothes at thrift stores. She is becoming brand conscious and I can’t see spending $60 on jeans for a 10-year-old. She had to have all new jeans because she grew 4 inches. I spent $75 total and got mostly Abercrombie and Limited 2 clothing. She has 6 pairs of jeans and 9 shirts that are came from a thrift store. I spent $40 on all of this. Between TJ Max and Goodies she also got 3 more pairs of jeans, a jean jacket and 2 hoodies. I will buy her shoes new because they get more wear. As long as I can get it cheaper at the consignment/thift stores I am there.

You know I had not really thought of it, but now that you mention it I might go there today.

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"It's one of the most beautiful compensations in life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

I will be doing 90% of my son's school clothes shopping at a store we have here called Savers. and I will try the goodwill too.

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Sam
Mom to Devin and Jordyn Anne
Loving Wife to Dave

I visited our local thrift store first for back to school clothes. Unfortunately, they did not have a very good selection and there prices are ridiculous. I thought $3.00 is too expensive for a used shirt and not even in very good condition. I took my 11 year old to Old Navy instead on the tax saving weekend. I strolled straight into the clearance racks first. I found two jeans for $3.96, skirts and dresses $5.00, and some tops at $2.96! Of course, I did purchase some clothing at the regular price since my daughter begged and begged for them. But overall, I left with a full cart of clothes and paid for most with gift cards that I saved. Thus, I think the thrift store is great but if they overprice there items sometimes it's not worth the hassle if you can find new clothing at the clearance rack for the same price.

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Sheryll

First I shop for thrift stores, then I regularly visit them and find major deals. Target and Walmart brands do not last long, but I can find better brands at thrift stores and many times they are hardly used! Often after my son wears the clothing from thrift stores I can sell them back to a local used kids clothing shop. Things I will never buy from a retail store: formal outfits or dress shoes. Since kids usually wear these things just once or twice, they are basically new from thrift stores.

I don't have a school age child but I won't do that to my kids. First Tacoma schools are Uniformed so your selection is very limited. My SIL did the thrift store thing and my Nieces uniforms always fit wrong and wore very worn. Since the styles won't change you can always stock up on bigger sizes once they go on clearance. Yeah I might for other clothes but I get a lot of handme downs from my sister that I don't have to buy anything.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

i did not go to a thrift shop, but i did buy 99% of my ds wardrobe from garage sales this summer. I spent prob $40 on him, and since things were only a quarter or fifty cents each, he got a lot. Most of them are name brand too and hardly worn. I was a little worried when his preschool teacher said not to be alarmed if they come home w/ paint on their clothes. So I didn't want to spend a fortune and have his clothes get ruined.

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Loving wife to Matthew 6/26/04
SAHM to Jacob Matthew 4/19/03 & Evelyn Grace 2/15/06
Baby #3 due 3/14/09

I love to shop at thrift soter, it's kind of hard with a 4yo and a baby but it can be done. We have a thrift store that sells items for 25 cents! It's like a year long yard sale. It's only open 3 days a week for 3 hours so I havwe to plan when i go to get the most out of my gas tank. We also have a Lighthouse Mission store, it's similar to Goodwill but cheaper. Our Goddwill is getting pricey. They sell stuff for more than it costs new at the store! I really have t osearch for a bargain in there. I love yard sales for kids clothes though. I have a list of items that each child needs and I stick to it. When they get a new tshirt out goes an old one. Cuts down on clothes clutter that way. Most of the time they wear the same 3 outfits anyway!

Indybreeze
DD17
DS13
DS4
DD 2months

We have three large thrift stores - Goodwill (a few locations), St. Vincent de Paul, and Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army just moved into the space where a Staples was - think of how big those are - and is PACKED. They have clothes that ARE new - they still have the size strips on them.

I'm getting all my maternity clothes there right now. I've gone to a maternity store once - holy sticker shock! I'm a T-shirt and jeans girl, and I'm not going to pay $40 for some jeans and $50 for some frilly shirt. Everything they had on clearance was ugly to me too - polyester and flower print. No thanks.

Since I'm limited driving right now, my mom has been "shopping" for me - she's addicted to thrift stores - I think she goes to them at least once or twice a week - they know her. She does a very good job of size judging and getting me clothes - and if the clothes don't fit, we just return them. Yesterday she dropped off a nice Old Navy Maternity Tshirt - with the blue glitter Old Navy logo on front - almost new. Fits perfect.

I have a large bag of clean clothes to go back to thrift stores.

When baby comes, we will be getting her clothes at the thrift stores. I hated it when I was a kid, but when I got to do my own clothes buying, I couldn't believe how much they were. I went right back to thrift stores. When my daughter complains about it, then I'll let her find out the same way - if it's my money - she gets thrift, if it's hers, she can go blow $100 on jeans.