Tag: shopping

Hippie Skirts and Sleeveless Bargains

August 23, 2013

A New Generation of Thrift Store Shoppers

My daughter has become a thrift store shopper like me. On two recent trips to Goodwill, she went back-to-school shopping and she was excited to find a number of outfits – black camis and ‘hippie’ skirts.  She has her own sense of style and found exactly what she was looking for. Of course she did, she was shopping at Goodwill.

Hippie Skirts at Goodwill
(Photo credit: Emily Bateman) Making a donated item your own hip, current style is what thrift shopping is all about.

She’s a college student looking to differentiate her style from the crowd. When I saw her trying on outfits, I knew she’d struck Goodwill gold.  When you are shopping for your style, you often find exactly what you are looking for at Goodwill. Better yet are the bargain prices.  The skirts and shirts were both just $3.50 a piece.

Save More with Goodwill Rewards Card

Sleeveless Tee and Hippie Skirt
A young thrifter finds a great skirt and cami at Goodwill for $7.

With a Goodwill Rewards Card, shoppers can save an additional 25% on daily specials, which in this case was $6. Total bill – just over $25 with tax. The money saved helped pay for lunch.

Goodwill Sales Funds Job Programs

It’s also good to know that her purchases and support of Goodwill  fund job training programs.  Sales of gently used donated items benefit people with disabilities.  Bargains fund opportunities.  It’s a win win.

Fashion is Never Finished at Goodwill

August 7, 2013

Style is How You Define It

One thing great about style is that trends ebb and flow, so what was once cool, may go out of style, but it tends to come back in style sometime in the future, reinvented, considered new. Fashion is never finished.

Goodwill Outfits for Less
Corinne found her style at the Goodwill Runway Show.

This is why thrift stores like Goodwill are so fantastic to frequent.  New donations come in every day, meaning many new chances for new styles. 

Why We Do What We Do

With the proceeds from these donations, people who need job training can receive it, people with disabilities can receive care and socialization they need and older, lower-income people who seek opportunities can find jobs that suit them. Goodwill is a nonprofit organization. We invest 84% of what we take in to help people with disabilities and other barriers to independence.

Some Like the Thrill of the Hunt

We organize our clothes by color, so if you know what colors suit you, which are your favorites, you can start there.  Like most stores, shirts and pants are racked together, but unlike most stores, they are all the same price.  Jeans are $6. Pants are $4. Shirts are $3.50. Tee-shirts are $1.50. And so on. With our new Rewards Card, you can save even more on select items.

You might even find that thrifting makes you a fashion trendsetter. Sometimes just choosing to wear clothes you love is all you need to be fashionable.

Spring Training Means Tee-Shirt Weather is Not Far Away

February 20, 2013

As we endure another February chill, let’s think of warmer days when we hear the snap of a ball in a mitt or the crack of a well-hit baseball.

Phillies Shirts
Phillies Fan Club and Shane Victorino shirts and many other team shirts can be found at Goodwill.

Spring is only a month away. Besides birds, a good early sign of spring is pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training camps this week in Florida and Arizona.

This means it’s time to start looking for your favorite team’s attire at Goodwill. Every time I shop at a Goodwill store, I like to browse through the different tee shirt colors looking for my teams and those of my family and friends. They make good “I was thinking of you.” gifts. They can be sleepwear or something to wear to a ball game. What we wear can be the beginning of a conversation with a neighbor while out gardening.

I like how our Goodwill stores are set up – by type of clothes and by color. It makes it easy to search for my favorite team’s colors, and you can’t beat the prices. Often, with my Shop & Save card I get additional discounts on top of the already low cost. Then all I have to do is find the right size.

Good hunting. Find your favorite things at Goodwill.

Need a Party Dress for Less? Think Goodwill.

December 13, 2012

Let’s face it, sometimes, last minute invitations come up. Your schedule clears and you are able to attend a holiday party you had not anticipated going to.  Sometimes your daughter comes to you and says she needs an outfit for the school dance tonight and has nothing to wear.

These dresses were available during a recent visit to a Goodwill in Lemoyne, PA.

You’ve done all of your holiday shopping already and came in at or near budget. You’ve fought through the Black Friday crowds and braved the parking lots packed with Christmas shoppers at the mall.  Now you want to get yourself or a family member a last-minute special outfit without paying retail. What do you do? This is the perfect time to think Goodwill.Our stores specialize in women’s fashions.You don’t have to pay $50 or more. Feel free to brag a little. ‘I paid $8 for this dress from Jones of New York at Goodwill.’ AND I used my Shop-N-Save card to save on this Liz Claiborne purse. Next time, bring along an envious friend to shop Goodwill with you.

Liz Claiborne, left and Tommy Hilfiger, right. Purses to accessorize any outfit and they won’t empty your wallet.

While you’re there, you may want to look for a housewarming gift for the party host. A serving dish.  A decoration. A game. You’ll leave knowing that you can still afford a bottle of wine for the hostess. Look for it and find it. At Goodwill.

Silver-plated candy dish. Perfect holiday impulse buy.

Father’s Day Finds

June 11, 2010

Father’s Day is just around the corner. Have you thought about what to get dear old Dad? Perhaps he likes vintage video games? You could check out this Atari game system and games! http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=6313301 Hurry, the bidding ends on Tuesday, June 15.

I was passed down my love of collecting from my father. I’ve found the perfect gift for his antique farming collection on shopgoodwill.com. A butter churn! Of course if you decided that your father would like to have it in his collection, I’d completely understand… Let the best bidder win! http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=6310551 Bidding on this item ends on Monday, June 14!

If these items aren’t just right, surf around shopgoodwill.com and see what you can find. The possibilities are endless! From vintage golf clubs, to books and cds, to sports memorabilia, you’ll find the perfect gift for your pops in time for Father’s Day on Sunday, June 20. 

Happy hunting!

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Let Your Creativity Flow

May 24, 2010

Being a bargain hunter isn’t easy, but when you find that great deal, it’s so worth it. As a Bargainista, you can find beautiful items at a great price. Take your house décor for example. There are so many clever thrifty ways to make your house look good.

I found these ideas from another blog about chic tips to decorating your home. Check it out!! http://parenting.leehansen.com/decorating/thrift-store-decor.htm

A good bargain is only really a good bargain if you can enjoy your purchase for more than just the low price. Your best bet is to go specifially in search of the item you need. When you find that perfect item, you’ll enjoy it both in your home and in your bank account.

Remember, a great bargain is just around the corner at your local Goodwill.

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Fashion on the Go

May 13, 2010

Save time! People are always looking for ways to get more time. There never seems to be enough of it. For those of us who want more time while getting great fashion deals, these tips could be your new best fashion time savers.

#1 – Make sure you try on the clothes. Tags that are on the clothes may be slightly off because of previous wearing and shrinking. Also, designers can  vary their sizes, which could also throw it off. This will save you time if you try them on now instead of getting home and realizing that the clothes you just spent your valuable time shopping for are the wrong size. Pity.

#2 – Lets say you want to stand out a party. Get your dress from a thrift shop and you can all but guarantee that no one else will have your dress. It probably was not worn that much and, with how quickly fashions change, your mild throwback dress could make you the cat’s meow at your next shindig. 

#3 – Love a pair of jeans with a broken zipper or that shirt with a missing button? Go ahead and buy them, those are easy things to replace! Stay away from clothing with rips or stains. Those could take too much time to fix or not be fixable at all.

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One Ring to Rule them All

May 3, 2010

If you haven’t yet heard, Goodwill received an anonymous donation of a fabulous 2.6 carat diamond ring. It has been appraised at $17,600 and will be placed up for bid probably next week on the auction site for Goodwill, www.shopgoodwill.com where everyone has a chance to bid on it.

This has been an exciting week for all of goodwill with all of the media coverage from this once in a lifetime donation. There has been airplay on ABC’s National News, MSNBC, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and NBC’s the Today Show. Everyone wants to get the word out on this ring.

Here is a bit of some of the newscast from the Today Show:

“And the ring turned in by an unknown is apparently very generous donor at a Goodwill distribution center in Pennsylvania has now been appraised at more than $17,000. The center usually gets costume jewelry but this was one a diamond in the rough. Talk about Goodwill… I wonder if it was a mistake. It must have been a very honest employee of that Goodwill center. That’s nice to see. It is going to go for good.”

Word is spreading on this ring. To get all the latest updates stay posted here or at Facebook. Remember to spread the word and the Goodwill.

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What can Goodwill do for you?

April 22, 2010

Prom and Bridal Gowns at Goodwill Prom season is the perfect time to start shopping at Goodwill. Goodwill offers you fashionable and affordable prom wear and in turn, you support the mission. Take the time to check out Goodwill Stores and see all the great dresses, accessories and shoes to fit you and your budget.

If you give a little, you get a lot in return. Buy a beautiful dress for a great deal… you’ll have a wonderful prom and give back so much more than you may ever realize. All the people that Goodwill supports thank you in advance. So take a trip down to your local Goodwill this prom season.

Goodwill is more than just a store. When you donate and shop at Goodwill, you support a worthy mission. Did you know? Goodwill exists to support persons with disabilities and other barriers to independence in achieving their fullest potential as workers and as members of the broader community.

Show your support, fan Goodwill Keystone Area on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Prom Prom Prom!!

April 20, 2010

As April comes upon us, we can always count on three things:

  1. Flowers start to bloom.
  2. Pollen is in the air.
  3. Most importantly – It’s Prom Season!

Prom and Bridal Gowns from Goodwill High school girls wait the whole year for prom to roll around. You get dressed up, go out, and have a great time with your friends and that special someone. Prom often becomes one of the most memorable nights of high school. I still remember my prom… someday I will tell you about it.

In the upcoming weeks, I, along with my other Goodwill buddies, will be here to offer advice and tips on finding the perfect dress, accessories, and making prom night a time that you will never forget. To let you all in on a secret, your local Goodwill may surprise you with the quality and number of prom dresses you can find there. So check it out and make it this prom memorable as well as affordable.

Visit Goodwill’s Prom and Bridal page for more information!

As always, a great bargain is just around the corner.