Thrifty vs. Cheap when it comes to kids' stuff (clothes, school supplies, etc..)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And what do you mean by household items? Furniture? Kitchenware? Would not want that in my house.

Bitch, please. That barely used stuff came from your house when you were dumb enough to dump it and get new just because your shitty life needed yet another makeover.

Keep on shopping for your feelings, sweetie.

Why so much hostility? Must have hit a nerve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I'd be curious to know how many other thrift store shoppers actually give back in this way.

We both shop at Goodwill / Value Village and donate there. We are regularly decluttering but need other things. Why not get them at a bargain, saving my family money and keeping things out of the landfill? We are environmentalists, frugal, nonprofit workers who also donate money to charities (the more we save, the more we can donate).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I'd be curious to know how many other thrift store shoppers actually give back in this way.

We both shop at Goodwill / Value Village and donate there. We are regularly decluttering but need other things. Why not get them at a bargain, saving my family money and keeping things out of the landfill? We are environmentalists, frugal, nonprofit workers who also donate money to charities (the more we save, the more we can donate).

I think most people donate items they are finished with.

[Anonymous]

When I drop donations at Goodwill, I go in and shop. I usually buy books and toddler clothing. When we are done with them, they go back as do many other things from house. It is FINE to do this and still supports the charitable mission of the store.

I feel fine about it. But then again I've been wearing used clothes my entire life due to an impoverished beginning.

I buy goodwill for my child and will until my child cares about new. I will then teach child about clearance racks. ANd TJ Maxx ect. and end of seasion sales.

[Anonymous]

oh great, "must have hit a nerve lady" is here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:oh great, "must have hit a nerve lady" is here

Seems like this thread hit the nerves of lts of folks...I'm shocked people think thrift store sales should be reserved for only the poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kind of interesting that the two sides are judging each other. For those that buy new and spend more than $1,000/year on clothes for their kids, I'm curious if you are debt free, have retirement savings (significant), and have college savings (significant). I just want to know if you are making choices today that will have repercussions in the future...

I spend $1-2000 a year and yes we have significant cash saved up. With two of us working to earn over 400hhi we don't have the time to thrift. I don't have any problems with it and used to when I had less money but now I have more money than time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:oh great, "must have hit a nerve lady" is here

???

I personally don't like rummaging through racks. There is a huge store in NYC called Century 21. I have friends who score awesome Prada clothing there. I get a headache when I walk in. You need to spend countless hours rummaging through all the merchandise. I didn't even like to do that when I was childless. Now that I have young kids, time is worth more than money. sure, I love a good bargain but I don't shop often. When I do, I buy what I need and leave. Different strokes for different folks.

I did not mean to offend so many with my poor comment. That was not my intention.

[Anonymous]

I swear, not all of us with high HHI are snobs. DH and I went from both working at nonprofits and counting every penny to DH getting VERY lucky in his career -- HHI of about $600K, $4 million invested in various places, and 529 as funded as it can be for our one-year-old DD. However, I have watched my parents' income level change dramatically multiple times, so I know how quickly good fortunes can change. I also do NOT want my kids to become the spoiled, mean kids who make fun of other kids for wearing clothing from thrift stores (or Target or Payless).

Thus, I am not cheap, but I try to be thrifty because it seems sensible in light of what I've seen and the example I want to set for my DD. I love clothes, and our one-year-old DD has super cute, high-quality stuff. However, I can count on one hand the things for which I have paid full price (sales, Zulily), have tons of hand-me-downs from friends (including DD's crib), and absolutely would shop at thrift/consignment stores if I had time to go to actual stores these days. The fact that I don't do so has nothing to do with thinking they're "dirty."

It's not like my way is the right way, though, and other people in my situation probably operate differently and raise lovely kids. However, judging people based on how they shop and going out of your way to make them feel "dirty" because they are thrifty, want their kids to be raised without a sense of entitlement, are environmentally conscious, like finding funky stuff, or have no other choice is just trite and sad.

Also, for those of you who donate stuff, here's a handy website for figuring out who takes what:

http://www.charitychoices.com/whoaccepts.asp

[Anonymous]

I generally buy Old Navy/Gap on sale. I generally don't buy from second hand stores anymore, because of a morbid fear of bedbugs. If someone that I know offered me hand-me-downs, I'd go for it.

For those of you arguing that there somehow isn't enough used clothing to go around, that simply isn't true.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/fashion/2012/06/the_salvation_army_and_goodwill_inside_the_places_your_clothes_go_when_you_donate_them_.html

[Anonymous]

Cheap and thrifty are not the same category.

Thrifty = being smart with your money

Cheap = being mean, punitive, or ridged with your money to intentionally deny someone of an item or experience.

I am thrifty and proud of it. I've experienced the highs and lows of working on the Hill and the private sector and I being thrifty through it all has been a sanity saver.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Oops! I mean't to finish my correction above but hit "enter" too quickly!

What I meant to say is, " I've experienced the highs and lows of working the Hill and the private sector. I think being thrifty through it all, has been a sanity saver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I swear, not all of us with high HHI are snobs. DH and I went from both working at nonprofits and counting every penny to DH getting VERY lucky in his career -- HHI of about $600K, $4 million invested in various places, and 529 as funded as it can be for our one-year-old DD. However, I have watched my parents' income level change dramatically multiple times, so I know how quickly good fortunes can change. I also do NOT want my kids to become the spoiled, mean kids who make fun of other kids for wearing clothing from thrift stores (or Target or Payless).

Thus, I am not cheap, but I try to be thrifty because it seems sensible in light of what I've seen and the example I want to set for my DD. I love clothes, and our one-year-old DD has super cute, high-quality stuff. However, I can count on one hand the things for which I have paid full price (sales, Zulily), have tons of hand-me-downs from friends (including DD's crib), and absolutely would shop at thrift/consignment stores if I had time to go to actual stores these days. The fact that I don't do so has nothing to do with thinking they're "dirty."

It's not like my way is the right way, though, and other people in my situation probably operate differently and raise lovely kids. However, judging people based on how they shop and going out of your way to make them feel "dirty" because they are thrifty, want their kids to be raised without a sense of entitlement, are environmentally conscious, like finding funky stuff, or have no other choice is just trite and sad.

Also, for those of you who donate stuff, here's a handy website for figuring out who takes what:

http://www.charitychoices.com/whoaccepts.asp

Not sure why people are so hyper focused on the fact that I think thrift shops are dirty. I once went to a consignment sale and it was like black Friday on steroids. the women were super aggressive. lines were long. I left and never went to another one.

Why are people so defensive about shopping at thrift shops?

I'm sure some people we know may look down that I shop at target all the time. I wouldn't be defensive at all.

I feel fine with my parenting choices. We actually don't focus much time and effort on the boys' clothing, which is why we don't shop often. Shopping is pretty low on our priority list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kind of interesting that the two sides are judging each other. For those that buy new and spend more than $1,000/year on clothes for their kids, I'm curious if you are debt free, have retirement savings (significant), and have college savings (significant). I just want to know if you are making choices today that will have repercussions in the future...

I spend $1-2000 a year and yes we have significant cash saved up. With two of us working to earn over 400hhi we don't have the time to thrift. I don't have any problems with it and used to when I had less money but now I have more money than time.

Debt free?

College savings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:oh great, "must have hit a nerve lady" is here

Seems like this thread hit the nerves of lts of folks...I'm shocked people think thrift store sales should be reserved for only the poor.

Well I wish rich people would stop shopping at thrift stores. Seriously, $200k posters. Can you stop that? The thrifts seem to be raising their prices, and I'm not finding as much stuff for my kids lately, and I'm pretty sure it's your fault.

Signed,
A "poor person"