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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: So many people here make me really LOL.....

I knew we lived surrounded by self important people who are egotistical and narcissistic, but I had no idea they could be so STUPID to boot! Someone said "I Consider those who shop at thrift stores, not thrifty but poor". and I had to really keep myself from falling out of my chair I was laughing so hard. Oh, we know people like you but still I find it amusing when I hear things like this...

My wife and I have 2 boys under 3 in VA -- we make ~$250,000 combined.....and drum rolllllllllllllll....We get almost ALL their clothes at thrift stores, minus special outfits we want to match etc. And I mean Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc, NOT some snobby Old Town store where u pay $20 for used shirts, etc.....And SURPRISE it is probably the Janie and Jack, Polo or other stuff you gave them with tags on our your snobby kid wore once. All high end clothing, like new and for 4T and smaller shorts/pants/shirts they are .98 cents and they have half off days!!

So think what you want --- when you are driving your fancy car, in your too big house, teaching your kids that poor people buy second hand....as you declare bankruptcy, we wil be retired at a young age enjoying life!

You really sound like a condescending, egotistical jerk. YOU and your kids benefit from the generosity of others, then come on this forum, call them stupid and criticize them for donating nice (not awful) clothing to a charitable organization!!!! YOU are the egotistical and narcissistic one. By the way, how the heck do YOU know what "rich people" teach their kids???? Your salary would qualify you as rich in any normal part of the world. Warren Buffet lives in a modest home and has not promised his kids/grandkids any of his wealth...they have to make their own way in the world. Many rich people are like that...extremely generous with their time and money. You sound condescending and jealous.

People are NOT donating items (used clothing) to charitable organizations to be charitable. (What else are they going to do with used clothing without putting themselves out). They do it for the same reasons I do it: to get things out of the house - PURGING. They are outgrown and of no use. Selling the items would bring nothing in (pretty much) and would be a pain far more than any value they would bring. I don't donate stained items (they are trashed or rags). I donate nice useable items as most people do...to get them out of my house because I have no further use for them. If you're saying otherwise, you're lying.

Speak for yourself. It would be *much* easier to just throw things away. We donate instead because I know there are people who could really use those things but, honestly, this thread is making me reconsider. I think I may start donating to this organization instead:

http://www.dressforsuccess.org

And I'm not the PP you quoted, by the way.

I'm a new poster but agree with the other poster. I post to purge. Throwing away would be harder for me. Places like Purple Heart or National Children's pick up right on my porch. I can purge my closets on a Tuesday and have the items picked up 2 days later. The trash would be at least week and I'd have to lug it down to the curb. What is dress for success going to do with your kids' clothes...which iswhat this thread is about,...

Oh really? So let me get this straight. You make your kids dress from thrift stores but you neither purchase nor donate 2nd hand clothes for yourself? Wow.

What a dipshit. No...I mentioned "drsssforsupccess" because the prior poster mentioned donating there. I do buy myself things at thrift shops. I donate my old things to thrift shops. If you followed the posts, you'd see the question was if you are donating to charities (clothing) to purge your closets or as a good deed to help poorer people. It is the former.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: So many people here make me really LOL.....

I knew we lived surrounded by self important people who are egotistical and narcissistic, but I had no idea they could be so STUPID to boot! Someone said "I Consider those who shop at thrift stores, not thrifty but poor". and I had to really keep myself from falling out of my chair I was laughing so hard. Oh, we know people like you but still I find it amusing when I hear things like this...

My wife and I have 2 boys under 3 in VA -- we make ~$250,000 combined.....and drum rolllllllllllllll....We get almost ALL their clothes at thrift stores, minus special outfits we want to match etc. And I mean Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc, NOT some snobby Old Town store where u pay $20 for used shirts, etc.....And SURPRISE it is probably the Janie and Jack, Polo or other stuff you gave them with tags on our your snobby kid wore once. All high end clothing, like new and for 4T and smaller shorts/pants/shirts they are .98 cents and they have half off days!!

So think what you want --- when you are driving your fancy car, in your too big house, teaching your kids that poor people buy second hand....as you declare bankruptcy, we wil be retired at a young age enjoying life!

You really sound like a condescending, egotistical jerk. YOU and your kids benefit from the generosity of others, then come on this forum, call them stupid and criticize them for donating nice (not awful) clothing to a charitable organization!!!! YOU are the egotistical and narcissistic one. By the way, how the heck do YOU know what "rich people" teach their kids???? Your salary would qualify you as rich in any normal part of the world. Warren Buffet lives in a modest home and has not promised his kids/grandkids any of his wealth...they have to make their own way in the world. Many rich people are like that...extremely generous with their time and money. You sound condescending and jealous.

People are NOT donating items (used clothing) to charitable organizations to be charitable. (What else are they going to do with used clothing without putting themselves out). They do it for the same reasons I do it: to get things out of the house - PURGING. They are outgrown and of no use. Selling the items would bring nothing in (pretty much) and would be a pain far more than any value they would bring. I don't donate stained items (they are trashed or rags). I donate nice useable items as most people do...to get them out of my house because I have no further use for them. If you're saying otherwise, you're lying.

Speak for yourself. It would be *much* easier to just throw things away. We donate instead because I know there are people who could really use those things but, honestly, this thread is making me reconsider. I think I may start donating to this organization instead:

http://www.dressforsuccess.org

And I'm not the PP you quoted, by the way.

Sigh. Do you comprehend that there is a fundamental difference between dress for success, which gives away your donations to the needy, and goodwill, which sells your donated items to generate funds for their mission? Because an awful lot of people appear unable to grasp this point. If you want your used clothes to go to the needy, do not donate them to goodwill. Because they SELL them.

[Anonymous]

For clothes to go to the needy, donate directly to a shelter. For example, this family shelter:

http://www.nccf-cares.org/family-services/greentree-shelter/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For clothes to go to the needy, donate directly to a shelter. For example, this family shelter:

http://www.nccf-cares.org/family-services/greentree-shelter/

Those clothes may or may not wind up in the hands of the needy:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/05/21/185596830/the-global-afterlife-of-your-donated-clothes

I am one of the affluent thrift shoppers who posted on this thread. I am not a SAHM. I am a lawyer with 20 years' experience and a high HHI. I thrift because it is good for the environment; supports the local charities (which do not distribute used clothing to the poor but, rather, use the proceeds from my purchases for their programs); and saves our family money.

[Anonymous]

I'm quite surprised by how many people on the forum by used clothing and routinely shop at thrift stores! I grew up in a solidly middle-class (most definitely not even close to wealthy) home and have never been inside a thrift store. In such a wealthy area as DC I would have expected most people not even to be aware of "used" options. These shopping practices (what the heck is Value Village?) would never have occurred to me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For clothes to go to the needy, donate directly to a shelter. For example, this family shelter:

http://www.nccf-cares.org/family-services/greentree-shelter/

Those clothes may or may not wind up in the hands of the needy:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/05/21/185596830/the-global-afterlife-of-your-donated-clothes

I am one of the affluent thrift shoppers who posted on this thread. I am not a SAHM. I am a lawyer with 20 years' experience and a high HHI. I thrift because it is good for the environment; supports the local charities (which do not distribute used clothing to the poor but, rather, use the proceeds from my purchases for their programs); and saves our family money.

I don't care where people get their clothes. What I'm surprised at is all the upset if non-poor are buying clothing that are legitimately sold at a thrift store and are thinking of no longer donating. WTF?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm quite surprised by how many people on the forum by used clothing and routinely shop at thrift stores! I grew up in a solidly middle-class (most definitely not even close to wealthy) home and have never been inside a thrift store. In such a wealthy area as DC I would have expected most people not even to be aware of "used" options. These shopping practices (what the heck is Value Village?) would never have occurred to me!

I feel a bit of the same, but we were poverty line poor growing up. For some reason, my parents never bought us used clothing, shoes, etc. They took take hand me downs from family or bought the clearance clothes at Wal-Mart. I guess something about the word 'used' was not ideal for them. That sentiment has been the same for me now in that I would rather buy a cheap Wal-Mart shirt that will need to be replaced in a few months than a nice one at a thrift shop that has been worn buy someone else. Yes, I am aware of how odd that sounds, but can't shake it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For clothes to go to the needy, donate directly to a shelter. For example, this family shelter:

http://www.nccf-cares.org/family-services/greentree-shelter/

Those clothes may or may not wind up in the hands of the needy:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/05/21/185596830/the-global-afterlife-of-your-donated-clothes

I am one of the affluent thrift shoppers who posted on this thread. I am not a SAHM. I am a lawyer with 20 years' experience and a high HHI. I thrift because it is good for the environment; supports the local charities (which do not distribute used clothing to the poor but, rather, use the proceeds from my purchases for their programs); and saves our family money.

I don't care where people get their clothes. What I'm surprised at is all the upset if non-poor are buying clothing that are legitimately sold at a thrift store and are thinking of no longer donating. WTF?

PP you quoted and I find it strange too. I think people think (erroneously) that the point of thrift shops is to provide clothing and household goods for the needy. That is not at all the point. The point is to raise money to help the needy (in various ways).

I don't know what part of this is so hard for people to understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm quite surprised by how many people on the forum by used clothing and routinely shop at thrift stores! I grew up in a solidly middle-class (most definitely not even close to wealthy) home and have never been inside a thrift store. In such a wealthy area as DC I would have expected most people not even to be aware of "used" options. These shopping practices (what the heck is Value Village?) would never have occurred to me!

I feel a bit of the same, but we were poverty line poor growing up. For some reason, my parents never bought us used clothing, shoes, etc. They took take hand me downs from family or bought the clearance clothes at Wal-Mart. I guess something about the word 'used' was not ideal for them. That sentiment has been the same for me now in that I would rather buy a cheap Wal-Mart shirt that will need to be replaced in a few months than a nice one at a thrift shop that has been worn buy someone else. Yes, I am aware of how odd that sounds, but can't shake it.

I feel the opposite. I would also add that the fumes that come off new stuff from cheap places like Wal-Mart make me nauseous. I don't want to dress my kids in that stuff. I'd rather dress them in something high-quality that finished giving off fumes months or a year or two ago (and which will last).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm quite surprised by how many people on the forum by used clothing and routinely shop at thrift stores! I grew up in a solidly middle-class (most definitely not even close to wealthy) home and have never been inside a thrift store. In such a wealthy area as DC I would have expected most people not even to be aware of "used" options. These shopping practices (what the heck is Value Village?) would never have occurred to me!

I feel a bit of the same, but we were poverty line poor growing up. For some reason, my parents never bought us used clothing, shoes, etc. They took take hand me downs from family or bought the clearance clothes at Wal-Mart. I guess something about the word 'used' was not ideal for them. That sentiment has been the same for me now in that I would rather buy a cheap Wal-Mart shirt that will need to be replaced in a few months than a nice one at a thrift shop that has been worn buy someone else. Yes, I am aware of how odd that sounds, but can't shake it.

Did they not realize that hand me downs are, by definition, "used"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm quite surprised by how many people on the forum by used clothing and routinely shop at thrift stores! I grew up in a solidly middle-class (most definitely not even close to wealthy) home and have never been inside a thrift store. In such a wealthy area as DC I would have expected most people not even to be aware of "used" options. These shopping practices (what the heck is Value Village?) would never have occurred to me!

Also, don't trends change? What was cool three or four years ago certainly won't be cool next year. How does used clothes/ thrift store shopping account for that? I can't imagine being caught dead in a pair of used Skidz in 1995, even they they were super cool in 1993!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm quite surprised by how many people on the forum by used clothing and routinely shop at thrift stores! I grew up in a solidly middle-class (most definitely not even close to wealthy) home and have never been inside a thrift store. In such a wealthy area as DC I would have expected most people not even to be aware of "used" options. These shopping practices (what the heck is Value Village?) would never have occurred to me!

Also, don't trends change? What was cool three or four years ago certainly won't be cool next year. How does used clothes/ thrift store shopping account for that? I can't imagine being caught dead in a pair of used Skidz in 1995, even they they were super cool in 1993!

Depends on how important trends are to the buyer. Certain items do not go out of style from year to year, at least from my POV:

Levis jeans
Basic khakis
Brooks Brothers and Nordstrom navy blazers for boys
Dress shirts for boys
Ties
Pajamas
Basic rain jackets (REI, LLBean)
Ski jackets/parkas (Columbia, REI, LLBean)

Maybe the fact that I have boys and not girls makes a difference.

[Anonymous]

PP here: thrift store hobbyist. This may make your collective heads spin (esp. you who think thrift stores are only poor people clothing stores)...I buy beautiful, NWT or gently used baby clothes and DONATE them to a local clothes charity/mission that serves local people in need.

There are some people for whom a thrift store is cost prohibitive, more likely, they are working and do not have time to thrift shop. I do it for them.

I just love to shop. I also bargain hunt for clearance items throughout the year and make special seasonal donations. Win-win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did they not realize that hand me downs are, by definition, "used"?

But people may think of clothes used by people they know differently from clothes used by people they didn't know. For example, maybe used clothes from the thrift store are somebody else's cast-offs, whereas used clothes from hand-me-downs are sharing within the family. Or I have had people tell me that they don't buy used clothes because dead people might have worn them -- this worry would not apply to most hand-me-downs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here: thrift store hobbyist. This may make your collective heads spin (esp. you who think thrift stores are only poor people clothing stores)...I buy beautiful, NWT or gently used baby clothes and DONATE them to a local clothes charity/mission that serves local people in need.

There are some people for whom a thrift store is cost prohibitive, more likely, they are working and do not have time to thrift shop. I do it for them.

I just love to shop. I also bargain hunt for clearance items throughout the year and make special seasonal donations. Win-win.

That's a wonderful thing to do.

It's interesting; I wonder if most of you who go to thrift stores generally love shopping, and those who don't (like me) hate shopping and don't want to waste any more time than necessary. I'd rather pay more than spend the time hunting through a bunch of crap to get the gem. I feel the same way about TJ Max-type stores. I'm sure there are some great bargains, but I don't want to spend my time trying to find them. If I loved shopping, on the other hand, I could see devoting more time and buying stuff in a larger variety of places to maximize the great finds....