Back to school from thrift store

[Anonymous]

It’s been a year of semi home school and we are now heading back to in person. Would you buy used back to school items from the thrift store. Especially during the pandemic with Covid? Or is the surface transmission over rated?

Wifey buying for our kids used coats, shoes, stationery, water bottles, backpacks etc. It isn’t that we don’t have any but why would you want to replace your own ($5 plastic one) that you got new with maybe a used hydroflask but spout has been put to lips of another kid (and it even has teethmarks too?!) Even my daughter is like ewww but she forces it on her anyway! or replace a coat that isn’t branded that works with a north face that has another kids name written in sharpie?

Sad to say we differ in opinion but wifey is adamant that we need to get back to school from the thrift store! Is Covid a concern to you?

[Anonymous]

Is your wife into helping the environment. There is nothing wrong with used clothes. The water bottle is too much for me but you can also buy a replacement lid and straw. If you have so many issues with this stuff why don't you go shopping?

[Anonymous]

Surface transmission stopped being a concern early in COVID. I don’t know anyone worried about it right now and it has been ages since we were told to wipe things down.

Other then that, your call as a family. Thrift stores save lots of money and are good for the planet due to reuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is your wife into helping the environment. There is nothing wrong with used clothes. The water bottle is too much for me but you can also buy a replacement lid and straw. If you have so many issues with this stuff why don't you go shopping?

Well a little of caring of the environment I guess. But am I not generating waste too now by dumping or keeping aside a plastic one that my daughters have used for a year or two and taking someone else’s bottle. Sure it is a hydroflask and keeps cool etc but now we would either live with a used bottle the previous owner leaving teeth marks on the bottle or generating more waste by buying replacement lids which costs more than her old plastic bottle which works fine! I would go shopping if I felt it needed a replacement.

But now the primary Covid concern I had too was buying used. Especially since this is like something you put into the mouth. Sure. One could wash it but the toothmarks left by the previous owner just is a reminder it was not sparingly but instead quite well used daily by another kid. Same with a coat. Or stationery. Like how much can you wipe used pens and crayons, or maybe you could never truly wash a down north face coat. (Dry cleaning recommended I think and having the perspiration of another child in it?)

So just wondering how important really is getting back to school items for your kids? Even if they are used?

[Anonymous]

There’s zero Covid issue. You can wash everything.

[Anonymous]

Viruses die fast. You’re not going to find live virus in a coat.

[Anonymous]

I am a huge thrift store person. 90% of my kids clothes come from there. I would rather have a North Face or Columbia coat that’s used that will keep her warm than a New Target Coat. Plus if she loses her thrift store coat or gets a hole in it I’m not upset. You can cross out sharpie and put your own label over it. and in my experience most clothes do not have names in them, some yes, but it’s not the majority. I would not buy a used water bottle though personally.

[Anonymous]

Above PP again. I bought all my kids uniform pants and shorts for the upcoming school year there too. Offsets the cost of the shirts I have to buy new.

[Anonymous]

You can find extremely high quality and classic pieces at the thrift store. Wash and go!

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry but throw away the thrift store Hydroflask. No one wants a used water bottle. I’m not a thrift store person but I understand the clothes. I draw the line at a water bottle with teeth marks.

[Anonymous]

Wifey??

[Anonymous]

We have plenty of money to buy new, but prefer used for environmental purposes. I just went to the thrift store yesterday for school uniforms. Will go back to look for coats once they’re out too. Very very gently used shoes and accessories are great too. Agree the water bottle is too much.

[Anonymous]

It's hard to tell if your wife is doing this to get the brand names or if she's doing it because she's cheap or if she's doing it to help the environment. What is her motivation?

[Anonymous]

The used water bottle with teeth marks in it is too far. The rest is fine it that’s her thing. Go buy your kid a new water bottle and let the rest go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wifey??

Yeah, I couldn’t get past that, either.