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

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[quote=Anonymous]I need a "I Read/Survived This Entire Thread!" badge.

A couple of the best points in favor of people of any income shopping at thrift stores:

1) Would you pass on a great deal at the Gap or J&J clearance rack because someone with less money than you needs the bargain more? And don't tell me lower-income people don't shop J&J-- they're in the MALL. I haunted the mall when I was broke, just waiting for clearances. (Got my DH a $150 Gap winter coat-- that lasted for 7 years-- for $9.99!)

2) Seriously, they are CONSTANTLY putting new items out on the floor at places like Value Village. I don't shop at VV religiously, or right when it opens on sale days, etc.-- and I can still always find at least a few high-quality gems, and pretty easily. A lot of what they sell is just "okay" (relatively little is "junky" IMO), but even though it's only 5-10% of the total, there is really more than enough "great" stuff to go around for most people's personal needs.

And as mentioned earlier, most thrifts are all about VOLUME. They absolutely need to move the stuff out to make room for more. I believe part of why I can get great bargains on great stuff (without even really trying) is that lots of "nicer" stuff is just not everyone's taste, or exact size they're looking for, etc. I used to donate to my family's tiny charity clothing thrift in Appalachia and they would sometimes laugh at the "weird" clothes (higher-end, trendier-- I grew up in MoCo and upper-middle class) I donated as a kid. A few of those items appealed to 0% of their shoppers, and they would have been happy if someone with more money/brand savvy and "weirder" tastes had bought them. I feel like I see this at VV too-- lots of what is in carts of folks who appear to be lower-income is like, Elmo shirts from Target. I'm sure a few people try to Bogart all the Mini Boden stuff, but again, since employees put out new stuff all the time, they don't get it all.

3) I didn't see this phrased here exactly in this way, but if you are appalled at the ethics of wealthy people thrift shopping, consider that the alternative you are proposing is that they buy new (even on sale)-- which means you think it's MORE ethical for them to contribute money to companies which directly rely on slave/child labor than to keep those same clothes, when second-hand, out of landfills or mucking up the textile industries of developing countries. Obviously this doesn't apply if you only buy American Apparel (also problematic) or some other brand that sources totally ethically-- but a lot of people are talking about it buying new at Gap or Target or even J. Crew. I guess it's only an ethical concern if you feel you are hurting the poor in THIS country?

(I also "only" have a total HHI of $100k for a family of 3 in a moderately-expensive area of the DMV, so I guess I'm "allowed" to shop at VV anyway, but I digress...) [/quote]

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