Tip #78 From Mrs. Sunny

"Shop thrift stores for things you need but can wait to find

rather than buying new!"

When I say I'm going shopping, it usually means I'm shopping at Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul's, Little Folks Trading Post (which is a children's consignment shop) or garage sales in the summer (my absolute favorite).

Not only is this more cost effective, but it's better for the environment to buy used rather than buy new.

I have to say I've got enough toys for a lifetime even after just having 2 children from birthdays, Christmas, and everything inbetween! So I don't go out looking for toys, unless it's for a birthday, but some things I look for regulary at thrift stores are:

1. Books (.25-.50) I will always encourage the library, but at this price anyone can afford to put together a home library! I currently just found over 24 Zoobooks Magazines about different animals for just a few dollars!

2. Games (.75) I have found Operation, Boggle Jr., Monopoly, LIFE, preschool games, etc.

3. Records (.50) This may seem a little old fashioned, but after finding a Fischer Price record player for $2 at a garage sale, records are the cheepest way to get new music in the house! The kids love setting the record on, putting the needle on just right and turning the music up! Of course I have a CD player as well..which the library is a good place to check out CD's I've found! My CD player is also a cassette combo for books on tape that I have and those we check out from the library.

4. Classic VHS movies: Like records, I know, old fashioned. But we have a perfectly good VHS/TV combo and I have found about every classic Disney movie from Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, 101 Dalmations, Pinnochio, Robin Hood, Lion King and on and on...for .50 to $1. Much more affordable than $15 brand new or maybe they're more than that - I don't know!

5. Children's clothes: Every summer I get the next size up for my kids at garage sales for the following year. I don't get clothes at Goodwill or consignment stores...they're often more expensive then what I can get at garage sales (.50-.75 per item of clothing)

Things I need around the house that I am currently looking for:

1. Kitchen chairs - I'm also looking on Craigslist, with no luck, yet. I currently have the table I grew up with, but my chairs are stained and broken. But they are still usable, so I'm just taking my time looking until I find the right chair at the right price.

2. Coat hooks - I bought new ones about a year ago thinking they were metal, but apparentlly they were actually a really hard plastic and one-by-one they have broken. I'm just going to wait for good heavy-duty ones now!

3. Tea Pot - I've just always wanted one for on top of the stove. Obviously not a necessity when I can just heat water in the microwave...it can wait.

4. Electric Skillet - The one we have still runs but is pretty beat up.

I couldn't believe the other week I ran into my midwife at Aldi's doing her grocery shopping and when leaving mentioned she was on her way to Goodwill to buy a cookie sheet! Now I know she makes enough to buy a new cookie sheet if she wanted, but that's not the point...it's not necessary to buy "new" all the time. Of course some things like socks and underware are best to buy new, but in general used is just fine.

Give it some thought next time you're shopping at Wal-Mart or Target: "Is this something I need right now, or could I wait to find it used somewhere?"