Sunday, January 27, 2008

My Deep Dark Secret....

Don't worry. It has nothing to do with panties or how to get busted by your child and your in-laws while you have hot steamy sex with your husband. (Not this time anyway) Nope. My deep, dark secret is this....

I LOVE to shop at Goodwill.

There. I've said it. Consequences be damned.

I should qualify this, I guess. I love to find a bargain, a steal, a perfect something that I need, and I love knowing that it might have had a gentle life already, and I'm not contributing to wanton and wasteful mass production of stuff. (But I've been known to get a little steamy over that as well).

Here's what brought this on. I have been shopping for a new coat for Joe-Henry for a couple weeks. His coat is on it's second year with him, and it had a previous life with a friends two sons already, so it was getting a little worn. Still in decent shape, just not as warm and toasty as it had been last year. Plus he's grown, like, a foot in the last month, so he's poking out a bit more. Anyway, I hit all the usual after Christmas sales, all the usual suspects: Macy's, Target, LL Bean, Land's End, and today I tried the Columbia Sportswear Outlet Store, sure that I would find nirvana. But nope. They had plenty of coats that he could have worn last year, or might be able to wear when he's in highschool, but none that would fit him this winter and into next winter. Shoot.

So we hop in the car and head home, but on the way, we pass a really great Goodwill, so I make a sharp right, with JH moaning in the backseat about how much he HATES shopping, and I tell him to put a cork in it, we're going in for five minutes. And there, shining under the neon lights, was a perfect winter jacket. Big and poofy and water-resistant, with a lovely, warm, fleecy detachable hood. Dark green with black across the shoulders.

Originally Old Navy, new with tags.

Price tag 14.00, and when we got to the cash register, half off. HALF OFF, PEOPLE! That's a brand new winter coat for SEVEN BUCKS.

He played football in it while it snowed this evening, and stayed nice and toasty. And he thanked me for his new coat.

Rooooaaaaaarrrr!!! I AM SUCH A BARGAIN HUNTING GODDESS!

2 comments:

I, Rodius said...

I second that emotion. I got Thumper a clean and perfectly functioning Discovery Ball for $3, and several outfits for a couple bucks each. And there's one on practically every corner around here. We spent one afternoon hitting five different Goodwills. And it makes you feel all charitable and whatnot, too.

I do have to mention that the blue blazer I needed for ushering was $10 at all the Goodwills, but I found it for $2 at Thriftland. But then, Thriftland is a lot sleazier looking than most Goodwills. Except maybe the one at 51st and Lamar. That one's pretty sleazy looking.

karigee said...

$7! Smart shopping, cookie!