Mini-vent: Garage sales vs. Goodwill?

dreamast.romain

My MIL went to a Goodwill and bought a few baby sleepers and washed them before she gave them to us. They are super cute and not stained but my husband is very adamant about not using them. He says he doesn't like not knowing who or where they came from. He is not opposed, however, to going to garage sales and buying baby clothes and items there. I don't see a difference..

kensbride08

Well at a garage sale at least you can see the home and family they come from.

luckyabby09

My husband has an issue with all used clothes. His idea is, we don't buy ourselves clothes at garage sales and goodwill so why would we buy baby stuff there. I don't fight him on it, I just am a very good shopper *years of practice* so I've gotten most of our sons clothes at carters on the cheap.

I don't see the difference between goodwill and garage sales either though.  

KOscar

What about consignment shops?  If he's ok with them you can often find good deals here.  I have been amazed though as some of the end of session sales that outlet stores are having.  We found a rack at Children's that had everything for $1.99 and it was cute!

GeneGoddess

I guess he thinks "bad" people donate to Goodwill and "good" people have garage sales?  Hmm...  I actually find much better deals at garage sales (and yes, I shop for myself, DH, and our soon-to-arrive kiddo).  Why does he not like Goodwill?

 

ETA:  I mentioned this to my DH and he thinks that he might be judging by who shops there.  Poor people shop at Goodwill (plus, the store can smell musty, etc) and "normal" people shop at garage sales.  Is that his concern?

llggx2

I love garage sales and Goodwill. I only buy stuff that is nicer than I could afford new. We have a lot of things that are brand names ect that we could never afford but because I got them "used" we could afford them. DS has way nicer clothes because of this!

Smtih&co

I don't see the difference.  I say anytime you can get a bargain, take it.  Babies don't wear clothes long enough to justify spend $$$ on them.  I don't have any problem shopping at garage sales, Goodwill, or consignment shops. 

dreamast.romain

GeneGoddess:

ETA:  I mentioned this to my DH and he thinks that he might be judging by who shops there.  Poor people shop at Goodwill (plus, the store can smell musty, etc) and "normal" people shop at garage sales.  Is that his concern?

When we first moved out and got our own place together, we went to Goodwill to buy pictures and decorations so shopping at Goodwill isn't his problem. He would actually prefer to not even buy clothes at garage sales, but doesn't mind it as much as Goodwill. I think it's like a PP said, we don't buy our own clothes there so he doesn't want to buy them there for the baby. But also, I think most of the baby clothes are going to be grown out of so quickly that it won't matter where they came from.

sophabelle

i don't see a huge difference either.  if its washable and its clean then why does it matter where it came from?

spiffy

GeneGoddess:

I guess he thinks "bad" people donate to Goodwill and "good" people have garage sales?  Hmm...  I actually find much better deals at garage sales (and yes, I shop for myself, DH, and our soon-to-arrive kiddo).  Why does he not like Goodwill?

 

ETA:  I mentioned this to my DH and he thinks that he might be judging by who shops there.  Poor people shop at Goodwill (plus, the store can smell musty, etc) and "normal" people shop at garage sales.  Is that his concern?

Not anymore these days.  I've a friend who works for goodwill (she has mild social and developmental retardation) and she says that their customer base is getting much wealthier... in fact they're desperate for donations b/c the increase in customers is depleting the stores.

lil_nette4

Maybe it's just the "Goodwill" name because if your really think about it your still buying used clothes at a garage sell. I've started to buy my baby clothes at this cosignment/resale store, and I love the price, and the clothes are in really good condition. The way I see it is, since we're going to loose my income I want to buy as much as I can before the baby comes. I don't buy strictly used clothing, but why not save money since the baby will grow out of it so quickly. I also picked up some of my clothes at the Goodwill which save me money and accommodated my growing belly. However, I would never tell my husband some of the babys clothes were use, he'd have a shitfit, but he's seen everything I've brought and never questioned the quality of it.  Good luck buying used isn't for everyone.

lil_nette4

spiffy:

GeneGoddess:

I guess he thinks "bad" people donate to Goodwill and "good" people have garage sales?  Hmm...  I actually find much better deals at garage sales (and yes, I shop for myself, DH, and our soon-to-arrive kiddo).  Why does he not like Goodwill?

 

ETA:  I mentioned this to my DH and he thinks that he might be judging by who shops there.  Poor people shop at Goodwill (plus, the store can smell musty, etc) and "normal" people shop at garage sales.  Is that his concern?

Not anymore these days.  I've a friend who works for goodwill (she has mild social and developmental retardation) and she says that their customer base is getting much wealthier... in fact they're desperate for donations b/c the increase in customers is depleting the stores.

Im a full time student and have a parttime job, but Dh and I live on a upper, surburan side a town and the Goodwill I go to has some of the cutest clothes for me. DH has never been, but I started to really get into shopping at this location. I went to another Goodwill on a different side of town and the clothes were not as good. 

ZAngel

I understand where he is coming from.  I don't like second hand clothing unless it belonged to a personal friend or family member.  Even then, I am pretty picky.  If I was in a different financial situation, then I would probably be more open to it.  I would have a really hard time buying already worn clothing especially not knowing where it came from.  If someone gave me Goodwill purchased clothing, I would most likely thank them and then turn around and donate it again.

MelissaMc22

I LOVE goodwill and Yard sales. We have found so much grat stuf from there, It's awesome.

 DH and I do very well finanically but I still go to these stores, I think it's the "thrill of the hunt" that gets me!

I say if you can wash it, go for it! Over 1/2 or DS's clothes are from there....

 

spiffy

lil_nette4:

spiffy:

GeneGoddess:

I guess he thinks "bad" people donate to Goodwill and "good" people have garage sales?  Hmm...  I actually find much better deals at garage sales (and yes, I shop for myself, DH, and our soon-to-arrive kiddo).  Why does he not like Goodwill?

 

ETA:  I mentioned this to my DH and he thinks that he might be judging by who shops there.  Poor people shop at Goodwill (plus, the store can smell musty, etc) and "normal" people shop at garage sales.  Is that his concern?

Not anymore these days.  I've a friend who works for goodwill (she has mild social and developmental retardation) and she says that their customer base is getting much wealthier... in fact they're desperate for donations b/c the increase in customers is depleting the stores.

Im a full time student and have a parttime job, but Dh and I live on a upper, surburan side a town and the Goodwill I go to has some of the cutest clothes for me. DH has never been, but I started to really get into shopping at this location. I went to another Goodwill on a different side of town and the clothes were not as good. 

Different Goodwill areas have different policies, but some do have the policy of shifting upscale products to higher priced stores in nicer areas.  The Cincinnati GW does that. Other areas (like the one I live in now) have the policy of shipping all not "near new or better" merchandise to the regular stores and then setting up "outlet stores" for everything else.

I actually much favor the ones that allow less nice merch in, because I am a bibliophile and it allows me the opportunity to get first ed books that are quite nice for next to nothing (I picked up a first ed copy of Black Beauty for $1... and a $1k 2nd ed of Salem's Lot for $4 among other treasures) the hunt is more fun at the jumble sales than at the upscale retail stores. 

For clothes though... I'll agree completely.

GeneGoddess

spiffy:

GeneGoddess:

I guess he thinks "bad" people donate to Goodwill and "good" people have garage sales?  Hmm...  I actually find much better deals at garage sales (and yes, I shop for myself, DH, and our soon-to-arrive kiddo).  Why does he not like Goodwill?

 

ETA:  I mentioned this to my DH and he thinks that he might be judging by who shops there.  Poor people shop at Goodwill (plus, the store can smell musty, etc) and "normal" people shop at garage sales.  Is that his concern?

Not anymore these days.  I've a friend who works for goodwill (she has mild social and developmental retardation) and she says that their customer base is getting much wealthier... in fact they're desperate for donations b/c the increase in customers is depleting the stores.

 

Just to clarify, *I* shop at Goodwill (and donate as well).  And I'm a "rich doctor".  I love thrift stores!!!  But many people have an impression that only "poor" people shop there. I was wondering if that was her DH's concern. 

SusieQ1982

I don't get it. Who knows where the clothes at the stores came from? They were probably sitting in rat infested warehouses :P

I don't see a difference between Goodwill and garage sale clothing personally, and I have bought my son a ton of clothes from both. They are really nice brand name clothes and they were cheap. I can't imagine paying $10+ for a single outfit when I can buy a Baby Gap outfit for $1 at Goodwill.

Just wash them- what's the problem?