Isn't it amazing, the deals you get if you're willing to buy pre-owned!?

[Early Bird]

I won't even say 'used,' because, sometimes, the stuff you buy 2ndhand looks new. It makes me wonder, 'Was it ever used?'

Today, I bought

• 8 very old skeins of wool yarn, still in wrappers.
  
  
• 2 large and 7 small drawer dividers:
  IMG_2534.jpg
  Here the drawer dividers are taking a bath. DH recently bought similar large drawer dividers for about $5 each at the hardware store.
  
  
  
• a 12-piece set of Mikasa 'sunshine' stoneware, complete with serving bowl, large platter, sugar bowl, and creamer:
  IMG_2531.jpg
  Internet research leads me to think these are 1970s-era. But they're oven and dishwasher safe, which is what I like. And what a cheerful color!

All were in pristine condition.

My total was under $50.

I'd enjoy reading if any of you would chime in with stellar finds on the 2ndhand market.

[piney]

Love your dishes.

[Early Bird]

OOPS. I should have said a 12-place set of Mikasa stoneware. Not just 12 pieces, 64 pieces:

• 12 dinner plates
• 12 salad plates
• 12 saucers
• 12 tea cups
• 12 cereal bowls
• plus a creamer, sugar bowl, serving bowl, and serving platter.

[Palooka]

Yeah, I really like those dishes. great finds!

[Ramona]

You did well! And 64 pieces of Mikasa? That's a pretty pattern, particularly during nasty winter weather, so cheery.

[sinopa27]

12 place setting!! now that's a wonderful deal!! that yarn is a great deal too. That stuff can be expensive!!

[Spirit Deer]

Great finds! I've been picking up vintage yarn cheap lately, too.

I hardly know where to start on the deals we've found. The biggest one has probably been our 2002 Chevy Avalanche, bought right after gas went to $4/gallon a few years ago and the bottom fell out of the truck market. It had been on the dealer's lot a while and they were willing to deal, so we got it for a rock-bottom price. Loved that, and love the truck, too. It's proven to be a very comfortable vehicle for travel, and has plenty of torque to drag our giant economy-sized pop up camper up into the Rockies like it's not even there.

I made a Dutch oven table out of a camp stool I got for $3 and a broiler pan I salvaged from the dump.

With the addition of about $3 worth of tool clips to hold the top on and a canvas storage bag recycled from an old rug, I now have a handy dandy Dutch oven table I wouldn't hesitate to stack several ovens on, that fits easily in our camper when folded for storage.

I picked up a vintage Coleman campstove table for $5. I decided I liked it better with a top, so I added an old wire shelf from an ancient refrigerator. Lightweight, folds to nothing for storage in the trailer, yet it's sturdy and works great for a camp stove, grill, or even a nice side table by our recliners.


Earlier this year, I bought a vintage food processor/blender complete with an optional accessory pack, all paperwork, and an optional cookbook for fifty cents at a church rummage sale.

I bought my pressure canner at a garage sale for $2. Also have picked up a very nice vintage pressure cooker (6 quart) for a cheap and also a four-quart pressure cooker also for cheap.

I think, along with looking at what you're willing to accept secondhand, you have to also look at what you're willing to clean up or fix up or modify. A lot of our bargains didn't come into the house in pristine condition or in the exact form we wanted, so some additional work was in order. Personally, I like making something from nothing so a lot of times the fix-up is fun for me.

[Palooka]

That is awesome, Spirit Deer!

[brennasmom]

On my last trip to the thrift store I found:

* women's underarmor cold gear $5.99 (these retail for $30+)
* Land End boys pants (for DS) $3.99
* rash guard swim shirt for DS $3.99

All items were in new condition and much less than retail

[Menifeemom]

Seems like we have been slowly furnishing our house with used our whole marriage. So far we have a law bookcase (glass fronts on shelves) that we picked up for $20.00, a window seat with cushion for $25.00, chest freezer $25.00, exercise bike $5.00 (all it needed was a new screw to hold the seat in place), glider rocker $20.00 (also needed one new screw), lawnmower $40.00, crib free on craigslist, table/chairs free on freecycle, and the list just keeps going on and on. I love being able to get nice things used. My furniture wouldn't be nearly as nice as it is if I would have had to pay full price. I couldn't have afforded most of it.

[janal14]

Such nice finds!

We've been slowly furnishing our house with secondhand finds as well. A new couch for the basement from the Habitat Restore, and a couple of weeks ago got a nice coffee table from Salvation Army. Currently on the lookout for an end table.

[Jets Jewelry]

All great finds.

[BlissMommy]

You guys all have such great finds.

[Early Bird]

Wanted to add a note that the Mikasa is working out well. The week after I bought it, I rotated out our old stoneware (which we're keeping for now) and put the cheerful yellow flowers in it's place.

DH likes it because he likes yellow flowers. (After about 20 years of marriage, I finally figured out that the gardens DH admires usually have lots of cheerful yellow flowers!)
The kids like it because it fits in the dishwasher better than our older stuff.
I like it because it has more pieces than our old set.

[Spirit Deer]

I like older dish sets because they were made back in the days when people didn't think they needed a serving platter to eat off of. Ever notice how much smaller the older dinner plates are than the new stuff? And people wonder why we're fat and getting fatter. DUH!