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Thrifting stamina

2K views 27 replies 25 participants last post by  waterbaby77 
#1 ·
~How long can you peruse a thrift shop before your eyes start to glaze over? How about yard sales?
Maybe it's just me but I go into "stuff overload" mode about 90 minutes-2 hours in at a thrift store or after about 3 large yard sales. My mind wanders and I just can't shop anymore. I don't like shopping in general though. :D
How about you all?~
 
#2 ·
I can go longer than a couple of hours but I'm one of those that tend to get in and get out fairly quickly. I seem to go to more garage sales than thrift stores (we don't have many) and I can hit at least 10-15 sales before I'm pooped. I pretty much can spot the things I want right off the bat. My SIL is my sale buddy but she takes longer looking. I go back around one more time waiting on her and sometimes find a treasure I missed but usually my quick scan never fails to kind all that I want to take home.
 
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#4 ·
Hmmm. I have no idea? I mostly don't go to yard sales any more. I feel obliged to talk to people, and the retailer in me won't let it be "Hi, nice stuff, thanks for letting me look, goodbye." most of the time...so it takes too long!

I can go from shop to shop: bookstore to thift to antique to... for several hours. On the other hand, there are shops where I stay like 20 minutes, max, as they are filled with plastic stuff, baby items, whatever was being made in China last year, etc. I used to love TJ Maxx, but lately not, there's very little I want there. Same is true for some consignment shops, it seems like the people are all selling the same stuff. I'm looking for old and quirky mostly, not just a cheaper whatever.

Judi
 
#5 ·
For me, it depends how the shop is set up. Row after row of clothing makes me nuts and I won't even bother to look. I tend to scan and then hone in on something that might interest me.

Yard sales - depends on what they are selling- some I could poke through forever, others just get a once over.
 
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#6 ·
I last for about 10-15 yard sales then I am usually pooped out or out of money! :laugh: I have a set amount to spend before I even leave the house.

We only have 2 thift stores in town. The largest one I last about 1/2 hour the second about 15 minutes. I know where they place the things I am looking for and I just go to those spots. I am not interested in clothing right now as I am on a mission to wear out everything I have before I buy more so that shortens the time I need to look. :)
 
#7 ·
all depends on the day.....some days i can spend an hour or so. others, no more than `10 minutes. just depends.

i never go w/ an agenda or anything in mind so i just kind of browse.

i do always hit the little girl racks first though. and the designer label section, then housewares, then the rest if i feel like it....
 
#11 ·
Depends are the children with me?

I can not last as long in a thrift store with the children They tend to find every little thing and want to show it to me. That overloads me fast.

If they are not with me I look in the places I need and am out of there. Sometimes that is a long time sometimes that is a short time.

Don't really like garage sale they overwhelm me unless they are a church rummage sale then I can stay forever at them as I keep looking and looking and talking and talking.
 
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#14 ·
Yard sales-2-3 that's it I'm done. However, it seems like the prices are high lately and the stuff is really just a bunch of junk. I'm not interested in bringing anymore junk in my home.

GW-Since the prices have risen dramatically at our GW's it's a pretty quick trip. Mostly just a scan of the whole store in 15 minutes. That is with the exception of one which is huge, you could fit 3 regular GW's in the 1 store. That one takes about an hour.

The mission thrift-Is much better priced so I find that I'll look longer in there. It depends what I'm looking for, what their sale is that week.

Mostly I find that the selection is way down and prices are way up, and with our budget being as tight as it is it does not give me reason to spend all that much time thrifting or yard saling. I think I'd do more of it if the prices were fair and the merchandise not so shoddy. Our GW will try to sell things like a broken tissue box cover from 2 or more decades ago for $6! Well good grief, you can find a new one on sale for that. Someone must be buying the stuff though because the stuff is moving and their prices keep rising. Went to a yard sale where the home owner was selling old (think 80's) coffee maker with a broken heating element for $5! Now what the heck would one do with that?! All it would do would be take cold water from the tank to the pot! You'd never get anything but dirty, cold water. So not much time at all *sigh*
 
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#16 ·
The thrift store takes about 1/2 hour. They have two bins of 2-6x clothes; I just go through those and then the row of children's coats. Usually my two youngest are the only ones who need anything. Every now and then I might go through the women's pants or dresses, but I never bother with women's tops. Any longer and I start to get stuffed up.

I never go to yard sales. I only shop when I need a specific item so it doesn't make sense to drive all over town hoping someone might happen to be selling it in a yard sale.
 
#18 ·
I generally go to one flea market and it depends on the season. (It's a year round market.) I'm not one who has to stop at each table to handle each and every item on said table. So I can be there 30-45 minutes in winter or over an hour (or more) in summer. Of course, it also depends on how many other shoppers are milling around. I've never been one to tolerate what I've dubbed "The Mall Walk": where the people in front of you have all day to be there in front of you. And it's not like they're even really 'window shopping' or don't appear to be. They're just that slow. If I'm stuck behind these kind of people, I tend to lose my patience and leave earlier.
 
#19 ·
It depends on my mood at the moment. I have found that with thrift store shopping it is all in my "mindset". There are times I walk in the door and wonder what in the heck I am doing there. I already know I won't find anything. Then, other times, I walk in knowing there is a huge treasure trove awaiting me!
With garage sales I pretty much can tell when I drive up if it is worth stopping.
When I am in a shopping mood and I can go, go, go all day long!

Lynn
 
#21 ·
I usually like to spend no longer than 45 minutes to an hour at a thrift or consignment store. Most of the time is spend browsing the books (my favorite section) or trying on jeans. I like to hit 2 stores if their in the same area while I'm out. I tend to skip the yard sales as I find very little unless its a church rummage sale or such.
 
#22 ·
My mom and I can do entire garage-sale day excursions but then we wont do it again for weeks, months. Garage sales for us are more fun if there are several within walking distance as we love to walk and talk more than the stuff we even look at. Around my town they are too spread out so unless there's many in my own little neighborhood we don't bother. Her smaller town will do a "town-wide" one and that's fun. My town lately has done one at the fairgrounds once a year and we've enjoyed that a couple times.

Thrift shops are my "I'm bored" location and my "I need this exact item, I'm in I'm out." location. As long as there aren't too many screaming children I'm ok for a pretty long time and like to go alone so I don't feel like I'm boring the person I'm with.
 
#23 ·
yard sales are always bad for me.

i hit thrift stores on the way home.

right now i need new slacks and jeans

i want
friendly village pieces
apilco/pillyvuyt/BIA pieces
royal tara teapot lid to replace a broken teapot lid
a fresh nonstick square griddle
antique furniture
waiting patiently for 2 queen anne side chairs
irish linen sheets
chinoiserie blue and white chinese porcelain ginger jar lamp(s)
 
#24 ·
I think it has changed...........

our thrift stores are getting so high $ that I am easily disgusted and leave. It isn't that I run out of energy but if the first few things I pick up are stupidly high I quit and leave.

I seldom do garage sales..........but will sometimes stop if I see a big one while out running other errands. To just go out to 'do garage sales'???? Nope..........hasn't happened in years.

But..........I don't really need much either..........right now.
 
#25 ·
I would love to find a thrift store that was fun to be in and look through all their goodies....not here for sure. There is one up country that I have not visited yet - but that's a long way away - perhaps shall save for a time I'm up there - make note to self on this and leave in car.

I would rather have a yard sale than go shoping in them.
 
#26 ·
MM --your posting reminded me that I have seen signs for two new ones............small ones but have got to get to them and hope for better prices!

Though I did score a brand new Geo. foreman grill (small one) the other day for $5. Had been wanting to try one so I grabbed it. So far, I am loving it...........the storage could provide a problem.......:laugh:........so I can't quit using it!!
 
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