Happy Friday: Awesome Buy at Goodwill

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Sent from reader, Melissa:

Hi Collin! I’ve been reading your site pretty much since you were just a tiny blog. Over the years, you’ve taught me to always keep a watchful eye out for good deals on everything.

While at Goodwill, I found this Columbia kid’s jacket. I grabbed it thinking there must be something wrong (stains or broken zipper). To my surprise, it’s in perfect condition. It even smells clean like Tide. I checked the Columbia site and the cheapest kid’s jacket is $50. I paid a whopping $5!! That’s a steal of a deal!

Thank you for all your hard work and inspiration over the years. This just summarizes a year of us chasing the good deals you posted and stretching our dollars to be able to afford to buy lots of useful and cute stuff for our angels.

HAPPY FRIDAY!


Do you have a funny, “Hip”, or unique photo to share?! Email us at happyfriday@hip2save(dot)com. Every Friday, I will post one photo, submitted by you and/or another Hip2Save reader, that gives us a glimpse into your frugal lifestyle or simply makes us smile. If your photo is published on Hip2Save, we’ll email you a $10 Amazon e-card!


And speaking of Goodwill, did you ever get a chance to watch my video (filmed in May of 2012!) where I take you shopping with me at a local Goodwill Store here in Boise, Idaho?! If not, click the play button below or head over here to watch the video and find out what goodies I snag! 🙂

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXjRxjlc0vI]

Join The Discussion

Comments 111

  1. Nicole

    Wow Collin…the Goodwill in Boise is so…clean. I was absolutely amazed. The Goodwill I frequent is quite visibly dirty and more often than not, smells like an armpit. Anyway. For those who don’t know, the Goodwill’s in New England sell a discount card for $10.00. It’s good for 10% off every purchase for one year. They also have printable coupons on their website every now and then for $5.00 off $25.00. Every bit helps.

  2. Roxy

    You are so funny Collin! Love the video!!!

  3. sue

    I went to a local thrift store not a Goodwill and found the entire collection of Junie B Jones books for my 8 year old. Brand new for 10 cents a book a wonderful Christmas gift for VERY cheap

  4. edy

    Help! Is there goodwill store’s in Houston,tx – where they won’t be so high on prices! I have been to thrift stores and some items are like 9dlrs depends on brands. Like (lanebryant items) sometimes, I think is better at store’s with those prices And a coupon

  5. caroline

    i have found the goodwill to be grossly overpriced. i can cross the street and buy it at beall’s for nearly the same price and its new and clean. i have seen many different quotes of their CEO’s salary. i buy less and less there. the cashiers are constantly trying to make you round off the total so you pay more. one woman is so obsessed with this that she pressures you after you say “no thank you” then she will disparage the customers after they leave. the “its for charity” reasoning looses momentum after you have seen cheap nylon backpacks marked at $25.91.of course there is overhead,but what is the mark-up on that particular made in china piece of crap? i have recently decided to no longer donate(even after the mailing promising a $5 coupon) or frequent the place. to each his own;)

    • Potato

      Dude I once went to donate a bunch of clothes and item to the Goodwill. As I was putting the items down in the designated pile, the worker there, WITHOUT AND AGAINST MY PERMISSION, went INTO my car, took out my purse with my wallet and TABLET inside and put it in the donate pile. Um, hello? That pretty much sums up charity for ya. They will ask you for everything and on top of that steal you blind.

  6. Kelly

    The Goodwill outlet is crazy ! When a new table rolls out people attack it throwing stuff and digging thru it . You have to be aggressive and push and shove your way in it seems and that’s not me . Gloves are a must if your thinking about braving one

  7. andrea

    Our local Goodwills/Salvation Army stores are grossly overpriced and most of what they sell is junk, however, there is one store south of us called Valley Thrift Store that I have had very good luck getting used books, dishes, exercise equipment at fantastic prices. I would be VERY VERY cautious buying used shoes, furniture or clothing from any source. But for things like dishes, books, etc I agree you can get a good value.

  8. Sarah

    Our Goodwill in town isn’t bad, but we don’t get the target “donations.” I’ve been to one in a larger city and they mark that stuff up like it was never clearanced at Target. Ridiculous, and a real turn off. You got this stuff for free!

    • Ashley57

      I do agree Goodwill marks it up too much, but it is not free. I used to box items up for Goodwill when I worked at Target, and it is sold by the pound.

  9. Sarah W

    Even better is that Colombia stands by their products, regardless of how /where you purchased them. If the zipper breaks or some other issue talk to their service department and they will either fix it for you or give you a new one. All you have to do is send it in. My father in law bought a Colombia jacket off of a garage sale and the zipper broke. He has a new one now.

  10. cammy

    I have read many of these comments and I AGREE . At our local Goodwill that Columbia jacket would have been up priced to at least $15. Our local Goodwill is up pricing everything and even at half price days you still pay more then their posted base prices . I had a family member than worked at Goodwill and I no longer donate to them because of the High Over prices and what they do with the clothes they pull off the floor they are baled and they get so much a pound which is pennies a pound. My thinking is why not give to another organization to help the ones who are in need and we know there are several place in this U.S.A. that can use these things .

  11. JulieA

    I shop Goodwill on very rare occasions, like 1/2 off Saturdays. Ours isn’t very clean and it’s way overpriced, in my opinion. There is another thrift store right beside it that is much cheaper and they do half prices on the same days! I donate to the other because they benefit our local abused women & children’s shelter.

  12. Brandi @ Savvy Student Shopper

    I saw a North Face jacket (not even in great shape) for over $200 at my local Value Village on their “special” rack. It’s pretty sickening.

  13. SoxGirl1029

    I wish our Salvation Army was a clean as your Goodwill. One time I was looking through the purses and one of them had a tampon applicator zipped up inside. It kind of turned me off to shopping there.

  14. Marsha

    I love goodwill for kids clothes but for women I come out looking odd and so 80s style. Lol. I guess the best goodwill would be near those rich folks.

  15. Emily

    Anyone here ever shop at Dirt Cheap (located mainly in the Southeast)? They get Target clearance and returns ALL the time. It’s actually kind of sad to see all the waste. But I do find a ton of stuff there for really cheap, kind of like goodwill, but new. I would say the store inventory is 50/50. 50% junk, 50% worth buying. I wonder who is in charge of labeling some of these products. At Dirt Cheap I run into this all the time–an awesome, quality brand that is marked insanely low, and then a junky item (no name brand or similar) marked up high. What’s the deal? Haha! So strange. Just thinking.

  16. Emily

    Wanted to note that Goodwill is a for-profit organization. Hardly a charity as we’d like to believe. I no longer donate to Goodwill. The Huffington Post and NBC news have done news features on their disabled employees receiving less than minimum wage due to a legal loophole. This by the way is not to make the OP feel guilty for shopping there! I used to all the time, too, and found tons of deals there!! Here’s a link to the article though, or just google “Goodwill pays employees below minimum wage”

    https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3246824/

    Also, their CEO makes an unheard amount of money. Very frustrating.

  17. Sandra

    HAHAHA! Collin you are so funny! It seems like you are the type of person who gets along with everyone and does her best to find the best in everything and everyone 🙂

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