I've blogged about the bins before. To review, the bins is actually The Goodwill Outlet, which we affectionately refer to as the bins, due to the proliferation of bins filled with what some would see as crap.
But I've found that the bins are craptastic!
There was The Principles of Knitting book. Bought for 50 cents, sold for $260.
There was the Italian leather tote. Bought for about a buck, sold for $185.
There was that very cool book about the Titanic. Again bought for 50 cents, sold for $68.
Then there was the golf cart. We did a bit of negotiating on the golf cart with the employee at the register, because the cart weighed so much. She gave us a deal. It was purchased for 2.99. Sold for $100.
The Tumi computer bag. Ah, the Tumi. So light, and that's a wonderful feature when you're buying items by the pound. I probably paid two bucks for the Tumi; sold it for $140.
I found a fabulous bolt of vintage upholstery fabric. I wish I'd have kept a few yards of that fabric, but I sold it for about $200.
There have been so many craptastic finds at the bins. And yes, there are downsides.
Yes, there's the atmosphere. Dismal.
Yes, there's the ishy music and disobedient children. That's why they make Ipods. So you can disengage.
Yes, there are the crazy folks who knock you over to get to that random piece of crap that's crappy. That's why they made the concept of sauntering, like you just don't care. Because you don't, at the bins.
Because invariably, good stuff is ripe for the picking, if you can identify quality labels. If you know the difference between Guess and Gucci, you'll be just fine at the bins.
My fiscal bottom line has been nicely supplemented with what I've found at the bins.
All other thrifty thrift places pale by comparison.
The only difference is that, at the bins, you have to get your hands dirty.
And you have to disengage.
These are two qualities at which I'm very good.
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