Earlier today I posted an article on the NABBW site by Barb Tobias, our Thrift Shopping Associate.

Barb has made a lifestyle of thrifting -- something she originally did because she needed to. Now she does it because she knows it's a fantastic way to furnish her home and her wardrobe, without spending a lot of money.

Plus, she knows how to sell any of her "mistakes" at her amazing annual "Diva Sales."

I've never been to good at garage saling or shopping at thrift stores, although one of my sister-in-law does well at this, too.

After reading Barb's latest post, in which she details what she bought -- many items totally new with tags on them -- and shows list price vs. the price she paid (it was half off day) I just had to share her post here.

Anyone else into this type of amazing savings?

Most of our furniture came from Thrift Stores and when I was working, I regularly made the rounds of Thrift and Consignment Stores to replenish my wardrobe. I usually had a closet full of designer labels for which I paid hardly anything. I could buy a whole new closet full of clothes, including shoes, purses, and jewelry, and spend less than $100. Of course, I don't go much now that I'm retired as I don't need as many clothes.

Me, me!! LOVE thrift shopping.

Funny though. Before moving to NM from NJ in 1987, you'd NEVER find me in a thrift store. A friend, in a town called Truth or Consequences, introduced me to the Pilot Club, the Hospital Auxiliary etc.

I'm hooked now!

That is so cool! It sounds like many of us are or have learned to appreciate the values to be found in a thrift store, but we learned to appreciate them as we became more mature.

Want to share a story of a favorite find?

Purses, purses, purses!

I only use a certain kind. Since I no longer use wallets (tend to leave them places) I only buy ones that have a compartment that can house my cards/cash/licenses etc.

Denim jumpers....LOVE THEM! I have a friend/fellow vendor who embellishes them with southwest designs.....

All of my summer outfits come from thrift stores. Saver's is my fav and family knows to get me GC's from there!

A Prada wallet for $10. It's probably a knockoff, but it has the crest and name, and the interior material looks real, so who knows?

I saw a Prada purse but did not like the color/style. Was about $6 but did not buy it...a brand name is not as important as the style!!

Well, no I don't shop at consignment stores. That's just me. (I think it's because I was raised in a poor family. And people got hand-me-downs. We sewed alot of our own clothing. )However I buy a blend of tailored clothing plus clothing at lower prices.

I work full-time for govn't in an office with men and women. But I don't meet members of the public. Hence, it's business casual. How I dress now is far more casual than a decade ago. The older I get,I stick to solid colours, clean lines but spruce up with a scarf ...or just well cut pants or skirt.

Yea,sure I've worn solid coloured tshirts with pants to work. The thing is to make sure one is healthy and has a reasonable hair cut. Or go to a wedding, wearing a skirt discounted down to $40.00. It just depends how you wear the skirt with other stuff.

I actually avoid buying knick knacks and hope that no one gives me any! I really don't need the stuff.

Agreed! That's a line I use in our business..."Get them something functional. Nobody wants more stuff"!

I totally agree, ladies. Once upon a time my mother and grandmother changed their household decor/knick knacks to coordinate with the season: Dining table centerpiece and placemats, living room fireplace mantle arrangements, front door decor, etc.

I have to confess there is a small wreath on my front door which contains a snowman with a sled. I put it up last winter when I took down the holiday wreath, but I haven't remembered to change it since then. And the dried flower arrangement in my living room has been there for at least 6 years.

So my thrift shopping is more related to common everyday stuff.

Though I confess, a few months ago I did spend $2 on a large serving platter that matches some lovely gold rimmed dessert plates I inherited from one of my grandmothers. These are fine Bavarian bone china, and I used to love eating dessert on them as a child.

I haven't served dessert on them in all the years I've had them, if memory serves. But hey, the price was right, and now the set feels more complete to me.

Guess I'll have to commit to using them at least once. Maybe I'll have a little dessert party some day, just to use my plates...

I love second-hand stores and I love knick-knacks! I was born and raised in a knick-knacked house. I admit that at times it was overwhelming, especially having to dust all those little things. But now, some of those same knick-knacks are cherished treasures because of their link to my Mom.

But we're careful not to overdo it. We keep a few treasured ones around, the rest we've managed to give to nieces (who also remember them from Granny's house).

I love any gift that anyone gives us. I love that they took the time and care to pick something special out. We keep all of these around for 2-3 years, because we see them as decorating our house with the light and love of our loved ones.

But we do a major clean-out of these little things every so often, keep the ones that we've grown fond of and give the rest away (or take them to Cuba to give to our friends there).

When I was younger, on my own and very poor, I relied on the second hand stores for all of my clothing. I would not have survived without thrift stores and food banks. So I still go back to buy basic clothing and accessories there, then augment my wardrobe with store-bought stuff as needed. I like the idea of recycling and reusing, and repurposing too, instead of always buying "new".

I too have knick knacks that came from my grandmother's homes. Their only value to me is that the remind me of these people who are no longer living on this earth.

One of my grandmothers collected sets of dessert plates plus a cup and saucer. When we would go to her home for dinner, dessert and coffee was an expected part of the meal, and I loved that she would serve on these unmatched plates. While she always set the right cup and saucer together, you had no guarantee that your plate would match your cup. I had such fun appreciating the different colors and designs and trying to pick out my favorite.

These days the collection I have sits in my china hutch, and I never think to use it-- even for special family meals. I guess I ought to start doing that.

We use a lot of my Mom's (grandmother's) old dishes daily. I had them all wrapped up and safely stowed away in boxes, until one day asked myself why. I had always loved those dishes, yet never used them (and Mom rarely used them either). It seemed such a waste to keep them wrapped up - who was going to enjoy them if not me???

So we unwrapped everything, and now we use them daily, and get so much enjoyment out of them. Since I don't have children, and none of my nieces are going to want them (they have enough stuff already from both sides of their families), if the dishes get broken, well then so be it, at least they were well-loved while they survived, lol.

I like this concept of using the "good dishes" Eagle Heart. He always had to hand wash the good stuff in our family, though I confess i haven't always done that.

I recall that my mother worked at a fine jewelry store when she was in college -- they sold fine china and silver. My mother used to tell me that one of the demos she -- and the other store employees -- used to do to show customers that these dishes were not actually fragile, was to put a cup down on the floor and stand on it.

Of course, logic tells me that scientifically, standing on an upturned coffee cup would probably distribute the weight in a safe way. so that was likely a bit of a "trick."

Anyway, I'm all for getting out our good dishes and using -- and enjoying -- them. Bravo for you for doing this.