Old Fools Journal: Hi, My Name Is Richard And I Am A Thrift Store Addict

As I have said before I am a thrift store junky. It has become the custom for me, when I venture out in the world by automobile, to visit at least one thrift store. I know where they all are. I schedule my car for use at least one day a week now after letting it sit so long this last summer that it became a static display. It is 23 years old and dislikes non use. After a week it starts going back to the component parts from which it is made. In a year it would be a pile of rust with plants growing out of it. It would be iron rich soil. Around here it doesn't take long for nature to take back what has been wrested from it. While I was still flying pipeline patrol I watched a school bus completely disappear in a back field in Mississippi where it had been abandoned. It took less than two years. I am not exaggerating. I knew exactly where it was and from 400 feet I could no longer even make out its shape.

Why don't I get rid of my car you ask? Well as I have explained in a prior post it would cost me about as much using hired transportation without the convenience. Clearly I could live without any motorized transportation and using only my feet but I choose not to. It would be a very primitive existence and that is coming soon enough. I allow myself one gallon of gas a week for this and I get a thrift store fix.

This particular store is in a little town about 10 miles from my hovel.
I love the book section and in the distance hundreds of "things". I find music boxes, brass things and, across the aisle, cookware. I'm a sucker for that but I use everything at least once and while.

Need to clothe thyself? You can walk out of here with a suitcase full of hardly used (some not at all) for under $20.00 and that includes the suitcase. Did I mention that I buy belts to cut up for the leather for other projects?
Taken around Christmas 2009.Friendly cashiers today.

Friday has become the regular day for "thrift storing" as it is a day when my favorite thrift store is open. They are only open Tuesday and Friday from 0700 to 1200. They open on the first Saturday of the month four hours to accommodate those slaves that are not free during the work week. They are all volunteers and all the proceeds go to the food bank which is located in a house next door. I understand they have been doing this for over 20 years and are feeding about 1000 people that are in dire need every year. Determined people can do good things while politicians are talking about it.

They sell very nice stuff really cheap. I buy odds and ends for projects that are in progress and some I haven't thought of yet. The handle bar bag on my cargo bike is a 50 cent purse from there as is the right side saddle bag. Recently I bought two brand new 700 x 38c Avocet tires for 35 cents each. I thought I'd resell them but I've only seen one bike here that uses that size and it's my Peugeot but it has new tires. Anybody need some tires? Pay the postage.

I always buy something. It may be only a few 5 cent candles, $1.50 oil lamp or a brass plate for 35 cents. If I find I cannot use what I bought it's cheap enough that I can just donate it back. I consider it a lending library for a fee. I buy a book read it or not then donate it back. Works for me.

Things I have bought include; a complete set of copper clad stainless pots and pans - $1.75, in use daily now.

The wool for my wool kilt was $1.75 I think and it was enough for 2 kilts. Beautiful material.

The best bread knifes I have ever had - 10 cents each. I am a bread maker and appreciate a good bread knife.

Leather motorcycle jacket for my bride - $5.00. This is a $200 jacket and she will never wear it but I know she wanted one . That is good enough for me. It is a beautiful jacket.

Music boxes, bed sheets, pillow covers, candle sticks, lamps, but the best are things I can re-purpose or use the parts for other projects. I just replaced the cheap knobs on a cheap kitchen cabinet with some nice wooden knobs that I picked up for 25 cents. Nuts, bolts, screws, electrical components and

extension cords for pennies on the dollar. I am currently watching for a hair dryer to use as a blower for my forge project. People donate new and near new stuff. I seldom buy luxury items like music boxes and leather jackets but because I save so much on the things I am going to buy to continue living in some sort of comfort I can afford them. The list is endless and I think the gallon of gas is well worth it.

This is the handbag table. I have taken two handle bar bags from here and one very nice shopping bag that is big enough to make into a pannier. Right around the corner there are bags and suitcase that I have yet to finish going through.

These people have fun doing this work. I have only met one sourpuss here and it was a customer but I was grumpy that day and it could have been just me. Not.

Today I came home with a beautiful wool blend tweed jacket that I would never have spent the money for when it was in the retail store. It has no detectable wear I can find. In fact it is far better than a custom jacket I had a tailor make for me many years ago when I was rich with money. $2.40 USD is quite a bit less than I paid for the tailor made jacket. I need to shorten the sleeves but my bride the seamstress showed me how so that will soon be done.

I'm taking my room mate SWMBO (she who must be obeyed) there on a date tomorrow morning it being the first Saturday of the month. I'm going to be the big spender.