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Jeni Obermier
I have always been what many people would call a thrifty person. Growing up it was all about sale racks, thrift shops and garage sales.
With five siblings it was the smartest way to shop, but as I got older I began to appreciate all that a person can find with a little bit of looking.
Now of course when I was a teenager I wasn’t too thrilled, but searching the thrift shop racks I began to find the same name-brand clothing my peers were wearing, some with the tags still on it.
It showed me that you could keep up with the trends, save money and save clothing from heading to a landfill. I began to look for more and more items that I could get for a deal and taught myself how to spot good finds and things better left behind.
Garage sales especially were a great way to check out a new book, kitchen gadget or style without putting a lot of money on the line. If something wasn’t what I thought it was or I didn’t actually need it I always felt I could pass it on to the local thrift shop.
I was amazed at the household items, books and decorations that could be found for mere quarters, but this year took my bargain hunting to a new extreme.
My husband and I are getting ready to welcome our first child into the world and being around kids is not a new thing for me. Knowing that I got some cash and began hitting every city-wide garage sale and thrift shop in the area.
There was no way I was going to stores to get things they would wear for a month and either outgrow or destroy. I told friends and family to not worry about clothes and bought anything I thought was cute in every size I could find.
As my husband drove me from sale to sale I would pile things in his arms while exclaiming what a deal we were getting. A $30 Boppy pillow for only $3 or brand new baby shoes for a buck that had a $25 price tag.
I had the same mentality with my own clothing. No way was I dropping stacks of cash on something I wouldn’t fit in for long and probably wouldn’t wear again.
We did run into one snafu in that I was finding things we needed or wanted that were on our registry. Slowly but surely I was clearing that list down on my own but the bargains were just too good to pass up.
One of my biggest joys was finding older children’s books at sales that I had once owned. Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. Knowing that I can share books I loved with my children without having to hunt them down or pay ridiculous prices was even better.
I may have gone a bit overboard as I filled up my second tote with those little books. The price does make me a little less worried about their inevitable destruction.
What has been a delight is that I have been able to share this bargain-hunting obsession with both my other half and my sister. Throughout the summer I’ve shared with them what I’ve been looking for and now have buddies to help keep an eye out for a good deal.
Sadly, as schools are opening and the weather starts to cool it marks an end for garage sales, but I know I’ll still be making the thrift shop circuit.
For those looking for unique, hard to find and good deals I would highly recommend heading out to do some bargain hunting of their own.
JENI OBERMIER can be reached at features@ hamilton.net
