What are you looking for ....

[ORChick]

.... at a thrift store? Do you check out all areas, or are you particularly interested in one, or several?
I tend to gravitate toward the kitchen section, looking for storage containers. Today I stopped at the Salvation Army store, and found a large-ish cookie tin - always useful for keeping open packets of various things mouse-safe in my garage pantry. I also look to see if there is any cast iron cookware - and today I found a 10" Lodge frying pan. Both together for around 5 dollars.
I don't often check out the clothing section, but several months ago I found two nice coats for the colder seasons - one for "quite cold", and the other for "windy, and possibly a bit of rain". As my other winter coats are starting to show wear - I bought them, at the thrift store, 8 years ago (2 for 12 dollars) - I bought these to augment them (2 for 8 dollars).
I keep looking, without luck so far, for a slow cooker. I don't really need one, as such, but could use the extra crock for some of my food preservation projects - lacto-fermented things, or meat stored in fat (duck confit).

 

[Occamstazer]

Books!
I take home mountains of pulpy 80's sci-fi.

 

[TanksHill]

I cruise the whole store. Unfortunately my Good Will is way over priced. So finding bargains is not always that easy.

It takes a while to look over all the kitchen, wood and glass stuff. We only have one little shelf for pans. Believe it or not I pass over some cast iron. They grosly over price them. I have found some great hand tools in the kitchen area. Ricer, food mill and one of really nice hand egg beaters. The kind with the turning handle.

I look for oil lamps and interesting things in sporting goods.

I usually lap the store twice. My 4 yo is great she sees things I don't.

gina

 

[Wifezilla]

I check everything but the baby section

 

[FarmerChick]

funny but I don't go to stores as much anymore

I have all I need at this point LOL

I don't buy stuff anymore for the sake of buying, only when a true need hits one is to save money at all costs for hard times to come and one is that I want no extra crapp in my house anymore

but I love thrift stores and I love any good sale!

 

[lorihadams]

dressy clothes....we started going to church again and I can't wear my holey farm clothes

Usually I look for clothes for me....jeans, shorts, t-shirts. Stuff I can wear around the farm and I don't feel guilty about if I accidentally stain it (with poo ) or tear a hole in it.

I got my DS his halloween costume last month for $4.99!!! It is an alligator. He loves it! I couldn't make him a costume like that for the money.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I browse pretty much the whole store. I usually go back through the kitchen/storage/organization and books at least a second time.

 

[Wifezilla]

we started going to church again and I can't wear my holey farm clothes

I would think that Jesus would be more impressed with a hard working farmer with a few holes in his clothes than a stuffed suit. Just sayin'

 

[cjparker]

Occams....with a tagline like that, I'm not surprised about the sci-fi books.

TANSTAAFL
-Heinlein

I usually check the housewares stuff but it can be an eclectic mix that comes home in the box. We were there the other day with the intention of picking up some things for the house, came home with a baby monitor, very heavy wood stepstool, a 10-place set of stoneware dishes (were expensive new, but we got 'em cheap), two outfits each for the kids we are adopting, a couple of paperbacks, a big roll of shelf liner, a stick-on posterboard, a Lladro (!!!) tulip shaped votive holder and a couple cds. We spent over $40 which is a fortune for us, but most of the stuff was "need it" not "want it".

 

[pioneergirl]

The 2 thrift stores I have are over 30 miles away, and well, they suck. Sorry for the language....

So, I rely on garage sales and word of mouth