So there are two components that are not sitting right by me: 1) this compulsion that retailers create and set upon the market to buy items for holidays, 2) these throw away items are cheaply made in countries on the other side of our planet and carry a ridiculously high carbon footprint.

This is no revelation. It’s been discussed many times. But, let’s discuss it some more and maybe a few people will jump aboard and change their spending behavior.

The calendar of compulsion. Is there EVER a time in America’s retail calendar that some holiday/event is not pushing cheap goods? Let’s think about it:

January pushes post holiday excess and Valentines candy/trinkets.

February pushes President’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day.

March pushes the arrival of spring and Easter. Tack on Mardi Gras too, even if you don’t live in NOLA.

April pushes graduations.

May pushes Memorial Day and weddings.

June pushes the Fourth of July.

July pushes back to school both in supplies and clothing even though it won’t be cold enough to wear a sweater for another five months.

August pushes Labor Day, Halloween and “the fall harvest”. What is the point in buying a scarecrow when you have no garden? Or, when the corn has been harvested so there is no crop to protect?

September pushes Thanksgiving and Christmas.

October and on pushes Christmas, etc

November pushes Veteran’s Day.

December on pushes New Year’s.

Just what are they selling and what are we buying?

A recent trip to the grocery store overwhelmed me with the volume of cheap trinkets celebrating Easter up for purchase.

Staring down the rows of cellophane-wrapped plastic baskets brimming with packaged Pez dispensers, bubbles, packaged candies, I had to wonder if the petroleum that went into manufacturing that display was enough to scoot a car across the entire state of Kansas, east to west, and back. I’d wager there is more packaging in those baskets than product. Yep, all that plastic, ink, paper and cardboard to hold a few jelly beans, a small plush toy, marshmallow Peeps and chocolate crème eggs.

What does a purple plush Pez dispenser have to do with rebirth or resurrection? What exactly are they selling?

I thought about this for some time and believe the only real thing being sold is a stock share or two. Really.

Just few decades ago, Easter was a simple wooden basket containing carefully dyed hard-boiled eggs. It was an organic holiday with a family meal, hot-crossed buns and a spring bouquet or corsage.

We don’t formally celebrate Easter but I did go to the local confectioners and bought handmade dark chocolate bunnies and a few other seasonal items. I spent $11 total. Better quality product with minimal packaging compared to the stuff in grocery stores.

Check that, we don’t formally celebrate Easter but I felt compelled to buy something. Anyone else out there feel that way?

Maybe next year, I’ll give the girls seeds for Easter. Seeds are certainly more symbolic. Sugar snap peas straight off the vine are pretty darn sweet. The pea’s we planted are just breaking ground as I write.

So before you go for that impulse buy or a purchase out of compulsion, it might be wise to ask yourself, “Just what is really being sold here?”

No new clothes for a year? It's not that hard!

I joined The Great American Apparel Diet over six months ago.

What is it?

“We are a group of women and two men who have decided to go on a diet of sorts. A fast really. We are completely eliminating ‘new apparel’ from our diets for one year. Yes, the next time you see us sporting new tags it will be Sept. 2, 2010.”

New bra’s and panties are excluded from the diet. No need to get anything in a wad.

I don’t remember the last new item of clothing purchased for myself. Really. About three years ago, possibly four, I snagged a copper-colored, faux Persian lamb, swing jacket from the Anthropologie sales rack for $78 – a steal. It could have been that jacket. Not really certain. It was a tough call but if I didn’t purchase it, I would regret it like the jacket on sale in the window of a shop in Martha’s Vineyard in 1992. Hey, I may be cheap, but it does mean I don’t have feelings or sense of style. Had I bought that jacket, it’d still be in my wardrobe. It was timeless. And, it was an honest, good deal.

A friend and I were having coffee and talking priorities. She mentioned the cost of airfare for routine family visits and how it’s important in her life. I laughed and noted that her airfare is the cost of some people’s blue jeans. It’s hard to believe, that statement holds truth, even in a recession. But it does.

It’s been interesting reading the posts on this site. The agony some people are truly fighting. Along with the revelations of the newly-found economic freedom and the “was I a fool most my life syndrome” I’ll call retail remorse.

The Thrifty Chicks support this effort and I will meet the goal without challenge. But I will save the celebration for those who truly changed their lives. And maybe someday I’ll figure out how to post on the site. I’ve access. For now, sitting back and reading is enough.

Aside from foundations, what was the last new item of clothing you purchased? How much? Was it truly worth the cost?

If you thrift, what was the last thrift item of clothing you purchased? How much? Was is truly worth the cost?

Is it really about nothing?

A comment on the post below has spent me to sit on my soapbox.

Sure our culture have seen a few generations of celebrity rebels who fight against standard protocol because they are wealthy or bored enough to do so. These are the people that ride the waves of shock culture.

I’m not talking about celebrities who use their influence to invest in humanitarian or political causes.

What I’m thinking about is no revelation and perhaps I need to clarity a few points.

There are new elements in American culture that - in the hands of a selfish adolescent, which they are by nature - are abused and out of control. Social media and the Net are marketers’ dreams. They can make tailored, direct deposits into the minds of innocent middle and high school kids. Often, because there is little life experience, these children fall for it, hard.

Parents are forced into a corner when they must provide the Net for school research. Some schools work in Google Docs. And, not allowing your child to text, have an email or Facebook account literally isolates them from their friends. A parent might refrain from one or two. Be assured, parents must heavily monitor all social media with time and scrutiny. There’s too much exposure and too much Snake Oil.

In the '40s my great grandfather worked for the Pulitzer newspapers promoting advertising. After working around the country, he finally settled at The Saint Louis Post Dispatch. I once read the script to one of his talks to a retail group. It was remarkable and clear my grandfather had to sell the notion of advertising as a worthwhile expense. Based on what he penned, it was most evident that he was battling the argument, “Why advertise? I already have enough customers and am fine.” This Zen-like state is rarely found in today’s American business climate. We’ve grown from the desire to meet our needs to just want more.

That was some 70 years ago that advertising venues where still needing to convince businesses there was a benefit in advertising.

Now? We have PR/marketing/advertising campaigns on steroids and very few of these groups have a social conscious. Mostly, it’s about money. If it wasn’t, how else does one explain push-up bikini tops for eight-year-olds, hair extensions for middle school girls, ten-year-olds in thong underwear, and gratuitous cleavage in 7th grade? Yes, children wearing bras that blatantly claim to enlarge the appearance of their budding little chests by three times.

These days? There are more Americans bucking trends because they are following a marketed campaign with no point but to make money. So I ask, are they really bucking a trend or are just falling in with the masses? Do they even know what they’re attempting to buck?

I don’t think it’s anything about individual expression. The people I see in thrift stores, generally have more taste and sense of style than those I see in the mall.

Lady Gaga? She will be replaced by something more shocking than herself. And that person/thing will urge kids to show more skin and drive them further away from the basics of cultural conventions and context.

It’s sad to think that common courtesy and context is losing out to money.

Maybe there’s hope for our girls

A friend of a friend of a friend told me the BP section of Nordstrom is a good place to take a teen.

As written in last November's From gluteal cleavage to breat cleavage. Oh joy!, I’ve been at odds with the fashion industry’s approach to dressing young girls. Word up to all teen girls in America: we know you have boobs and butts – you don’t need to prove it by showing them off! Cleavage in middle school? Come on!

Petit Poe knows the value in thrift and is not embarrassed to say she wears it. Yet, there is this part of her, mostly influenced by friends, that thinks she’s supposed to go to the mall and buy new clothes. Problem is, the stores that cater to these girls are just plain tacky and are teaching our girls to show the junk in the trunk whenever they wish. These stores preach nothing but buy little tiny t-shirts for a lot of money.

The American youth is becoming more and more ignorant of context and few in the fashion industry are considering it. I’ve seen kids in sagging shorts and flip flops going to interviews in November. Wow. That’s a great way to make a first impression.

Standing on my soapbox I announce that many Americans are losing the notion of context. Let’s take Lady Gaga. If she wants to kick off her concert being carried on stage in a plastic pod, so be it. But, when she attends the Grammy’s there appears to be a complete lack of understand the evening is NOT about her. Making a spectacle out of one’s self at a night that honors many, is selfish, ignorant and rude. It’s kind of like showing up to your friend’s wedding in your own wedding gown. Now, I’m stepping down from my soapbox.

I grabbed Poe’s hand, told her we are going to Nordstrom and Nordstrom only. Initially, she rolled her eyes but once in the BP section things changed. Compared to thrift the prices are crazy but compared to other chain retailers, Nordstrom BP is not out of line and delivers a higher quality product. For the first time in two years Poe bought a dress that we both approved! Here’s the real kicker – the entire event took about a half hour! If you’re a mother to a teen, you’re probably thinking I’m in denial. What I wrote really happened! Really!

Now we visit BP. There are a few items that push my limits, but the larger teaches girls respectable style.

How does this relate to thrift? Easy, Poe buys one item she likes at BP. Then when at the thrift, she has some understanding of current fashion that has taste and finds comparable items.

If you have a teen daughter, take her to Nordstrom BP. It’s tasteful and not overwhelming. I loathe Forever 21. That store is like walking into someone’s dirty closet. I’ve seen young girls buying dresses made for a night at the club. Problem is they’re about seven years away from being able to step foot in a club. What’s the rush?

The club scene? I stuck with the black ballet top, men's Levi's 501, silver-hooped earrings and black boots. Been there, done that. Probably paid out enough in cover charges and cab fares to put as down payment for a house. I'm not naive and would hate to see how women are dressing on the club scene. Shiver.

Oh, I heard the news day oh boy...Abercrombie & Fitch attempted to market push-up bikini tops to eight year olds for this season. Thank you Saver Queen for highlighting this. Wow, and I thought nothing could top the nine-year-old I know of who stuffs her half camisole top with tissue paper!

I saved $1,000 in two purchases

Petite Poe and Little Pie’s birthdays makes for our March Madness. What to get Little Pie? I’ve been looking for months. I’ve already scouted out her party favors.

The answer finally arrived in the window of the Archer Goodwill this Friday. A blue Electra 24” Townie kids step through bicycle. Pie is too big for her old bicycle (we reclaimed it from the alley as did my Schwinn red cruiser). This Electra is specifically designed to grow with the rider so we need not purchase a transitional bike.

Electra is the current crème de la crème of new cruisers, which have been popular in Denver for years. So popular, citizens can rent shiny red cruisers at sites all over town. Just slip a few dollars into the machine and voila, a cruiser complete with basket is yours for the time paid for.

Given it’s a holiday weekend, Mr. Golightly and I have not had the opportunity to photograph the bike for there are little eyes about the house that would discover us. It’s going to be a tough month of not spilling the beans.

When I find something like this, I cannot wait to give it. I think this might require the use of duct tape over my mouth, or as Pie used to say, “duck tape”. Pie loves duct tape and she gets it honest from her great grandfather, The Big Messer we call him. He, like so many WWII veterans, has a life long love of the invention that could fix nearly anything, or at least hold it together until it could be fixed properly. One super-hero day at school Pie went as Duct Tape Girl.

But I ramble. We purchased this bike in excellent condition; the rubber on the kickstand shows little sign of use at all. Not a spot of rust. This bike has over $100 of added components including a removable basket.

It retails $480 at our local REI (without components). We paid $170 for it. Family members are chipping in and Little Pie will be so delighted to ride a slick bicycle that fits her. Petite Po has Electra envy though she has no reason to complain for she has a beauty of a Trek cruiser with white wall tires and blue fenders with two over-the back tire baskets acquired from Craig’s List for $140.

I was on the cell phone with Mr. Golightly, discussing the possible purchase of the bicycle when the guys from the stock room placed another treasure just two feet away. A beige microfiber swivel rocker from Room & Board, the fabric hardly worn, not a rip, stain or imperfection now sat in the window for $40. How long do you think the sale sticker remained on that chair? Generally, I’m very polite in thrift stores, but when it comes to high-end items for pennies on the dollar, I am a Tasmanian Devil, I’ll either beat you to it or scare you away from it.

Everything in this photograph is either estate sale or thrift. The lamp for $6, pillows $6 total, rug for $30 and round mirror for $8 were purchased thrift. The antique knitting cabinet and dresser from an estate sale for a total of $120. I refinished both. [We're working on a better photo but this small version will do for now.]

This chair was EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for our sitting room. When we came home, Mr. Golightly looked up the chair that is currently listed on The Room & Board site for $700. Wow.

Like many Americans, we are economically stressed and are compelled to discuss any large purchase, generally anything over $75. But, even in better times we discussed large purchases.

The biggest purchase made without mutual consult was our 100-year-old, quarter-sawn oak, up right grand piano for $600 at a neighbor’s estate sale. I couldn’t call Mr. Golightly because, after I heard the price, I involuntarily exhaled, “I’ll take it!” and fainted. Okay, I didn’t really faint but I did need to grasp hold of the piano to steady myself. I figured the price at least five grand and just asked out of curiosity. At first, Mr. Golightly was a bit miffed but after walking a block down to see it, he exclaimed, “Honey, you told me you purchased a piano! You didn’t tell me you purchased an institution!” We’d been wanting a piano for about a year.

We named our piano Sarah, after it's previous owner. We know it's entire history. One hundred years ago, the grandparents of Sarah's husband boarded a train to The Packard Piano Company in Fort Wayne, IN to select this piano which was one of five on the show room floor. They brought the piano back to Denver and Sarah's husband grew up playing it. During it's 100 years of life, it's been moved twice. It has a rich, robust sound that has come to be a blessing and a curse. When someone sits down to play, the entire house hears a concert ready or not.

Does your family mutually make decisions on high-end purchases? What price point? Have you always done this or have current times made for dialog?

A real peach of a woman from Georgia

Every once in a while a little gem lands in my in box that I like to share. This note came from an attorney in Georgia. Though I love that she’s participating in the thrift market, the thing that touches me most is that she uses the money she saves from thrift to help her justify more pro-bono work! Becky, as far as I’m concerned, we need more people like you. Her recent thrift scores are mixed in with the copy. Godspeed Becky!

(Editor's Note: OMG how darling!)

Hi Shopping Golightly!

Thought you’d like to hear about my recent success.

I went to a trunk show at a friend’s house a few days ago and was tempted to buy a very cute but very EXPENSIVE jacket.

(Editor's Note: I love zipper pull jackets! They've an uncluttered, crisp look.)

When I go to trunk shows, I feel a compulsion to buy items to support the hostess plus a daunting peer pressure to jump on the spending bandwagon!

The temptation? A darling cropped yellow gingham jacket. It looked quite retro.

But wait a second! It reminded me of many of the jackets I’ve spied at Goodwill during previous perusals.

So, THIS TIME instead of pulling out my credit card at the trunk show, I went to Goodwill afterwards to see what was hanging on the racks.

I walked out with FIVE nice jackets for just $24.00, less than $5.00 each. WOW! My five jackets were a small fraction of the cost of the jacket that started this at the trunk show.

They are perfect for work. Add a camisole from and scarf from my collection, and I am prepared to meet clients. They will never know what I paid for my look!

Keeping my “overhead” in line allows me to do more pro-bono work and not feel guilty. It’s a win win!

Thanks for making the reuse market an exciting and rewarding treasure hunt where you can come home with a SPLENDID bargain not a guilt trip!

Becky
Alpharetta, GA

Sticker shock in a bookstore?

Thought I’d surprise Mr. Golightly this Valentine’s Day with the latest selection for his Man Book Group. This book was wait-listed at the library. He’d probably would not have had a copy in hand before the next meeting.

I went to the bookstore. It’s been awhile, though I used to practically live at The Tattered Cover, Denver’s largest independent bookstore. Then they moved.

I thought there was an error when the clerk said “That will be $17.95”.

I only purchased one paperback. That’s the price of hardback.

So I learned that, during my hiatus from the bookstore, they’ve seriously jacked up prices. $15.95 for a paperback, $28 buys a hardback!

Two feelings hit me at once: 1) I felt crotchety, whining about the current price of books; 2) I felt Jedi smart for buying best-sellers a la thrift, not paying full price for years. With the amount my family reads, I've possibly saved over a thousand dollars.

Mr. Golightly was happy to have his book but the price hike shocked him too, which made me feel less crotchety and even smarter.

Why? Because we’re accustomed to thrift store prices, $2 for a hardback, $1 for paperback and often less.

For more testimony on savings, here’s what I gave my family for Valentine’s Day.

Petite Poet received this darling cardigan. It was $5. She looks like a rose when she wears it.

Little Pie now has this darling hand hooked wool rug from Orvis in her room. Take a minute to look at it. It took me awhile to see. It’s a circle of cats drinking from a saucer of milk. At three times my Flinch Point, I though it worth it. Little Pie loves cats. We have three. We’re not against dogs but I refuse to allow any more animals that require clean up in this house. I can barely keep up as is.

Mr. Golightly received this pristine vintage mohair blanket from Scotland by Andrew Stewart for our sitting room. It was $5 and had just been dry-cleaned. We read a lot and find a nice blanket makes for good company.

The last is a bit of a joke. Mr. Golightly loves odd containers. I found this Valentine-like container for $2 and stuffed it with Biore pore strips. We secretly play spa. If you Biore, I know you relate. If you have not, you need to try it.

It's going to take some time for me to grieve about the old prices of books. I don’t have sticker shock in clothing and home stores. I just never thought I’d experience this shock in a bookstore.

At least our facial pores will come clean tonight. (I really didn't want to share this secret, but Mr. Golightly wanted the world to know this to possibly free a few clogged pores with Biore. I guess he's set on cleaning the world, one facial pore at a time - his secret superhero power.) I apologize for the cheekiness and candor. My husband made me do it, because it's Valentine's Day.

Party favors from thrift? Get out!

Many of today's birthday parties for children seem to be on steroids. Some parties have 20 children in attendance for expensive activities like horse back riding or painting your own pottery. Ugh, we cannot afford that, but that doesn't mean our parties must be a boring flop.

I like to keep parties at home and follow the basic rule of inviting one more child than the age of the child until they are 10. For the Golightlys, March Madness translates to birthdays upon birthdays. (June must be a hot conception month.)

Little Pie turns ten this year and we will be serving a high tea for ten of her friends. I've been preparing for a year. The above assortment of tea cups will serve as party favors. I've been scanning thrift stores for months to pick just the right cup at the right price. This has been a lesson in patience and since I have the party favors set, all I really need to do is prepare the table. I acquired each teacup and saucer for around $2. Each find gave me a pleasant feeling of a small accomplishment; something we could all use these days. And, I brought each new cup and saucer home for Little Pie to see which offered her satisfaction and anticipation.

A funny thing happened near the end of my acquisition. I discovered one of the tea cups was quite valuable. (Guess now and I'll let you know at the end of the post.)

As noted in the former post, A place of possibilities, if one Dumps their retail mindset, the thrift store becomes a place of many unimagined opportunities.

If you have children or enjoy entertaining, consider the thrift store a resource. The items found there will be more fun than paper horns and tiny bubble blowers that discount retailers sell. In many cases, they'll be less expensive too and won't be so quick to become landfill fodder. To me, favors bought at party stores/discount retailers scream, "I'm not worth keeping!" Is that really what you want to give a guest?

Not only can you find the favors at thrift but you can lay a beautiful full place-setting (china, glasses, and silver-plate flatware) for under $5 from the thrift store. This is one incredible place for those who love to entertain.

Follows are a few easy ideas for party favors al a thrift. To be successful, plan ahead with patience. I promise it will take a stressful situation and make it less stressful. And, the chances that guests will actually value their favors skyrockets.

Sometimes we find things we never imagined, like these tiny clay tea pots, $3 bought all. These pots were in Little Pie's holiday stocking but easily could have been darling party favors.

All these marbles were found thrift for about $8. How about a cultural renewal on playing marbles? I do a lot of gardening about our 111-year-old home. When building out a new bed, I usually find old change like a buffalo nickel buried in the soil. I've also found several marbles.

Empty nesting dolls are easily found at thrift stores from 50 cents to a dollar. They're darling and could hold candy as a favor.

Paper parasols are another easy score in thrift stores. They run from $2-$4 each. Always check them to ensure they are not torn; there's about a 60% chance they're not. What little girl does not love a parasol?

Even small teapots can be gathered.


I purchased five pounds of old crayons thrift for $2. Little Pie and I recycled those old crayons into what we call pastel pies. We made over 250 pastel pies - that's enough favors for a classroom party!

They're really quite lovely and - if you wish - you can name your own colors.

Visit our sister blog, Mommy Golightly to learn how to make Little Pie's pastel pies.

Need more ideas? How about silk scarves, jewelry, collectible teaspoons, aprons, handkerchiefs? Or, you could host a party to make personal crowns from thrifted supplies. A few of my friends have handed out cash and cut kids lose in a thrift store. Believe it or not, teens especially love that one and usually have a fashion show afterward to see who landed the coolest score.

It doesn't end with party favors. Paper plates, napkins, paper lanterns, place-cards and invitations are easy thrift finds. I purchased Little Pie's invitations about six months ago, an unopened box of printable pink cards from Papyrus for about $2.

Try some patience and plan ahead. We all need practice on patience these days. Be open to possibilities and shop thrift. Thrift is not standard retail, think Portobello Road or a Parisian flea market with items unexpected. For example, I saw an antique rapier in the case of my neighbor thrift just this Saturday. I've seen so many exotic things, it's hard to remember them all.

As for the pastel pies, Piper and I noted something interesting in a few of them. What do you see in each pastel pie below?

Little Pie and I see a woman with a papoose on her back on the left. We see a child's face in the lower left of the middle pastel pie. A squirrel appeared to us on the right pastel pie.

Post Script: The teacup on the right with the violets was produced by James Kent, Ltd. pattern 5018. It's probably worth about 2,500% what I paid for it.

A place of possibilities

It’s Saturday morning. The house is quiet and I have coffee. I woke to NPR’s Weekend Edition. I’ve a brain crush on Scott Simon, his commentaries and his laugh. I miss his weekly dialogs with Daniel Schorr. Funny, anytime Mr. Golightly has an author who’s been interviewed by Scott Simon sign a book, he has the author write a postscript, “P. S. Your husband’s better looking than Scott Simon”. This happens even if the interview was not done in person in the NPR studio in DC.

I think I’ll hit the neighborhood Goodwill when it opens. Sometimes I wish I lived near my friend Apron Thrift Girl so that Saturdays would be filled with estate and yard sales in Sonoma. I need a friend to jump about the county in a car. Truth is, I don’t like cars and didn’t own one until I married Mr. Golightly at 27. A car is a heavy thing to carry around and hell to park when in the city. Then, I was in the accident in 2003, which makes me dislike cars even more.

A quick aside, I wrote a college thesis on estate sales for a sociology major but rarely go to them. My other major was Biology. It was a small liberal arts college and there were but a few biology majors. We were a tight group, hanging out in lab till midnight with a few beers iced down in the lab sink. Hey, it was college! My peers went on to be doctors and one veterinarian. I didn’t have the guts for medical school. I studied biology out of ultimate fascination; completely awestruck.

Denver’s not a hot spot for year-round yard sales and given that I do not like driving much I stick to thrift.

My family went to the mountains a few weeks back and I bought a magazine to read. It was the January edition of O, one arranged around channeling creativity. This edition offered a "Five-Step Un -Quiz" to readers, asking for submissions. One un-quiz step was to think about things you need in life and designate a place to that contemplate that need. They asked readers to make a simple sign for that spot.

We all need possibility. I’m going to ask the manager at our neighborhood thrift if I can place a sign in the store that says, “This is a place of possibilities”.

If you can dump the retail mindset, the thrift store truly is a place of possibilities, many within immediate grasp. Next time you visit, take a deep breath at the door and prepare to open the mind. Reflect, visualize a future, have hope. Basically learn to meditate in the thrift store and the possibilities will present themselves.

Godspeed in your journey to your place of possibility.

The post-holiday thrift store booty

Saturday I found this darling set of matryoshka dolls for $1. Normally, I’d save items like this for Little Pie’s holiday stocking but couldn't wait and gave it now to join her collection. A wasabi pea sits next to the smallest doll for a little perspective. The Pitney Bowes postal scale, in the background, was $6. I love old scales. Little Pie likes to play with them. When you have a scale, you’d be surprised by how often it comes in handy.

I ran my trap on eve of the new year. Yeah, imagine that. I ran my trap and boasted that January is an awesome month in thrift stores and perhaps people should consider doing their 2011 holidays shopping there and now; 11 months in advance.

I dared people to try the “2011 Holidays for a dollar a day”. $365 for the holidays? To many of readers this is cake. But to some it sounds wrong. Depends how you look at it.

If this is a new idea read on. If not, read on anyway, laugh and shout a few “Amens!”

Every year Americans lather, rinse repeat. Retailers put up holiday displays in September. Or is it August? July? Everyone rolls his or her eyes, “Can you believe they’re selling Christmas ornaments when the peaches have just hit the market?”

But come Black Friday, Americans race in panic to the nations shopping centers fueled by a mix of adrenaline, guilt, and urgency to buy the perfect holiday gift in a month. The stores are ready to soothe this brew with towers of impulse buys for those who are truly desperate and toss up their credit in defeat. News anchors nightly play Chicken Little on the evening broadcasts threatening that the market might fall if not enough shoppers come out to stand in lines at 3AM to buy a plasma TV.

We do it every year.

It’s silly that retailers put so much hope in the last month of the last quarter of the year. Would you do that with your income?

It’s a little crazy. Find the prefect gift for everyone you love in a month? Really?

Come January, a great majority of those “perfect” gifts end up on the shelves of thrift stores. I believe this year’s perfect gift was an elaborate chrome wine bottle opener that looks like it needs to be affixed to the countertop. That much metal to pull a cork out of a bottle? These wine bottle openers are popping up on the shelves of my neighborhood Goodwill still in the box, unopened, like dandelions. Either they're not selling or there's been a mass donation. I've seen many.

I spent January shopping for 2011 holiday gifts at my neighborhood thrift. I like shopping ahead. It takes away the stress and allows me to reflect. I walk in the store with no list in mind, open to possibilities. Ugh. If I could only stay in that open place for the rest of the day many new doors would open everywhere.

To be honest, my haul wasn’t as prosperous as in year’s past though many amazing items, some at 5% their market value, were passed over. Cashmere sweaters from Neiman’s, new Ralph Lauren bags, new china from Crate & Barrel, loads of crystal; all would have been impulse buys had I felt the pressure. I did agonize over a set of four 20oz crystal goblets with intricate fern leaf etchings, stickers still affixed to the bottom. They were imported from Slovakia. I put them back on the shelf but turned back because I changed my mind. They were gone. (Sometimes I feel there’s a stalker following me in thrift stores. I’ve something in my cart they’re hoping goes back on the shelf. I've had cart envy many times but have never stalked.) I also spent some time agonizing over a new sweater dress from Free People with a retail tag of $168 contrasted to the $19.99 Goodwill tag. Twenty dollars is four times my $5 Flinch Point and I figured my daughter probably would not wear this item much, if at all. Had the hot breathe of holiday urgency been on the back of my neck, I’d have picked that sweater up in an instant and felt an empty satisfaction.

What were my finds for the 2011 holidays this January? Ugh. Well, if I show them, my family and friends will not be surprised. I’ve no doubt they’ll know exactly what gift is for them and then they’ll have to wait a year to claim it. This will make me feel guilty and want to give early, like July, and then I’ll have to go in search of a new treasure to open come December 25th.

Instead of showing off the lovely scores, I’m afraid we’ll stick to stats. I purchased eight gifts for $37 with an estimated conventional market value at around $250. Yep, eight gifts for the price of two new hardback books. The average cost of each came in at $4.60 – 40 cents below my Flinch Point. I was also thrilled to find a gift for one of the three people that are a major gift challenge. We all have them. Best to take 11 months to seek their gift.

Say I find an average of five gifts month at my $5 Flinch Point, as I stop by thrift stores while running errands through out the months ahead. I’d have at least 50 gifts come October! If I stick to my Flinch Point, 50 gifts totals $250!

The reality, I won’t need to purchase 50 gifts and I’ll have wiggle room for bigger purchases for my daughters.

How do I keep track of this entire gift inventory? Three large bins in the basement, like my very own store to shop. I try to package up items that need boxes before storing them and often pencil the name of the recipient on the box. It sounds tedious, but it reduces stress over time. And – get this – I even purchase new boxes, bubble wrap and excelsior at thrift stores. Weird.

Should you decide to take up year-round holiday shopping, I beg that you not squirrel away items all over the home thinking you’ll remember where they are when needed. You won’t. I testify.

I also had some fun with holiday money that relatives sent for me to purchase something for myself.

I love old office equipment and found this 1940’s Arrow Fastener #9 Stapler for $4. About a year ago, Anthropologie sold a remake for about $80. Wow. I know, it's not shiny. It's not supposed to be! It's vintage!

When Little Pie saw this stapler, she shouted, “Oh! That’s cool!” Makes me think I’m raising her right. Besides, children love old things. Ask them to draw a bathtub and I’d say there’s a 90% chance it’ll be a claw foot tub.

We’re heading into Golightly birthday season. I bought several birthdays gifts too. But, that’s another post for another day.

If you don't do it now, shop like a pioneer and come November, you'll be relaxed and ready. Well, that's after you get over -as one reader put it - the annual gift pile panic.

A crown to guide us

A dear friend, call her Edwina, once told Modern Mommie and I that hair reveals a good deal about how we think. She said it was one reason we were such great mates. The three of us think wild and curly thoughts. She's right. We do. I've always loved that metaphor. Sometimes it explains so much and others it's just makes me smile and giggle.

A few years back, we planned a mom's retreat into the mountains at a friend's "huggably" cute, rustic cabin. We drank lavender cosmopolitans from lavender sugar-dipped glasses and each made our own crown. The crowns were Modern Mommie's idea. If creativity was tested on a scale like an IQ, Modern Mommie's would be in the 99th percentile. Combine that with her artistic background and kaboom! Who knows what idea will come out of her head; be assured it will be incredible, wild and curly.

I got to thinking about Edwina's notion about hair and Modern Mommie's marvelous crowns and a Golightly family tradition was born. We do not write New Year's resolutions, we sit around the dining room table for most of New Year's Day and build crowns. As we construct them we think about the skills, tools and disciplines we'll need to fulfill the goals and challenges for the coming year and incorporate symbols into the crown. I imagine if we put on our crown a few times during the year, the intentions that went into building it will seep into our heads. I figure it's a more direct path to the mind than starting at the fingertips with writing. And, when you speak of your goals, well, they fall out of your mouth. We talk so much these days, one must wonder if anything that is said remains in our heads.

So that is how the Golightly's spent New Years day. But, -here's the thrift part - I did not need to go to any craft store or run any special errands to make this happen. I'd acquired all the items needed through time at the thrift store. For example, I might see a plastic bag that has a folding yard stick that I want for $3. Within that bag might be ephemera, buttons, beads, little paper flowers, scrap-booking items, etc. Sometimes I give things to Little Pie's art teacher and other I keep for occasions like crown building. You just never know when you might change paths and need a new crown.

Here's an equation I know to be true: thrift store = eclectic craft store that saves money while reducing the waste stream. Trust me, some of the most amazing treasures one finds in a thrift store cannot be purchased at anything craft store.

I now shall reveal the 2011 Golightly parade of crowns. I will not speak about them because they are all personal.

Follows is my crown for 2011. I will note that the acorn dangling on the left was one of my Christmas presents from Little Pie. She spent one afternoon searching for the biggest acorn she could find. That little gift spoke volumes to me; the thought that my daughter would spend an afternoon under oak trees in a park to find a treasure for me.


Mr. Golightly's crown:


Petite Poe's crown:


Little Pie, with great enthusiasm built two crowns:


As a family, we seek out different, more meaningful options for those sale-promoting holidays. For example, every Black Friday we don't go shopping. We go chopping. At the moment, Modern Mommie, Edwina and I are brewing up a new Valentine's tradition for our six girls. We do have fun.

Am I a blog snob?

January 12th's post, “Am I just a bottom feeder of conspicuous consumption?” was a response to a comment from the post, “Myth-stakes”, which sprung from a comment from “Americans are screaming the need for a bigger reuse market. Why is there no answer?” Phew!

These comment threads are filled with an assortment of opinions that sprouted a lively dialog. It seems something has been tapped; a nerve, a fresh perspective, an unwillingness, an “Aha!” or simple annoyance. Let’s ride this a bit more and see where it goes. Either way, it grew conversation and got people thinking.

Now the question seems to be, am I a blog snob? To some degree, everyone who blogs is, as they share their opinion, is subjective and isn't (obviously in many cases) being subjected to being true. Nonetheless, there is a divergence of opinion on blogging. As for the description “holier than thou”, I’ve been called much worse. Surviving middle school gave me some thick skin. Tossing my opinions and stories on the Internet made it even thicker.

Blog etiquette is as diverse as the blogging world. There are best selling authors and media professionals writing blogs along with people like me who feel like they’ve found a good cause and/or a creative outlet. That explains my typos, etc when I mistakenly click the "Publish Post" button which is powerfully placed - less than a half a centimeter - from the "Save Now" button.

As for the two-year life of The Thrifty Chicks, I recall removing a just few comments, most were spam, one profane, a few trying to peddle sex somewhere in Asia. Sad, no? Comments on this site are rarely taken personally. They test convictions and invite reflection. Thoughtful criticism intended to evoke dialog is certainly encouraged. I do ask for clarity of content in comments – two or three adjectives doesn’t exactly back a point.

I think America needs a stronger reuse market for many reasons. Instead of listing them again, I’ll reference two opinions that ran in The Christian Science Monitor; “Green shopping, don’t say ‘eww’ to thrift stores”, and "We count calories. Why not carbon?” The first ran on Dr. Suess’ birthday, hence the reference to The Lorax.

I also think many people are very uncomfortable about expanding an American reuse market mainly because it presents a new/old way of managing our lives.

Many of today's Americans have a knee-jerk reaction to thrift, thinking the stores are infested with body lice and fungicide is sprayed on tattered clothing. This is sad because it really wasn’t that long ago that Americans thought product reuse and repurposing a common sense way of life – the days were the focus was on economic solvency, not accruing more debt. A parable to this is the post “Six Baccarat tumblers” about my great grandmother.

The conventional retail market probably doesn’t like it because it would translate to a radical shift in American shopping. Eventually, retailers would find a manner to profit from this emerging market. Good grief! Look what they did to credit default swaps!

If manufacturers can profit off Chia Pets, surely they can profit off used items like cowboy boots. I recently read that we would be better served putting Chia seeds into our mouths rather smearing them on a pottery figurine. Apparently those little seeds are very nutritious. As for cowboy boots, ever put on a new pair? Ouch! It’s like having braces on your legs. Best to let someone else put in the pain of breaking them in. Two honest and old cowboys had a good laugh at me in a tack shop Alamosa, CO when I tried a new pair of new boots. I can still see them sitting back in their chairs laughing as I screamed a few explicatives on how those boots felt on my legs and teasing them that they must have maimed many a legs selling such braces without a medical license. When they finally caught a breath, they told me about an old hide out of Billy the Kidd that I happened to be camped near. I think they were pulling my leg. But, it’s more fun to believe the story so I shall.

So, am I a blog snob? Is my message “holier-than-thou”? After sitting on my soapbox and thinking for a spell, I must say, no. I don’t believe so. I think I’m a person who has found a cause worthy of advocating. I’m passionate about it but certainly don’t think that those who disagree are damned. I'd be foolish to think there are not people who taken exception to what I write or how I write it. As long as people keep dialoging and thinking about more reuse, I'm cool.

Seeing consumer waste makes me sad. Really sad. When I watch the natural world in motion, I am in awe it's eloquent system. I believe dead-end waste is one of man’s worst inventions and we keep finding new ways to invent it in different forms. This disturbs me as I think about our legacy on this planet and I am but a mere drop in the bucket of humanity. Reuse is certainly one way to slow down the waste stream.

Before I became a mother, I worked fundraising at one our nations leading zoo’s; was an Assistant Director at a summer camp and took our girls on overnight hiking and canoe trips; and worked in The Office of Environmental Affairs for the City of Boulder. However, I also worked in the investment industry for a major investment company as a planning analyst on business relocations. I’ve experienced both sides.

We are not perfect beings. Even in our quests to do what we think is best for our families, communities, and our country we aren’t always right and even good ideas have down sides.

My style of writing might appear to be "hoity" to some. But consider that I'm having to sway opinions about reuse and I attempt it with a dash of humor and - as my family's matriarch says - a few good "someone's gotta say it's". But hey, I've also been labeled insightful, and pithy.

When you are advocating for the underdog, whether it's a just cause or not, many adjectives are thrown your way. Though I do find it amusing to be cited "hoity" when I'm the one digging through the gray bins of thrift and trolling the urban alley's for treasure. One thing I know I try to be is thought provoking. Sure, I mix in the "look what I found's" in to provide eye candy and lead people into thrift temptation.

One thing I know to be true, we are capable of change. There was a time when the great whaling captains of Nantucket scoffed at the idea that the world would turn it’s back whale oil and a rock that burns would crash their market.

New books for 8% retail cost, where else but at the thrift?

NOTE: THIS POST ERRONEOUSLY POSTED TODAY. IT WAS SCHEDULED TO RUN ON SUNDAY THE 16th. PLEASE BE CERTAIN TO READ THE OTHER POST OF TODAY, "AM I A BOTTOM-FEEDER OF CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION?" MY APOLOGIES FOR THE CONFUSION.

On the eve of 2011, I challenged readers to shop for the 2011 holiday season year-round and spend “A dollar a day for the 2011 holidays” by shopping thrift. January on into February are exceptional months for thrift shopping because: 1) people purge their homes in the last minutes of 2010 for donation tax write offs and 2) many unwanted holiday gifts end up in thrift stores; still in the box or tags still dangling.

I thought it wise to check in mid-month and report my progress. This post is on books. I love giving books, maybe because my friends and I love reading them. And what better way to save money on shipping than with the book/media postal rate?

I found many new books, dead certain the spine has never been cracked. Perhaps a tossed holiday gift? Most of these finds will become birthday gifts.

A few of my favorite selection from adult fiction and non-fiction are:

1) The World of Escoffier by Timothy Shaw. This biography of one of the world's most famous chefs is a glossy page masterpiece complete with amazing photos, art and script.


2) The Children’s Book by A.S. Byatt.


3) Stones into Schools by Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greg Mortenson, founder of The Central Asia Institute and co-author of Three Cups of Tea, considered by many as one of the most important reads of our time.


4) A fresh, never been opened paperback of the 1998 re-release of I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. This is one of my favorite British classics and was made into a film in 2003, which is lovely but nothing compared to the book.


In the children's section I found:

1) The twentieth anniversary hardback of Babe, The Gallant Pig by Dick-King Smith. Yes, this is the darling sheep herding little pig from the movie, Babe. This endearing story with heart-warming illustrations by Maggie Kneen are a great gift for the young child who is tired of having picture books read to them and is up for the challenge of an honest chapter book.


2) National Book Award Finalist, each little bird that sings by Deborah Wiles. This hardback edition has likewise never been cracked. I recommend this book to readers of all ages. The back of the book begins, "Top Ten Tips for First-rate Funeral Behavior" as written by ten-year-old Comfort Snowberger who lives in a funeral home and writes obituaries.


3) The secret lives of Princesses by Pillippe Lechermeir beautifully illustrated by Rebecca Dautremer. This book was a COMPLETE score and I will keep it for my own Legacy Library. However, it’s gorgeous artwork and whimsical nature will probably force me to buy a few used copies for certain little girls I know that NEED a copy of this book at their sides. It has a page of "The International Alphabet of [Hand] Fans" similar to naval flag signals as well as a page of "Palaces & Residences" which include a Manhattan Walk-Up, an Inuit and Rustic. If you have a little girl in your life who loves books, I think she needs a copy. Mr. Golightly and I firmly believe that it had to be a mistake that this book was donated. It's a complete charm and we've read it together and enjoyed every word and will adapt some of the terminology into our daily speech like "to have a toad on the stove" is princess talk for "running late".


On the vintage circuit I found the 1960 original The I Hate To Cook Book by Peg Bracken with illustrations by Hilary Knight. Apparently, a 50th anniversary edition was recently released. The copy I have resells at around $15 but – to me – the book is priceless. I'd buy it just for Knight's illustrations.


A quick tally of my thrift purchase of these lovely books, seven hardback and one fresh paperback, comes in at $14.

Had I selected them new online, the total purchase would have exceeded $175.

Had I bought them online on used market it would have totaled near $90.

In addition to saving all that money and having lovely gifts for the coming year, I found a paperback copy of a book I almost bought at the price-o-club because I was in desperate need of a read. Instead of paying close to $10 for The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry, I paid $1 at the thrift. Call it serendipity, but it happens a lot when you thrift.


It can all be found at the thrift, new releases, current best sellers, classics, and rare and out-of-print books for a small fraction the conventional market would have you pay.

One of my favorite book finds is a small, very old, first edition French translation of Beatrix Potter's Tiggy-Winkle (Histoire de Poupette-a-L'Epingle) published by F. Warne & Co. Ltd., London. This book has no publication date but is so precious to behold, like a little baby. I paid 50 cents for it.

I'm certain many readers have favorite books scored by thrift. Do tell.

Am I just a bottom-feeder of conspicuous consumption?

Let’s just reference Wikipedia on the subject:

“Conspicuous consumption is lavish spending on goods and services acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying income or wealth. In the mind of a conspicuous consumer, such display serves as a means of attaining or maintaining social status.”

There is no doubt we could add meta meanings upon meta meanings to further define this social phenomenon. We could sip lattes or a fine Merlot and hyper-intellectualize this subject until we are personally drunk and awe-struck by our magnificent conclusions. For the sake of brevity in a blog post, let’s just keep it short and use the above definition.

There have been times when people challenge that I’m just acting out conspicuous consumption in the reuse market. My answer? No.

Comments have appeared in past posts that I often cite brand names like Banana Republic, Pottery Barn, Tiffanies, Coach, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, etc. Guilty as charged.

Here’s the catch, I don’t reference brand names to snob out. I don’t look down my nose. When I do, I’m cross-eyed and that gives me a headache. Any more, a name brand does not often represent quality, merely a name and – often times - a higher price point.

My point is that while the majority of Americans go to malls and buy such brands, I shop in thrift stores and buy the same, often with tags still dangling, for about 5% of the conventional retail price.

Why can I do this? Many reasons. I’d wager retail therapy is probably the biggest. If retail therapy really worked, I imagine our nations major thrift retailers wouldn’t be so well stocked – at least like they are in Denver.

Still don’t believe that I’m not a conspicuous consumption junkie? Our TV is thrift and it does not have any form of cable. Nor do we have a Wii or any other electronic games. We’re a modest one-car family of four in a 1,800 square foot home, which I consider ample.

I’m not going to keep up with The Jones’. I cannot afford to. Well, my credit limit will let me compete but – as I’ve written before – no lender is going to pull me down into so much debt I need a pressurized submarine. Besides, I don’t even know what The Jones’ have.

Yes, many of the items I purchase were made overseas. But, I’m saving them from a landfill and by extending the life of a sweater; a new one need not be produced to fill my need. I’d love it if more manufacturers came home, like if the idea behind the Locavore movement turned to dry goods. But, that’s going to take time and legislation – a lot of it. But, "There will be retail lobbyists"

I don’t scoff at people in shopping centers, though I am annoyed by how slow they walk, like they’re enjoying the retail sensory overload. I see them as potential converts and quietly wait for them to ask where I found my boots so I can say, “thrift”. I understand that many of these people have never considered thrift as an option. There’s no mass marketing campaign asking them to. We have recycle bins from our cities, we’re told to turn off lights and turn down thermostats, but there are few media outlets that even whisper, “try thrift”.

I love it when a person converts to thrift, finds a Flinch Point, has a little Retail Remorse, and earns a set of Snake Eyes.

If dropping name brands that can be found at thrift stores catch the attention of a few eyes and ears, I think it worth it.

Okay! Okay! Three weaknesses. Children’s books for my Legacy Library. Premium scented candles I buy on sale. I’ve a chronic fear that our home smells of cat litter thanks to our three cats. Vintage coats – but I put a stopper on that one years ago when I figured one for each day of the week was sufficient. Oddly enough, the purchase of all those coats combined doesn’t even compare to the cost of a new quality dress coat.

Truth be told, I’d love to live a home similar to The Burrow of the Weasley family from the Harry Potter series pictured below. Or how about Famer Hogget’s home in the movie Babe? If you like, click here for a brief tour of the Golightly home.

A few of my favorite finds in 2010

2010 was an anomaly of a year at the thrift store for me, the Golightly budget tighter than ever. Thanks to a pair of Snake Eyes, that didn't necessarily translate to an austere lifestyle. Some of the best creativity is found during times of scarcity.

I went to the thrift store about half as often as in years past but still managed to score a few treasures. Though I've always held a deep appreciation for what I'm fortunate to find, I think this year's haul meant more.

My favorite find was this vintage Simplex copper whistling kettle. It must have been a hit because Simplex, a long standing British company, still manufactures this same model today. I paid $6 for it. Funny how something as simple as an efficient whistling tea kettle can make a family happy. We drink more hot tea thanks to it.


For about $3-$4 a bowl or pot, I added several items to my collection of vintage graniteware and learned there is actually a National Graniteware Society though I'm not a member. Cooking and serving with these colorful pots, pans and bowls makes me happy. I find these gorgeous vintage items for less than half of what I would pay for a piece of plastic or glass at a discount chain retailer. Color evokes feelings. Think about a gray winter day and then seeing a woman walk by in a flowing red coat. The image would evoke a smile, a feeling of happiness or some sense of warmth.


It is worthy to note that I had never heard of Simplex tea kettles or graniteware until I took up thrifting. Shopping thrift extensively broadens product education.


Little Pie is a little Buddha. I found her this darling vintage, hand-painted Japanese incense holder for $3. She lights rose scented incense and sits in the lotus position to briefly meditate when she needs to make a challenging decision. She's nine. Those moments are priceless.


I picked up this Invisibility Cloak (a reference from the Harry Potter series) at a half off day for $4. This relatively heavy throw helps pull our eclectic living room together and keeps us warm while reading on the fainting couch I rescued from the alley several years back. The tapestry of this throw is magical and I don't wish to think what it's original price point was.


Many confuse frugality, equating it to practicing economy in a miserly fashion, which means parsimonious - or stingy - even "cheap." I believe that Mr. Golightly and I were frugal in this $50 purchase of an 1867 oil portrait by L.R. Evans in this ornate frame. We scored it at a 50% off Saturday at Goodwill and were the envy of nearly everyone in the packed store. It's nice to have original art in the home. Though I've not researched this painting of young Edward Jones I've no doubt the gilded frame alone is worth far more than the $50 we paid. As for now, Edward is a regular guest in our dining room He's almost family, even if we haven't quite figured out who he is.


Of course there were other wonderful finds, hand knit sweaters and a skirt from lele knits for $3. The never been worn pink and black vintage leather gloves with cashmere lining for Little Pie and Petite Poe were quickly welcomed in at $3 each.

Mr Golightly's favorite find? This extraordinarily old hand forged copper pot for $6.


It no longer holds water thanks to a tiny leak, but we always have use for containers and this copper pot is better than anything plastic. We're no Antique Road show, but, we do know this pot is very old.

We haven't completed our research yet - but handmade, dovetail-jointed copper and brass pots were never mass produced. Any ideas?

What were your extraordinary finds of 2010?