August 2018 Tag Sale, Thrift Store and Bargain Thread

I redid my bathroom wall and I really like it. It’s an odd little bathroom I had installed under our stairs because there was no normal downstairs bathroom when we bought the house.
I’ve been collecting boat and water themed paintings and pieces for this room. The oil pastel of the trees and sailboat (in place of honour right above the TP!) was done by my great grandmother.

I kicked off this month with a trip to Salvation Army on my way to work.  I walked away empty handed.  The only thing that tempted me was a very pretty platter.  If I didn't already have more than I can ever use I would have bought it.

I'm issuing a challenge this month to everyone who looks at this thread.  Please tell me what attracts you to bargain hunting.  Is it the necessity, the thrill of the hunt, or wanting to reduce, reuse, recycle?  I'd like lurkers to join in, we'd like to hear what you have to share.

I'll start off.  When I was growing up my parents took us to the flea market on Sundays.  We even used to go to the Brimfield antique show when it was only the original field.  I'm sure we did it as a way to stretch a dollar and to do something as a family that didn't have to cost any money if we didn't want too.  My mom did all kinds of volunteer work with Girl Scouts, school, church and parks and recreation.  She was super creative and always supplied enough projects and supplies for everyone to participate and where better to find things than the flea market or tag sales?

My husband was kind of grossed out by stuff that wasn't new so I gave up tag sales for years.  Periodically I would go.  He changed his tune when I found a billiard cue worth hundreds for cheap. 

When I had kids it just made sense to buy some stuff used.  And, like my mom, I've logged in thousands of hours volunteering and I'm the one who searched out some of the supplies for projects as well.  Also, like other parents, I wanted to model for my children how to care for things, pass on what you don't need to someone who does need it, and to reduce waste.

My sister turned me on to my Saturday night auction about two years ago and I became hooked.  Sometimes I think I'm trying to make up for lost time, lol.

I've always liked vintage stuff.  I like the graphics and how well things were made.  My house is close to 100 years old and it's a colonial in New England so older things just look better in it.  I was a stay at home mom until the last couple of years so I could be with the kids and volunteer and currently only work part-time so it's only right that I should make each penny count.

I redid my bathroom wall and I really like it. It’s an odd little bathroom I had installed under our stairs because there was no normal downstairs bathroom when we bought the house.
I’ve been collecting boat and water themed paintings and pieces for this room. The oil pastel of the trees and sailboat (in place of honour right above the TP!) was done by my great grandmother.

Hooray, papersilly . You must be psyched.

@weluvstangs , I always find something at the auction.  If you look at a couple of month's worth of this thread you'll see what I've found.

I don't go with any expectations of finding anything, but of course, I hope I do.

Our family has always been able to think outside of the box so we often think of many uses for an item rather than just the way it was originally intended to be used.  One man's trash is another man's treasure is definitely true at an auction.

With the new food, I'd tried some things that I would never have purchased at the store because of the price and it turns out that we love them.

I've bought vintage stuff that is in its original unopened package for $1 and $2.

I've made box lot purchases for $1 and found hidden treasures.

Look in your local newspaper and consider checking out an auction, nothing ventured nothing gained.

I've noticed over the past year or so that CorningWare's Cornflower Blue was becoming more popular. Theory is that when Pyrex prices went through the roof, people looked for something else to collect.  The number 1 telltale sign of it becoming a "thing" is when the thrift stores start to raise the prices substantially! Today I see that CorningWare is releasing a full collection of Cornflower Blue to coincide with the 60th anniversary of it's initial release.

This is a head's up to those of you collecting it. If you want the original, older pieces you'll need to pay closer attention when purchasing. It also means that you need to compare the thrift store prices to the prices of the new. Some of the prices I've seen in my thrift have rivaled the prices of the new stuff. The only Cornflower Blue I have are a couple of pie plates and a couple of the small refrigerator bowls with plastic lids. Those bowls were a mail in offer many years ago. Mine all dates to the late 1970's.