Being Thrifty

Here are this week’s links* for free samples that you can get sent to your home.

*These are not affiliate links.

Freebies for children

Walmart is offering a free sample of Huggies Pull-Ups Potty Training pants

Fisher-Price is offering a free DVD of Planet Heroes “Here Comes The Sun” episode

Freebies for women

Get a sample of the new Playtex Gentle Glide Ultra or Playtex Gentle Glide Slender Applicator tampons

If you’d rather have pads, try this sample of StayFree Ultra Thin pads

Freebies for men

Try a sample of Gillette Body Wash

Freebies for pets

Get a coupon for a free can of Mighty Dog dog food

Try these all-natural dog treats called Yappy Treats

General freebies

Have a headache? Try a sample of Excedrin Extra Strength

Sign up for weekly specials emails from Office Depot and get a coupon for a free 10-pack of Office Depot brand DVD+R media

Are you a coffee lover? Do you like flavored coffee? Try a 2-pack of Splenda French Vanilla sweetener for coffee

Free offers are generally only available in the United States, and are offered while supplies last. Offers were still available at the time of this posting.

Be sure to check back next week for more freebie offers.

Check your items thoroughly before you buy.

Even though prices at thrift stores are considerably lower than at retail stores, there’s nothing worse than making a purchase only to find there’s something wrong with the item. Most thrift stores do not allow returns, so, if the item is not up to par and you’ve already purchased it, it’s yours.

If you’re looking at clothing, check the size. Most stores I frequent organize their clothes by size, although others organize strictly by color groups. Still, sizing is not always accurate, especially with used clothing. Previous owners may have cut out the sizing tags. I’ve done this myself with some of my own clothes, but I hate finding clothes with the tags cut out at thrift stores. It just makes finding the perfect blouse or dress more difficult. Most thrift stores have fitting rooms, so if you’re not sure of the size, try it on.

Also, look for stains, tears, fading, holes, and other imperfections. A missing button or a small tear might be an easy fix if you’re handy with a needle and thread. A ballpoint ink stain or bleach marks are not so easy to fix. If the imperfection is not something you can repair or live with, pass on the item.

With glassware and household items, check for chips, dents, scratches and breakage. Furniture should be checked for stains and abnormal wear. If the item you want is not in acceptable condition, don’t buy it, no matter how good a deal it is. If it’s not acceptable in the store, chances are, it’s not going to be acceptable once you get it home.

Garage sales always amaze me. I love looking at what friends and neighbors (and people I don’t know) have to sell. I also enjoy seeing just what it is that people buy at these sales as well. You know the old saying “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure”? That saying epitomizes garage sales.

My brother and sister-in-law had a garage sale this past weekend. Because they were kind enough to let me put in some things of my own to sell, I figured it was only fair that my fiancé and I help out. It was a neighborhood sale, so during the slow times at my brother’s sale, I had a chance to check out other sales in the area.

Some people look at having a garage sale as a way of cleaning house and getting rid of toys, clothes and miscellaneous household items; and making a little spending money at the same time. Others look at garage sales as a business venture. Personally, I take the ‘cleaning house’ point of view. I have garage sales to get rid of things I no longer need or want. I price things accordingly (read: cheap!) so that my gently used but no longer needed treasures will sell.

I shop garage sales the same way. I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than $5 on any one single garage sale item in my life.

Sure, some things, such as antiques and collectibles may warrant a higher price, and they should be priced accordingly. There’s probably not a lot of people out there, in my neighborhood anyway, who are willing to pay $10 for an electric fry pan that is missing the cord, and has no non-stick coating left.

If you want your things to sell, price them to sell. If you truly don’t want to part with your treasures, you shouldn’t be having a garage sale to begin with.

Here are this week’s links* for free samples that you can get sent to your home.

*These are not affiliate links.

Register on the 3M site and receive a sample of Post-It Note flags.

Walmart is offering a free sample of Viva Paper Towels. The free samples from last week are still available at their sample site as well.

Maybelline New York is offering a free sample of their Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Liquid Foundation.

You can get samples of Coty Inc. fragrances from Walgreens, including Glow by JLo, Shania Starlight and Nautica Bermuda Blue.

Scholastic is offering a free sample of Teddy Grahams Honey cookies.

Try a free sample of the new Berry Burst! Metamucil drink mix.

Free offers are generally only available in the United States, and are offered while supplies last. Offers were still available at the time of this posting.

Be sure to check back next week for more freebie offers.

You’ve found your favorite stores and now you’re ready to shop. You grab your purse, check to make sure you’ve got your credit cards and off you go. You find a handful of just right items and head to the checkout, only to find out your favorite store doesn’t accept credit cards.

So that you don’t have to leave your treasures behind, be prepared and take plenty of cash with you when you go thrift store shopping. Some of the larger ‘chain’-type thrift stores in my area, such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Savers, will take checks and debit cards, but I’m not sure if every location does this. Your smaller stores, local, and church or charity-run stores may only be equipped to take cash.

If you run into a situation where you don’t have enough cash with you, often times if you ask the clerk, they will hold your items behind the counter until you return with cash, as long as it’s within an hour or two.

Find out when your favorite stores restock.

A lot of stores restock daily, providing ‘new’ selections continuously; but there are others that only restock weekly. Some may even only restock monthly, but I’m not aware of any of those personally. When stores restock may depend on the size of the store and the number of donations it receives. Most stores I am familiar with take up to 48 hours to process new donations before those items appear on the sales floor.

Most stores will also not sell an item if it does not have a tag or a sticker, even if it’s on the sales floor. These items are returned to the back room and treated as a new donation. These items will return to the sales floor after processing; again, usually within 48 hours. So, if you’ve found something you just can’t live without, but it doesn’t have a price tag, make sure you find out when it will be available for sale.

McDonald’s will be giving away their new Southern-style chicken breakfast biscuits and sandwiches during their breakfast and lunch service on Thursday, May 15. The breakfast biscuits will be available from 7:00am – 10:30am and the sandwiches will be available from 10:30am – 7:00pm. The free biscuits and sandwiches are available with the purchase of a medium or large drink. Limit one free biscuit or sandwich per customer.

Also on Thursday, May 15, you can get a free 16oz iced coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts, between 10:00am & 10:00pm. Choose one of their nine pre-existing flavors, or create your own combination of flavors. Limit one free iced coffee per person, per visit.

Welcome to Freebie Fridays at Thrifty Shopping. Every Friday, I’m going to try and provide you with some links* to free samples that you can get sent to your home.

*These are not affiliate links.

Did you know that you can get free samples from Walmart? I just discovered this the other day. Visit often, as their available samples change frequently. As of today, they are offering samples for Crystal Light On The Go, Benefiber, John Frieda hair care products, Ban Deodorant, and Poise Bladder Protection.

If you are a parent with a daughter who has recently started receiving her monthly visitor, you can get a free sample kit of Always pads & Tampax tampons for her. Kit must be requested by a parent.

Dove is offering free samples of Pro Age Beauty body lotion.

If you have dogs or cats, get them a free sample of Greenies chews or treats. *Note: page is sometimes slow to load*

Register at juicyjuice and get a free juicyjuice sippy cup.

Free offers are generally only available in the United States, and are offered while supplies last. Offers were still available at the time of this posting.

Be sure to check back next week for more freebie offers!

Are you wanting to go to the prom but think you can’t afford a dress?  Well, think again.  Thrift stores are a great source for prom dresses and other formal attire.

Think about it.  Most people only wear their prom dresses once or twice, right?  So, why spend hundreds of dollars on a dress you’re only going to wear a couple of times?  I’ve seen great formal dresses available at thrift stores for under $20.  If I was in the market for a prom dress, I’d definitely be looking at thrift stores.  Usually, the dresses are gently worn, and in good condition.  Just be sure to thoroughly check the dress for any tears, spots, or stains before you buy it, since most thrift stores don’t allow for returns.  Also, make sure you try the dress on first to make sure it fits and is flattering.  A good rule of thumb is, if you’d try the item on before you bought it at a retail shop, you should try it on before you buy it at a thrift store too. 

If you do buy your prom dress at a thrift store, please make sure you get it dry cleaned before you wear it.  Even though it may look clean, it’s always a good idea to get the item cleaned yourself.  That way, you know it’s clean and fresh for you.

Be Aware of Sales

Yes, even thrift stores have sales.  Knowing when your favorite thrift store is having a sale can result in even more savings.  

If you’re older check to see if your store offers a senior citizen discount.  Some stores only do this on certain days, other stores offer a discount to senior citizens anytime.

Many stores color-code their pricing stickers or tags, and then offer discounts based on tag color.   Often this is done by day, so, for example, if Monday’s color is orange, all items with an orange sticker or tag are sold at a discount on that day.

Other stores might offer certain types of items at a discount.  For example, a store that I used to frequent, before I moved to another part of the city, offers a discount on different types of items, such as books, childrens’ clothes, or women’s dresses, each Saturday.  This is a good way to stock up on needed items.

Don’t be afraid to ask the clerks about sales if the information is not posted.