Follow-Up: Thrifting for Holiday Gifts
Published on - January 21st, 2011 (Modified on - January 22nd, 2011) (by J.D. Roth) As I mentioned earlier this week, I get a lot of requests for follow-ups to reader stories and questions. People want to hear how things turned out. Because I want to know how things turned out, too, I’m going to start a semi-regular feature at Get Rich Slowly. Whenever I hear back from a previous poster, I’ll share an update so that we can all know what happened.
To kick things off, Michelle dropped a line to let me know how things went for her at Christmas. As you may recall, she picked up two designer handbags from a thrift store, and wanted to know if it was okay to give them as Christmas gifts to her college-aged nieces. “What do you think?” she asked GRS readers. “Is it tacky to purchase gifts at a thrift store?”
Reader response was mixed. Of the 165 comments, many supported the idea. Others were less enthused. And many folks worried that the handbags might be counterfeit. Mostly, readers offered suggestions on how and when to make these sorts of gifts.
Well, Christmas is past, and Michelle gave her nieces the handbags. She wrote with this follow-up:
I really went back and forth a lot on whether or not to give the bags as Christmas gifts. Ultimately, I ended up kind of compromising.
Since I have three nieces, I grabbed a third bag and brought them all with me to Grandma’s house the weekend before Christmas for the annual cookie baking party. I explained to the girls why I got the bags, and told them to take their pick. I also told them if they didn’t want them, I wouldn’t be offended.
In the end, two of the three ended up taking bags and loving them. The third said she didn’t have room in her dorm for another bag, but thanked me anyway. Crisis averted, everyone happy.
Thanks to everyone for their advice!
So, there you go. Our very first reader follow-up, and it has a happy ending.
If you have shared a reader story at GRS (or asked a question), please feel free to send me a follow-up to let us know how things turned out, whether for good or ill. This is a great way for us all to see how well (or poorly) the Get Rich Slowly philosophy works when put into action.
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This article is about Ask the Readers, Frugality, Giving
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Ooooh nifty! Thanks for the update!
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Cool. 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.
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I wonder if those were the two she had intended the gifts for initially?
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Thanks for the update! It really is interesting to know how things turned out in the end and I can’t wait to read about the couple that want to buy their dream house.
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Great, thanks! Can’t wait.
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Great to hear what happened with this story! Quick and to the point is really all we need. After just watching Inception, I feel much better knowing there won’t be similar-type endings here.
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And a bonus in that the one gal chose to go with less Stuff!
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Yay! A follow-up! Keep ‘em comin’!
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Add me to the others who appreciate the follow-ups.
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Thanks for the follow up! Appreciated it. Glad all worked out well.
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Thanks for the follow up. Appreciated it.
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Follow-up is an AWESOME idea! Glad to know this one worked out so nicely and that the writer found a cool solution to the issue.
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I commented on the original post… Got my dad a beautiful piece of artwork at the thrift store for Christmas and got it re-framed and cleaned up. It looked fantastic. My dad loved it. He didn’t ask where it was from, nor did I tell him. Didn’t come up, but if he ever asks I’ll tell him the truth.
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” many folks worried that the handbags might be counterfeit”
Wow–if only that were my biggest worry of the day. Who wants to carry a purse worth way more than the amount of money to be carried in it???
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Hi J.D. There is definitely an art to thrifting things that would be appropriate for gifting. I enjoy browsing at places like the goodwill and salvation army for home goods, you can find amazing pieces of crystal for pennies because the staff just cant tell the quality. I found a waterford leaded crystal bowl for 3 bucks that is worth about 200 at Macys. You can also sometimes find antiques if you have a good eye and those always make great gifts. I found an antique French lidded milk jar the other day and I was over the moon happy! Leather is also another great find. I found a 1973 vintage suede fringe jacket made by the Tandy Corporation a few years ago. Its priceless! I think you also have to know who you are gifting to and how they would take a thrift store find. Some love it, some don’t. I always say, its the thought that counts! All the best! Alex
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There’s a difference here between finding something you think someone would like as a gift from a thrift shop, and deliberately shopping in the thrift shop and buying a gift that you’re not sure someone would like.
I have a relative who is pathologically frugal, and for many years, I would get presents from her that I knew were freebies or thrift store gifts that I didn’t want or couldn’t use. I’d have rather had no present at all, than have her waste her time on that.
However, I have found excellent deals at thrift shops, like a $500 Kate Spade bag for $30, and if that were given to me as a gift, I would LOVE it. There’s a lot of truth to the old maxim “it’s the thought that counts.”
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