Thrift Shop Bad Bargains

As I work in IT, I always get a kick out of how some tech goods are priced in shops.  For example, a 128 mb thumb drive for $9.99.  I feel sorry for the person who buys that thing.  Or how about old "Zip" Drives for $25.  Does anyone still own them and actually use them?  Since the poor are the ones that predominantly shop those stores they will get screwed.

Now the one thing you can get for good prices at thrift stores are cables.  You can pick up spare ethernet cables for next to nothing.  Not that they are that expensive retail.  I'm just sayin'.

It reminds me of old DEC Vax drives that people once installed in computer rooms.  My economical Dell laptop has more capacity and processing speed than what once cost thousands.  When you can buy a 1TB drive for what, $100, it gives you great perspective on how far technology has come over 20 years.

How long before our smart phones give away a 1TB capacity phone for signing a two year agreement?

Been Gone For a Couple of Weeks

But I did pick up anew Brooks Brothers 346 suit for $15.  And again, continuing on my camera theme.

Thrift shops have such a negative image that people who would spend $500 on a lens won't spend the time it takes to browse thrift shops.

Camera Lenses Part 2

I have no idea if it is worth the thirty being asked but the picture below is of a Konica 135 lens found in Chicago.  I suspect if you know what you are doing you can get lenses and cameras for a steal.  Good luck.  E-mail me if you are interested in learning about where I am finding these things.

thriftshopblog@gmail.com

Camera Lenses

I often see 35mm cameras and lenses at thrift shops.  While I know that some lenses can be hundreds or thousands of dollars, these are probably not unbelievably expensive.  I most often see Nikon and Canon of the name brands  I'm shopping today so I'll take pics if I can.

Coupons at Groupon

If you haven't tried it already, try groupon.com.  You can purchase goods and services at discounted rates.  It is a great idea for date night as you can get many restaurant coupons for 50% off.  Not McDonalds coupons but great discounts at decent restaurants.

GQ Style Manual and buying at thrift shops

A great guide for men dressing well is the GQ Style Manual.  How does that tie into thrift shops?  It gives you a great guide on how things should fit and most importantly how clothes should be tailored.  One key statement; a great tailor can make a $100 suit look like a $1000 suit.

Because you can buy mid to high priced suits, pants, shirts for a great price you can really make them look great by getting them tailor.  Too often things are brought off the rack and NOT tailored.  Particularly pants.  While I wouldn't  recommend buying pants a size too large, their legs can be narrowed or cuffs added or length changed and the slacks will look great.

Marketing the Eggstractor

One of the things that shopping at thrift stores teach you is what has been successfully marketed and what doesn't work as a product.  Case in point is the Eggstractor.  You see it in at least every other thrift store you come across.  Why?  A great concept.  It easily separates the shell from the egg easily and neatly.  My wife says it doesn't work.  I don't know if that is true.

However, there had to be a lot of them that were sold to be able to find that many in thrift stores.  But if a product has long term value, you don't find it as much in a thrift store.

Another product of this type is the thigh master.  As I've traveled a lot I've actually used it till I joined a nationwide gym chain.  It does work as it will provide resistance on an exercise that works your thighs.  But they had to sell a ton of them because you see a lot of them.

Thank you Thighmaster, can I have another? (obscure Animal House reference)