My Latest Obsession

As my friends have been noticing from my status updates I've recently been doing some shopping at garage sales and Craig's List.

Ok, let's be honest here. It's becoming an obsession.

Let's go back about a month. Jamin drags me into the thrift store to go clothes shopping for summer clothes for the kids. I'm a bit leery of the whole thrift store thing, but I am aware sometimes you can find a gem or two there. This time was a whole different story. We find TONS of practically new clothes for the kids, for just a few dollars each. Not only that, they have this color coded tag system that you get half off items with certain color tags. We got shorts, shirts and ton's of stuff for like .50 each, and they are some REALLY cute stuff.

We head to Goodwill next, and find brand new snow pants for $2 each, with the Target tags still on them! I mean this is AWESOME.

So, for the last month I've been itching to go back and see what else we could find, but we just didn't have the money budgeted for me to go and spend it on miscellaneous stuff.

Fast forward to last week, it is Evie's birthday. I go to Target and Wal-Mart and I buy her several items. One happened to be a see n say($10) another this little push car like her cousin Ethan had ($17). I had about $15 left to spend on her so I went to the thrift store. I found the EXACT same two items there in perfect condition. I got them for $2.99 each. I was amazed. I also found this cute fisher price vacuum cleaner for $1.99. I couldn't believe it! Now I was hooked.

While I was in there I spotted a Love seat, clean, ugly fabric but we can fix that with a slip cover, but in great condition. It was $79.99, more than I wanted to pay at the moment. Friday I went back to look again (for Myah's birthday). This time the lady recognized me and the kids from two days ago. This time I picked up a purse, brand new necklace and earrings, cleats for Brett's t-ball for $10 total. I told her I liked the couch, today it was 50% off because it had one of the color coded tags. I wondered if I should snag it for $40, but I still wasn't convinced. She told me "come back on Sunday, it will be one dollar". I couldn't believe it. This color coded system switches every week, then on Sunday everything that is a certain color goes to $1. She told me she would try and hold it for me and mark it as sold, and to come back Sunday and get there early because there will be a line. This was Friday.

We go garage sale looking at on Saturday, find a brand new sleeper sofa for $100. The mattress still has plastic on it. It is a horrible floral print, but I'm going to get a slip cover. The guy was asking $350 for it, Jamin offered them $100 and they took the offer! I was amazed.

Sunday rolls around and we get up at 6am and go out and start hunting garage sales again. I still have money for my birthday that is burning a hole in my pocket and I'm dying to find another deal. Anyhow, no garage sales that day, but we head to the thrift store. Jamin was so irritated with me because I wanted to get there early and stand outside. He swore nobody would be there early, that no idiot would stand in line at a thrift store.

He was wrong. Everyone had my same idea and had something picked they wanted. There was a line at the door when we got there at 9:45 (they opened at 10). We were about 8th or so in line. Five minutes later, the line extends to about 30 people. Jamin was laughing. He just couldn't believe this. The doors open and people start running, yes RUNNING at a thrift store. It was like Disneyland was opening or something. I didn't run, but I did do a pretty brisk walk to the back. When I got there, the couch was there, but someone told me a lady at the front was buying it? What she didn't come back and touch it so no fair! Well, come to find out it was the guys wife TRYING to buy it (sneaky people). Anyhow, it was sold the day before for the half price.

Now I'm looking online trying to find another sofa. I went back to the thrift stores today to see if anything new had popped up, but alas, nothing. I found one on Craigs List last night for $15, but the lady left it out in the rain, and it got ruined, so I'm on the hunt again.

Obviously I'm crazy and obsessed now. I know I'm driving my husband nuts.

Maybe I need an intervention or some kind of support group.