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Goodwill 101: The Art of Bargain Hunting

Posted at 6:04 AM, Mar 25, 2014
and last updated 2014-03-25 07:39:32-04

goodwill sandalsGRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (March 25, 2014) — Bargain hunting at your local Goodwillor other thrift stores  is not for everyone; but it’s definitely something people are missing out on, especially here in Grand Rapids. I’m not certain exactly what people picture in their minds, but I hear “Gross!” and “Aren’t there bugs?” quite often. It really does make me giggle! It’s common for me to have nearly my entire outfit, even down to the necklace, purchased at a thrift store, especially Goodwill.

Some people are under the impression that Goodwill only contains used or vintage items, which is certainly not the case. Most recently, I have noticed tons and tons of brand new shorts, sandals, hats and housewares from Target that still have the tags. If you are heading out on Spring Break, what a great place to get your wardrobe in order, first! Some of the new items include adult and children’s shorts for $5.99 along with a great selection of swim trunks for the same price! On countless days, I have purchased brand new necklaces from Dress Barn and Charming Charlie too, for $1.99.

So what does Goodwill do? Goodwill works as a job placement service for individuals who might have a disability or other issues that make it hard to market themselves in the work place. According to Goodwill, they help with transportation and counseling, too.

How to Snag Additional Goodwill Savings:

  • Rewards Card: As if the deals you get at Goodwill aren’t great enough, there are numerous other ways to save. For instance, just like a grocery story, you can get a Goodwill Rewards Card. When you make your purchases, simply scan it. Occasionally you will get surprise discounts in your email. You can either print them off to give to the cashier or simply show the email on your smart phone. The card also helps track what you have purchased and even can help you keep track of what you have donated.
  • Text and Save: Simply text gwgr to 95495 and every other Tuesday you will get a text sent to your phone with exclusive savings only for those who have signed up. For instance, on Tuesday, March 25, I received a text that read “15% off your purchase of $15 or more! -no exclusions. 1 time use only”  If you get tired of the alerts, you can have them stop at anytime.
  • Younkers Goodwill Sale:  Through Saturday, Marc 29, bring your donations to Younkers (there is one at Rivertown Crossing in Grandville) and receive a 25% off coupon to use at Younkers on items that might already be reduced!

Did you know?

  • Goodwill has gift cards!
  • Goodwill accepts returns on purchases that have a receipt and the tags still on the item up to 30 days after purchase!

World Mission Thrift Store (click herefor various locations)

  • World Mission is a non-profit Christian organization that has a focus of distributing audio Bibles known as The Treasure throughout the world.Their thrift store is one way to raise the funds to do so.
  • Last Tuesday of every month, so in this case, March 25, the ENTIRE store is half-off! Daily, they also have certain colored tags that are discounted, too.