Thrift Traditions And Bargain Buys
I always loved shopping, but knew I had to find a way to shop without spending lots of money. Expenses are on the rise and everyone is trying to save when they can.
A few years ago, my mom introduced me to thrift shops and how to be a frugal shopper. We even made a tradition out of these shopping adventures. We would make a day or an afternoon of shopping and have a quick bite to eat for lunch. Sometimes when my aunt was in town, she would join along. My son quickly learned that he would be a tag along and join in on shopping and lunch dates.
One of my go to places to stop in is Bayou Some Thrift store in Sunset, LA. The owner is a sweet lady who has a huge place with lots of items to choose from including kids’ toys, collectibles, books, clothing, kitchen items, and more! My husband even found a set of golf clubs for $30 one day when he joined us to learn about our thrift shop adventures. Sometimes you can find amazing cheap deals on new items. On one shopping trip, I found a brand new Precious Moments collectible for right around $4. Sometimes Mom and I research afterwards to see what a brand new item would cost on the company’s website or Amazon. For example, the $4 Precious Moments would be $45 brand new on the website.
Just a few miles down the road is Becky’s Barn. We stopped by once, but I will be visiting again. Unlike the Bayou Some Thrift store, they have little booths or designated areas with lots of different items to choose from. We found a nice wooden bench for my son’s bathroom for a fraction of the price of Walmart/Target.
In Lafayette, Mom and I were frequent visitors at the Habitat for Humanity Restore. Sometimes we would find little things, but other times we would find good deals on furniture. After our house flooded in 2016, I was on the quest for two new chairs for our living room. Little did I know that Habitat Restore would have two chairs (short wing back chairs) that would be the perfect fit in our living room for $45 each. What a deal! Less than $100 for both chairs. We still have those chairs today (just added a slipcover a few years ago) and I am so glad we found those chairs many years ago. Now, there is a second location on the NW Evangeline Thruway service road.
Goodwill is sometimes hit or miss, but I found some really good things at the location in Carencro. I found out that they had video games for most gaming devices like PS3, Xbox, Wii, and more! You can buy gently used games for a fraction of the price. Off of Hwy 90, almost to New Iberia, the Good Buys store is a really great place to buy clothing with a frugal budget. Every item. Everyday. Is $2.50. Wow! What a good deal!
Mimi’s Attic was a new place I found recently that is right across the street from Baby and Me Boutique. Both are in downtown Lafayette off Jefferson Street and benefit the Desormeaux Foundation. Baby and Me has huge deals and you can even find baby necessities like diapers, wipes, and formula! New moms can even find some maternity clothes and clothes for their new baby.
H.U.T. is another hidden gem I found with a friend a few years back. HUT stands for Hand up Thrift. They have a large selection of items and they support the mission and work of the affiliated Blind of Louisiana. Across the parking lot, you can ask them to unlock the house. In the house, they have lots of furniture items. My friend scored an awesome deal on a white king-size bed frame and headboard.
I have a few places that I have not been to before, but I will try them out in the near future.
- Arc of Acadiana Resale Store
- The Way 2 Thrift stores (several locations: Rayne, Crowley, Eunice, Jennings, Opelousas, etc.)
- Something Old and Something New (Breaux Bridge)
- Calvary Thrift (brand new opened December 1st)
If you have never been thrift shopping, give it a try! You might find something that you didn’t need, that you did need, or you might just find joy browsing and looking around at lots of things! Yes, it is easy to just buy an item with a click of a button, but if you want to be a frugal shopper… you have to try some new places and find some good deals!
