Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I`ve taken a serious knack to rummage sale shopping this summer. There`s some really great stuff out there if you`re willing to spend a little time sifting through it.

My new effort to be "green" is basically looking at used first. Used clothes, used cars, used appliances, used furniture... etc. Obviously, there are things that can`t be bought used, but as I surf through sites like craigslist, I`m stunned at just how much is on there. We ended up getting a used yard trimmer for a dollar at a yard sale, and the parts to fix it were $15. Works great, and it`s another thing that won`t land in the dump.

Anyone else into yard-saling? Do you have your own yard sale every year, or are you more apt to just pitch stuff?  Do you feel comfortable buying used items?

A question I`ve kicked around is - is it appropriate to give a used item as a gift? I`ve given antiques to people as gifts.  I wouldn`t mind someone giving me a gently used item as a gift. I sometimes see a decor item, or a peice of clothing at a consignment shop, and it looks brand new. Would it be bad form to give it as a present?


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Seems to me that giving a used item as a gift would be okay if it wasn`t for a special occasion. You might say, "I was at a yard sale the other day, saw this, and realized it was just that thing you`re looking for. Here." :-)

On the other hand, "Hi honey, I know it`s Christmas and a week away from our anniversary, and I was thinking about you. So here; I found this ironing board at the thrift shop and it`s REALLY almost new!" That probably wouldn`t work.

We`re fortunate to have a number of thrift shops around here; a Goodwill, and so forth. Where we really enjoy spending time there is finding things that nobody makes anymore. I was remembering press cookies, from when I was a kid, and thought I`d just go get a cookie press.

Lo and behold, they`re either way expensive and electric, or they just aren`t around. And besides, I believe you have to have the one that`s aluminum with the copper top and bottom and the crank, otherwise the cookies don`t taste right.

Found a number of them for about $2. :-D And the cookies are just like I remember them.

One man`s junk is another man`s treasure. I don`t know about women, since the saying only speaks about men, but I`m supposing it sorta works along the same lines? :-)

Exactly, Jen. It gives you a sense of actually DOING something about the environmental impact you have. There`s not a lot of big ways in which I can help, but I do all the small things I can.



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Nope, it`s definitely about the money. :-)