Goodwill of North Florida – A Frugal Fourth of July
It’s hard to believe it but Fourth of July weekend is upon us. If you are hosting family or friends and neighbors, we’re here to show you how to celebrate our nation’S birth without shelling out lots of George Washingtons, Thomas Jefferson and Abe Lincolns. You can save up to 80% off prices from big box retailers, and with every purchase from a gift store like Goodwill, you are keeping items from landfills so it’s sustainable, too. Liz Morgan with Goodwill of North Florida is here some great finds and tips for finding them:
Shop by Color and Theme. Anytime you are thrift shopping – especially if you are new to secondhand shopping – is shop by COLOR. For summer entertaining like platters, glasses, plates and more for summer bbqs, picnics, parties, try shopping by color and theme to find pieces that will work together all season long. For example, for the 4th we’re doing red, white and blue. I found these round red placemats, and these smaller plates from Pier 1 that are red and white that look super festive and less than disposable. And since it’s summer, these watermelon plates don’t scream the 4th, but they work. Find things that aren’t matchy matchy but it works together.
Shop the Top of the Racks. Don’t sleep on the items that are displayed on top foof the clothing racks – many home goods are merchandised there that kind of overflow the shelves. And they are usually sorted by color, so you never know what you’ll find.
Shop for One-Of-A-Kind. One of the best things about thrift shopping is finding cool, one-of-a-kind items no one will have. I love the quirky and weird you find. For example, I found this great pie dish, how perfect to take things up a notch with Apple Pie if it’s on the menu, and these hot dog holders.
Shop For A Rainy Day. Goodwill is a perfect spot to shop for a “Rainy Day Emergency Box” with items like puzzles, games, DVDs, costumes to play dress up for kids and more. I found this this Fourth of July puzzle that would be great for kids of all ages to pull out during a passing shower.
Shop Weekly Tag Sales. Finally, don’t overlook the sale tags. Save even more when you shop the week’s colored tag sale and save an additional 40%.
On top of the savings you’ll discover when you shop thrift, take a minute and appreciate not only the fact that you’ve just saved a bunch of money, you’re repurposing items and keeping them out of landfills. For more information, please visit www.goodwilljax.org.