Goodwill Vs. Value Village

I used to like shopping at Goodwill better than Value Village.  My folks have a Goodwill near them where in the past, I've found countless pieces of primo vintage goods for a fair price. The last time I went there (granted it was late on a Sunday), the only thing good was a cheerful fondu pot (just the pot). I was almost tempted to buy it when I noticed the $9 price sticker! I almost fainted.

They do have a silent auction there which my father has done very well at, but I'm a little sad that things have become so expensive.

Value Village is hit and miss. Sometimes they too seem to be overcharging for goods, but there is always a good chance that I will come home at least with a nice tea towel for $2.99.

I know, I know. By blogging about vintage things (and now selling), I'm contributing to the price push at these stores. However, I do feel that if you're running a thrift store that gets their stock mainly from donated goods (which I contribute to  - as do thousands of other people each day), we deserve to get a deal. It's like having a yard sale. I participated in Valley Antiques Garage Sale in May and I blew things out at rock bottom prices because it wasn't an antique booth - it was a yard sale. People don't come to yard sales wanting to pay more than $2 for most things. All that was left behind was donated. Yes, donated to Goodwill. I'm Canadian and for many of us that means straddling the line between charity and masochism.