Online consignment/secondhand shopping

[DianeB]

All I am saying is some people don't have money.
A coat even at $10 is not available.
Many churches and such have donation day to give freely what many do not have.


A coat is a coat. A coat sold for $10 can be turned into $50 or $100. ----

(sometimes that coat will save someone from being cold in winter for free vs. making money) It comes down to basics sometimes.


I understand what you are saying.....but sometimes local situations of free clothes etc. is needed.

I just mean---don't forget those events.

I don't.


Nicoles pre-school has the food drive happening now and all thru the year. Donate food now for the holidays. Same concept. Someone not being able to afford a holiday dinner will have one at no cost.

No cost is needed in many situations.

Its not that they are not giving people needed items. Sometimes, certain clothes or food items are not what they need. It is better for them to sell it and buy what they need. Charities have better buying power than an individual. They can buy at a much lower rate.

If asked, places prefer to have money and freetime donated than items. They are trying to maximize their resources to help those that need it most.

 

[FarmerChick]

You are missing the point.

I am not talking about what a charity organization wants....sure they want money. Money as usual.


I am talking about basic human needs being supplied to individuals who NEED.

Simple as that.

A person can't afford a $10 coat can get one for free from many organizations. Ones that do not have overhead like Goodwill etc.

There is a need for both types of organizations most definitely.

Giving to Goodwill means a person will probably have to pay money for that coat you donated----giving to a charitable event that offers that coat for free to an individual is also just as important--maybe even more!

 

[Ldychef2k]

Many years ago, I was employed by a national evangelist...the one who said the world would end unless he got a lot of money. I wrote his books for him. I hated that job, because it was a completely scam. Having been a Christian since high school, I was just stunned at the corruption.

As a result of that experience, and some high level exposure to leadership in church environments, I am completely in support of Farmer Chick's position. I do not donate to many organizations as I find their administration to be an affront to my sensibilities.

I DO donate to individuals. Not the guys on the corner with signs, but to people who are in real need....those who have not made the choice to beg for a living. (Don't get me started on all that.)

There are situations all around us where we can be of help, if we look. I have even set up a table in my front yard and fed kids on their way to school.

As far as the shopping end of it, many of our Goodwill type stores are not that much cheaper than WalMart. In fact, I have found several instances where they were charging as much as retail for something donated. For example, they had one contemporary quart jar without a ring for $1. I pointed out that you could buy a dozen of them at Winco, with lids and rings, for $7.50. They just smiled and nodded.

Charity is a touchy subject for me, as it was once my job to read and respnd to letters written by desperate people who believed that if they sent their last dollar to the televangelist, God would send them seven times that amount back in return.

I do NOT want to be that guy when we all stand before God to hear His judgement of our lives.

 

[big brown horse]

I get your point.

Our shcool always had a food drive, tooth brush drive and coat drive too. I have personally given away new back packs and school supplies, coats etc to other organizations where they in turn give them away free to children in need. In the winter, we give to state run nursing homes (blankets, slippers, robes) too. SPCA needs towels and food.

This thread is about shopping @ consignment stores on line though. Let me dig up one of the volunteering and donating threads. It is that time of year when more coats and blankets are needed for families in need who don't have the means to buy items from a store, thrift or not.

 

[DianeB]

Many years ago, I was employed by a national evangelist...the one who said the world would end unless he got a lot of money. I wrote his books for him. I hated that job, because it was a completely scam. Having been a Christian since high school, I was just stunned at the corruption.

As a result of that experience, and some high level exposure to leadership in church environments, I am completely in support of Farmer Chick's position. I do not donate to many organizations as I find their administration to be an affront to my sensibilities.

I DO donate to individuals. Not the guys on the corner with signs, but to people who are in real need....those who have not made the choice to beg for a living. (Don't get me started on all that.)

There are situations all around us where we can be of help, if we look. I have even set up a table in my front yard and fed kids on their way to school.

As far as the shopping end of it, many of our Goodwill type stores are not that much cheaper than WalMart. In fact, I have found several instances where they were charging as much as retail for something donated. For example, they had one contemporary quart jar without a ring for $1. I pointed out that you could buy a dozen of them at Winco, with lids and rings, for $7.50. They just smiled and nodded.

Charity is a touchy subject for me, as it was once my job to read and respnd to letters written by desperate people who believed that if they sent their last dollar to the televangelist, God would send them seven times that amount back in return.

I do NOT want to be that guy when we all stand before God to hear His judgement of our lives.

Evangelists are not the same as national charities. I donate to my church. Know for a fact they do give to those in need and do not make any profit. They also run thrift type stores in certain areas. Use the money for both welfare type services and humanitarian aid. Our family and many others had to take advantage of their welfare services over the years. Yes, churches and charities do help those in need.

 

[big brown horse]

I see Catholic thrift stores all the time, they are often located on Church property too. My mother loves to shop in those stores the most.

Ldychef,

I can totally see how you would feel after working for a national Evangelist. I would never trust those guys. But don't get me started too much corruption going on...

I love your idea of feeding children on the way to school!

 

[FarmerChick]

oh yes we do not want to head into "those who need for free" and those paying to get into heaven from a con artist.

I know what you mean and I see flames also on all those subjects.



I think if more people would truly "just donate time, money and "things" to their local area, the impact would be so important. So needed and handled.

With the big chains like Goodwill etc. (while they do help) I am like the others, the stores are NOT cheap. It takes massive overhead to run stores. While in the olden days they were cheap for what you bought, now I can go to another store and buy ON SALE a new item that they are charging the same money for used or more deplorable.

I truly think the economy of the time is stopping the good of what Goodwill was all about and all those other stores. Sad indeed. The way of the world is hard!


Going global. While I give to Red Cross etc....going global on a big scale due to fraud etc. is not MY PERSONAL goal. Taking care of the hometown is my goal. Just works for me.

But yes, donating to all is important. Donating to the backyard and for free when needed is also super important.


And yes, we have Christian Ministries store which is FAB! cost of anything never, ever, exceeds $5. I donated a mattress and bedspring and frame in great condition and it sold for $5. Now you know someone needed that and got a great deal and are "one up in life"

to me ya can't go wrong in that..LOL

 

[Ldychef2k]

These days, there is a lot of need everywhere. I am not sure it takes an organized ministry to meet that need. Maybe all it takes is individuals having a heart to help others. I bet many of us have neighbors or even just nodding acquaintances who have needs we don't know about, because we dont' talk. It's hard for me, but I do try not to be so focused on my own needs that I can't see the needs of those around me. I wonder what on earth I have to offer, and then the Lord shows me just how blessed I am, and I try to give out of that blessing, even if it feels scary because I am not sure how much MY family will need. And then I remember that there was a point just a few months ago that I didn't have one single thing squirreled away, and now I do. So if I give it away, He will bring me to this place again.

 

[Ldychef2k]

I just ran down to the Goodwill like store. They had a hot plate for $10 that you can get for $9.99 at walmart. They had a small battery powered lantern for $8, no batteries. Used cookie tins for $1 and you can get larger ones at the dollar store.

I just don't see the gigantic savings. Maybe they are taking advantage of the fact that we have a 17% unemployment rate in our county and they have more customers. Really irritating.

 

[BeccaOH]

Ooohhh, there is a butter churn on there.
http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=5408646

I don't need it. Got one similar.