This day is so Epic, I’m going to break it up into several posts…

I started the day with Chrissy and Anna in Franklin, IN – which we learned is about an equal distance for us both to travel – to try out the monthly Johnson County Antique Market (held on the Second Saturday of every month from 9AM-3PM).

Admission was $2 but that didn’t keep big crowds from coming out to enjoy the event. At times it was a little tough to move around, especially within some booths, but we still managed to find some treasures. Chrissy found great some great vintage thread spools and I found some fun valentines cards and valentines-themed jewelry.

I also found an old vintage “Little Red Hen” puzzle. Even though I’d vowed to skip on puzzles for a few months after all the collecting I’d done for the Puzzle Extravaganza at the Monroe County History center, I couldn’t pass on something unique. Besides, that’s one of the cardinal rules of thrifting: If you see something you like, get it…because the odds of it being there if you go back are slim.

Tips we took away from this first stop on our thrifting trip to Franklin:

1. It took us a while to remember that you can haggle at antique markets (unlike other thrift stores) and most vendors definitely seemed willing to make a deal.
2. Check pricing, while most things were rather consistently priced, there were some differences from vendor to vendor so it paid to shop around a little before making purchases.
3. Bundle, put a few things together for more pricing leverage.Vendors don’t want to carry everything back home with them at the end of the day – so oftentimes, the more you buy, the better the deal.
4. Talk to the vendors. By talking to one of the vendors we learned about a lot of other stores in town as well as other antique markets and fairs in the nearby area.

Today, my sister joined me after work on my “thrifty-turf” for a spin at the east-side Goodwill in Bloomington. When it comes to thrifting, I am admittedly more of a sprinter, whereas Chrissy is the marathoner–especially when it comes to clothes, so I definitely had my work cut out for me today trying to keep up with her!

I was already in line, waiting to checkout when Chrissy lured me over to take a look at the coat section. I’m ever so thankful for her efforts, because I found the perfect red London Fog trench coat for a Carmen Sandiego Halloween costume. Funnily enough, Chrissy found a nearly identical London Fog trench coat in beige, but she ultimately passed it up.  I on the other hand splurged a whole ten bucks on what is sure to be one of my favorite costumes of all time!

Chrissy found many treasures including an adorable measuring cup set, another great basket and lots of cute “new” clothes. She even found a great pair of Clark’s sandals on the “the cart” near the end of our visit…and as she rightfully pointed out – that pair of shoes alone, would have cost more than what she spent on everything else.

“Found a great London Fog trench coat” ….”So did I!”

A basket full of goodies from the Goodwill

“Peace Train” – a reminder to the kids to keep things “chill”

Preppy IU scarf

V.I.L.E. Henchmen everywhere: Eat your heart out!

“Chance made us sisters, hearts made us friends”

I also found a fun sound machine that I’m looking forward to using in upcoming episodes of our podcast, and a USA Olympic jacket – for only $2.50 (because it was tagged with the “Color of the week”  – I’m so ready for our Olympic-themed garage sale this summer!

What’s the best tip for finding great treasures at thrift stores?  Frequent trips! A visit to a thrift store doesn’t have to be an day-long affair. I’ve gotten quite good at making a quick stroll through the stores I like best in under 10 minutes (typically while my husband listens to a game on the car radio or catches up with Facebook – but sometimes when I just have a few minutes to spare on my lunch hour).

You don’t have to commit to going every day, but for the best picks – try to get to your favorite stores at least once a week so you have the best pick of new arrivals. I’m a fan of Saturday evenings – having found that Saturdays tend to be a day when people do lots of house cleaning. Lots of people hit the Sunday color-of-the-week sale at the Goodwills in the Indy metro-areas, but if you are looking for something very specific, keep in mind that you might have the best selection on Saturday night.

On a related note – there’s no need to go broke. Remember – if you are only looking for treasures or things on your “shopping list” you don’t have to spend a fortune (or anything at all) every time you go to a thrift store.

My favorite finds this week?  More puzzles, some fun new scarves, and a murder mystery party!

My sister Chrissy and I grew up in a thrifty family, we shopped at discount outlets, flea markets, and discount chains our whole life. One of our dad’s shopping mantras was to check to see if stores took expired coupons, undoubtedly a value that his very frugal parents instilled in him. I guess its safe to say that thriftiness runs in our family and Chrissy and I undoubtedly got the thrifty gene. But surprisingly, it wasn’t until our thirties that we discovered the joys of thrift store shopping – something to which we are both now completely addicted.  We are also working hard to pass our thrifting skills on to a new generation, i.e., her three kids.

We have so much fun exchanging tips and talking about our thrifting finds and adventures and we’ve been saying that we were going to start a blog for a long time now – but this year we’ve decided to make it a reality.  We invite you to join us (virtually for now) on these adventures – and to share with  us your own thrifty stories and tips, if you feel so inclined. In the meantime, happy hunting and best wishes, from Jen and Chrissy – The Thrifty Sisters!