Nope, not the general feeling towards mankind at Christmas, but the store. Goodwill is my favorite store. Surprised? Those who know me well, aren’t. There are so many reasons to love Goodwill, I like to tell you about a few.

1. You can get brand new jeans with tags still on retailing for $100, for $3.95! Yep, I did.

2. You can get brand name stuff that you would never spend that much money for in real life for that’s right, you guessed it, $3.95.

3. They always have lots of kids clothes. You might now always find something good, but most of the time you do.

4. They have furniture for a fraction of the original cost. Granted it might be a little “loved” but with four boys in the house, that is a good thing. They are just going to destroy it anyway. Yep, our couch, the leather recliner, $50 at Goodwill.

5. Books, really cheap books.

6. Lastly, it is super fun to people watch there. You can see some really interesting characters.

I know that some of you might be shocked that I have gotten 80% of my wardrobe at Goodwill, but it is true. I know it can be a little overwhelming to some, but really it’s not so bad. Here are my tips for shopping successfully at Goodwill:

1. Go regularly. Merchandise turns over quickly, so shop often. The best times to shop are during the week and especially right after Christmas.

2. When you walk in it can be a bit overwhelming to look at racks and racks of clothes, but they are all separated for the most part, in the following way. First there are sections for men, women and kids. Then by item: dresses, shirts and pants, ect. Then by style color and season. So, you think about what you are looking for. For example, a dress. Then you go over to the dress section and choose a color you like and start looking through it. You can tell pretty quickly what will and won’t work just by size and style.

3. Get choosy about labels. I only buy things that are from more expensive stores I have heard of. One label I like to look for is Ann Taylor. I like the stuff from that store but could never afford to shop there. I have found a lot of stuff at Goodwill from there.

4. Always try stuff on. I know some of you might think this is gross, trying on clothes that other people have worn, but you do that at clothing stores all the time. Other people try on the stuff you try on. Really. If you are that icky about it then wear tight-fitting shorts and tank top or something underneath. You really have to try stuff on though because most Goodwill’s don’t have a return policy.

5. Check the clothes for stains, rips and make sure all zippers work. A must!

6. Things not to buy at Goodwill. Some of these should be obvious, but just in case. Under garments eww!, socks, and lingerie double eww! I also, personally, don’t buy swimsuits there or shoes unless they have tags on them.

There you are. You really can save a bundle and get some really nice stuff at Goodwill if you are willing to get past the initial issues with going. I have gotten some really great finds. The other nice thing is that you can try out trendy stuff and if you hate it don’t wear it again, you only paid $3.95!