I love your dream. I think that’s totally hysterical and also really pointed. It seems like the thrifting has definitely worked its way into your brain, even if you’re not able to use it right now. That’s a great thing! =)

What I have been doing is when I need ANYTHING the first thing I do is look for used items. Craigslist, and Goodwill and a small consignment shop are the only resources here in Port Orchard. There is a St. Vincent de Paul but I am not sure if I support them. Their website states “The Society collaborates with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served because, in them, Vincentians see the face of Christ.” This is a much more open view than that of the salvation army, which I do not support, but I will have to see if they practice what they preach. I also found out there is a Value Village in Bremerton and will have to see how good their selection is.

Because of these 2 factors I haven’t really been able to put the MMM into practice. I have heard it says you are mastering a new skill when you begin to dream about it. This tends to happen with foreign languages. But the night before last I dreampt that while on vacation I had attend a wedding and didn’t have anything wear. we stopped by the local thrift store and found stuff. we didn’t have any extra room in the luggage so we just dropped it back off when we were finished with it. weird but cool, huh?

@ Lisa – I agree, shopping secondhand has done a *world* of good for my style. And thanks for the link (OMG your family is RAD and your daughter is adorable. Love the name beatrix!) I look forward to the thrift list!

@ Diana – Sure, send them along! Why not include some international thrift treasures? also a tip on maternity shopping – if you just buy regular clothes that are super stretchy (and tops that are longer, which are in style now anyway), you can get away with a lot for a long time. I’m just now, at 33 weeks, starting to rely solely on ‘real’ maternity wear.

@ stephanie – Wow, those are amazing bargains! My only pair of Citizens were secondhand and I think I paid near $50 for them (but damn those jeans fit me awesomely and made my ass look *good*). Also, my wedding dress was by Nicole Miller, *sigh*, I lover her! I scored the dress, secondhand of course, on Ebay. Still paid $600 for it, but that was the best money I ever spent on a dress. I’ve never felt ‘pretty’ like I did on my wedding day. =)

@ Anne – I agree, the most fun shopping there is! Great post!

@ Karmalily – My immersion blender is this awesome puce colored thing from the 70s, haha! And I do the same thing, especially for dishes for recipe posts here on Bonzai! ;-)

@ Austin – Value Village is my absolute FAVORITE. It takes a long time to shop it right, but it’s like meditation for me! $10 Lucky’s is a huge find too, congrats!

@ Liz – Thank you, Im so glad you’re finding useful information here. I love hearing that kind of feedback! Would you mind emailing me the address of your favorite thrift store(the Goodwill?) in Pittsburg? Thanks!

@ Jenny B. – Yay! I know, it’s a crowd pleaser – can’t really go wrong with shopping! =D

@ Christy – That’s awesome! We’re also in the process of furnishing our living room. We found a great Craigslist couch but haven’t had much luck after that. Craigslist is such a great resource. And I love secondhand furniture!

@ Ginger Baker – i love the community wall idea, I wish we had something like that here in my neighborhood. Hmmm . . .

@ Sarah – It’s taken some time, but my relatives have learned that I prefer not to have new things bought for me. It was a matter of gently inserting my thoughts on consumerism and environmentalism into conversations, while still being gracious when I was given something. Like I said it took a while, but they totally understand now and no one’s feelings were hurt. It’s harder with the baby and some stuff just *has* to be new, unfortunately, but I’ve been blown away by how supportive people have been in getting me secondhand baby stuff. It’s so awesome! So I say, just keep bringing it up in subtle ways, mention why you’re not buying anything when everyon’s out shopping together, and eventually they’ll come to understand and respect your decision.

@ Lily – Those sound like great hauls, I want pictures! =D

@ bashtree – I hear ya! I work at home too and casual/comfortable/movable/washable pretty much sums it up perfectly. I *ahem* often just wear jammies. SHAME!

@ Stacey – Ebay is great but can be a bit overwhelming to navigate. Still, you can find some pretty awesome secondhand stuff there. Etsy is also amazing with a huge vintage/thrift marketplace. I definitely suggest checking out Etsy for online secondhand shopping. Not only are you getting secondhand clothes, but you’re supporting someone’s small business!

@ Leah – Hm, whereabouts in the south are you? I remember some amazing little spots in Texas, in Mississippi, and [I think] somewhere in the Ozarks. I like those small town thrift stores because vintage is less trendy there, and you can really score some amazing stuff! Good luck with the February adventuring!

@ Staar – Um, I’d say $500 off is a real steal! =D I <3 Value Village and have found some truly amazing stuff there.