Frumpy Middleaged Mom has no money this Christmas, yet she still has children. This is a dilemma I will solve by buying gifts this year at thrift shops.

I have friends who cringe at the very idea of pawing through racks of used goods. I have no such scruples.  These days, I prefer to think of it not as being a tightwad, but as being green. That’s right, I have been a cheapskate so long that it’s finally become chic.

Last night was one of my first Christmas shopping forays into what I like to call the Golden Triangle of thrift shops, a string of secondhand stores along First Street in Santa Ana, mostly between Bristol and Fairview. You could spend an entire day going from store to store.

Ski bibs like new for $1.91

Yesterday on the way home, I scored big: A pair of used ski bibs at Sav-Mor Thrift  in perfect condition and, luckily in both of my kids’ sizes, for $1.91 each.

I came home, wrapped them up for Christmas, and put a note inside saying the gift includes a snowboard lesson at Sundance resort in Utah, when we visit my brother who lives nearby.

Santa Ana is a great place to find cheap ski attire, because skiing is not a big hobby in that town.

When I was a kid, our family had no money at all.  Some people, when they’re broke, eat fried potatoes. Well, we ate fried water. That’s all we had.  And that’s why my mom taught me the thrill of scrounging the racks at a secondhand store and suddenly coming across some overlooked gem. You have to have a bit of treasure seeker in you.

I was also thrilled to find some cute stuffed dogs at Goodwill in perfect condition. My kids are crazy about stuffed dogs. By the way, you can put stuffed animals in the washer, and they usually come out fine.

Cute puppy like new for $1.99

Cheetah Boy will be enjoying his new inline skates, $10.49. I actually let him try those on, to make sure they fit, then ripped them away from him and told him they were going under the tree. And he’ll like an Angels logo shirt that has obviously never been worn, that I paid $1.99 for.

There are some caveats I’ve learned about thrift shopping in the Golden Triangle. Make sure any electronics work before you leave the store. If I’m looking for a lamp, I bring a light bulb to test it. Beware of donations that look new in the box from Target. They are sometimes broken.

Goodwill is not always that cheap. To save even more money, watch for their

95-cent bags of stuffed animals

occasional sales. Like, all orange tags are half price today. The Salvation Army has some good sales. I’m so tight I often won’t even buy anything unless it’s on sale from its already used price.

But one deal I’ll never be able to beat: Plastic bags of small plush animals like Beanie Babies for 95 cents, at Sav-Mor Thrift. The kids LOVE Beanie babies, so I buy the bags and stash them, giving out the toys as prizes. It’s a real steal.

Posted in: Frumpy Middleaged Mom - Marla Jo Fisher • christmas gifts • Frumpy Middleaged Mom • goodwill • Orange County • recycling • salvation army • thrift shop |

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