Goodwill Badwill Questionable-will — Kids’ Edition

by Katy on July 28, 2017 · 24 comments

Today’s Goodwill Badwill Questionable-will post is dedicated to the kids. All the innocent children who tag along with us as we peruse the thrift store aisles.

Oh boy, a wall of Christmas mugs! Kids love Christmas, and “Winter is Coming” is just another way of getting excited for the holidays nice and early. Right?

Oh wait . . . is that a dire wolf? This must be a Game of Thrones mug. Incest and murder and messed up sexy time? Oh my!

Definitely not for the kids!

Well then, let’s browse the toy aisle. That should be more appropriate, and look they even have a doll that’s brand new in its original packaging.

But what licensed character is this?

Is it Disney? Is it Nickelodeon?

Nope, it’s “Leather Face” from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Might explain why Junior became phobic about being left alone.

How about some clowns then? Kids hold nothing but affection for these benign lovable characters.

Oh, wait . . .

Clinically depressed and he has his pants around the ankles? Best to “just say no” when this guy asks you to “honk my nose.”

Run kids, run!

But let’s not hold that single pervy clown against the entire profession. Lots of clowns are responsible stand-up citizens. Fully clothed and responsible enough to volunteer in any kindergarten!

Uh oh . . . looks like this clown might be a bit too inebriated to be the proper choice as little Susie’s new pal.

Books. Let’s go look at books. They’ll trigger all the warm and fuzzy memories of when grandpa used to sit with us on the couch to share his love of classic children’s literature.

Grandfathers and books, the perfect combination!

Grandpa? What are you doing with grandma?

NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Might be best to leave the kids at home while thrifting.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }

Bonnie July 28, 2017 at 12:52 am

I need some frugal advice, frugal friends. My 16 year old all paid for car was stolen today. Who does that? Who steals a 16 year old Honda Civic with body damage?!?! I filed a police report, I notified my insurance company, but now what do I do? Even if about half of all stolen cars are recovered, how long do I wait. I am also a labor & delivery nurse with a high-stress job for which I must be on time. I am on-call all Friday night. Do I take a cab up the hill? I don’t have UBER because I only have a frugal flip phone, not a fancy phone. Do I start shopping, take out a loan, wait a week while bussing and cabbing it? And Katy be warned. I live in SE Portlandia, too. Dammit, I don’t want a car loan. I want to go traveling.

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Katherine July 28, 2017 at 3:44 am

I’m sorry that your car was stolen, Bonnie. If it were me I would see if I could borrow someone’s car or get a cab. I would never, ever get a loan for a car

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anna July 28, 2017 at 5:11 am

Check with your insurance about rental car coverage, they may give you a week at least.

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gina July 28, 2017 at 5:31 am

I used to sell insurance. You did all the right things by calling the police, reporting to your insurance company. Now you have to wait a little bit while they do searching. Yes, like anna said, ask about rental coverage thru your insurance company. If you had comprehensive coverage, then your insurance company would take care of fair market value for the car minus your deductible. Sorry you’re dealing with this. Best of luck to you.

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Jennifer July 28, 2017 at 6:10 am

I think I would give it at least a week for it to turn up. Can you ride to work with someone and pay them a little for just a short time? Do you have a friend/family that might give you a loner car for a week or even pick you up and drop you off. I would be thinking about another car just in case. Sorry I’m not much help, as you have probably already thought of these things. I used to work in the ER three hours away from my home and I stayed at the dorms in the hospital to keep from driving home, at times. . I know you want to be home but I thought it might be an idea if you are working a few days in a row
So sorry this has happened to you!.

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Nan July 28, 2017 at 1:16 am

My sis had an old car stolen several years ago when she lived in
Minneapolis. It was recovered- lots of fast food wrappers and reeking of cigarette smoke but the police found it. They figured some homeless person found it and had been living in a week. Did she leave the keys in it?? She will never know. Good luck! In the meantime, maybe you can borrow a car or rent one by the week.

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Loretta July 28, 2017 at 1:22 am

Oh Katy, thanks for the laugh, though if I saw those clowns in my op shop I would run screaming.
Also, before reading your blog, I had never come across the phrase ‘taking one for the team’, but every day when I peruse my fridge for lunch and assemble some odd little concoction no one else in my family would dream of eating I think of you. And actually, most of my lunches end up being rather delicious, though I will be happy when the very spicy kimchi container is empty!

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Bellen July 28, 2017 at 5:00 am

Read you daily and am always amazed at what you find at Goodwill. Now, I’ll go to Goodwill for a good, clean?, fun time! Always up for frugal good times.

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janine July 28, 2017 at 5:41 am

Loved this blog entry! Only question is why didn’t the donators keep these “wonderful” keepsakes or did the philanthropic bug get them down and they felt obligated to share with the world?
Stolen car – probably the thieves wanted reliable Honda transportation? Yes, by all means check with insurance company for rental coverage in this situation.
On the frugal front – going to a fundraiser in August and have been asked to donate an auction item. Plan to donate a bottle of sweet cherry wine from Wisconsin and a Cuban cigar. We don’t like sweet wine or smoke – think it will at least be good for a few laughs. These were both well meaning gifts from friends. Don’t think Goodwill is interested in either of these items!

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Jennifer July 28, 2017 at 6:11 am

I want that winter is coming mug! So cute!

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Louise July 28, 2017 at 8:59 am

What would one do without your wit? Thank you, as ever for saying and alluding given all that is happening. The Scouts here are not part of such an influential body i.e UK. And Christmas? Well only- how many months to go? Thank You.

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MommaL July 28, 2017 at 9:17 am

You are hilarious, Katy. 🙂

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Mrs. Picky Pincher July 28, 2017 at 11:26 am

Bahahaha! I love these thrift finds! There’s so much weird crap at the thrift store. Leatherface is my favorite lol.

I do find some good wins at the thrift store, too. You just gotta look in the right spots. I recently scored a high-end stainless / glass canister to hold my tea. I also got a very nice glass cake holder for $12.

Gotta love thrift stores. 🙂

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Liz B. July 28, 2017 at 1:31 pm

Bwahahahaha!! Great post, Katy!! This is why I love thrift shops…the, um, interesting things you find there.
Though if I originally owned that GoT mug, you’d have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands to send it to a thrift shop. I’m team Stark all the way. (I still can’t forgive them for offing Ned Stark in Season 1…..sob. whimper.)
The books made me tgink of one time ehen I was thrifting with my son in tow….he was probably 5. We were looking at the kid’s books, and there was a board book about COPD in there (COPD being Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). I’m guessing its original use was to explain this disease in basic terms to patients. So, there are pictorials of healthy lungs, and diseased lungs….uh, let’s put this one back. Let’s see….yes! SpiderMan, there we go!! Lol!

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tia July 28, 2017 at 1:52 pm

My son loved thrift stores when he was little. Where else could you get all sorts of electronic junk for pennies, and then take them apart and put them together and no one yelled at you for messing with their stuff. Thrift stores gave my son a career. Do they have a mug that says “Tech Genius in the Making”??

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Bee July 28, 2017 at 4:28 pm

I have purchased secondhand for years and years. I have seen all sorts of things! When I visited the GW in a nearby neighborhood recently, there was a lovely leather bustier with fur trim and garters for sale. It was behind the counter, and it had a big price tag on it. Kinda of a gross secondhand purchase in my humble opinion.The Karma Sutra makes it on to the shelves from time to time too. To paraphrase Forest Gump,,”Thrift stores are like a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to get.”
Alas, I left with neither of those objects. But I did purchase a beautiful piece of old Meissen porcelain for $3. Made my day!

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Bee July 28, 2017 at 4:32 pm

Perhaps I should note that the adjective, lovely,which was used to describe the bustier is meant to be sarcastic. :-).

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ouvickie July 29, 2017 at 6:55 am

I wonder i bustier was an Anniversary or Birthday gift some wife received from her husband?
I figure that’s why some of those lingerie items end up donated. LOL!!!

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Jennifer July 28, 2017 at 4:49 pm

I hope you bought that exercise book. It would make a great present for someone turning 50!! haha.

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AnnW July 28, 2017 at 5:00 pm

The direwolf mug recently sold for a little less than $12.99 plus $6.95 shipping on eBay. Did you buy it? For eBay, weird sells. I just went to the eBay sellers convention in Las Vegas

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ouvickie July 29, 2017 at 6:51 am

ROFL! Too funny, Katy – you found all the twisted donations!
I’ve had some weird gifts through the years, but thankfully none of them were a Chainsaw Massacre doll!

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That Other Jean July 29, 2017 at 7:18 am

Hmmm. . .I suppose we could be thankful that the donors got these goodies out of their own houses before their own kids had to go to a therapist to deal with the trauma. If only they had considered other people’s kids. The clowns alone would have been enough to send me straight out of the store.

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Gail July 29, 2017 at 2:38 pm

Wickedly funny post

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Lisa M. January 28, 2018 at 8:05 am

OMG, this entry made me laugh until my stomach hurt, especially the clown. I am a new subscriber reading back through your posts. I must say I appreciate your wicked humor but this entry stands out as the funniest item I have read in years, maybe ever. Your sarcastic writing is incredibly hilarious. What a gift!

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