Light-up wire pumpkins for $2.99 and $3.99. That is what a thrifter spotted on the shelves at Savers in Kansas, and she says pumpkins like them were probably $15 or $20 new. It was only one stop on a long day of secondhand shopping that ended with a leather-handled basket for $2.95 at a Goodwill in Overland Park.

The shopper behind the camera is Life Of Lonny, a YouTube thrifter who walks viewers through the aisles and thinks out loud about every price tag. She had just gotten off work on a Thursday, not her usual day to shop, and hoped the store was pushing out fresh carts.

What follows is a good lesson in how far a few dollars can go, and how much the price of the same kind of decor can swing from one store to the next.

Savers: Pretty Things With a Price Tag to Match

The Savers store was busy even on a weekday afternoon. Employees were restocking the shelves, and the aisles were full of shoppers. Her first big spot was a Capodimonte-style piece marked $15.99, with the bright colors she loved and a few chips on the back. She notes that it is rare to find pieces like that without any chips at all.

A shell-shaped milk glass soap dish was $4.99, though a large chip took it out of the running. A hand-painted milk glass lamp with filigree on the rim was $59.99, and a piece of pink depression glass was $4.49.

Then came the pumpkins. She found wire pumpkins that light up in graduated sizes, marked $2.99 and $3.99, and called them a fantastic deal. Her guess was that they would have cost $15 or $20 new, which is why she says they are such a good price.

Other items she passed in the aisle gave a feel for the store’s pricing:

• A hand-turned, two-toned wooden bowl at $4.99.
• Shadow box frames at $6.99 and $7.99 each.
• A lightweight faux pumpkin set at $1.99 each.
• A heavy aluminum piece that reminded her of Wilton cookware, at $7.99.
• A giant stuffed fabric turkey at $7, which she found so funny she had to share it.

The Handbag Aisle Reality Check

She also stopped at the purses, where the tags told a different story. A blush pink Kate Spade crossbody was $34.99, a Kate Spade wristlet wallet was $44.99, and a Michael Kors in a vanilla monogram was $44.99. A Michael Kors with a star pattern was $62.99, and a Coach bag that was older and well worn was $21.99.

Her take is that those prices are close to full secondhand retail, and she did not see anything in that section she could not live without. It is a good reminder that a thrift store is not cheap on everything, and that the best deals tend to be on the decor and kitchen pieces rather than the name brands.

She left Savers with the two-toned hand-turned bowl for $4.99 and an aluminum pumpkin, plus a collection of little Golden Books she says she has a project for. It was 4:00 in the afternoon with a drive home and supper to cook, so she did not fill the cart, and she says that was fine.

Goodwill in Overland Park: Where $2.95 Goes a Long Way

The Goodwill in Overland Park, Kansas, is where the prices dropped. Many items there were marked $2.95, and she filled a cart with pieces that suit the fall season.

The first find was a leather-handled basket with a pansy liner. She believes it is a Longaberger basket from 1992, and it was only $2.95. She also found plastic-coated containers for $2.95 that she says would be perfect for pens, pencils or makeup brushes, a vintage-looking item with hand-painted heart buttons for $3, and a Wedgwood Peter Rabbit child’s plate in the Oak Apple pattern that she called “how stinking cute.”

More $2.95 pieces followed. Bowls she would use for cereal or ice cream were $2.95 each, a footed candy dish with beaded detail around the rim was $2.95, and a crackle glass pitcher was $2.95. A copper and brass candlestick with unusual legs also came in at $2.95, but she could not find a mate for it.

Other items were priced a little higher at the same store. A Fire-King casserole dish was $4.92, a cobalt blue piece was $11.26, and vases and candle holders were $4.92. Handmade-looking salt and pepper shakers, a heavy IKEA measuring cup and a set of Studio pottery soup bowls rounded out what she looked at.

She settled on a short list for the cart: an alabaster bowl, a crackle glass creamer in amber, a souvenir spoon holder, a pie plate holder, the Peter Rabbit Wedgwood plate, and the leather-handled basket, most of it for $2.95 each and the alabaster bowl and creamer for $3.

A New Life for a Spoon Rack

The last stop was Hobby Lobby, where she looked at dried florals for a repurposing project. She picked up a bundle for $6.99 and plans to hang them in the little vintage wooden souvenir spoon holder she bought at Goodwill.

She calls this idea “the art of using it wrong.” The same holder could hold herbs to dry, such as thyme, rosemary or oregano, or hang on a gallery wall to add a bit of whimsy. It is a handy trick for anyone who browses thrift shelves and sees objects made for one purpose that could do another.

What to Take From This Trip

The big lesson is price comparison. At the Savers she visited, a milk glass lamp was $59.99 and a handbag was in the $40s, while across town the Goodwill had bowls, baskets and plates for $2.95. If you have two thrift stores near you, it can pay to visit both, and to check the tags before you fall in love.

A few more tips from her shopping style:

1. Look past the chips. She checks the bottom of ceramics and glass and walks away from pieces with big flaws.
2. Think about reuse. A spoon holder, a pie stand or a bowl can have a second life as decor.
3. Do not feel pressure to fill the cart. She left with a short list and was happy with it.

She says she hopes to list a few of her goodies on Poshmark, and invites viewers to share their favorite find from the trip.

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