People who donate broken/incomplete stuff to Goodwill
5I look at cameras, electronics and some kitchen stuff at Goodwill and have found some great bargains. But I cannot believe the amount of stuff that is just 100% crap that is donated. Digital cameras and DVD players without remotes top my list. No power supplies is another. The real jab is that there are NO cash returns, only credit.
What is good/bad you found at Goodwill?
I found a late 19th century coin bank for $6 I sold for $600.
[AS an aside, I do wonder about small (unused) appliances that are Harvest Gold or Avocado Green and date back to the 70's. They kept them THAT LONG before getting rid of them???]
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FYI I noticed that you (likely on accident) posted this same topic 2 other times so I deleted the other two. Carry on.
@MEHcus
Great... So i read the other 2 for nothing.
I found a clocky alarm clock for a buck. It just needed new batteries. Now when my kid doesn't get up I put it in her room. She gets up, turns it off, and goes back to bed. I need a few more.
@sammydog01
Want the one from my Fuku?
@sammydog01
A bucket of cold water will work.
@FroodyFrog yes, yes I do. Thank you.
@sammydog01 I had/have a Clocky somewhere... I got it because I take a long time to wake up fully, and needed the push to actually move. Instead, I would just grab it when the first alarm sounded, and then cuddle it for an hour or so with my hand on the snooze button.
@f00l Or one of these.
@thejackalope I just ordered a Tocky from Woot. It's like a Clocky but I can record her little brother's voice for the alarm. I may end up with a broken window but it's worth a shot.
@connorbush She offered it to me first. So there.
Always amazed at how the stereo equipment is almost always cheap junk. Lots of single speakers. Where's the other one? I visit several stores quite often. I was surprised when I found a pair of Alesis monitors for $7. Looked a little rough and needed a minor repair, but sound great.
Got to wonder if stuff was donated without important parts, or inadvertently separated by GW staff. Stuff that I donate is usually stuff that I bought, used, and appreciated. And, rational or not, may still have some sentimental attachment. You take some care to get it there undamaged. It's kind of disheartening when the folks that help unload your car just toss it on the heap. One man's treasure is another man's trash. Mostly these days I find other avenues to donate.
That sounds kind of grumpy, but too late to edit now. On the other hand, I remember one time I donated an oven. They seemed surprised when I told them there was nothing wrong with it. I can understand how in influx of junk might make one... I don't know, jaded?
@walarney Jaded is probably a good description. When I donate stuff, I leave notes on them if they're fully functional or if there's an issue. The ones accepting them have been appreciative of it and on more than one occasion, set the functional ones straight on the "to be priced" cart.
The best donation - our old Whirlpool washing machine. It was bought from Salvation Army back in 1996, used by me, my sister, renters, and moved to my sister when she bought her house. It was donated back to the same store in 2009, and I joked that all they had to do was update the item number on the back -- which is exactly what they did! Crossed off the old number, wrote a new item number, same $89.99 price.
It was resold that same week.
@narfcake I love how older appliances seem to last forever, all the new ones I have seen bought recently, only last a few years.
@bryanlc They don't build them like they used to! If they did, consumers won't have to buy another one in a looooong time.
Remember the old lonely Maytag repairman commercials? That was the truth. Then they came out with the Neptune front loaders with a shitty design that soiled their reputation as much as those washers soiled the clothes that were being washed.
@bryanlc I think people are also less likely to repair appliances these days. I've got a dryer that's about 13 years old (which I'd consider "newer") with over 27,000 cycles on it (you can access the counter through a diagnostic menu). Parts wear out and I've repaired it multiple times. But if you compare the cost of a professional repair vs. a new machine with shiny new features...
@walarney There's that too. When it can run $100+ just for someone to come out to diagnose something, and then add in the parts/labor for the repair, some would just be "I'll buy a new one".
My uncle had a GE washer that stopped turning. He called a repairman, who I would commend as being honest. "Can you haul it to the curb? It's not worth fixing."
@narfcake There could probably be a whole new thread on appliance repair stories. Or maybe it's just me. I repair stuff not only because I'm cheap. I think about the work and energy and materials that went into building the machine, and it seems like such a waste to just scrap it. (Even if it is the manufacturer's designed intent.)
@walarney Likewise. The Bosch washer im using is a repaired one (display), as is the Kenmore my parents have (door switch). In the case of my uncle's washer, GE top loaders of that era had a weak transmission. Replacing it for $250+ means it might still be only good for another 2-3 years; not worth it.
@narfcake It's like mattresses; most aren't made to flip anymore, which is "convenient" but also means they wear out faster, so they can sell you another one sooner.
@jqubed @narfcake
Lousy mattress conspiracy
@walarney Something doesn't pass the smell test with those numbers. 13 year old dryer with 27,000 cycles. If you did one cycle per day for 13 years, that would be 4,749 cycles. That's an average of 5.69 cycles per day for 13 years without taking any breaks and seems unreasonably high.
@cengland0 Not exactly sure what they count as a cycle, but it pretty much is always running. (Insomniac mother-in-law does the laundry.)
@cengland0 I love that this bothered you enough that you took the time to do the math.
@cengland0 I did the same math, and agree, that seems like it can't be right. But maybe each load counts as multiple cycles (wash, rinse, spin, etc), so the number of loads would average out to 1 or 2 a day. Still a lot, but not as crazy.
Some stuff is fine incomplete; it just has to be priced accordingly.
Nearly all of my small appliances come from a thrift store. $50 Kitchenaid bowl lift mixer, $11 Instantpot pressure cooker, $15 Breville smart oven, $10 Zojirushi rice cooker, and $7 TFal deep fryer are among the better finds. I don't buy anything if it's not at least in good condition.
My $4.98 Panasonic microwave was missing the turntable glass, which I replaced for $1.99. Likewise, a $2.98 Krups toaster oven was missing it's rack. 3 weeks later, the same model was found at a different store with both its racks; that was $6.95.
And then there's woot shirts. My collection would only be like half its size without thrift stores!
@narfcake
Sounds like it's time for a Twilight Zone reboot.
@narfcake
Yeah great place for older appliances if you dont need top-of-the-line.
Electronics, not so much, often messed up. Tho i once bought 2 ipod nanos, last year's models, for $20 apiece at Salv Army, during the ipod heyday. They were both fine, the person who priced them didnt know what they were.
My local goodwill hq has a huge storage area full of old projection tv's. Who wants those? (Goodwill recycles them properly.)
As for missing cords...ok, i'm at goodwill. I dont have to buy it if it's gonna be s pain.
@FroodyFrog Meh. Nothing that unexpected.
Oh, and as for stuff being separated -- yes, it happens. Showtime rotisserie oven priced one week; the accessories got priced another week (because the tag colors were different). $8-ish total when the oven hit 75% off + 30% additional and the accessories were 25% + 30% off.
@f00l Yeah. FWIW, the Breville is still a current model.
@narfcake
I meant with regards to the t-shirts.
Just imagine the horror if one day you woke up, you were missing half of your collection, and nobody knew anything about missing t-shirts, because you never had them to begin with (the cause of which i can't say so as not to ruin the plot).
@FroodyFrog https://www.threadless.com/product/6133/PAWLESS
I'll admit to having had nightmares about missing shirts. Well, sometimes, it does happen; I still haven't figured out what my doggie did with Nyom Cat.
@narfcake
You know you have a slight issue when your nightmares involve missing t-shirts from a collection.
@FroodyFrog "slight"?
@narfcake Wow, that kitchen stuff is way more current than I've ever seen in thrift stores, nevermind at those prices. What area are you in?
@trisk SoCal. The greater LA area alone is 18+ million in population.
We're motivated two ways when donating stuff:
(1) Altruistic - therefore it goes to Salvation Army, not Goodwill (which in our region previously had some management issues and there is a bit of a nasty competition between two local Goodwill organizations).
(2) Tax deduction - would still donate without it but interestingly, instead of donating to Salvation Army we might target specific families in need (no tax ID would be necessary).
I saw an 8 inch floppy drive at a goodwill once, I almost bought it, but I would have no use for it, it just seemed old and cool.
As to What stuff we donate...
- It must have useful life left.
- Clothing: not sure if this is still true, but even end of life clothing can fetch a few bucks on the ton when palleted and sold overseas by the charity.
- We have donated (otherwise nice, high end) appliances that were non-functional when we knew exactly what was wrong with them. We labelled them with exactly what was wrong. A lot of the parts inside appliances are interchangeable and some charities have the expertise to do these repairs.
- We have donated electronics with missing or broken remotes as long as the device itself worked. Who are we to send it to the landfill when someone might find it useful - perhaps with the addition of a cheap universal remote?
- Judgement call: can't imagine why old-tech analog TV's would be useful, but some of our local charities still accept them if still working.
- Not worth it: Old Windows XP PC/laptops. Churches needing PC's won't even take them. (Of course remove the hard drives and physically destroy them.)
@RedOak
i still have a w2k one in a closet somewhere. I still need to get stuff off it. Not booted now for 15 years or so.
Interesting ethical/moral conundrum - if it is a charity serving folks in need (as opposed to a commercial resale/consignment shop) is there an expectation not to take advantage of the charity?
You find something that clearly has big value but is priced at pennies on the dollar vs its value. Should you point it out to the charity rather than buying it yourself for resale?
'Not talking about the originally $500 dress going for $20. Referring to something that is priced at a tiny fraction of what it would fetch in a knowledgeable market today.
@RedOak
Before I toss out a point for people to keep mind when giving their opinions on that question, I just want to toss out a related dilemma which can help a person's thinking:
If you see someone collecting money, and as change you get a coin (or bill) worth a decent amount, do you point it out to them that they could sell it and get a nice sum for it, or keep it for yourself?
The point i want to toss out is- would they rather get an immediate buyer now yet get less money, or wait longer but get more?
While writing this, it just occurred to me that the jackpot payout for the lottery is a good analogy;
Should a person take the lump sum now, or take the slow payout but get more money?
@FroodyFrog those seem to be different scenarios.
The "someone" in your first example appears to be anyone, not a charity serving others. Is there a higher standard of ethics for dealing with a charity serving others?
The query does not refer to items of trivial value.
The lottery example is not related at all. The current value of the payout has been mathematically calculated assuming an assumed investment/inflation rate of return to be of identical cost to the lottery commission whichever choice you make. The State(s) is(are) ambivalent as to which choice you make.
@FroodyFrog but to your Lottery example, I personally believe the lottery is an unfair way to collect taxes. In a sense, it is the perfect tax since it is completely voluntary. However, it also prays on individuals who might not have the awareness that it is a fool's game, no different from gambling at a casino.
@RedOak
I should have explicitly mentioned that the "someone" in my case is someone collecting charity for themselves.
Then again, it could be even where someone's collecting charity for someone else.
You mention that you're not talking about items of trivial value.
Why would an expensive item be any different than a coin worth a couple hundred dollars. (Of course, a lot of coins are worth significantly more than that, but the odds are greater that one would find a coin with 3 digits than 4 or more)
@FroodyFrog based upon personal conversations with people running services for the homeless, it is often not helpful to give money to people panhandling. We can have no way of knowing whether that money will go toward constructive uses or feeding an addiction.
As to trivial or not - you might be splitting hairs and missing the point of the question!
@RedOak
If i saw a person on the street collecting mone, i probably wouldn't give anything for the reason you specified.
But in my area, almost all people collecting have proof of some kind that their stories are true.
I.e Someone collecting for someone who has 10 kids, is trying to marry off 3 of them but doesn't have a job because their wife has had numerous medical procedures will show letters from various doctors involved.
(Sorry to say, but the above story is commonly told by people who come here)
@FroodyFrog sounds like an elaborate ruse. Microsoft Word can produce some very official looking letters.
No idea where you live, but in our area none of the panhandlers has any more credible proof of their affliction other than a cardboard sign. And counter proof being a well-stocked, new looking pack on the ground next to them plus wearing an expensive colorful Columbia or North Face parka (not kidding or exaggerating).
@RedOak As an aside, you really should accept the lump sum lottery payout. Even relatively modest returns (assuming modest expenditure as well) will get you more money in the future.
@PocketBrain yes - on the receiver side a lump sum (from a strictly financial perspective), especially since a major payout will likely top out their tax rate either way.
And States are forced to invest conservatively so the internal rate of return they use to set the recurring payout amounts will be lower than the rate of return an individual will typically expect (higher risk tolerance). In English: your investments should in theory grow the money faster than the State would via recurring payouts.
The prior discussion referred to the cost to the States (designed to be cost ambivalent either way from their perspective), rather than from the perspective of the receiver.
@RedOak Believe it or not, sometimes people donate nice things. Coats, hats gloves, and backpacks are things that homeless people can use and people frequently donate. These can be given directly to a person who needs them or dropped off at a shelter to be distributed to people who need them.
Shelters also need underwear and feminine hygiene products. People rarely donate those. If you don't want to give a panhandler money, consider giving them a package of new underwrar instead.
It is very difficult to get a job without having a smart phone and at least one comparatively nice outfit. They need the cell phone to arrange each interview, and the outfit to wear to each interview. There are charity programs that provide smart phones. Also, smartphones are lifelines for people whose lives are falling apart. Sometimes people skip meals in order to pay their phone bills. Phones are more important than food.
Having one or two nice things does not make a poor person into a wealthy person.
@hamjudo Yes, I am aware.
We donate good condition suits that no longer fit to our church program that lines them up with people looking for jobs. And serve on weeks when our churches host homeless persons.
I also repair PC's on the side for free or at cost for people who cannot afford new PC's - a PC being very helpful in job searches.
We've had several local news stories track corner panhandlers to their $30,000+ cars. And be offered work only to be turned down.
Direct to panhandler is not an effective way to match help to needy persons - that is better left to organizations experienced in doing so.
@RedOak Thanks for the good work you do.
What the hell? I did a lot of shopping at Goodwill in my student years, and didn't really have a problem with electronics missing power supplies or remotes. Usually only took a minute to unearth a compatible power supply in the old pile, and universal remotes, anybody?
And no, I never found anything with a ridiculous resale value, though I wasn't looking, either.
I found a Gamecube at one with no cords. I asked and was told that they sort out the cords at the center and don't keep it with the item. Makes no sense to me but it seemed accurate as nothing there had cords.
Thrift stores and charity shops are worse than crack for me. Every Christmas I exchange boxes of 'used' items with an old friend. Many items are NWT; some are half of a pair (real Staffordshire china dog for $3.00); some are destined to be repurposed (bag of mixed & tangled costume jewelry= tabletop Christmas tree ornaments, plus 3- 18k gold earrings, waiting for a trip to the pawnshop ). Three Kong dog toys, still in packaging. Heck, yesterday I bought two NWT king size pillow shams from Goodwill - for $ .90 each. Those are in the wash today; I'm keeping them. Hi, my name is OldCatLady, and I am a thrift store junkie...
@OldCatLady My electric pressure cooker was $8.99, my LaPavoni espresso maker was $40 ($800 new)...saves us money to keep the cats happy here in sillycat valley.
I got a pair of Klipsch Heresy II speakers from a Goodwill when I was in high school. Can't remember if they were $20/ or if it was $20 total. Didn't come with speaker cable, but I think that was a fairly good buy anyway…
The worst i heard was from a missionary in Haiti. When unloading donations, they found used tea bags. Don't know if it was on purpose, a joke, or a mistake. Unfortunately my cynicism leads me to believe that someone genuinely thought, "hey, there's still some tea in there!"
Much of the staff working at Goodwill stores where I live are "volunteers." Some of them are there merely there to meet mandated community service hours. Donations are tossed into a large bin with little concern for keeping things together.
Once inside donations are sorted and anything loose is simply treated as a separate item. No one seems to bother if it was paired with another device. Speed is all that matters and much of what goes in together comes out as separate items and are sometimes rendered useless because of it.
Merchandise is rotated regularly and what doesn't sell is boxed and shipped elsewhere. Sometimes to another store where people just grab right out of the bins.
After that, who knows. It might end up as recycling. Something that works, was well taken care of and can offer several more years of reliable service meets a grisly end thanks to the people at Goodwill.
This is why whenever I have something that must stay together like a DVD player with remote or an old gaming system I never donate to Goodwill (at least not the ones in my hometown) because I know they'll treat it like crap and it will probably end up as garbage.
Sell it on eBay or to a store like Half Price Books that is willing to buy. You get a few bucks for it and a working device can find a new home.
@TheTexasTwister
When donating i use masking tape to keep all the cords and stuff w main item. I think it works, not sure.
I donate good stuff to Salvation Army, as I see it in the store later and they give a lot away to people trying to make a better life. I did find some big honking white boxy Apple boom box there made for old iPods that also has an aux-in. I use it in my studio when doing a final check of a radio show I pre-record.
Hey …WOW your arithmetic is SPOT ON!! DAMN GOOD WILL HUNTING !! Things you never think about.huh. it ALL comes relies on Numbers …
@LITTLEMANGAGE ummmm welcome I guess?
I found fable for PC for a buck at a resale place. I even opened it to check and see if the disc was there… unfortunately didn’t check to see if BOTH discs were there.
I bought an incomplete item from a thrift store (there might be pictures of it in my once-popular Thrift Store Score thread located at https://meh.com/forum/topics/thrift-store-score). It’s an AM/FM tuner, but it didn’t include the unique power adapter, and I still haven’t tried to turn it on.
The thing with incomplete or materially non-functional items being donated is that it’s like “the road to hell.” As the road to hell is paved with “good intentions,” so too is donating incomplete items to thrift stores. The donator may think, “Someone can use it,” but that someone is likely rare, and it’s more likely the item will be bought by someone who will just get frustrated with it.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
/giphy thrift store score
I volunteered at a local non-profit thrift store a few years back. We would basically be going out doing free trash hauls at some people’s houses. But it all works out.
@therealjrn The thrift stores around here are throwing out tons of good stuff, even with price tags hanging from them; one throws out unopened bags. Around here, one by one, they are throwing things into trash compactors rather than dumpsters to prevent people from dumpster diving. Was that happening when you were volunteering at that thrift store?
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