It’s a brand new year, and one of the promises we made to ourselves would be to reconnect with our hobbies. For some of us, that means setting aside more time for art, writing, and building boats. While for others that means rededicating themselves to the honorable pursuit of awesome thrift store goods.

Hunting for interesting finds in thrift stores, garage sales, and secondhand shops is an adventure in itself. You can never tell what treasures you’ll unearth by accident. And it takes a seasoned veteran to spot truly good deals. The next thing you know, you’re back at home, showing off your goods—from the wonderful to the peculiar—with everyone you can.

One of the places where people show off their awesome secondhand finds is the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit, an online community with a whopping 2-million-member count. Scroll down for the best furniture, clothes, jewelry, and other knick-knacks people found, and upvote the pics you enjoyed the most.

Bored Panda reached out to the moderator team running r/ThriftStoreHauls, and Casey, the founder of the subreddit, was happy to answer our questions. We spoke about the community, how thrifting has changed during the pandemic, and why people love thrifting so much.

The founder said that to them and a large majority of the subreddit’s members, thrifting is a treasure hunt. “Sifting through racks upon racks of items. Seeing what could be useful to ourselves, or someone we may know. For some even, like myself, it’s a place I enjoy going just for the number of things to look at and talk about. I love finding stuff I want/need or would be cool to own, but I also just like looking at neat stuff.” However, within the last couple of years, there’s been a shift in how some people, especially new members, view thrifting. Read on to find out about it.

Got any thrilling thrifting tales to share with all the other Pandas? Drop on by the comment section. In the mood for some more secondhand shopping fun? We’ve got you covered. Check out Bored Panda’s previous article about r/ThriftStoreHauls when you’re done enjoying this list.

#1 The Wedding Dress Of My Dreams (And In My Size) For $40 At Goodwill

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The reasons to go thrifting are as varied as the people who go bargain hunting in secondhand shops. “I think the thread that goes through most of them is the hunt. You can’t go to a thrift store and get what you want. You have to spend the time going often, and at that point, you only increase your chances,” Casey told Bored Panda.

“So when you finally go into that thrift store and you find that thing you have been looking for weeks/months/years. The end of the story you get, and the excitement of finally owning it. Everyone who thrifts for the experience gets that to some degree, whether consciously or subconsciously. That is why the subreddit works. We are sharing the ends of the hunting story with everyone else who knows that feeling. Sometimes it’s a hunt that lasted a week, sometimes it’s a year or more.”

#2 Me: “How Much Are These? There’s No Price.” Lady: “$10 For Both”

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#3 When The Checker Asked Me What This Was, I Muttered That It’s For Making Coffee And Ran Away. $1200 La Pavoni Europiccola Espresso Maker For $6.50 At Goodwill. My Coffee Dreams Have Now Been Fulfilled

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The thrill of the hunt might be important to most members of the sub, but some new members see thrifting as a way to make cash. “The last couple years there has been an influx of people looking at thrifting purely as a place for monetary gain. Which, I am fine with. I understand their need/want for the extra cash. Where that line intersects the sub however is where I put my foot down,” Casey, the founder of the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit, told Bored Panda.

“I don’t care what you do with your stuff, just keep the ‘this is for sale’ or ‘I want to buy this if you are selling’ off of the sub. Furthermore, in our push to keep the reseller influx to a minimum we have made it a rule not to allow information-seeking titles. Which does sting a bit because we have such a lovely community of knowledgeable people. It was just getting to the point where people were just using us as a more specific google with less work.”

#4 My Thrifting Has Peaked: Kitty Sweater With Hand Painted Fish Buttons!

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#5 $50 For This Old Heavy Dresser And Mirror. I’m In Love

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#6 My Thrift Store Find. Emerald And Diamond 18k Gold Ring. $16

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The founder stressed that when they made the sub, they simply wanted to create a place to show off what people got. “Simple as that. So far with our growth, it seems like that vision is shared with a lot of people, so we keep growing.”

Bored Panda spoke to the creator of the community about how the pandemic has impacted the thrifting lifestyle. Here’s what they had to say.

“Early in the pandemic, I had a sticky post stating that we should just remain at home. Wash your hands, stay away from people. I said that that was just my opinion, but regularly I would see people (pre-pandemic) state that the sub had inspired them to go thrifting. Which that, I felt a bit of guilt since I would assume people were still going based on seeing all the cool stuff people were posting. I told everyone that I can’t force them to not go, just be mindful. As time passes, and more people are vaccinated, I still urge people to be safe,” they told Bored Panda, adding that they literally got their booster shot 30 minutes before writing back to Bored Panda.

#7 Just Found This Beautiful Baldwin Organ. Works Perfectly, And Got It For Only 170$. My Biggest Thriftstore Haul Of All Time , I’ve Wanted One Forever!!

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#8 My Mum Bought A Load Of Yarn From A Thrifters And Made This For Me! It’s So Good!

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#9 This Behemoth 80s Lotus Lamp Was A Literal Haul…its Huge! Brass, Pink, 80s And Floral Are My Weaknesses

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The founder of the sub said that they haven’t gone to their local thrift shops a lot these past few months. “My local Goodwill is having staffing problems. I don’t know if it is because of Covid, the r/antiwork movement, or other factors. The same amount of people is going to the stores as I have always seen, if not more.”

What’s more, they noticed that the prices of secondhand items have been going up, too. “We could only assume it’s because with more people going, maybe they think they can find people that would spend that amount. I just don’t want to see non-sold eBay listings taped to random items at a thrift store. I think it’s tacky,” Casey said.

#10 Bought At My Local Small Town Thrift Store. I Love Him

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#11 Found At Local Goodwill: An Exact Copy Of The Sweater My Mom Has Owned For At Least A Couple Decades

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#12 So Happy With This Goodwill Find! Nwt $50

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The last time that Bored Panda got in touch with the r/ThriftStoreHauls community’s moderators, the subreddit had 1.6 million members. In just a year, they’ve added a whopping half a million new redditors to their ranks. We think it’s very impressive. And it shows that a lot of people relate to the content they post. There are far more thrift shoppers than you think!

The founder of the subreddit shared with Bored Panda last time why they created r/ThriftStoreHauls in the first place. They told us that, at the time, there weren’t any subs with strong communities that were dedicated entirely to thrifting and secondhand shopping.

“I wanted to have a place where people could share the items they found, but the subreddits that existed at the time were not active at all,” the founder told Bored Panda.

#13 It Finally Happened To Me. After Years Of Being Jealous Of People On Here For Finding Them. I’ve Finally Found My White Whale! For Ten Dollars

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#14 Visited A Salvation Army For The First Time Yesterday And Picked Up This (Possibly Vintage?) Dress! It Was 25% Off So I Paid Less Than $5!

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#15 Thrifted Nwt Couch From The Local Salvation Army. Couldn’t Believe My Luck!

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According to them, moderating a subreddit of such size is actually “fairly simple.” It’s not as time-intensive that many of us would think. It takes roughly 30 minutes of work each to approve new posts, go through spam and reports, remove posts, and enforce bans.

“I don’t want people selling or advertising their blog or anything like that. A picture of the thing you got, that is it. That makes the subreddit easily digestible,” the founder said that the r/ThriftStoreHauls is supposed to be straightforward, focused, and pure. “We thrive in having a singular focus.”

#16 Found A Van Gogh Classics 4-PC Fine Bone China Mug Set For $7!

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#17 I Found Hundreds Of Love Letters Between A Sailor And His Wife During 1918 (Ww1). They Start Out As A Secret Couple, Then Marry After A Few Months! He Also Has The Mumps For A Bit Lol

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#18 Thrifted This Rattan Etagere For $30!! Favorite Find So Far

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A year ago, the founder of the sub told Bored Panda that they hadn’t been to any thrift stores in person since January of 2020. “There was a lot of talk about how great it would be once they opened since people were stuck at home and probably were cleaning out their garages/attic/closet. From the content I have seen, nobody seemed to get amazing scores. So, other than a limit to how many people can be in a store, I really don’t know,” they explained what the thrifting situation was like at the time.

#19 For Years I Was Always Tempted By Miniature Chairs At Thrift Shops, And Then One Day I Finally Bought Nine Of Them

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#20 Internalized Homophobia And Misogyny I Thought I Had Long Ago Dealt With Has Always Kept Me From Exploring This Side Of Myself. Well, On My Last Thrift Run I Said To Hell With That, And When I Tell You I Have Never Felt So Elegant, I Mean That In A Heart Changing Way

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#21 My Smoking Hot Duck I Found Today. I Did Not Even Know It Was An Incense Burner, I Just Loved Him

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“There is always the hope of finding something awesome when out thrifting. Not finding anything can take its toll and take away the fun of going. What I tell people is to go and just enjoy looking at stuff. Bring a friend and have some laughs. Buy a random CD and have that be the CD you listen to while out thrifting. Then, if you do happen to find something awesome, it’s a bonus,” they shared with Bored Panda what the thrill of thrifting is like.

#22 $15 Vintage Dress At An Estate Sale That Fits Like A Glove. I’m Feeling Little Bo Peep Meets Gunne Sax Meets Pride & Prejudice!

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#23 Cute Baby Side Table For $25!

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#24 A Selection Of My Haul From Today!

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The Covid-19 pandemic had changed how thrift stores and secondhand shops operate. Some shops have focused on increasing their online presence and setting up delivery services. Online ordering and curbside pickup have become the norm in some areas.

Other shops have taken to limiting the number of customers who can be inside the store at any one time. Mask mandates, plexiglass barriers, and hand sanitizers are some of the ways that these shops keep their employees and their customers safe as they go bargain hunting.

#25 My Husband And I Turned This Antique Fire Extinguisher He Got For Free From A Co-Worker Into A Side Table Using A Marble Top We Found At A Garage Sale For $1. Really Pleased With How This Turned Out!

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#26 My Luck Has Truly Been Bananas. Broyhill Brasilia Set. Couple Bought A House, Previous Owner Left It, It “Wasn’t Their Style”, They Wanted It Out. $100 For The Set

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#27 The Most Amazing 2 Piece Vintage Set That I Just Thrifted For $10

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#28 Thrifted These Two Comfy Chairs For My Coffee Shop For $70 Total!!

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#29 Fffff-Forty Dollars You Say?!!! Drexler Mcm Walnut Bookcase

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#30 You Guys. Look What’s Coming Home With Me Today! Nils Jonsson Troeds Lyon Credenza, Made In Sweden, $20. Needs A Lot Of Tlc But This Is My Dream Find!!!

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#31 Well I Don’t Know How To Say This But I Bought A Bedroom Set At The Local Gallery And Didn’t Check The Drawers, After Moving It All Up 3 Flights Of Stairs I Found Photo Albums, Notes, Cards, And This Exorcism Kit

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#32 Made Monochrome Outfits This Week! Everything Pictured Is Thrifted!

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#33 Fully Thrifted Bedroom Dresser Set Up

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#34 I Found A Matching Vest For A Skirt I Purchased Over A Year Ago! I Had No Idea It Was A Set Until Today

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#35 I Found A Suit For My Son At A Yard Sale. $15.00

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#36 My Thrifted Living Room!

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#37 Catch & Release But Now I Regret It

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#38 I Got This From Fb Marketplace , I Think He Likes It

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#39 Another Dress I Made From A Vintage Bedsheet I Found At The Bins, Aka Treasure Trove

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#40 I’ve Been Wanting A Piece Of Stained Glass And Found This

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#41 A $40 Thrifted Vintage Lace Wedding Dress. I’m Eloping In July And It Fits Perfectly!

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#42 I Collect Old Drinking Glasses And Came Across This Beautiful Cabinet Last Week At Salvation Army! It’s Perfect

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#43 One Of My Favorite Finds In A While. 1970s Toucan Tea Set

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#44 Was So Happy When I Found This Dress Second Hand And I’m Happy To Say I’ll Be Carrying On It’s Legacy And Putting It Back Out Into The World

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#45 One Of My Most Cherished Thrifts To Date

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#46 Herman Miller Marshmallow Sofa For £200!

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#47 Photos Of My Elopement In My $25 Thrifted Wedding Dress! I Know It’s Not Anything Fancy, But I’m Very Happy With How It Turned Out!

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#48 In Love With These These Gold Earrings!!

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#49 Finally Found The Thrifted Lamp Of My Dreams. My White Whale

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#50 5 Euro Strawberry Halter Dress Thrifted In Paris!

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#51 Almost Died When My Husband Came Home With This Beautiful Piece Last Year From Goodwill!

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#52 I’m So Stoked On This $1.29 Find

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#53 In 1978, My Mom Made A Ceramic Tree For My Grandma. When Grma Passed In 2001, My Uncles Gave It Away To Goodwill. In 2002, I Found It (Confirmed Marked On Bottom) At A Local Thrift, For $15

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#54 This Is How The Mandela Effect Began

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#55 Found This For $15 At Goodwill

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#56 $15 Dollars At A Thrift Store.. It’s An Original! Holy Cow I Could Look At It Forever

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#57 Probably My Most Unique Rattan Find Yet; A Gossip Bench

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#58 Not Really A Haul But I Work At A Thrift Store And Found A Polio Vaccine Card Today. Felt Kind Of Fitting Lately

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#59 I Bought A Box At An Estate Auction And Found A Wallet Full Of Old Money

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#60 Update: I Got The Couch!! Thank You All For Your Support. I’m In Love

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#61 My Boyfriend Found This Vintage Sofa On Facebook Marketplace For $100! We Were The Second Party To Inquire – Luckily The First People Never Showed Up To Pick It Up! We Just Finished Fully Cleaning It And Re-Stuffing The Seat Cushions

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#62 Could Not Leave Bernie At The Thrift Store

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#63 I Love Lemon Print And Found This Gorgeous Dress At Goodwill For Less Than 5 Bucks

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#64 The Best $3 I’ve Spent In A While, And A Rare Find For My 4yo. Full Circle Skirt, Perfect Cuffs & Collar, Complete With Heart Buttons

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#65 This 100% Silk Emerald Green Dress For $8! Here Are Some Different Fits With Stuff From This Weeks Haul. I Got 2 Pairs Of Shoes, 2 Belts, A Scarf, Necklace, Dress, And 2 Shirts For $62 Found At Goodwill And Local Thrift Stores

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#66 My First Post Here And My Best Find Ever. Selig Lounge Chair From The Goodwill

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#67 Picked Up This Drexel Playpen Sofa At A Local Thrift Shop For $249 Yesterday

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#68 Update On The Diamond Earrings I Thrifted. Just Picked Them Up From The Jewelers, Cleaned And Appraised

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#69 I Know Painting Furniture Is Unpopular In This Sub, But What About Painting On Thrifted Hand Bags? Saw This Purse At Gw And Just Felt It Needed Some Dugtrio!

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#70 My Sister Thrifted This Pair Of Radical 90s Pants With An Intact Ticket Stub From The Opening Weekend Of Jurassic Park At The Mall Of America In 1993

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#71 Found This Handmade Jumpsuit At The Goodwill Outlet That Fits Me Perfectly!

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#72 Found This Gorgeous Designer Allen Schwartz Dress For $7 At My Local Resale Shop With Tags, Retails $350. Looks Like I Found My Prom Dress!

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#73 Been Thrifting For 28 Years Now. Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day With My All-Time Favorite Thrift Find. I’ve Donned This Polyester Gem For Well Over Twenty Years

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#74 Thrifted A $1k Espresso Machine For $15. Made Many Coffees. Have Yet To Remove The Tag

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#75 Little Stained Glass Peach I Got For $1 At An Estate Sale

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#76 Pour One Out For The Homies…looks Like The World Lost A Pimp

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#77 My Blazer $.99,pants $.99 And Shirt $6.00. I’m A Business Woman On A Budget. Outfit Came From Goodwill And A Consignment Shop

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#78 I Followed My Gut On This Stunning, Unmarked Lapis Pendant. Jeweler Confirmed 18k Gold And Diamond. I Paid $20

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#79 Found A 20 In The Back Pocket Of Some Jeans I Bought Today. I Have Been Blessed By The Thrift Gods

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#80 Hallucinogenic Plants Golden Guide. Just 30 Cents

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#81 One Of My Very First Quirky Finds In 2022. A Beehive Shelving Unit

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#82 I Call My Latest Thrift Find As A Hammerhead Shark Lounge Chair

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#83 Continuing My Quest To Cosplay Like A 90s Sitcom Character In My Fully Thrifted Outfit. Top Was $3.99 And Skirt Was $1!

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#84 Sergio Bustamonte Toucan. The Thrift Knew What They Had, But Also Supports A Women’s Shelter, So: Everyone Wins

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#85 Found This Tiny Portable Dishwasher On Facebook Marketplace For $40. It Was Barely Used, The Protective Film Was Even Still On. These Go For $380 New!

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#86 Been Thrifting For Years, But This Has Got To Be My Favorite Sweater Yet!

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#87 Le Creuset Mortar And Pestle For $3.99!!

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#88 Found This Dope Sweatshirt At Gw For A Couple Bucks

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#89 Picked Up This 50s 60s Pendleton Jacket Today For $25. It’s Brand New!

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#90 I Have No Words For What I Did Today

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#91 I Like To Paint Nonsense Over Pictures I Buy At The Thrift Store

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Source: boredpanda.com