Great Way to Help Katrina Victims!

I thought I would post about my new addiction that seems to be a win/win/win situation. GOODWILL INDUSTRIES! This week Goodwill is having a Donation drive for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. All the clothes that are donated will be counted up for their dollar value and the total will be donated to the Red Cross! I thought this is a great way to help out ...especially if you are broke like me! Of course they must then sell the clothes in order for the cash they hand over to be a reality! As many of you know, or soon will know, as you start moving down the size chart it can get quite expensive to keep buying a new wardrobe every month or so. Since my surgery I have been blessed by many friends who have passed on clothing to me as I drop rapidly through the sizes. But now that I am into the Misses those hand-me downs are getting fewer. As I began shrinking and undergrew my own clothes, I did what I always have done and donated them to Goodwill. But I had never really shopped there before. In the past several months, I have started exploring the MANY Goodwill locations in GReenville and I AM HOOKED! I have found some of the cutest things for the cheapest money ever. Dresses, workslacks and skirts, blazers, jeans...you name it and they have it. Prices in our area run as follows: Blazers and dresses = 6.99, shorts, pants, skirts, blouses = 3.99. Some of the stores will have specials and have a certain color tagged item @ 1/2 off. (Last night I stopped on my way home and found a lined, silk suit jacket from Jones New York. It was marked 6.99. Got to the register and surprise... it was 50% off b/c it had a red tag! Then earlier this week I discovered the GOODWILL CLEARNACE CENTER!!! Oh my God...I found Nirvana! :rolf: They price by the pound! YOu need patience and no distractions to do this kind of shopping b/c nothing is organized by size or type of clothing BUT... they price the clothing by the pound. On this trip (I only had 15 minutes left on my lunch hour) I found two pair of jeans and two pair of Lee brand slacks. They were in good shape, no stains, look barely worn. The four items weighed 6 lbs. At .99/lb I paid 5.94 for four pair of pants!!!! This weekend I have already told my husband to find some entertainment b/c I am going back and spending the whole day there! Please keep Goodwill Industries in mind and help them raise money for Katrina Relief. It is a great charity and everybody wins!!! Happy shopping! Leisa Size 24/(16/14)/10 280/176/140

WOW, THANK YOU MS LEISA FOR ALL THE INFO ... BOTH ON THE KATRINA RELIEF ... BUT, ALSO ON WAYS TO STRETCH OUR BUDGET. WE ALWAYS GIVE ITEMS TO GOOD WILL - JUST TOOK TONS OF STUFF ... BUT, LIKE YOU, NEVER THOUGHT TO SHOP THERE. GUESS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEKEND!?! I ALWAYS THOUGHT WAL*MART & K-MART WERE THE INEXPENSIVE PLACES TO SHOP ... THANK YOU SO MUCH! GOD BLESS ... DAWN & NICK

Thanks Dawn! Ok here is another GW update! I went to the Clearance store on my lunch hour. (.99/lb) I got an Evan Piccone' dress and a pair of pants for my little sis. WhenI told her about my first trip she said "cool, what did you buy me?" I got two jackets (one blazer and one kind of indian blanket looking style) two pair pants and a sweater that matched both pants. That is 7 items that weighed 7 lbs! $6.93 Also found out, while I was there that after so much time on the floor they remove 6 tables at a time and bring in 6 new ones that noone has been through before. I saw lots of men's clothes too! Have a ball this weekend and let me know about your bargains!!! Hugs to you both! Leisa