I picked up these 6 painted metal, patriotic garden stakes at Value Village for $3.50 total last week. They still had the UPC stickers attached.
I'm reluctant to spend very much money on holiday decorations that will only be on display for a few days each year. So I check thrift stores, garage sales, free piles, and stores like Dollar Tree for decor for holidays that don't seem to have a "season" for display. I can still have a few decorative accents in our home or yard, while spending very little money.
While at Value Village, I noticed they had quite a few of these patriotic home and garden decor pieces -- various plaques, garden decor, and mantel knick-knacks. Someone at some point paid the full retail price for all of these items. They later decided to replace those pieces with something new, donating the cast-offs to a thrift store.
The way I look at it, paying retail price entitles a person to be the first owner of a good. I can understand the desirability of being the first owner. But for not being that first owner, I get a substantial discount on the good I buy at thrift stores or garage sales.
There is a downside. Because secondhand decor pieces are so inexpensive, there's always a temptation to buy more stuff than I really have use for. I'll just have to muster some self-control.
