Good Will Hunting

Goodwill stores was one of my popular shopping destinations when I was living in the United States. Few people here know about Goodwill. It is an organization that provide training and help disadvantaged people get jobs. It runs a chain of Goodwill stores, where it sells used goods donated by the public.
For the two and half years I was staying there I liked to dropped by the Goodwill outlets. I just liked to browse and see what they have. I remembered one of Singaporean colleague once broke the glass pot of his coffee maker. A replacement of the whole set would have cost something like $15. I found a replacement of the pot at Goodwill for just $1.50.

What made shopping at Goodwill interesting was that sometimes you could find something interesting that someone just donated. And they had color tags with discounts on different days.



There isn't anything like Goodwill in Singapore. Salvation Army's thrift store probably come close though I've not been there before. But recently I discovered Cash Converter.


A few months ago the hot pot at home burnt out. I was going to get a new one but remembered seeing used ones selling at Cash Converter. I checked out the store near my house. Most of them were going for about $15. I could probably get a new one for about $35-$40. I could not make up my mind. For another $20, I could get a brand new one, which comes with warranty. Besides, it is not like I could not afford that $20... I walked out of the store undecided.

That night, I happened to pick up The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard. As I was reading it, I suddenly realized that I got it all wrong.

The point wasn't really about new versus old, and saving dollars and cents.

If I was really serious about conserving the environment (which I always thought I was); if I was really serious about reduce, reuse and recycle; then the consideration should not have been (just) about saving the $20. And if I was serious about practicing what I believed in, the choice should have been obvious.

The next day, I went back and bought a used hot pot for $15 at Cash Converter. And that weekend, we had a hearty vegetarian hot pot meal with my family.

Since then, I had been browsing at the Cash Converter frequently. Most of the time, it's the same old junk. Or stuff which I have no need for. But I've found some gems.

I recently bought a Nikon D3100 DSLR camera. I didn't realize that it is possible to bargain at Cash Converter. I tried my luck and managed to bargain the camera from $600 down to $555. (Later, I found that there is a vibrant resell market for DSLR cameras on the internet and if you are lucky, there are better deals).

I found a very good deal in a wireless mircophone system which I bought and installed at Buddha Dhamma Mandala Society.

Recently I got lovely old-styled  mahjong set for just $10.

And just this weekend, I found a VCD box set of the anime series Record of Lodoss War for just $1.50! It's an old anime series, back from my university days. For nostalgia sake, I just had to buy it (it's $1.50 anyway).


Unlike Goodwill which is a non-profit organization, Cash Converter is a profit making company.  Its business proposition is about money: cash for the ones selling unwanted stuff, and savings for the thrifty ones. But it does play a role in recycling and reducing waste.

The next time you need some appliances, may be you should just drop by one of such thrift stores first. You may get a great bargain, or you may not. But beyond saving a few dollars, you do contribute a little bit towards conserving the environment.