Goodwill Hunting

Looking for a pair of perfectly broken-in Guess jeans for $6? How about a Rocawear hoodie in new condition for $4? Thrifting isn't just about sifting through used-record bins and sorting through racks of vintage clothing anymore. While big-box retailers report current sales 11 percent off from this time last year, Goodwill Industries reports an average 7 percent increase in sales nationally over the same time frame, with regional sales ranging from 3 to 10 percent. Other nonprofit thrift stores from coast to coast are boasting retail sales spikes anywhere between 10 and 25 percent for the past year.

And is that a Mercedes out there in the parking lot? It's no longer just college students and the underprivileged ripping feverishly through the racks; all walks of life are now chasing the bargains, from suburban housewives to the inner-city affluent. Meanwhile, by all accounts, donations are down, due to people selling their wares to for-profit boutiques, on eBay or at seasonal garage sales, trying to squeeze a dollar out of previous purchases.

One great benefit for donating your stuff to nonprofit thrift stores is the tax deduction you can take on non-cash charitable contributions. This year I donated my Toyota pickup with a blown motor to Goodwill (actually, one of my ex-editors did it after the eyesore occupied a corner of his backyard for almost a year). Goodwill even came with their own flatbed truck and hauled it away. After stripping what usable parts they can from the vehicle, it was explained, the cars are crushed and the cubes sold for scrap metal. In turn, I can now deduct $500 (the max allowable) on my 2009 tax return. There's even an IRS guide that explains what can be deducted, another to help you determine the value of charitable items — from clothes and household items, to cars and boats, stocks and bonds, even real estate — that you're considering donating to your nonprofit or church, and a IRS form to write off your donations.