Shop, Save & Give Back at Goodwill – a $25 Challenge!

Back to School shopping… UGH! It can break the bank! Every year I gulp as I see the total flash on the LED  screen. I try to be frugal when I can, while still getting quality products that I know will last all year. But then, right when I think I’m done with the shopping and spending, I’m reminded of the gym clothes that my middle-school-aged daughter needs, or a lamp that my teenage daughter has requested for her newly decorated study space. Does it ever stop?

This year I was approached by the Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, in their effort to encourage local parents to send their kids back to school in style – and help their community at the same time! I don’t usually include the Goodwill in my back to school shopping list of places to shop, but once I thought about it, we (my daughters and I) love to shop at local consignment shops for hidden treasures at bargain prices.

So we visited Goodwill with a $25 budget challenge!

At first, yes, the racks of clothing overwhelmed my soon-to-be 6th grader. She jumped to the conclusion that there wasn’t anything there for her. But then… she discovered this cute bulletin board to post her “homework to-do” list ($2.99.) From there, she found a pair of shorts ($1.99) and a designer t-shirt ($2.99) that would work for her gym outfit. My oldest daughter found a rack of adorable shirts and began filling up her shopping cart. My 13 year old son was over-the-moon excited when he discovered an amp for his electric guitar. My husband tested it out to make sure that it worked (which it did!) Maybe I need to find those ear plugs in my bedside table…

So all in all, our shopping trip to Goodwill was a success! The kids were surprised at the quality of items they found! My daughter found six shirts, two books, and a purse, coming in exactly at $25! My son found the guitar amp and a couple t-shirts, also for $25, and my youngest also stayed on budget with her gym outfit, bulletin board and two jackets.

Would you like to take the $25 Challenge, too? Enter our giveaway below! We will choose a winner THIS THURSDAY (8/14), so that you can shop for any last minute school needs!
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#goodwillbacktoschool is as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4.

1.     Donate last year’s school clothes to Goodwill.
2.     Pick up some fresh threads for the upcoming school year.
3.     Keep your wallet happy by not spending a lot.
4.     Help create a job for someone in your community.

Donations (and shopping!) equal jobs … and jobs change lives!

• Donating and shopping at Goodwill funds job training and placement programs that help Central Floridians with barriers to employment. This includes people who have disabilities, those with limited work history, military veterans transitioning to civilian jobs and others.

• Every 24 pounds of donations provides one person with services that can help them find meaningful work. Last year alone, Goodwill served nearly 33,000 people in its Job Connection Centers across Central Florida!

With convenient drop-off sites and dozens of stores in neighborhoods near you, it’s easy to make a donation … and to make a lasting impact in your community. To find a location near you, visit www.goodwillcfl.org.