Reaching a new (potentially unhealthy) level of thrifting

A few weeks ago, we needed to get the kids out of the house. We took them to the place we enjoy going to most: Goodwill. There is no better way to spend a Friday night with the family.

However, this Friday night led to a level of Goodwill insanity never before experienced in our home.

Tessa ran into the store, while I waited in van with the kids. She came out of the store, and told me I had to go check out a leather couch and love seat.

I had been looking for a nice leather love seat on which to photograph families and couples. I entered the store and hummed and hawed. The couches looked great and were on sale for $130. It is hard to justify $130 for couches when our current seating arrangement was standing up fine to the abuse of the kids.

But maybe if we could get the couches for $65 that would be easier to handle?

The next day was the dreaded half-off Saturday. Half-off day is a stinker; all the good stuff immediately disappears from the shelves.

We inquired with one of the employees about half-off day. She said that people start lining up at 7:30 for the 9:00 AM opening. She also indicated that the line usually extends past the front of the store and around the side.

How bad did I want these couches? My plan:

I would drive over to Goodwill on Saturday morning. If there were five or more people in line, I wouldn't bother. I assumed that one of the first five were after the couches. If I could be one of the first five in line, I would take my chances. If I could wake up in time, I would do it. Tessa thought I was crazy.

All night I dreamed about the couches and standing in line at Goodwill.

I woke up, and drove over. I arrived at 7:15 AM. It was just me, and a Goodwill employee chatting until 7:30 when the next person arrived. Between 7:30 and 8:00 about 10 more people arrived. But at 8:00 it really started to pick up. By 9:00 the line snaked around the converted supermarket.

I was the first shopper in the store. I didn't want to look lame and run to the couches. However, when people started jogging past me, all bets were off. I ran to the couches, and staked my claim.

Within, the next 30 - 120 seconds others arrived looking for the couches. They were already mine. As the Goodwill employees carted them out, I held my hand on the couches to help steady the precious cargo. People oohed and awed as we rolled by. This was me at my Goodwill best! Or worst?

Edited by Tessa to add. They are very nice sofas and it was a great find but there was a bit of sweat equity that went into these babies. We've conditioned and cleaned and worked at them and are on the last of our second bottle of leather cleaner. I liked them better than the cream sectional we had though. Hopefully, these will stand up to the "love" of our children a little better.