Im rethinking my anger towards Goodwill prices.

[krslam]

Around here, after 3 weeks the price drops to half. After 4 weeks, it's $1.79 regardless of the original price. Very, very few 'good' items (not counting clothing) make it to the $1.79 sale so their pricing strategy, whether you like it or not, seems to be working.

 

There's a common misconception that Goodwill's "job" is to sell stuff cheap, when actually the stores exist solely as a way to raise money for their job training. Salvation Army closed all but one of it's stores around here a couple years ago due to low profit margins and the president (or is he called General?) came out and said the stores exist to support SA's mission; it's not SA's mission to support the stores.

[Osgeld]

That's another thing that bugs me about goodwill

 

There's 4 stores tween my house and my parents house 1 claims to have a jobs center and it's a mostly empty room with some pamphlets in it

 

So the way I see them is its their job to have interesting things for fair prices cause all they are are a department store advertising on the Superbowl, taking advantage of free product and cheap labor

Edited September 10, 2016 by Osgeld

[krslam]

Most of the retail stores don't have training centers on-site so the majority of the training isn't visible to the public.

 

Free product + cheap labor = huge profits, right? Nope, they are a certified non-profit organization (and regularly audited to verify that status). Some of the money goes to run the operation including advertising (Superbowl or otherwise), and a (very) few bad apples (looking at you, Portland!) have given their officers outrageous salaries, but by and large the money gets spent how it should.

 

Again, if you think selling stuff cheap is the reason for the stores, then you don't understand their true purpose. Ask to speak to the store manager and he/she'll gladly explain it to you.

[icemanxp300]

Most of the retail stores don't have training centers on-site so the majority of the training isn't visible to the public.

 

Free product + cheap labor = huge profits, right? Nope, they are a certified non-profit organization (and regularly audited to verify that status).

 

 

Non-profit my ass.

 

Goodwill International CEO, Jim Gibbons, made $729,000 in salary and deferred compensation. Ok, you can argue, so he made less than other CEO’s but he’s (Goodwill) still taking advantage of disabled employees.

 

http://www.719woman.com/blog/do-goodwill-ceos-make-millions/

[krslam]

Or, about $3.36 per 'graduate'. I wonder how many of the 217,000 people goodwill has trained for real jobs, just this year, would begrudge him that salary. But, hey, you're right, he should lower his compensation just so you can buy old videogames cheaper. Nice priorities.

[Osgeld]

Again, if you think selling stuff cheap is the reason for the stores

 

I have been in goodwill stores, I know better than cheap

[icemanxp300]

Or, about $3.36 per 'graduate'. I wonder how many of the 217,000 people goodwill has trained for real jobs, just this year, would begrudge him that salary. But, hey, you're right, he should lower his compensation just so you can buy old videogames cheaper. Nice priorities.

 

 

Do not sit there and say that is non profit when one person brings in damn near 7 figures. All these so called "Non-profit" charities really irk me. If $700,000 is not profit what the hell do you call it?

 

Yes he should lower his salary and pay the workers more! Don't assume I am saying he should charge less, I could care less what they charge but his salary is uncalled for from a non- profit organization.

[krslam]

OK, the CEO now earns $0, and each of the ~105,000 employees gets a $7 per year raise. Hooray!

[icemanxp300]

I don't care where the money goes except for in the pockets of 1 person. I don't think any non-profit organization employee should make over 6 figures ever! Technically I think $50,000 is a generous salary for non- profit, it's called non-profit for a reason! Since Goodwill's mission states:

 

"Goodwill works to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by strengthening communities, eliminating barriers to opportunity, and helping people in need reach their full potential through learning and the power of work."

 

Somehow lining one persons pockets with $700,000 does not meet the criteria of that mission, at least in my opinion. Whether they pay workers more, create more programs, or simply help those in need does not matter to me. People pocketing funds like this and they call it non-profit is a complete lie!

 

This is why I rarely ever donate anything to anybody. Donate $1 and $.20 actually goes where it should. I would rather personally give someone in need items/$$ at least that way I am not paying someone else to cypher majority of the funds from those people the money should actually be going to.

[krslam]

Fair enough.

[thadsilverfox]

My point isn't to say "look how cool I am", but rather to point out that many poorer people are poor for a reason. They make bad life decisions, and focus on the now instead of the future. I actually have friends who make fun of me for saving so much for retirement (while they save nothing and depend on our pension plan and SS), or for having stuff like a small TV (while they have wall-sized 4k sets) or an old car (while they're driving luxury European cars). But they can check back in with me when we're both in our mid-60's, and we'll see who's laughing then.

I would say that your friends will be the ones laughing at you because they chose to enjoy life while they were young and in their prime. They will have memories, a fulfilled life, and nothing in common with you.

Edited September 11, 2016 by thadsilverfox

[Schizophretard]

Same goes for used video game stores. People get upset when they walk in to some locally-owned shop to find them asking $45 for a loose Contra cart. They could charge $20 but then some clown would just buy it to throw up on eBay, and then the store would just be full of games that no one wants, which would bring fewer people through the doors.

If video game stores, Goodwill, flea markets, garage sales, or whoever are selling games at eBay prices to block resellers from putting them on eBay then even with good games there are less reasons to go through the doors because you are getting eBay prices. In other words, the whole reason for me to leave this computer and the convenience of eBay shopping to go look for games in the wild is to not shop on eBay and get some kind of better deal but if I'm getting the same prices anyway then going to a store is like going to another eBay but one with a smaller selection. If a store is full of games that no one wants then that doesn't just mean that resellers bought all the good games but customers that intended on keeping the games and went through the doors to go somewhere that isn't eBay. The prices shouldn't be ridiculous in the opposite direction like say $.25 but competitive enough to justify the existence of the store because if they are going to use eBay prices then there might as well be no store and just be eBay.

[CGQuarterly]

I would say that your friends will be the ones laughing at you because they chose to enjoy life while they were young and in their prime. They will have memories, a fulfilled life, and nothing in common with you.

What about my life makes me unfulfilled, according to you? How am I not making memories in my life? Do you know me personally?

[icemanxp300]

I agree with Jibbajaba I would rather save money when I am younger than kill myself when I am older. I Live very modest, a basic $30 phone plan every month, no cable just my antennae, redbox, and Netflix. Some things are not worth the money. I eat out maybe twice a year and I hate paying for the few times I do. Food is already expensive enough then pay someone 3 times to cook it while you wait.... then add more money for a tip which is another topic all together.

 

People waste money left and right. People like me don't do certain things because we don't "need" to do them. I think taking my boys to a local festival or amusement park for $50 is better than spending $2000 to go on 3 rides at Disney Land. I would still be using a crt tv if a flat screen was not given to me.

 

I have zero interest in "partying", drinking in general is not for me and I do not see the point of drinking something that taste like crap just to drink it. You can have fun and enjoy life while creating memories w/out spending a lot. Parks and festivals and such are more my style anyhow. People are so obsessed about "status" they waste money doing stuff they get little enjoyment out of just because others are doing it.

[thadsilverfox]

What about my life makes me unfulfilled, according to you? How am I not making memories in my life? Do you know me personally?

You right I don't know you personally but you seem to believe your friends will regret life when they are older because they did not follow in your footsteps. When you live your life around your retirement fund, you may as well retire now. You can’t make a mark on the world if you’re too cheap to live in it. Refusing to give yourself the luxury of enjoying your money negates the whole point of making it. You might actually regret the experiences you didn’t take, the people you didn’t meet and the fun you didn’t have because you were too worried about a future that came and went or worse, never even comes. You don't have to agree with me, but try looking at from a different perspective.

[CGQuarterly]

You right I don't know you personally but you seem to believe your friends will regret life when they are older because they did not follow in your footsteps.

I just think that my friends are adults who can make their own decisions, but should afford me the same respect. If they think that living paycheck-to-paycheck in their forties is a good idea, then that's fine.

 

When you live your life around your retirement fund, you may as well retire now. You can’t make a mark on the world if you’re too cheap to live in it. Refusing to give yourself the luxury of enjoying your money negates the whole point of making it. You might actually regret the experiences you didn’t take, the people you didn’t meet and the fun you didn’t have because you were too worried about a future that came and went or worse, never even comes. You don't have to agree with me, but try looking at from a different perspective.

Again, you don't know me personally, and are making wild assumptions based on my saying that I don't spend money on a big TV, fancy car, or the lates iOS devices. If I were you, I would just stop right there.

 

Edit: Iceman gets it.

[icemanxp300]

You right I don't know you personally but you seem to believe your friends will regret life when they are older because they did not follow in your footsteps.

 

I don't know about you but I would think that's someone who is 70 and can barely move who wishes they were dead because they bust their ass all day just to put food on the table might regret not saving more when they were younger. Instead they spent all their money when they were young and healthier buying a new tv every 2 years and always having the new gadgets.

 

To each their own but I do not plan on working much at all by the time I am 60. I will give up the latest gadgets and such for the trade off of relaxing when I am older and can not physically do what is needed of the human body to work.

 

Jibbajaba and I are not saying we don't do fun things we are saying we spend our money wisely. We don't buy things we feel are a waste of money is all. We don't feel the need to have all the latest tech, or drive an expensive car. I def. do not feel the need to pay someone to cook me a meal... I am fully capable of cooking myself.

 

I will be quite content at 60 sitting home not working while my peers work every week.

[Keatah]

This is why I rarely ever donate anything to anybody. Donate $1 and $.20 actually goes where it should. I would rather personally give someone in need items/$$ at least that way I am not paying someone else to cypher majority of the funds from those people the money should actually be going to.

 

That's what I was taught. Donate directly to the needy - no middlemen or organizations.

[Keatah]

I still have a flipfone and my iPad was given to me. I never chase the latest stuff anymore, haven't for like 15 years. And I get ragged on for it. Ohh well..

[CGQuarterly]

 

I don't know about you but I would think that's someone who is 70 and can barely move who wishes they were dead because they bust their ass all day just to put food on the table might regret not saving more when they were younger. Instead they spent all their money when they were young and healthier buying a new tv every 2 years and always having the new gadgets.

 

To each their own but I do not plan on working much at all by the time I am 60. I will give up the latest gadgets and such for the trade off of relaxing when I am older and can not physically do what is needed of the human body to work.

 

Jibbajaba and I are not saying we don't do fun things we are saying we spend our money wisely. We don't buy things we feel are a waste of money is all. We don't feel the need to have all the latest tech, or drive an expensive car. I def. do not feel the need to pay someone to cook me a meal... I am fully capable of cooking myself.

 

I will be quite content at 60 sitting home not working while my peers work every week.

 

 

Exactly. At the new employee orientation for my current job, most of the time was spent explaining our benefits to us. Someone came in specifically to talk about retirement, and he asked the class what we thought most people's main source of income was during retirement. People were answering "social security", "pension", "401k", etc. Nope, the answer was "a job". Most retired people (according to this guy, anyway) end up having to go back to work in some capacity in order to make ends meet. I decided right then and there that I was not going to live like that. Every time I think about dropping hundreds of dollars on a new phone, a current-gen game system, etc. I think about how much value that money has when applied to the principle on my mortgage, or put into my 401k account.

 

Trust me, I live very comfortably. The idea that I am living an "unfulfilling life" or am not "making memories" is an absolutely ridiculous assumption based on nothing. My wife and I make memories by spending money on worthy endeavors like traveling around both our country and the world. We don't make memories by buying a new iPhone every year or having 2 car payments. We don't engage in conspicuous consumerism. Saying that my retirement "may never come" is an extremely selfish point of view. If I die early, then the money will take care of my widowed wife. If we both die early, then the money will go to help someone else.

[Schizophretard]

The idea that I am living an "unfulfilling life" or am not "making memories" is an absolutely ridiculous assumption based on nothing.

 

I don't think it is possible for a retro gamer to live an unfulfilling life and not make memories. Game on.

 

[Professor Gull]

Ok I think there should be more of a balance but one within reason for experiencing life. Yes don't go above your means but also don't stagnate yourself with plans to do things later either not knowing weather or not your health will maintain a lifestyle you can enjoy. Take the Cruise you want to when you get a chance to do it and the cost can be recouped without straining your future but the big thing is moderation. I am a save and forget it kind of guy putting enough away so that my future should be decent. On the other hand though is something gets to the point that I would like to have it and the fun funds are available hell yeah its game on.

 

So then the issue turns more to how people manage money. I know you can't plan for car repairs or emergency family issues but you can plan for a new TV or Game System. The folks that buy it all now and get sucked into paying back massive amounts of debt needing to file for bankruptcy every 7 years are really only hurting themselves in the long run. I just get more offended at my tax dollars gong to people who need things and it being spent on frivolous amounts of cigarettes and booze and new spinners for their car they can't make payments on.

 

No back to Goodwill I don't like to shop there and I don't like to donate there so I try to use churches and Salvation Army before them at any and all points. They do employs some local people though and I do appreciate that though and that is the best I can say. i also don't give to United Way but I do give to the local organizations that need extra foods or funds through local donations since I don't like the big corporate taking half of what I give. i would rather give 100% or what I give directly.