China and Glasses ($1 apiece, or less)

My wife and I love tableware, and nearly everything in our china cabinet is the fruit of years of thrift store shopping. We don’t hold out for a complete set of dishes or glassware, as we much prefer a table set with an eclectic mix-and-match of interesting pieces. Whether shopping for tableware or anything else, we’ve found that thrift stores often have the best selection early in the week, since people cleanout their garages, closets, etc. during the weekend and the donated items they drop off usually make it onto the thrift store shelves the beginning of the following week. Also, Spring tends to be the most productive season for thrift store shopping, since store donations and inventories balloon when people do their spring cleaning.

> Related: The 13 Coolest Things Ever Made with Recycled Bottles