Best Thrift Store Finds
One great place to stretch your budget is to visit your local thrift store. Most communities have at least one thrift-type store. There are so many thrift store bargains available at your local thrift shops. Some of the best thrift store finds may be waiting for you to come and find them.
Thrift store items may resemble what you might find at garage sales, consignment shops, or resale stores. Some secondhand store owners may even have an online presence. Social media marketing is easy to access even for local thrift stores and is a great way to reach potential buyers. Email marketing is another way to advertise deals to consumers. These options offer new or nearly new items for a fraction of the original retail cost.
Thrifting Mindset
You need the right mindset when looking for thrift store sales ideas. There are some general rules to keep in mind. If you have a specific item in mind such as a gray tee with kittens on the front in a size medium, you may not be able to find exactly what you want. However, if you are looking for cute T-shirts in a size medium, you will probably find many in great condition. Think broad categories. It is like a treasure hunt. You have to have a little time to look around.
Thrifting can be an effective way to find high-quality products that you might not have been able to afford otherwise. It is a great way to score vintage clothing and vintage games that are back in demand. Many national thrift stores even have an online shopping option. These online auction sites can be great ways to expand your shopping experience.
I have found many unique items at thrift stores over the years. In my family thrifting has always been an option. My children used to love to do this when they were younger and now my grandkids enjoy it. Thrifting is another way to teach money management to kids. Their birthday spending money can go further at a thrift store than a department store.
Even as a child, I remember going to a garage sale and finding brand-new items and well-known brands. In recent years thrifting has become a great opportunity to find secondhand items that still have lots of life left. The best items for me are unexpected finds.
Some thrift stores even have a loyalty program just like many retail stores. New customers may even get extra points when you sign up for a loyalty card. Thrift store owners have become adept at drawing potential customers into their business. Many will even use a social media platform in their marketing efforts. This can be an effective strategy as more and more younger people realize thrift shopping can be a great way to avoid higher prices on certain items.
So you might wonder what types of items are the best things to look for in a thrift store. As a thrift store shopper of many years, I have some ideas of what to look for! I have compiled a list of items that can be a great deal at a thrift store.
Clothing
Clothing is at the top of the best thrift store finds list. It is possible to find unique designs of great quality, and in good shape at affordable prices. I have found many good quality clothing items that are new or nearly new in resale and thrift stores. If you need professional clothing, shoes, accessories, or handbags, second-hand items are the way to save. I look for items that can be laundered instead of items that must be professionally cleaned.
If you have a casual work environment but attend church services, thrift stores can be the place to find high-quality items that are a little dressier. I have purchased holiday dresses at a resale store that cost a fraction of their full retail cost. Holidays are the perfect time to visit a thrift store. It is possible to save a lot of money and come home with designer clothes at great prices.
Kids grow out of clothing so quickly. One way to help with clothing for growing kids is to visit a thrift store. The lower price means you can buy more. There is a high demand for kids' clothing items that are in good condition. Keeping a list of sizes for your kids is a good idea because not all thrift-type stores allow refunds or exchanges. On the positive side, if something does not fit, you are usually not out much money.
Adults may keep their clothing for several seasons, but kids are different. Kids grow fast and often outgrow their school clothes before the school year is completed. That may be one reason you can find good quality nearly new children's clothing at a second-hand shop. Dressier kid's clothes for special occasions, holidays, and picture taking are generally in great shape when purchased at a thrift store.
Coats and jackets are usually in plentiful supply. Outerwear may not get as much use as jeans and tops. I have purchased a coat for one of my kids, used the coat for a season, and sold it in my annual garage sale for more than the price I paid for it.
Furniture and Household Items
One of the best places to find used furniture is a thrift store. A coat of paint can breathe new life into a tired piece of furniture. I have used this simple idea many times over the years to refurbish side tables, bookshelves, lamps, and dining-type chairs.
You can find quality furniture pieces that might have been out of your price range at full price. Vintage finds are some of the best. I use these pieces until I no longer need or want them and often put them in the garage sale that I host yearly.
The quality of older pieces of furniture does not compare to much of what we see mass-produced today. You can find unique pieces for a good price. When I look around my home I can see way more thrifted pieces of furniture than furniture that I purchased new from a retailer.
I have even completed a bit of thrift store flipping. I have found an item, decided it would not work in my home, and passed it to someone else. You can find unique home decor items, but I also find good stuff like picture frames.
Picture frames are a staple home item that is easy to find. Picture frames are expensive. I often find picture frames as a hidden treasure in thrift stores. Decor for your home is another option in a thrift store. This is a simple and inexpensive way to update your home for different seasons.
My rule about furniture and really anything I thrift is simple. I do not usually buy something unless I can launder it or sanitize the item. Some people do not like thrift store shopping because not everything looks perfect. I have passed on items that are too worn, broken, or missing pieces. You do have to take some time to locate the value in a secondhand shop.
Books
There are so many good things about shopping at thrift stores, but one of the best thrift store sales ideas is reading material. There is so much that is available. You can find books for all ages and interests. There are usually tons of book options including how-to manuals, fiction, and non-fiction books available for a fraction of the cost of a new book.
I have purchased kids' books as well as reference manuals and books I can take on vacation that I can stuff in my suitcase. I often end up donating these books when I am finished with them. The cycle can continue and others can enjoy reading materials for a fraction of the cost of purchasing the same item new.
Toys and Games
Toys and games are another category where you can find a good deal at a thrift store. I have purchased games and toys that were brand new and never opened. These make great gifts for birthday and Christmas gifts. Toys and games for kids and adults are one of the many thrift store sales ideas that can benefit the careful shopper.
Games and toys are expensive to purchase and many of the new items mass-produced today are not of great quality. Thrift store shopping is an easy way to try new games for kids and adults for a small price. Again if you do not love the game or toy you are only out a few dollars compared to 25-45 dollars for a new item.
Baby Gear
Another of the best thrift store finds is baby equipment and supplies. You can find great deals on brand-name baby gear and clothing items. Babies do not usually wear out their clothes and baby accessories. They grow out of things quickly and if parents are careful with laundering and cleaning, baby items often show little wear after use. Strollers are a great thing to find at a thrift store. Many strollers can be cleaned easily and put back into use for a fraction of the price of purchasing new ones.
Kids grow out of clothing so quickly. One way to help with clothing for growing kids is to visit a thrift store. The lower price means you can buy more. There is a high demand for kids' clothing items in good condition. It is a good idea to keep a list of sizes for kids because not all thrift-type stores allow refunds or exchanges.
Summary
There are several good reasons to try thrift store shopping. One reason I have not discussed is that buying certain types of previously owned items helps reduce waste.
When we no longer need an item, it can go to someone who can still use it. This type of system can provide a benefit to the consumer and help reduce the amount of trash that gets sent to the landfill.
It is not possible to avoid all new purchases. For example, I purchase undergarments brand new for everyone in the family. However many consumer items can be reused instead of purchased new. The best thrift store finds depend on what you want and need.
This post of best thrift store finds may give you some additional ideas on how to shop at and benefit from thrift stores. Or this may still not be something you want to try. And, that is perfectly fine. What kind of things do you purchase routinely second-hand? If you do not currently shop from thrift stores, what's holding you back?
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