1. Everything in the store is unique. You’ll rarely find two of the same shirt in a thrift shop, which means you end up with a really unique wardrobe with personality. It will also mean that you can head to work and be assured that a co-worker will not have the same outfit.
2. It’s a steal. Have you ever looked at the price tag of a cable knit sweater or a pair of jeans and say why would anyone pay $50-$80 or more? It’s painful to pay so much for an article of clothing. A lot of the same name brand clothing can be found in thrift shops in near perfect condition for a fraction of the price.
3. Helps to stay in budget. If any of you have kids, you know the pain of trying to keep them in clothes, when they seem to grow out of them every six months. You could spend $50-$80 at Walmart and get one or two out fits. But if you catch a thrift shop having a sale you can spend the same amount and walk out with twelve or more outfits.

Sometimes, walking into The Salvation Army Family Store, Goodwill, or other consignment shop can be quite overwhelming. Racks of random shirts, piles of faded jeans, rows upon rows of gently-worn t-shirts – somewhere in there, there’s treasure to be found.

You just need a solid strategy so you don’t get lost in the chaos of all that second-hand goodness:

1. Eat before you go and plan time.  As most consignment shops are very loosely sorted, it takes some time to go through the racks and shelves to find that one of a kind item, and if you have not eaten before you arrive, you may run out of energy before you get through the racks.
2. Have an open mind. You may go into the store looking for a shirt, but have an open mind to check for other items in the store. You never know what treasures you may find.
3. Know the sales. Many second hand shops have daily sales like a color of the week, manager sales, and/or holiday sales. Knowing the sales can save you even more money. Some stores may even have a mailing list, Facebook page, or website that you can go to and get information on upcoming sales.
4. Don’t get discouraged. Sometimes you may leave empty handed, but most of these store are putting items out daily, and you should visit them frequently to find the treasures as they arrive.

 

Tags: Blog