3 Things I Wish I Knew Sooner About Thrifting

Thrifting

Dec 19

The land of thrifty shopping was so foreign to me up until about 10 years ago. I spent plenty of time at the Goodwill drop off locations but never even stepped foot inside a thrift store until a friend encouraged me to do so.

“Do you ever go inside the Goodwills?” she asked.

Taken aback because I thought all thrift stores were dusty and full of junk, I replied “never”.

She politely recommended that I step inside a store and see if my perspective might change. I am so very glad she did! I have found Pyrex dishes, Burberry pants and sweaters, beautiful coats and so much more throughout my thrifty journey.

However, there are 3 things I wish I knew sooner about thrifting.

#1: ALWAYS INSPECT YOUR ITEMS BEFORE PURCHASING

There is a reason someone donated the item and it is your job to find it. Possible reasons are

The clothing item didn’t fit
The zipper is broken and won’t stay up
It was no longer the style of the person who owned it
There is a huge stain on the front
The seam is busted
The dish is chipped
The electronic whatnot doesn’t work

And many more. While some thrift stores have return policies, you can save time by inspecting your items thoroughly.

#2: NOT ALL THRIFT STORES PRICE THE SAME

This is even true amongst the Goodwills. Some Goodwills charge $0.50 for a cup or mug and others charge $1.99. The same can be said for their book prices.

The location of the thrift store can affect pricing as well. For example, the Habitat ReStores in and near Charlotte are usually much higher than the ReStores located in surrounding counties.

Pricing can be subjective based on the person working, so knowing that before going in can help with expectations.

#3: ESTATE SALES CAN BE CHEAPER THAN THRIFT STORES

I have found many an “everyday item” like dishes, clothing, etc much cheaper at a local estate sale than I would at the local thrift store. Most estate sales are happening over a two or three day window, which means the company really wants to sell as much as possible during that time.

Unlike a thrift store which is happy to sit on their inventory until they need to discount or discard to make room for more donated items.

Estate sales are a hidden gem in the thrifty world. The pricing could be all over the map based on who is running the sale, but generally speaking, you can scoop up some great finds for a good deal.

To find estate sales in your area >> CLICK HERE.