Saving Money at Thrift Stores

One thing I noticed when we moved to our new home town was the number of stores selling second hand goods. I love bargain hunting at thrift stores, I think it’s a hereditary trait handed down through the generations, so this was a nice bonus to find a smorgasbord of options in our new town. Martin often gives me a hard time about the amount of stuff I come home with, and I do have to catch myself sometimes, but I have also saved a lot of money buying practical kids stuff, among other treasures, at thrift stores.

In order not to get sidetracked (oh those are nice shoes) I try and go to the thrift stores with a list of stuff I need. If there is something you need right away and you cannot find it quickly at the thrift stores than it probably is not worth your time to keep looking and you might as well buy new. We buy a good portion of our family’s clothing at thrift stores as it is amazing how much nice stuff you can find if you know where to look. Some of the stores in town have pretty junky stuff or are overpriced so I now limit the trips to a select few of our favourites. Consignment stores will usually have a nicer selection, at higher prices, and can be a good place to look if you want something specific. Many places, usually smaller consignment stores, will put you on list and will contact you if someone drops off an item you are looking for. If you are not in a rush and it is an expensive item to buy new than it can be a good service.

If you want to save some money on your clothes, especially for kids, than getting to know your thrift store is a good option. Give thrift stores a chance to get the things on your list, it cannot hurt and you may just save a pile of money and raise your spirits. Martin may not understand it but finding a great pair of shoes for $2 just makes me feel better. Then I can justify a four dollar cup of coffee to celebrate.