Figuring out how to budget your wants and needs is a vital part of living on your own. Figuring out the best prices on clothes, furniture, cookware, storage-supplies, tools, or other household items can become a never-ending-battle of coupon-clipping, store-comparison, and having to remember all the things you’ve purchased just to try and keep it all together. Learning how to shop at thrift stores can help with this.
If you start adding significant others, family members, and kids into the mix, then it can be a challenge just to try and stay ahead during each pay period—especially when unforeseen expenses rear their unwanted heads.
This is why the idea to shop at thrift-stores like Goodwill or The Salvation Army (these are popular retail-chains in the United States) is an often-overlooked method for people wanting to save money. It seems obvious in theory but thinking about buying pre-owned materials in thrift stores usually pops up as a last-ditch-effort to save money…especially if you’re used to buying things new.
Throw in the internet-side-hustle-machine—or the ability to buy things for cheap online—and you might forget that thrift stores were the reigning champs for decades when it came to getting deals.
Now for those who grew up in large families, lower-income-households, or even frequented secondhand-stores while growing up, the wonders of buying things pre-owned is already obvious to them. Not only is a smorgasbord of objects to purchase available but their inventory changes pretty much every week—there are always new items to shop for!
These environments come in handy if you need a simple decoration, cooking utensil, or piece of furniture…and you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for it. Learning how to shop at thrift stores effectively can end up changing your monthly budget.
Listed below are the biggest categories you can shop for and save money:
1. Clothes.
This is a big doozy right here. You’ll have an easier time finding clothes if you’re the average height for gender in your country, but you’ll still get a diverse set to choose from. Thrift store typically carry large assortments for every age-bracket but height is a little trickier to nail down.
The reason I bring this up is because yours truly is on the shorter end of the spectrum when it comes to average male height; it is a nightmare trying to find clothes that fit regardless if they’re new or used. This may or may not apply to you but it’s a good thing to keep in mind.
You’ll find everything from casual wear, dress-clothes, sports-team-apparel, and socks that look more appropriate for Halloween rather than outside. Some stores will carry shoes and some will not. If you do end up buying secondhand-shoes, make sure to use deodorizer once you take them home!
2. Furniture.
This is another king-kahuna of the thrift-world and it’s especially useful when you’re heading out on your own. The typical high-school-graduate or college-graduate entering the workforce doesn’t have a bunch of cash to drop on a multi-piece bedroom set or a full-Iiving-room-package. Many thrift stores have used chairs and sofas that will retail for less than $200. Small nightstands, bookshelves, or coffee-tables can be purchased for less than $150 (the real bargains are the ones around $50).
While the quality won’t be the same as it wood in a premium-cherry-wood-finish-masterpiece TV-stand, another thing to consider is an economy of space and mobility. There is a good chance you may have to switch apartments as you continue to study in college or work your way up the ladder in your desired industry. Studies have shown that many millennials have had a tendency to do this as they try to find their footing in life.
3. Cookware/Appliances.
Sure, you could purchase a brand-new set of appliances for your first apartment. You could also try and see if there are any pots, pans, utensils, toasters, blenders, or other items sitting on the shelf. If you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars getting the latest gadgets to make yourself breakfast, you can try and find bargains waiting for you to take them home.
A pot is a pot and a pan is a pan, no matter if it’s used or new. It cooks all the same.
4. Electronics.
Depending on how diverse or large the thrift store is, they may have a used electronics section. Keep in mind if you find old Blu-Ray/DVD players, game consoles, movies, stereo-receivers, or similar items, that they might be missing components or power cables. Getting a functioning set of table silverware can be a sure thing but getting a used stereo won’t be.
Again, you might be better off scouring eBay or other online-electronic-resellers for discounts but it doesn’t hurt to take a look if there’s something you’ll consider getting on the cheap.
5. Extra Tips.
A. It doesn’t hurt to try thrift stores during the holidays to see if any special sales are happening. With Thanksgiving and Christmas being two big holidays where donations and purchases line up, some independent venues may run sales geared towards certain items like clothes or furniture.
B. This may sound terrible but thrift stores positioned near high-income neighborhoods are going to have a higher-quality-selection compared to stores near lower-income-neighborhoods. This is not necessarily so in terms of quantity but in terms of quality; if you’re looking for furniture and clothes, you’re going to get a different selection depending on which side of town you’re shopping on.
Conclusion.
Learning how to shop at thrift stores to your advantage can be a challenge first starting out but it reaps rewards for people living on low budgets. If your current lifestyle continues to crunch money, living-space, and time, then taking a trip to the second-hand-store can benefit you in a number of ways.
All in all, it doesn’t hurt to pop inside one of these store from time to time and see if they have anything you need.
Good luck!
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Let’s crush our dreams together,
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