Thrifting is a great way to save money, but it’s also great for our environment. Thrifting exercises the three r’s: reduce, reuse, recycle. Value Village is one of the largest recyclers of used clothing in the world, diverting 650 million pounds of quality goods from landfills each year! The resale industry is also one of the top 20 fastest growing industries in the US, making it easier than ever to live a thrifty lifestyle.
I grew up in a thrifty home. It wasn’t uncommon that our clothing was secondhand and we would continue the cycle by donating our own used items to the thrift stores we frequented. Through the years I’ve learned some tactics that make thrifting a productive and fun experience.
1. Know When to Buy Quality
This is something I learned in my adulthood. As the saying goes, better to buy nice than buy twice. This may sound counterproductive to advocating for thrift shopping, but hear me to out. You could argue that there are always newer and better products than those you find in the thrift store, but a key to living a thrifty life is discerning when it’s okay to be thrifty and when it’s more appropriate to buy new.
There have been products that I see in thrift stores that catch my eye because of the price but when I bring them home, I am disappointed to find out they do not work. This is a gamble you take when buying secondhand. However, if you bring home a faulty product, you’re now out the money you spent on it, the money you may need to fix it and possibly, more money to find a different item that actually does work.
My advice is to determine what is worth the risk. For me, I’m willing to take a risk on clothing, home decor, DVDs (are those still cool?!) and crafting items, just to name a few.
However, if I were in the market for a new vacuum, it’s pretty unlikely I would buy this secondhand or cheap. I purchased a Rumba a few years ago and with the proper maintenance along the way, it’s been very effective, unlike the cheap vacuum I got at Walmart on sale years prior.
To live a thrifty life may mean discerning what you actually need to save and spend a little more on so that in the end, it’s a quality product for your household. This means less money spent on repairs or replacements in the end.
2. Thrift During the Week
If you can, go thrifting on a weekday! My mom will frequent thrift stores on her way to pick-up groceries during the week. I used to work near a thrift store and would walk to it over my lunch, although this had to be done with some restraint so I was not spending my full paycheck each week on cute knick-knacks and trendy styles.
Thrift stores often put out their inventory during the week when it may be slower traffic. Speaking of which, by shopping during the week you will have fewer people in the way of your quest to finding your thrifty treasures. Sales often run during the week to keep customers interested.
3. Wait and Be Inspired
It’s the same mantra before I go into TJ Maxx. “I’ll only look…” and then an hour later I’m leaving with a bag full of new home decor that I probably shouldn’t be spending money on.
Over the years, I’ve had to practice self-restraint and tell myself “wait.” Let’s use book-ends as an example. I once found an adorable pair of bookends at TJ Maxx that I told myself that I had to have. I carried them around the store for about a half-hour before I convinced myself to put them back and just wait. I asked myself what I liked about them. I liked that they were bronze and animal figured. At $30, I decided I should wait and instead use it as inspiration for my next thrift or antique store hunt. Suddenly, my eyes were opened. I actually noticed similar items at antique shops all over at a fraction of the cost!
There is actually a psychological term for something like this. It’s called search image. The term is actually from a psychology professor Alexandra Horowitz, who actually credits the term from a noted bird watcher, Luuk Tinbergen. Tinbergen observed that songbirds seek specific species of beetles for consumption and by having a predetermined search image, helps them spot the specific species they are preying on. Horowitz says humans use the same tactic. Think about when you’re looking for your keys and how narrow your focus becomes. In Horowtiz’s book, On Looking, she writes: “Everything needs a mechanism to select what, out of all the things in the world, they should both look for and at, and what they should ignore.”
Use this tool when you’re out shopping and close to making an impulse buy. Can you wait and use it as inspiration? It’s likely you’ll notice new styles or decor on your next thrifting adventure.
4. Continue the Cycle and Donate
Donating items can actually save you space and money. Some thrift stores offer a discount or punch card system for your donations. If you really want to go for it, you can also write off donations on your tax claims – but only if you itemize.
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a taxpayer can deduct the fair market value of clothing, household goods, used furniture, shoes, books and so forth. Fair market value is the price a willing buyer would pay for them. Value usually depends on the condition of the item. By law, a charity cannot tell you what your donated items are worth. This is something you must do yourself. To assess “fair market value” for your donations:
- Consult a local tax advisor who should be familiar with market values in your region
- Review the following tax guides available from the IRS
5. Check Em’ All Out
Most of us have heard of the larger thrift stores like Savers, Dakota Boys Ranch, Salvation Army, Goodwill… But have you checked if your city has other thrift shops? I often find the smaller, locally-owned shops to be my favorite.
I’m a fan of all thrift shops but have been finding Dakota Boys Ranch to be similar to shopping the sale aisle at Target. I won’t complain, because obviously who doesn’t love cheap Target finds, but, sometimes I want something really unique. I personally have found the smaller thrift shops to have a garage sale feel. Prices seem to be lower given that the stores often seem to have less overhead costs than larger, more popular thrift stores.
Another tip: Check nearby towns for thrift stores. My absolute favorite thrift store is actually located in a town with a population of 479 people. The thrift store is run out of an old church, that I believe the volunteers are from another local church. Every time I go in, it’s the same ladies volunteering, who make the shopping experience personable and sometimes they even let me peak in the basement for some more treasures! On average, their shirts are about $2-$4 and because it’s a small town outside of the major city, they generally get a lot of new donations because people don’t want to drive 40 minutes out of their way.
Take your thrifting experience to a new level and check out some shops you may have not stepped into before. You might be surprised and delighted at what you find.