There are SO many different ways to be thrifty! You can Coupon, Price Match, Garage Sale, the list goes on and on!! There are TONS of websites that teach you how to maximize your potential savings... but there aren't many that teach you how to "Thrift" Shop! This post is to teach you how to get started on your OWN thrifting adventure!~
1. Get Educated!!!
The Term "Thrift Shop" can encompass many different types of stores. There is your regular thrift/resale/second hand shop, where they collect donations and sell them to the public to benefit a charity or good cause. (IE- Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc) But a few of those stores are actually "For-Profit", Which means they aren't charity based.
Then you have Consignment stores. Generally in this type of store, you bring in your items to consign and once they sell, you split the profit with the store at a predetermined percentage. In some cases, they will either give you cash or give you a "In-Store" option where if you spend your earnings in the shop, they will give you a higher percentage profit! (Nice!!) In these stores you are welcome to shop whether or not you consign! They Love your money!!
Some consign/resale shops (IE, Kid to Kid, Once upon a Child, Plato's Closet) Buy your clothes directly from you, and give you that same buy/sell/trade option! These store are GREAT to shop in because they are very selective with their picks, so things are usually very nice, clean, and on trend!
The Last type is the Rarest of all! Most Major Thrift store Chains have what is referred to as an "As-Is" Store. Its where they send all the items that they don't consider worthy to be sold in their regular shop. Most of the time the items are sold by the pound! You can get some great deals! This is the perfect store for people that have a real imagination and true love for Junk! Be ready to dig for your treasures though!!
2. Find your Local Stores!!
The Most economical way to thrift is to do it as close to your home as possible! Here are my tips for finding your nearest shop!-
1. ASK! I know you have at least one thrifty friend that might have the inside scoop! Give them a Ring!!
2. Look in the Yellow Pages! Every time I am on Vacation, the first thing I do when we check into our hotel room, is look in the night stand for the good ole' Phone Book! Looking under words like Thrift, Resale, Second-Hand, and Consign will direct you to plenty of great places!
3. Some thrift store are small, fledgling companies and cant afford a yellow pages posting. So, Don't be afraid to ask around town! I will ask people in well known thrift stores if they know of any other shops! Works like a Charm!!
4. Google is Your friend! Your BEST friend even!
NOW that you have found a store, Here are My tips for making your trip a success!
1.Have a Wish List- thrifting can be overwhelming, so I have found having a list of wants/needs is VERY helpful. I make a list of sizes I need, Items needed to finish crafts, Etc! Customize it to your needs! It will also help you prioritize if you find tons of goodies!
2. Carry Back up Cash and your Driver's Licence! Some stores take cards, Some don't. Some store make you show an ID, some don't. I like to have a little back up cash, so that in case of a "No Debit Card" emergency, I can buy the things in my car that I CANT live without! :)
3. Know the Sales! Most stores have Daily sales, like a 50% off a certain tag color, or 25%off all jeans... they are constantly changing so the first thing you do when you walk in is look for the posted daily specials, if you don't see it them, Ask!!! If you don't understand the sale or it's terms, ASK!!! :)
4. Do a once around the store inspection! I cant tell you how many times Ive missed out on a great find by getting too focused in one department too soon! Look around briefly, then head to a specific departments to do deep digging!
5. Put it ALL in the Basket! As a general rule, I put everything I like into the cart and then go through it just before checking out. This way you can spend MORE time shopping and save all of the extensive decision making for the end! If I Like it, into the Basket it goes!
6. Have an Open Mind! Be a visionary! We live in what I call "The Age of Spray Paint", this means nothing is as it seems! Anything can be new again with a coat of paint! AND when it comes to children's clothing, sizes don't ALWAYS matter! Right now, my daughter has several tops that are actually size 3-6 months dresses.. and she is 16 months! If it fits, Ignore the tag!
7. Look in Every Department! This is a simple concept. People are lazy and don't put things back in their spot, so sometimes there are misplaced treasures just waiting to be discovered!
8. When it Doubt, Toss it out!~ I live by this rule! If I am on the fence about something, I don't buy it. It is super easy to go overboard with thrifty goodies, so be selective and go with your gut!
9. Try it on! Most thrift store have a NO RETURN policy... This makes trying on clothing a VERY wise investment!
10. Don't be afraid to speak up! Watch the prices when they ring you up and say something if they make a mistake! It's there job to do things correctly and it's up to you to protect your savings! Also, don't be afraid to ask if they will come down on something if there is an imperfection, sometimes they say no... But sometimes they say YES!
11. Be Friendly! This is the best piece of advice I can give you! People Love happy people!
12. Lastly~ Hand Sanitizer is a MUST!
I hope these tips help you! I want to hear all about your thrifty trips, tips, and finds, so feel free to comment!
Coming Tomorrow!~ I'm documenting a REAL goodwill trip! It's gonna be a blast!!
