Hi friends!
I wanted to share with you a few tips that I have learned while thrift shopping. Although I am not lucky every single time I thrift shop, there are those days when I am able to grab some great finds! I like to use a few tricks on my journeys to keep myself on budget, and to make my shopping experience fun!
Tip’s on thrifting.
1. Have a budget- There have been times when I have came across dozens of items that I wanted to purchase. Budgeting myself has helped me to not over spend, and also to not purchase unnecessary items just because its cheap. Have you ever went to the Dollar store for 2 items and came out with 30? My point exactly.
2. Make a list- Making a list of items you may desire is also a helpful way to not buy items you don’t need. When browsing through the shops you may see something you like. Before you purchase it, review your list and ask yourself, do I really need this? If the answer is no, chances are you are not going to use it. There will be those special cases when you get that gut feeling that if you leave this item in the store you may regret it for the rest of your life. In that case, buy the item quickly before you change your mind.
3. Check items to see if they work properly before leaving the store- Most thrift store sell items as is, meaning no returns or exchanges. If you are looking for a particular item, lets say a lamp for instance, take a light bulb with you. It may sound crazy but this tip could save you time and money. Ask an associate if its ok for you to test the item out. You will be surprised how friendly they are. Now if an associate happens to tell you No, please don’t be mad at me :-/ Different shops may have different rules. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
4. Inspect your items carefully- This should be 3A instead of number 4. Whether you are shopping for clothes, décor, or furniture, etc., make sure that these items are in decent condition or at least can be refurbished. You don’t want to get something home that you cant fix or even worse, the cost to fix it is so outrageous that you could have just bought a new one.
5. Get familiar with store sales and discounts- Have you ever taken an item up to the register and it rung up 50% off the tag price! How awesome is that! Most Goodwill, and Salvation Army shops run weekly sales on particular items. These items are usually marked with a color coded tag. The colors correspond by the day of the week and the sale percentage price. Learn your favorite shops weekly sales patterns. So if you are searching for a pair of jeans and you know that jeans will be 30% off in two days, why not wait to go shopping that day.
6. Have Fun- For me thrifting is therapeutic! I enjoy hopping from store to store for hours. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find what you are looking for on your first or second thrifting shopping spree. Finding the perfect item isn’t easy, but its always fun and exciting when you do!
Here are a few thrift finds that I found and styled:
Pitcher $5.99 Books $1 each Canister Set $5
Happy Thrifting!! Lah Lah 😉