10 Reasons I Like Thrift Stores, Part 1
September 18, 2009 by Karen Weideman
Filed under Top 10 lists, money saving idea, saving money, shopping
This week, I visited our local thrift store/Christian ministry. They sell donated items and use the money to help those in the community. Since it is time to begin swapping out the children’s summer clothing, I decided to shop for pants. No matter how much buying ahead I do, we never seem to have enough jeans. I just can’t justify paying $10-15 for a pair of pants.
You never know what you’ll find at a thrift store. This week, I was blessed with some bargains. I found 12 pairs of pants for my kids for only $12! That’s $1 per pair.
I enjoy shopping at thrift stores. Here’s some reasons I like them so much.
1) Shopping at a thrift store is like going on a treasure hunt. You never know what you’ll find. Sometimes you’re really surprised.
2) The items are unique. You don’t have to worry about seeing five other people at school wearing the same shirt.
3) You can find name brand clothing. I’m not one to sport a big name brand across the front of my shirt, but it is true that some brands hold up better than others. Some of the pants I found this week were from Old Navy, Gap, Children’s Place, and JCPenney.
4) It helps the environment. Shopping thrift stores keeps products from landfills.
5) Shopping thrift stores usually saves so much money! This is probably my favorite reason!
Do you shop at thrift stores?
Stay tuned for part 2 of 10 Reasons I Like Thrift Stores.
image by tome213 at sxc.hu
In addition to the reasons listed in your post, another reason that I like thrifting is that I actually find it an easier way to shop. The clothes are displayed on straight racks and all like items are in one place (at least in our local area, not sure about other parts of the country). If I want to look at women’s sweaters, I go to that rack. If I want to browse women’s khaki pants, they’re all in one place for me. I find “normal” retail shopping so aggravating. I don’t want to have to visit several departments to see all the black pants or jeans that they carry. As far as unique items are concerned, I’d say that my favorite thing to buy in thrift stores are hand knitted sweaters for the kids. So adorable and you know that someone put a lot of love into making that item.
Do I shop thrift stores? Often five times a week! One thing I REALLY like about thrift store shopping is that there is not pushy sales staff! No market research as to what music makes you buy more, no impulse buy stations, promotional displays…You have the THOUGHT FREEDOM to ponder your needs! Customers are actually allowed to ponder whether or not they NEED each item.
Thrift stores are NOT places for Retail Therapy. They are places for Economic Therapy!
Please join The Thrifty Chicks in our purpose of developing a robust American reuse and repurpose market! It’s good for the pocket book, the local economy, benefits people in need, and is one of the lowest forms of low carbon foot print shopping around! This is common sense folks!