Thrifty Tip: Shop at Thrift Stores to save

If you’re looking to slash your family’s clothing budget, consider your local thrift store! These warehouses for discarded treasures contain every brand of clothing under the sun, including name brand/designer labels, at a fraction of their retail price.

{Case in point – I recently found a pair of Ralph Lauren “Black Label” jeans in excellent condition at Goodwill for only $7. Their actual retail price? (Are you sitting down?) A whopping $398! Come to Mama…! 😉 }

Granted, thrift stores often have a pre-conceived “Eeewww!” notion attached to them (and depending on the location, this notion can be warranted). However, thrift stores have come a long way in recent years, and many strive to create a department store-ish atmosphere for their customers.

In addition to their already discounted prices, many thrift stores offer incentives such as $0.99 Days, Senior Discount Days, 50% off certain colored tags, and punch cards.

Here are four tips for getting the most out of your second-hand treasure hunts:

1. Inspect each item thoroughly. Check for things like ripped seams, holes in the armpits, stains – even small ones, missing buttons, etc. While many of these “blemishes” can be fixed, some clearly cannot. Also, be sure to test any and all zippers!

2. Try the items on! I cannot stress this enough. Just because that super cute dress is technically your size, it doesn’t mean it will fit like it would directly off the rack. Used clothing is just that – used! Which means it’s been washed, stretched and possibly shrunk. I made the mistake once of taking home the most darling Chinese silk dress for $4 because the tag said it was my size. (I’m sure you know where this is going, right?) Yep. Turns out, I spent $4 on an item I ended up re-donating to the thrift store. (Sigh) Lesson learned. Try everything on, first!

3. Check the Washing Instructions. Always double check each item’s washing/care instructions, especially if you’re not keen on going to the dry cleaners. 😉

4. Ask about donation incentives. Many thrift stores provide discount coupons in exchange for donations. These discounts often fall within the 20% range but can vary widely. Also, be sure to ask if these coupons are valid during special discount days before you load up your basket! 😉

Now it’s your turn! Tell us what your greatest thrift store “score” was and how much you saved!

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About Karrie

Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...