Best thrift shop tips?

**Judi Dial** · 08-18-2009, 08:22 PM

I'm going to have a jaunt out Friday this week and went looking for thrift shop(s) along the way where I can stop.

That made me think, do you folks shop on certain days? Go looking for certain items during certain parts of the year? Find the best deals move from store to store? How do you plan your thrift shopping, or do you just go and see what you can find?

TIA!

Judi

**Debbie-cat** · 08-18-2009, 08:48 PM

I just look and see what I can find and need. I asked at my local Goodwill what day they get their new stock in and then I hit it that day and the next...gives them time to put out all the stock.

Have fun!

**dianeeileen** · 08-18-2009, 09:14 PM

My mom and I have a system, several local stores have senior day on different days. We marked them on the calender and that's when we go. She will buy all my stuff with her's and I pay her. I get a little extra discount that I don't deserve but I often take to donate far more than I ever buy.

**shoiji** · 08-18-2009, 09:18 PM

Different thrift stores will have days that certain things are on sale. Or a senior discount day. I usually have an idea of what I am looking for before I go shopping.

One thing I do require is that any item I buy most look new. It is amazing how excited you can be on a find that when you get it home you think what was I thinking. It really has lessened the amount of stuff I bring home.

Have fun.

**Shelli_wnj** · 08-18-2009, 09:21 PM

Here on wednesdays everything is half off at the salvation army, so I try to go on wednesdays early. by afternoon, there isn't usually anything left worth having, other than clothes. I go to housewares first - I am always looking for kitchen stuff. Then i go to childrens and after that books. if I have found anything - at that point I check out. if I haven't I may look at a shirt or skirt for myself if anything in my closet is wearing thin. usually i end up with nothing or one or two small things, but sometimes I get something i wasnt expecting!

**spyzvixxen** · 08-19-2009, 01:50 PM

My local thrift store has 25% off on Mondays. I wish I could find the deals you gals are finding. All the thrift stores here seem to be overpriced IMO. For example - baby clothes I can get brand new from Carter's clearance rack for the same prices. What gives?? I don't get it.

**Thevail** · 08-19-2009, 02:22 PM

I try to know when the sale days are, then I'm getting a bargain on a bargain! And almost any store will tell you the days they tend to "stock" the merchandise. Getting there early to look through the newest stuff can really help, especially if you're looking for something specific like a black pencil skirt in a size 12, or a copper bottomed sauce pan.

I also check those little useless local bi-fold newspapers (I get one a week, and all it ever has are ads for local businesses) because sometimes there's a coupon for 30% off your purchase of $10, or whatever. I always take any coupon I can find for a place with me when I go. It comes in useful if I find a piece of furniture that I can't live without.

Always check with the thrift store, many smaller ones have an e-mail list in which they'll send you all the sale dates and coupons right to your in box.

Check for: rips, stains, tears, smells, or dents. Always check to make sure that zippers work and that the pockets are ok. And check to see that the item has been washed at least once.

If you can TRY IT ON, if it's clothing. It's so easy to make a purchase because you love the color etc. , only to find that the designer for that line lives in a fantasy world of oddly shaped women. ( I tend to wear super thin spandex bike shorts (UNDER my jeans..) to go thrift shopping because I don't have to take them off to try something on.

As you walk down the rack of clothing let your eye land on a beautiful color or your hand stop at an amazing texture of fabric. Try to buy only things that you'd pay full price for if you could. It's really easy to get seduced by super low prices into owning an awful lot of "nothing to wear". Just because you CAN get 6 shirts for the price of just one shirt in a regular store.. doesn't mean you need 6 shirts, nor that you'd wear all of them.

On the other hand, if you like it, but you're indecisive.. PICK IT UP and put it in your cart. Remember the store only has ONE of that item in that size, color, condition.. etc. If you pass it by and someone else picks it up.. there's no "do-overs".

Look for name brands that you trust, or that you know fit you well. I'm not talking snobbishness. But you know you have a favorite pair of pants! Look at the tag, what brand and size are they? Look for other pairs of pants in the same size from the same company, then try them on. You may be able to reproduce your favorite in a half dozen colors or slightly different styles! Imagine if ALL your pants were your "favorite".

Also from the brand vs. bargain perspective. Paying $3.99 for a top from Target or Wal-Mart really isn't much of a bargain. You could get those items on clearance for the same price new in the original store.

On the other hand that gorgeous J. Crew cashmere sweater for $5.99 is a bargain and a half (as long as you like and need it) because the original sweater was $120, and it was $40 on the clearance rack.

Another tip that helps me immensely is that just before I check out I stop and go through every item in my cart. I can add up the approximate total that way so I know if a particular coupon will work, and I also get a chance to review what I put in there. Are those shoes really that cool? What will I wear them with? Do I need another kitchen widget? Where will I store it? I generally end up leaving about a third of the stuff I picked up behind as I head for the register.

**Judi Dial** · 08-20-2009, 11:11 PM

The only general "tip" re thrift store shopping I found was to shop on Thursday or Friday, usually they're stocking up for the weekend and it hasn't been picked through as much.

Thanks for all the tips folks!

Judi

**frugalfranny** · 08-21-2009, 02:09 AM

Most of ours will have one day a week that they 'discount'.....and some will also have certain color tags that are discounted.

I keep a 'thrift shop' list to remind me of what I 'really need' when I go....sort of helps keep me on track.

have fun.......let us know what sort of treasures you find......