Thrifting: The New Shopping
Thrifting is a great way to spend little to nothing on clothes, but if you don’t shop correctly you could end up with junk. Check out these tips on how to thrift!
Use Your Phone to Your Advantage. Some thrift stores can overprice furniture or vintage items. Use price matching technology to see if the item is worth the price. Some websites you could use are eBay or Google.
Shop for Sales. Thrift stores are full of sales, but the best sales are called “tag sales”. Tag sales are weekly sales where items with certain color are on sale. Larger stores have bag sales where items can be purchased by the pound. Some days close to holidays have big sales like Fourth of July or Christmas sales.
Don’t be afraid to ask for a bargain. If an item is torn or has a stain, ask if you could get a discount. Most items that have small tears can be repaired with a little sewing.
Look for the best items. Leather shoes, belts, jeans, and furniture can save you a lot of money in advance. Buying jeans from thrift stores can save a lot of money especially during back to school time. Furniture can be one of the best finds while thrift shopping; you can find unique pieces for half of the original price. If you are shopping for furniture, always check for tears, stains, and bugs. Bring flashlights, cotton swabs, and gloves while looking for furniture. When buying appliances, plug it in before buying to make sure that it works.
Know What You Are Looking For. Without knowing what you want in a thrift store, you can spend hours looking at nothing or buying something that you don’t need. Write a list of want you want and the sizes you wear so you more organized way to shop. When buying outfits, have a style that you are looking for to avoid buying random clothes.
Have a Vision. One of the biggest parts of thrift shopping is having and open mind. Most clothes that are ripped can be fixed with a little sewing.
Give Yourself Time to Shop. Most thrift shopping can be done within an hour if you know what you are looking for. If you don’t have a list, give yourself time to browse the store. Some of the best finds in thrift stores are hidden.
Thrift stores can be a lot of fun to shop in, especially if done correctly. It takes time and you won’t always find what you are looking for, but don’t give up. If you have any tips on thrift shopping share them with us at contact@cypressmag.com!