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Being a Thrifty Shopper


I’m gunna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket… Twenty dollars doesn’t go as far as it used to, and with budgets being stretched it can be hard to find what you’re looking for within your means. This has led many people today to try thrift shopping - purchasing gently used items at discounted prices.

Why Thrift?

Bonus of thrift shopping? Helping the environment! The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics considers thrift store salesclerks as having “Green Jobs.” Sustainably shopping at thrift stores encourages the re-use of clothing and items that have already been created, decreasing the need to produce additional items, and decreasing the size of landfills.

In Person

There are many places you can go to for secondhand purchases and sometimes you will even find NWT items (new with tags). For in person thrift store shopping, places like Goodwill and The Arc are great places to start. Most stores have a color of tag that goes on sale each week on the same day. At The Arc most items are half off on Saturdays.

You may find clothing at some established chains like Plato’s Closet and My Best Friend’s Closet. Additionally, these consignment stores are places you could make some extra cash by selling your pre-loved clothing items you no longer wear. You can then use that cash to shop there, afterwards.

Many thrift stores also offer military/veteran/first responder discounts, senior discounts, and teacher discounts. You can often also stack these discounts with sale days or coupons.

Online

Great places to shop online for pre-owned items include eBay and Craigslist and you can negotiate prices as well to get the best deal you can. Another popular online option is through Facebook Marketplace, where you can easily buy or sell new and used items.

Other apps to purchase or sell secondhand items include: Poshmark, LetItGo, Mercari, and OfferUp. On these applications you can often find new with tags items, and you are able to negotiate prices.


However you decide to go thrifting, these are some good options to get started. You’ll be sure to find some good deals and possibly make some extra cash, selling your pre-loved items for someone else to love. All with the added bonus of helping the earth by living sustainably.

So now that you’ve saved all that money thrifting, might we suggest putting some into an emergency savings account and watch your finances glow up!

 

Sources & enhanced by Credit Union of Denver:

https://my.neighbor.org/reasons-why-shop-thrift-store/            

https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/money/33-thrift-store-shopping-hacks-from-a-professional-thrifter

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