Definition: Thrift- economical management ; economy ; frugality
Synonyms: prudence , carefulness, saving
(Sounds pretty good am I right)? Let’s learn more!
Do you remember not too long ago whenever having something considered “vintage” was all the rage?
Young people everywhere were on the lookout for items from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. And where did they find these things you ask?
At their local thrift store.
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about thrift stores is how they repurpose one person’s “trash” and give the opportunity to make it another man’s “treasure”.
Most thrift stores operate off of donations from their local community. So what you purchase inside of one likely came from someone from your very own city!
The best part about thrift store shopping to me has to be the “hunt”. Let me explain what I mean.
In a shopping mall finding clothes is very simple. You just go to any given store, find your section and everything is organized by specific product.
In a thrift store, it’s not near as easy. You have sections still, but once you make it there, you’re on your own. Time to dig through the racks in hope of finding that treasure!
Before you judge, consider this. At a mall you may get less satisfaction from shopping since you didn’t have to work very hard to find what you wanted.
Compare this to having to search through racks and racks of clothes but you find a Gucci shirt for $7.99! This my friend, is the hunt!
Now on to another reason why I enjoy shopping at thrift stores. How economical and cost-efficient it is. (See the definition at the beginning of the post).
Always remember this principle: Buy the best quality item at the lowest possible price.
In reality, nobody cares that you paid $300 for your new shoes. All they care about is what they can see. So if you have those shoes on your feet but only paid $30, you’re still a winner!
You want to be able to look good while still paying your bills after all! Thrift stores provide a way for the average person to have the look they desire while staying within their personal budget.
As much as all of us in this community enjoy shopping, we must enjoy it in a responsible manner. Set a budget for how much you will spend on shopping each month and stick to it!
The great thing about thrift stores is how much bang you can get for your buck! $100 can provide you with a total wardrobe makeover. Shirts, pants, shoes and accessories are all available for just $100.
Compared to a mall where a pair of Levi’s jeans can easily cost you $60 alone. Something to think about.
Bonus Tip
Since you’ve read this far, I’ll give you a special bonus tip!
Sometimes I get the urge to shop just to have something to do. (Similar to how some people eat food just because they get bored. They aren’t even hungry when they do this!)
I’ve learned that instead of spending money to do more shopping, I should find more places to wear the clothes I’ve already purchased.
This way I’m utilizing all the clothes I’ve bought. I’ll give you some ideas to get you started.
- Dinner dates
- Visiting a local museum
- Park / Picnic
- A walk downtown
- Dressing well to run errands
- Going to church
- Spending time with friends
With all that said, hopefully you see the pros to visiting your local thrift store. There are many great deals to be found if you are willing to look!
Happy thrifting!
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