10 Reasons to Thrift Shop Today

Move over, bad rap. Thrift shopping is now the way to shop. Thrift shopping and second-hand love have grown in recent years. If you’re not already on board, hop on! Here are 10 great reasons to thrift shop today.

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What is thrift shopping?

Thrift shopping, or “thrifting” for short, is buying items from charity or thrift shops. Sellers are often non-profit charitable organizations that sell goods at low prices. Goods are typically donated second-hand items and occasionally new items too.

Thrift shops are different from consignment shops, curated second-hand stores, and vintage stores, but they all typically sell second-hand items and sometimes new items at discounted prices as opposed to what you would find at traditional retail stores.

Why thrift shop?

1 | Save money

One of the biggest benefits of thrifting is that you save money. A new shirt that costs $50 at the department store can cost $10 at a thrift store. That’s a savings of $40 right there.

You might not find the latest brands and styles new with tags on every shopping trip, but it’s normal to come by popular brands regularly. You could walk out of a thrift store with a bag full of clothes for the cost of that one new $50 shirt from a retail store.

If you have children, you know that they outgrow or wear out their clothes quickly. You can restock their wardrobes with new and gently used clothing for less than you would if you shopped at retail stores.

These are out some of the new items I’ve found in the past few months at much less than retail.

2 | Shop without (or less) guilt!

Many people love to shop and keep doing it despite knowing that it’s not in their best interest. Guilty!

I used to spend a lot of my free time shopping and browsing shops. I’d spend my work lunch hours and weekend afternoons at my favorite stores because it was a fun way to relax. I’d buy clothes that I didn’t always need and then feel bad when I didn’t wear them afterward.

When you shop at thrift stores, you likely spend less money than you would at a retail store. It’s easier to swallow paying $30 for three tops than it is $100 for those same three items.

Thirty dollars may be in your budget while $100 may not be. So you can feel less guilty or even feel comfortable with shopping when it’s at a thrift store.

Plus, you can accidentally ruin clothes without feeling guilty about it. When I spilled pen ink on my white cardigan after wearing it only a handful of times, I breathed a sigh of relief that I only paid $5 for it. I didn’t cry when I lost my Lululemon jacket either because it was less than $10 from a thrift store.

3 | Get unique clothes and costumes

Thrift stores are the go-to place for Halloween costumes and ugly Christmas sweaters. You can get vintage and specialty clothing for a lot less than at premium vintage stores or brand new.

This past Halloween, I came across two unique costumes that I ended up selling. The first was a new Steindl Trachten traditional German dress from Germany for $15. It was missing a few pieces but still sold for $50. The other was a new handmade Damsel in The Dress corset for $13. That also sold for $50. Both were originally over $100 at retail.

This past Christmas season, I picked up this new vintage The Limited beaded sweater for $14.99. It screams the 80s with the shoulder pads and dolman sleeves. I’m debating keeping it to wear myself next year.

If you want to try out new clothing and styles or add to your already unique style, you can experiment with items from the thrift store without spending too much money.

Then if you decide your new style or item was just a fad, you don’t have to feel bad about never wearing it again. You didn’t overspend on it!

4 | Conserve the environment

Another major reason to thrift shop is to support environmental conservation.

Mass clothes manufacturing is demanding on the environment. Material such as cotton must be grown and prepared for use. Manufacturing of synthetic materials requires oil and results in textile waste. Human labor is also required to sew fabric into wearable clothes.

Clothes are often made in countries such as China and Bangladesh and then shipped around the world to sell in countries like the US. This places even more demand on the environment and human labor.

When you reuse and recycle clothing, you reduce demand for new clothing production as well as demand for environmental resources.

5 | Support local jobs and organizations

Your dollars support the people and organizations in your community. Goodwill in my area stresses that the money from sales goes toward employee job training. When the employees move on from Goodwill, they are likely to remain employed in the area using their skills.

You can feel good knowing that your shopping benefits local communities, organizations, and people rather than faceless national or international retail stores.

6 | For fun and entertainment

Thrift shopping provides hours of entertainment. Many thrift shoppers love the thrill of the hunt and scoring a great find. It’s a scavenger hunt for grown-ups.

You’ll be amused by the unique items and random oddities you’ll come across too. My favorite finds are cat-themed items. I take pictures of all the cat items I come across like these.

7 | Find a treasure

While you may be pushing your luck expecting to find an undiscovered Van Gogh or Monet painting for a few dollars, you can regularly find hidden gems or personal treasures.

I found these beautiful KLM Delft miniature houses that are sought-after collectibles. I displayed them in my house for a few months before deciding to sell them. I’m still on the lookout for treasures like early American Girls, Polly Pocket, and Rainbow Bright dolls.

8 | Furnish your house

Let’s face it, furnishing a new house or apartment gets expensive. Many thrift shops have a furniture and houseware section where you get essentials for a fraction of retail price.

I’ve seen more utensils, plates, mugs, and kitchen items than I can count at thrift stores. One thrift store I used to visit sold used table sets and living room furniture. I donated my working TV there a few years ago after getting a new one.

9 | DIY projects

I admire people who can take a piece of old furniture and restore it into a unique and modern piece. Where do people get tables, cabinets, and chairs to restore? At the thrift store!

It’s not only furniture that you can make into DIY projects. These are other items that can be upcycled and repurposed:

Wicker baskets
Containers
Miniature trays
Chalkboards and bulletin boards
Plates and bowls
Picture frames
Lamps
Benches

Baskets and containers can be used for storage, side table décor, planters, and centerpieces. Large and small trays can hold pens, jewelry, and other loose items. They can be turned into decorative signs too. The ideas for these items are endless!

10 | Make money

My favorite reason to thrift shop is to make money. Turn your thrift shopping fun into a profitable business.

You can do this by looking for items that are worth more than their sale price and reselling them at a higher price. It may take some research and trial and error to know what sells well, but once you start making sales, you’re in business!

Many people like me do this as a side hustle. Reselling can be lucrative though. It’s common for serious full-time sellers to make five and six figures a year.

If you’re looking for a side hustle and like thrift shopping, this one might be for you!

Thrift shops get a bad rap, but there are plenty of great reasons to shop them. Give it a try if you haven’t already and experience some of the benefits for yourself.

Why do you thrift shop?

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