Thrift Store Shopping Basics

Imagine finding a designer handbag that’s worth over $200, and paying only $5 for it. That’s part of the fun of thrift store shopping. It can be like searching for lost treasure. But, even if you don’t make a great find like that one on your first, or second, or twentieth time out, you can still find great items at amazing prices when you go thrift store shopping. All it takes is the time and patience to search through the junk and find the gems.

Whether you’ve been a thrift store shopper for years, or you’re a relative newbie, here are some tips that can make your thrift store shopping experience more rewarding.


Give yourself plenty of time for thrift store shopping.

Thrift store shopping is all about the search. You never know what you might find. But you have a better chance of finding something great if you give yourself plenty of time to look.

If you have an entire day free to do some serious thrift store shopping, that’s great. If not, give yourself at least a few hours to really explore the thrift store, especially if it’s one you’ve never been to before. And take a friend to keep you company.


Decide on a budget before you go thrift store shopping.

It’s easy to be seduced by the low prices you find while thrift store shopping. But a hundred dollars is a hundred dollars, whether you spend it at a thrift store or a retail store. So, before you go thrift store shopping, decide exactly how much you can afford to spend, and don’t go over that budget.


Do you have a way to get furniture from the thrift store to your house?

Most thrift stores don’t deliver. So, if you’re going to buy a bed, or sofa, or desk while thrift store shopping, remember you’ll need some way to get what you bought home. Luckily, many thrift stores will put furniture on hold for a day or two, allowing impulse shopper’s time to find a way to transport those items.