Items to Avoid When Thrift Shopping
These prices are making me stress y’all. Seriously. It doesn’t matter if I am grocery shopping or clothing shopping, all I know is that I am STRESSED out by the prices I am seeing in stores today. That’s why when I discovered that several members of my family were in need of cold weather clothing, I decided to head to the thrift shop.
I have found some amazing deals over the years at thrift shops, but over my years of thrift shopping I have learned that there are some things that you should just buy new. It just makes more sense.
Items to Avoid When Thrift Shopping
Looking for what items to avoid when thrift shopping? Look no further than this list:
Shoes
Unless you find some brand new shoes at the thrift shop (it can happen), I typically recommend avoiding buying shoes at thrift shops. While you can disinfect the shoes, the change of fungus and foot diseases is there when buying used. Plus, shoes mold to your feet when you wear them. If you buy shoes used, you are buying shoes that are likely already molded to someone else’s feet.
Keep an eye on clearance sites and store sales to find some good deals on shoes.
Electronics
There have been very few occasions when I was happy with my purchase of an electronics item from thrift shops. I have tried! Trust me. My husband loves gadgets and electronics so I have certainly tried to save money by thrift shopping for them, but it never turns out well.
Hats and Helmets
It’s always a good idea to avoid buying hats and helmets at thrift shops. I know that this is tempting because it’s so easy to spot super cute and fashionable accessories like hats at thrift shops, but this is one of those things that you should just wait and buy new.
Rain Gear
Rain gear can be a risky thrift purchase. You can’t always spot tiny holes in rain gear, plus many people don’t take proper care of rain gear so the waterproofing may not work as well as new rain gear would.
4 Things You Should Never Buy Used
Being willing to buy used items and shopping second hand is a wonderful way to save money and to add more wiggle room to your budget. There are some things that you should never buy used.
Whether it makes more financial sense to buy them new (it happens), or it’s just kinda yucky, there are reasons to skip the thrift shop for some items. These 4 things you should never buy used is a great guide to start you off with.
4 Things You Should Never Buy Used
Laptops
Laptops are so inexpensive now that it really doesn’t make sense to buy them used. Computers go out of date very quickly so honestly this is just not the hill to die on folks. I am a business owner who works on my laptop 5+ hours per day and I have a great laptop that I paid only $300 for brand new. I’ve seen decent ones as low as $99 (during holiday sales, etc.)
Car Seats
Car seats expire after a certain number of years. Plus, you never know if they have been in an accident (which weakens its safety features). If you need to find a car seat on a budget, look into local charities. They can often help with this.
Shoes
Shoes can be a hotbed of germs, fungus, etc. Plus, they often form to fit the foot of the person who has worn them the most. If you spot some shoes that someone is selling that you can see have been worn very little or not at all, by all means, go for it, but overall I like to avoid this used purchase.
Vacuum Cleaners
Every single time I have bought a used vacuum cleaner, it has been a giant pile of junk. The reason? Vacuums fail. That’s likely why people are getting rid of them. You can head to Walmart and buy a super cheap vacuum that works better than most used vacuums, but over the years I have learned that when it comes to vacuums, you get what you pay for. I paid $180 for a Shark Vacuum 3 years ago and it still works as well as the day I bought it.
Tips for Thrift Shopping on a Budget
Last night we talked a little bit about thrift store flipping. Have you tried that out yet? Today let’s talk a little bit about our tips for thrift shopping on a budget. It doesn’t matter if you are thrifting to find something that you need, thrifting to flip, or thrifting for fun, saving money is always smart!
Here are my top tips for shopping on a budget. Check these out to see if you already do any of these, or if you want to learn some new trips! Do you like to go thrift shopping? I do! I mean, I have literally bought probably 75% of my clothing at thrift shops (and the rest have been bought at discount stores such as Ross Dress for Less). The thing is though, I know it seems like it is super easy to save money when you are thrift shopping, but the reality is that thrift shopping can actually cost quite a lot of money these days, especially with the prevalence of higher end thrift stores that have been popping up all around us.
In order to combat spending too much when I go to thrift stores, I follow a couple of rules. Here are my rules for the best ways to save money at thrift stores:
Tips for Thrift Shopping on a Budget
Set a Budget
I know I harp on this one a lot, but you absolutely have to set a budget before any and all thrift store trips. This is especially true if you are thrifting for the fun of it. It could be just about the same as gambling if you head into a store to just spend money on nothing in specific.
Buy Only What You Will Use
Even after all I do to save money and how often I talk about money saving tips, I still get caught up in the “It’s a good deal so I have to buy it” mindset. I’ve had to really shift my thinking so that I make sure that I only buy what I will absolutely wear and/or use. It took me a long time buy I no longer am tempted to buy something just because it’s cheap.
See if Your Favorite Thrift Store Has a Discount Day
I have two favorite thrift shops. One changes the “discount color tag of the day” every week. Each week that special color tag is marked at half price. My other favorite store offers a deal where their specific color tag is just $1.99 on Mondays. So no matter what the item is, if it is Monday, it is only $1.99. A friend of mine found a beautiful and brand new rug that was normally priced at $300 for just $1.99. Trust me…discount days are worth looking into.
What is your favorite savings tip for thrift shopping?
My favorite Online Thrift Shops
Overall, I’m pretty okay with the stay at home situation. I needed more down time anyway and I love it when my family is home together. I do miss a couple of things though and one of those things is thrift shopping. I may love to shop at thrift stores a little too often, but hey…I love to save money…can you blame me?
Have you ever thrift shopped online? I have and I have had a great experience each time! My favorite online thrift shops are the ones that offer referral bonuses, free shipping, promo codes, or all of the above!
Part of how I have been spending my downtime is with lots of workouts, which is awesome, but I am sorely lacking in workout clothes. Since I’ve been making progress I wanted to reward myself with new workout clothes. But honestly, I hate paying full price for stuff and I HATE paying shipping, so I was really struggling to buy from typical online retailers, so I decided to do a little bit of thrift shopping today. I checked out all of my favorite thrift shops and boy, am I glad I did!
My favorite Online Thrift Shops
ThredUp
I ened up placing my biggest order on ThredUp. Since it has been forever and a day since I logged onto ThredUp I couldn’t remember my info and I just started a new account and as such got 50% off and FREE SHIPPING on my order.
I ordered myself 4 pairs of name brand workout leggings (one brand new with tags) and a super cute Old Navy dress for Summer, I also ordered some super cute American Eagle shorts for my daughter and my total price was just $30 shipped.
Poshmark
Poshmark is great for finding high quality clothing at thrift store prices. I love that you get a $5 referral bonus! I actually end up selling more on Poshmark than I do buying, but I love it for both!
EBTH
I only recently heard of Everything But the House and OMG I love it for high end housewares. Seriously, there is some beautiful stuff on here.
Goodwill (online)
Omg, you guys…how have I never been onto Goodwill online before now?! Literally, I’ve been checking it out over the last couple of days and I love it. If you are a fan of Goodwill, this is a great option for you! It has a very Ebay like feel to it, but there is some really good stuff.
In case you all are missing those thrift shops too…just do it online!
The Best Way to Save Money at Thrift Stores
Do you like to go thrift shopping? I do! I mean, I have literally bought probably 75% of my clothing at thrift shops (and the rest have been bought at discount stores such as Ross Dress for Less). The thing is though, I know it seems like it is super easy to save money when you are thrift shopping, but the reality is that thrift shopping can actually cost quite a lot of money these days, especially with the prevalence of higher end thrift stores that have been popping up all around us.
In order to combat spending too much when I go to thrift stores, I follow a couple of rules. Here are my rules for the best ways to save money at thrift stores:
Budget for it. Just like with everything else, you need to budget for your thrift shopping. If you only have $20 left for the week, do you really think that that $20 should be spent at the thrift shop on something that you may not necessarily need.
Buy only what you will wear. It is really, really is to buy something just because it’s a good deal and because you “think” you may wear it in the future. If it is not something that you will for sure wear often, do not buy them.
Shop on discount days. Make sure to get familiar with days that your thrift shop offers discounts. For instance, I have a local Goodwill that I shop often and every week, they offer a discount on a specific color tag and this deal changes every Sunday, so I will stop in on either Sunday or Monday and ONLY shop the special color tag. Another thrift shop that I go to offers 40% off on Thursdays. I only go to that store on Thursdays.
How do you save when you go thrift shopping?
How to Shop Smart at Thrift Shops
Are you getting ready to head out for a fun day of thrift shopping? I say day because if you are anything like me, your thrift shopping requires a full day! I like to thrift shop for two reasons. One, because I love getting good deals and two, because I love to flip my thrift store finds! For these reasons, I always plan to spend a decent amount of time shopping at thrift shops to ensure that I get the best deals possible.
How to shop smart at thrift shops
Take Your Phone
I know I told you this when we were talking about yard sales, but it is also true about thrift shops. Just because something is for sale in a thrift shop, doesn’t mean that it is a good deal. Take your phone along with you so that you can easily research the price and make sure that you are getting a good deal.
Try it on and Try it Out
If you are buying clothes for yourself, get your booty in that dressing room and try things on! I know that some people are squeamish about trying used things on before they are washed, but I am squeamish about spending money on something that is just going to sit in my closet because it doesn’t fit. Make sense? Most of the time, thrift shops don’t have very generous return policies so once you buy the item, you are stuck with it. Additionally, if you are buying electronic items, be sure to plug them in and make sure they work first. Most thrift shops have outlets available for this purpose.
Set your Budget
Oh my goodness, if I had a dollar for everytime I overspent at a yard sale, I would have a whole lot more dollars. I’ve wised up though and now I set a budget before I go thrift shopping. It’s too easy to overspend on all of those great deals.
8 More Things You Should Always Buy New
Yesterday we talked a bit about some things that you should always buy new and as I was going on and on it occurred to me that there are so many more things that I needed to add to the list, so that is exactly what we are going to do today.
Here are 8 more things that you should always buy new:
- Infant / Toddler Car Seats. Car seats have an expiration date, did you know that? In addition, you never want to use a car seat that has been involved in an accident. The only way to make sure that you have the best quality car seat is to buy brand new. No to worry though, you can often find great deals on them, just shop sales and clearance.
- Helmets. Whether bike helmets or motorcycle helmets, these are always best bough new in case they had previously been involved in an accident, which lessens their protective abilities.
- Hot tubs. Yuck, yuck, yuck. Seriously. Hot tubs are a great breeding ground for germs and you just can’t determine how well maintained a hot tub was by its previous owners.
- Stuffed animals. You can buy very inexpensive stuffed animals brand new. Used stuffed animals can come accessorized with bugs or bacteria that you can avoid with a new purchase.
- Baby cribs and other baby furniture. There have been quite a few recalls on baby cribs and other baby furniture. It is best to just avoid any purchase of used furniture to avoid inadvertently buying a recalled item.
- Car tires. Shop around for a deal on new tired. It can be done. There is a chance that any used tires you buy may have been in an accident previously, which could render them unstable.
- Bedding. For the same reasons that you don’t want to buy a used mattress, you should avoid buying used bedding.
Vacuum Cleaners. Thing about the use that your vacuum has received over its lifetime. Would you want to buy that? I didn’t think so. Vacuums are best when bought new.
8 Things You Should Always Buy New
I know that you are trying your best to save money and I know that oftentimes that means shopping thrift stores and consignment shops for clothes, furniture, etc. I love shopping at thrift stores. In fact, you will probably find me shopping thrift stores, much more often than I should, but I figure it’s better than being at the mall and spending big money.
That being said, there are some things that you should always buy new and for good reason, whether it is for health reasons or simply to avoid the “ick” factor.
Here are 8 things that you should always buy new:
- Underwear. Yep, it needed to be said. Used underwear is just yucky! Besides, you can buy some pretty cheap skivvies if you keep an eye on the clearance and sales racks at basically any store. Many department stores even have undies under $2 on clearance. You just need to know where to look.
- Shoes. Shoes are made to form to a person’s foot. Does it make sense for you to wear shoes that have been formed to someone else’s feet?
- Socks. This goes along with undies and shoes of course, but there are just too many foot fungus issues out in this world and I want no part of it.
- Swimsuits. Okay, in all honesty, I have bought used swimsuit tops, but it’s always best policy to buy your swimsuit bottoms new.
- Makeup. Avoid any opened makeup you may find at yard sales, or posted on for sale groups. Makeup can grow bacteria from people’s eyes and skin. No one wants pinkeye just for saving a couple bucks.
- Hairbrush and/or accessories. Too many chances of lice with this one. Lice can live in hair brushes and hair ties for quite a long time.
- Mattresses. Used mattresses can carry bed bugs and more. You may be surprised to learn this, but you can actually buy cheap mattresses online. They may not be the most comfortable mattress ever, but you won’t be dealing with a bed bug infestation afterwards.
- Non-stick cookware. While I will buy glass cookware and Pyrex, I always say a big NO to buying used non-stick cookware. This stuff is bad for you when scratched and flaking off into your food and that is often the case with used ones.