Have you ever bought something from the local Goodwill, only to bring it home and hate it? Sure, it only cost $1.50, but that is money you could have saved. You can avoid this horrifying situation and score yourself a great wardrobe by following Vic’s Rules for Thrift Shopping Bliss.
Before you goDo your homework—find out where the thrift stores are in your area and their hours. Call and ask if there are special sales or promotions. I love finding a shop that will do a fill-a-bag-for-a-dollar day. It doesn’t get better than that!
I also suggest you search in the most well-to-do areas for thrift stores. People with lots of excess money throw last year’s clothes away. The only caveat: try NOT to shop in the “trendy” parts of town. Those thrift shops tend to be over-shopped and over priced.
What to bring
I bring a pocketful of cash and one check card. No purse. If I’m shopping alone, I don’t have to worry about setting my bag down and forgetting about it in the excitement of finding a designer pair of trousers.
I also bring a large Diet Coke from 7-11. I know, its $1.79 I didn’t need to spend. But it caffeinates me and allows me to spend more time shopping!
Also, I always keep a bottle of hand sanitizer or baby wipes to keep in my car so I can wash my hands between stores.
What to wear
Sadly, some great thrift stores have no dressing rooms. Or, the dressing rooms have horribly lines. My solution? I wear a tank top (and a zip up sweatshirt, if it’s cold) with biker shorts hidden under a cute denim skirt. Voila! I can pull a skirt or a pair of pants on under the skirt and slip a shirt or sweater on over the tank top. If it’s warm enough, I also wear very comfy sandals so I can slip off my shoes for a quick try-on.
When to go
Thrift stores are swamped on the weekends, especially at about 10:00 a.m. Either get up with the birds, or do what I do—shop on weekdays. If you have a regular job, utilize your lunch break or swing by on your way home from work.
I also would suggest visiting thrift stores on a regular basis—but DO NOT to buy things every week. For me, going on a regular basis actually eases my craving to spend money on clothes. Going every week can also help you build a relationship with those who work at the shop. Staff can put things aside for you, call you for sales or let you know the store’s regular shipment days so you can get first dibs.
What to buy
Also, look at the clothing’s tags. This is the only time in my life where the brand matters. Name brands have better cuts and will hold up better.
Inspect the WHOLE article of clothing. Stains, tears, rips are all things that should stop you from buying a piece. If the stain is very slight or in a place where no one would notice, you can take a gamble. I found a hand-knit sweater that I loved (and wore for four years) that had a very slight brown stain on the seam beneath the arm. No on ever noticed, and I got a wardrobe staple for $5.
Don’t overlook accessories.
Finally, the most important rule: IF YOU DON’T LOVE IT, DON’T BUY IT.
So before you head to the check out counter ask yourself if you love each piece. If not, put it back. Trust me on this one. Thrift store clothes are so cheap that if you buy every piece that is OK, you’ll wind up with a closetful of crap you’ll never wear.
Happy shopping!
Vic is a freelance journalist and sister to the internet’s premier frugal blogger. She has been a spendthrift, but has been on the frugal wagon for six years.
Really enjoying this series. Thank you so much.
Ragamuffin
I have to be careful not to indulge any yearning for Diet Coke, coffee, or tea before a trip to a thrift store. The thrift stores in my area don’t have restrooms, and maybe it is my age but if I have a drink like that shortly before going shopping I have to cut my browsing short.
In the past I’ve regretted some great deals on dry-clean-only clothing because I’ve spent much, much more getting it cleaned than the original cost. Depending on the fabric I’ve been successful in washing some dry-clean-only items, and I don’t buy any of them now unless I’m quite sure they are made of a fabric that will hold up to gentle washing.
Thank you for this informative series!
You should look on the lable of your diet coke. The recent news said there is battery acid in it. Hansen is good. You can get it cheap at a wharehouse club. Great ideas. Thanks from Annie
According to Snopes.com, there are lots of weird claims out there about Coke. It didn’t mention the battery acid one in particular, so I’m not sure about that. I guess we are back to the old “caveat empor”.
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp
The ingridient is Sodium Benzoate, I believe. It is not in Shasta cola (that is cheap for a huge bottle at the Dollar stores).
Great advice!
My favorite thrift store supports the local animal shelter, a cause that is near and dear to my heart. So, when I shop there, I don’t worry about trying things on. If I find a few pieces that I really like, I just buy them. I wait to try them on at home, and if anything isn’t right, I donate them back, tags and all. Since it’s supporting one of my favorite charities, I feel good about it.
Well, first, thanks for visiting my blog. I like your suggestion for my wine box!
I recently visited our local Salvation Army. I hadn’t been there in years, and I was very impressed at how clean and well-organized it was. The clothes were not only hung up by type, but by color! (Me…I go straight to red and purple!) I only bought a t-shirt and a cute bunny plate, but I do plan to go back again.
You are right about some shops–last year, I walked in and out of a ‘consignment’ shop because the prices were ridiculous.
Any one seen any good garage sales? What about craig’s list or freecycle?? Do you find those to be ,as cool as, this sight?? Take care, Annette