How Not to Shop at Thrift Stores for Second Hand Haters

If you love shopping, you love a good bargain, and you're sick of the mass market merchandise found at your local Wal-Mart or other mega discount emporium hellhouse, thrift store shopping should be high on your list of things to do in the coming weeks. If the cash flow has slowed to a trickle, but you can't kick the shopping habit, why not scout out the nearest second hand shop to see what you can find to sate your purchasing impulse? Still, despite the stellar deals to be had, some people hate thrift stores. Whether it's difficult to overcome the ick factor of pawing through someone else's junk or an unconscious need to pay retail, these people who shun thrift stores are seriously missing out. If you're one of the second hand haters and you're hoping to change your ways, this guide is for you. For the thrift store junky, share this article with your thrift hatin' friends!

1) Not All Thrift Is Equal.

Just like everybody has their own preference when it comes to candy bars or brands of beer, not all thrift stores can meet every thrift store shopper's needs. Don't let one thrift store ruin it for you. Make a solemn effort to find and shop at TEN different thrift stores or second hand shops before you write off the life of thrift forever. Not sure where the thrift stores are in your area? Search for the following terms to find them: resale, consignment, second hand, thrift. Or you can locate the closest branch of one of the "super" thrift stores like Savers, Goodwill, or the Salvation Army. While you are there, ask other shoppers or the people working there to direct you to other thrift stores in the area. Most people are happy to share their favorite places to shop, and if you run into someone unwilling to spill the beans, just ask someone else.

If you find and visit 10 different thrift stores, you'll see the variety of thrift out there. Some stores are neatly organized, with clothes arranged by color and/or size, with items cleaned and polished before being put out on the shelves. These places usually have higher quality merchandise... at higher prices. Other stores are small affairs, maybe a mom-and-pop thrift place or sponsored by a local church. These often have cluttered shelves where treasures hide between piles of junk, but their prices are generally much cheaper than the bigger stores. Consignment stores sell things that belong to other people, keeping a percentage of the selling fee as a commission, which, again, results in higher prices. Depending on whether you want discount designer duds or bargain priced treasures, you're bound to find at least one store that you'd like to visit again. Which brings us to my second point:

2) Thrift Store Shopping is Not One-Stop Shopping.

If you are used to being able to say "I need a toaster" and then going out immediately and purchasing a toaster, thrift store shopping will require an attitude adjustment. You might need to hit three stores before you find whatever it is you are looking for, or maybe you won't find it at all... yet. That's the thing about thrift stores: good things come to those who wait... and those who visit often. If you live close to a thrift store, make a point of visiting often. In the city where I used to live, I had four thrift stores within a few miles of each other, meaning that I could easily visit each one weekly. In another area where I lived, I only had pricey consignment stores locally and had to drive 5 miles to find a good thrift store, so I went less frequently. Give yourself a certain time frame to look for the item that you want before you cave an go retail. Let's say you want a bread maker. That's not something that you really "need" to have the next day, especially since fresh baked bread is readily available and cheap in most locations. Instead of going out and paying full price just to suit your whim, give yourself a month to shop the local thrift stores and see if one turns up. (Also, watch for sales in the meantime.) If it doesn't, then by all means go out and buy it, knowing that at least you tried.

3) Don't Expect A Thrift Store to Have Everything You Want.

While you can certainly get everything you need, except food, from thrift stores, you might not be able to get everything you want. If you are a fashionista on a quest for the latest designer goods, you might be out of luck. If you can wait a season for that special jacket, you have a much better chance of getting a bargain. Shoes are hit or miss at thrift stores -- sometimes they don't pass the "sniff test" or they've been stretched out of shape by another foot -- that's not to say you can't find a great pair at a great price. I once bought a pair of leather clogs for $1 that have held up to four years of heavy use, but I've been looking for a decent pair of hiking boots for a year with no luck. The best way to make thrift stores work for you is to use them to supplement your shopping experience -- try the thrift stores first then buy what you can't find somewhere else. While not everything that you find at a thrift store is going to have problems, you're more likely to find jeans with tears or a shirt with a small stain than you would buying new, obviously, however know that stain fighters work wonders and torn jeans come in and out of fashion. Consider what's really important to you then see how thrift stores can fit into your life.