Thrift store shopping has become a bit of a thing over the last ten years. Thanks, Macklemore. Not only can you get that crazy fur jacket, but they might even have those corduroy pants for that dress-up party.
Besides going there for the intentionally wild garb, the thrift store is a real thing. You can get a lot of what you need at a fraction of the price and keep more dollars in your budget.
My goal here isn’t to keep from going to the mall or Target or Amazon. I buy new shit all the time. New stuff has its place, but I’m here to shed some light on where you can stretch your dollars.
Kitchen
If you want nice stuff because you have enough cash flowing and don’t care, go to the fancy stores and go wild. For the kitchen basics, go to a thrift store. Those glasses you usually pay $10 each for new are a dollar apiece. Coffee mugs for $20? Try $2. This also goes for pots, pans, plates, etc.
Bonus: This doubles as well for camping equipment. Having a separate kitchen for camping is a must, which is a great way to do it.
Books
If you have a book you want, I’m the first person to go straight to Amazon and buy the damn book. I also have a list of books I want, but they’re more of a want and not a need. I keep a list on my phone (or in my head) of interesting books, but I’m not as compelled to buy. When I’m at the thrift store, I peruse the books section and nab any of those for around $2.
Board Games
Board Games are the same as books for me. I have a couple that I straight up buy because I want them. But, living in a family of five, we always like to have different games to play. Do some checking on the quality (and all the pieces), but this is also another great nab.
Furniture
Do you need a nightstand, or a bookshelf, or a dresser? I have another rant about buying most furniture used, but that’s for another day. If there are specific things you want for your place, then get that thing. If you’re like me and prefer utility over glamour, do yourself a favor and use the money on something you care more about.
Clothes
If you put in a little effort, you can build up your wardrobe with nice clothes for not much. I’ve found $80 shirts for less than $10. A $50 dress shirt for $5. You have to do some digging, but I’m telling you there is gold in there. My partner is an expert on this. When I first started, it seemed daunting going through those giant racks. Do it a few times; you’ll catch your stride.
Next Level
If you have a good eye, you can even start flipping expensive items that are grossly underpriced high-quality clothing, an expensive painting, or that costly piece of cooking hardware.
If you start going to the thrift store enough times, you’ll start to pick up on some of these things. You may as well double up while you’re there.
Conclusion
This won’t be for everyone, but I encourage you to have an open mind. I never thought I’d spend much time in thrift stores until I got the hang of it. As I mentioned earlier, I still buy a lot of new stuff, the things I specifically want. For the things I’m more indifferent about, the thrift store is my jam.
