Author: Steve Clark

Hi! I am Steve Clark, a marketing manager at a thrift store. I Have been working in the thrift store industry for the last five years.

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Thrift Stores

10 Tips for Saving Time at Thrift Stores

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Thrifting is for the adventurous, the off-beat, and — for the most part — the unhurried. But when you shop resale, you’re potentially saving garments from joining the 85 percent of clothing that ends up in landfills. The thrill of the hunt is spreading to more shoppers each year. Some people thrift to find vintage, unique threads, and others are searching for high-end brands they couldn’t otherwise afford. Online resaler thredUP compiled surveys and industry data to find that around 40 percent of millennials thrifted last year, and the resale market is expected to double from 2017 to 2022.

If you’re new to the idea, thrifting can seem overwhelming. Flea markets, consignment shops, secondhand stores, and antique shops all require a unique strategy to get the best deals, but some cardinal rules can help you cut through the clutter and score your treasures in less time.

Thrift Seasonally

When it comes to secondhand stores, the inventory is driven by donations. If you visit thrift store in Panama City Beach, FL in the spring and summer when people tend to clear out their unused possessions you might have a better chance at finding your holy grail of vintage kitsch. In college towns, thrift stores are loaded up with unwanted appliances and furniture at the end of each semester.

Shop by Locale

Just as the characteristics of neighborhoods differ, so will the contents of their thrift stores. For high-end electronics and brands, shop at stores in wealthier areas. If you’re looking for trendy surprises, go to an artsy district.

Browse Often

Resale inventory changes quickly, so your chances of landing a sweet deal are better if you stop in every once in a while. It could take weeks or months, but finding your dream dresser or a tags-on linen jacket will make it all worth it.

Thrift through the Week

Since stores get a bulk of their donations over the weekend, the perfect time for shopping is usually Tuesday through Thursday. At this point, they’ve had a chance to process their inventory, and the next weekend rush hasn’t yet come to pick over the good stuff.

Have a Plan

Collection of thrift items in a store.

Getting sucked into the unexpected wonders of Goodwill is easy, but you’re going to need a strategy if you don’t want to waste your entire afternoon. The sheer volume of the store might be too much to take in at once, so focus on shoes or jeans if that’s what you need. Look at shirts and pants a size below and above your own, since sizes can fluctuate for older clothing and different brands. Most veteran thrifters place everything that’s a “maybe” in their cart and discard everything they don’t absolutely need at the end.

Check Clothes

Remember that you’re often dealing with previously worn clothing. That means it could have rips and stains that aren’t apparent at first glance. Before you fall in love with that Rag & Bone dress, check it inside and out for any non-negotiable damage.

Bring a Tape Measure

Measure twice, and buy once. Make sure you know the dimensions of the space you’re trying to fill so you can quickly decipher whether a piece of furniture is going to work. It should go without saying that you’ll need the proper transportation.

Test Electronics

If it has a cord, plug it in to make sure it works.

Keep Track of Discounts and Sales

Follow your favorite stores on social media or join their mailing list to stay up-to-date on weekly specials. Military discounts, senior discounts, and other sales can turn a regular bargain into a spectacular buy.

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Thrift Stores

10 Tips for Finding the Thrift Store Treasures

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As people have gotten savvier with resale businesses, it gets harder and harder to find true vintage these days, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t gems to be had. I used to thrift hardcore as a hobby, and I’d almost never leave the store without something good, and I realized it’s mostly about creating your own luck. Here are 10 things to keep in mind if you want to shop like a pro.

1. Go in with the right mindset—it’s about finding a treasure.

The #1 rule is to go in with an open mind. People who think thrifting is gross or beneath them tend to never find anything. It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy. You’ve got to be able to touch the clothes and not get the heebie jeebies.

And if you’re looking for a specific item, say, a pair of black skinny work pants, you can be setting yourself up for disappointment. For me, thrifting has always been about finding a treasure, and that mindset has made a huge impact in what I’ve been able to find. Knowing that there’s possibly a needle in the haystack makes me more motivated to keep digging through everything.

2. Look through everything.

I’ve noticed that people who only look at couple of things on a rack don’t find anything. If you’re not a patient person, and won’t put in the time to browse, then you won’t find stuff. There is a competitive nature to thrifting, so simply outworking other people by being thorough can yield some major rewards. When my best friend and I hit up a thrift store together, we can easily end up spending over an hour going through everything. Even though there’s two of us. And we both can comb the same exact rack and end up selecting different stuff.

When it comes to prioritizing which departments to look through, I always browse dresses first. Dresses are the most desirable, so I make sure to look through them as early as possible.

And don’t forget the racks right outside the dressing rooms! These can be a treasure trove for cool items that someone else found first but discarded.

3. Know your fabrics.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by racks of clothes, and looking at everything by pulling each item off the rack is way too time-consuming. “Pros” take shortcuts by quickly assessing fabrics or prints. They can quickly filter out the crappy stuff by touch and feel, and only pull out the clothes that interest them from there. If you’re shopping for quality and true vintage, look for the natural fabrics like silks, wools, linens, 100% cottons and leathers. If you see a 70s psychedelic print, then skip over it, unless that’s specifically what you are looking for.

4. If it looks even remotely interesting, throw it in the cart.

Some clothes don’t look like much on the rack, but are actually flattering once you put them on. And vintage sizing is all over the place, so you can’t judge if something will fit by looking at the size tag. Again, keep an open mind.

5. Assess the competition.

When you’re in the store, look around and see who else is shopping. If you see someone who has similar style to you, they’ll probably gravitate toward the same items as you. Considering that thrift store merchandise is usually one of a kind, sensing competition is a cue that you need to move more quickly.

You also can’t assume that putting items on the rack–even temporarily–will guarantee that they’ll still be there a few minutes later. I’ve hung clothes on a rack to try on in front of a mirror and have had people come up to me trying to “poach” my stuff. One girl even got mad that I even had the nerve to put items I had been considering on a rack. She thought that if the clothes were on a rack, even if I was close by, that that meant the merchandise was up for grabs.

6. Go often, and right when the store opens.

Going often is the key, because merchandise changes daily. In my heyday I lived a 5-minute walk from a great thrift store, and I dropped by several times a week. It’s not a coincidence that I always found tons of awesome stuff there. I created my own luck by showing up all the time.

I also like to hit up thrift stores right when they open. I like shopping in peace, and early in the day it’s more of a zen vibe without people milling about around you.

7. Don’t forget the men’s or kid’s sections.

Don’t be afraid to shop other departments. Unlike regular stores, clothes in a thrift store aren’t always where they belong, and people tend to hide or discard their finds on random racks. And it’s not intuitive, but you can find higher-quality, oversized sweaters in the men’s section, and if you’re small, I’ve found some of the best dresses hiding in the kid’s section.

8. Get off the beaten path.

If you go to the less-obvious stores, or the ones that are out of the way for most people, the less likely they’ll be picked over. I would personally suggest you the thrift shop in Panama City Beach, FL because of the good services they usually provide.

9. Wear outfits that are easy to layer over.

Many of the best thrift stores don’t have dressing rooms to prevent people from stealing. Or if the dressing rooms are full, save yourself some time and frustration by trying things on over your clothes. If you wear leggings or dresses, you can easily try on skirts or pants without needing a dressing room.

10. Don’t buy it just because it’s cheap.

I used to come home with a thrift store haul and think, ‘Hey, I only spent $13.” But this is a dangerous line of thinking, because you can start to overbuy and accumulate stuff you don’t need. I’m just finally getting the hang of moderation when it comes to thrifting, and it’s taken me years to become OK with not buying something beautiful, even if it didn’t fit at all.

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Thrift Stores

What are the Challenges of Opening a Thrift Store

Clothing Thrift Store Shopping - Free photo on Pixabay

Want to start a business? Be proactive. Opportunities don’t magically appear. It’s important to seek out or create opportunities. Remember that big things start in small ways. Facebook started in a college dorm. Apple computers were brainstormed in a garage in the 1970s. Whether you want to work in a small business or have higher aspirations, opening a thrift shops in Panama City Beach, FL may be the best way to start. This is not to imply that opening one will be easy.It may be easier than opening a traditional retail business. Still, not by much.

In traditional retail, you’re responsible for maintaining a supply-chain system that will source merchandise and inventory for you.

Want to open a thrift store? You alone might be solely responsible for sourcing, securing, supplying, and sanitizing inventory.You’ll be responsible for every decision concerning your thrift store.

And then there are the startup costs. There are ancillary costs like business licenses, application fees, utilities, insurance, taxes, and so on, to take into account as well.

I will list the basics for you on what it takes to open a thrift store. However, don’t for a second believe it won’t be challenging.You’ll have to consider:

  • Thrift Store Startup Plan
  • Securing Merchandise
  • Overhead, Expenses, and Profits
  • Pros & Cons for Your Consumer Base
  • Launching a Business in the Era of COVID-19

What is a thrift store?

A thrift store sells secondhand clothing and goods to a local consumer base. Most thrift stores are owned and operated, or act as de facto franchise subsidies, of larger nonprofit organizations. These organizations have large donation and sourcing operations. So, they can keep their thrift stores well stocked with merchandise.

Also, such thrift stores usually dedicate a large percentage of profits to local charities or charitable causes.It may be easier to buy an existing nonprofit thrift store and gain access to an already existing supply-chain system.

You may be looking to launch an independent, for-profit thrift store. This is an ambitious endeavor with many challenges.I can’t tell you everything you need to know, but here are the basics.You need a plan.

Thrift Store Startup Plan

You may have noticed that the world is currently living in a very bad or very good Stephen King horror novel.

Over 17 million Americans have lost their jobs in the last 3 weeks due to the coronavirus epidemic. That number may increase to 23 million as this article is posted. Businesses on a global scale are hurting.

However, thrift stores are considered recession-proof for several reasons.

  • Products are cheap
  • Local consumers don’t have to travel far to transact
  • It isn’t hard to secure inventory if you network well

Securing Merchandise

How will you source quality secondhand items to sell?

Will you organize local neighborhood donation drives? Or perhaps track down vintage clothing surplus from other failed stores online?

The best way to source inventory is to hit every local yard sale. It also pays off to be apprised of local estate liquidations. Many liquidated estates may be happy to offload free clothing and items they don’t want to inventory. You can also bid on storage locker auctions.

You’ll never recoup investments if you pay top dollar for secondhand clothes. Brainstorm ways to get quality inventory free or as cheap as possible.

Pros & Cons for Your Consumer Base

Don’t ever take your demographic for granted. Or assume they will always be loyal. Times are rough for everyone in these trying times.

You must know your customers and try to anticipate their needs and dislikes.There are several pros to running a thrift shop.

Consumers love looking for bargains and one-of-a-kind items in thrift stores. Thrift store items can be discounted as much as 85% relative to retail prices. Locals also appreciate the interconnectivity of consumers and businesses on a local level. That may engender more loyalty.

Also, in tough economic times, locals are more likely to try the thrift shop before heading to a retail store.There are also several cons when it comes to the thrift store industry.

It’s up to you to figure out how to price items in a way where consumers save, and you profit. This will be more challenging if you launch a charity in conjunction with your store.

You must take pains to accept clean donations or invest in sanitizing facilities to service your inventory. Thrift store shoppers are terrified of acquiring items that are dirty or infested with bed bugs. Such initiatives may cut into your bottom line.

Shopping in a thrift store for bargains takes time. The best items are bought quickly.That could mean you’ll have shoppers in your store for extended periods not buying anything.

You must weigh out the out the pros and cons relative to your own personal circumstances before you launch a thrift store business.

Launching a Business in the Era of COVID-19

We live in an era where mass gatherings, especially for commerce purposes, is illegal.Random sneezes in public have the same emotional effect of a nearby gunshot. People freak out and feel threatened.

People are being asked to adapt -hyper-hygienic practices and wear face masks in public.As mentioned before, one persistent stigma lobbied against thrift stores is that they sell unclean products.

You must carefully consider how to market the image of an establishment selling secondhand goods in an era where people are terrified of invisible microbes, the handshake has been obsoleted, and excessive hand washing is the norm. Consider that “recession-proof” business theories never included the coronavirus in previous calculations.

It may be much easier for you to open a thrift store instead of a traditional retail store.That doesn’t mean that it won’t be any less challenging. It might be more challenging in many ways.Make sure you have a business plan. Consult current thrift store owners and a financial advisor before you launch your business.

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Thrift Stores

The Benefits of Inventorying your Thrift Items

Thrift stores are not normal retail stores!!

The kind of inventory you get at thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL is fundamentally different than what you’d get at a normal retail store. In normal retail, you have a small number of distinct items from a small number of suppliers, and you reorder identical items from the same suppliers over and over again. Thrift stores flip that on its head. Each item is unique – seen once and never seen again. And your donors are your suppliers – there may be thousands of them. So, normal retail store inventory procedures do not automatically apply at thrift stores. (Consult with your tax accountant for particulars, and this article is not tax advice, but in general because you did not pay for your inventory, its value on your books is $0 until it is sold, so you don’t need to account for inventory in the same way that a retail store would.)

Speed and Accuracy

Most thrift stores just slap a price tag from a price gun on and item and move it out on to the store floor. Pricing an item takes mere moments. Barcoding an item would be too time-consuming with a normal retail point of sale system. (It might take a minute up to many minutes to enter a single item into inventory – this is fine if you have 1000 copies of the same item, but if it’s one of a kind, like at a reuse store, that’s a waste of time!) Slapping a price tag on an item certainly saves time at the back of the store where you process inventory, but it costs you a little bit of time at the front of the store, since it is the task of the cashier to select the item’s department at the register, and key in the price. Those steps at the register could be saved by barcoding items in the back. Also, since cashiers are often rushed, the accuracy of department selection may decrease, and that may affect managerial decisions about allocating space for various kinds of items.

Potential upside of barcoding thrift store items: consistent pricing

The feature of Point of Sale and Inventory System offered at thrift stores is the ability to set up a price book to inventory. Look at the animation below to see an example where a pair of men’s jeans is priced for $6.99. The store policy is that all men’s jeans are typically priced at $6.99 or $9.99. The person in the back making pricing decisions does not need to put in thought about what jeans ought to cost. Rather, the pricer just selects what the item is, and the common price points are displayed to the person doing pricing.

ThriftCart’s pricebooks have been used for everything from low-value common items, to high-value items like large pieces of furniture and appliances. Having a consistent set of prices is helpful for customers to be happy with your pricing policies. Many customers get frustrated when they sometimes find amazing bargains, and other times find items that are vastly overpriced.

Barcodes – less haggling?

One potential upside to barcoding items is a psychological one. In America, price gun price tags are associated with clearance sales, tag sales, and flea markets. At such events, prices are often negotiable. Barcodes are associated with big box stores, grocery stores, and general retail. At such stores, employees typically have no power to negotiate prices. The price is the price. Many thrift stores have a no-haggle policy, but customers in many thrift stores ignore that policy. Having barcodes on items could have the subconscious effect of reinforcing your no-haggle policy, because your pricing looks more similar to a traditional retailer than to a garage sale.

Reduce price tag switching theft

Some thrift stores suffer from price tag switching theft. If all the price tags are identical except for the price, it is quite easy for a ill-intentioned customer to peel a price tag off of a less expensive item, and place it onto the item that they want to purchase. However, a price tag generated by ThriftCart will display the item’s name on the price tag, making it more difficult for the customer to find price tags that could be swapped. For example, if a customer brings up a leather couch that has a price tag that says cloth couch, the cashier will immediate recognize that something is wrong.

Feature or sell items online

The world is moving online – customers expect to know what’s in a store before they get there. Historically, this has been quite difficult for thrift stores. You might want to have a display of all the appliances and furniture currently stocked in your store on your website, but keeping that list up-to-date would be a nightmare. If you inventory items and attach photos, you can leverage that real-time data about what has been inventoried and what has sold to have a real-time feed of inventory items on your website. Customers can see what you just inventoried, and once it sells, it can disappear from your website. (Or you can even leave the item on for a day or two with a SOLD banner covering the item, to show customers what they just missed out on.)

Summary – Lots of upsides, with one (potentially major) downside

The potential downside of having a bar code software for thrift stores is that it could take up more time at the back of the store. Processing donations is time consuming as it is, and adding anything to the process might be too much. But the potential upside of using a barcode tagging for thrift stores include:

  • · Save time at the cashier station. (Just scan a barcode rather than entering department and price.)
  • · Increase accuracy at the cashier station.
  • · Reduce price-tag switching theft.
  • · Increasing pricing consistency if using a price book.
  • · Display items on your website.
  • · Potentially even save time at the back of the store if pricers spend a lot of time contemplating the ideal price point.
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Thrift Stores

Why You Should Take Advantage of National Thrift Shop Day

The Joys of Thrifting

There are benefits for the thrift shop customer that go beyond supporting charities. Fashion is famously cyclical and thrift shops in Panama City Beach, FL often house overlooked vintage items that can spruce up any wardrobe at an affordable cost. They may not be as easy to find as new clothes from a traditional clothes shop or online retailer would be, but the search for the perfect item is part of the joy of the thrift shopping experience. The work put into finding that perfect item makes the reward so much sweeter when it’s finally discovered.

To make matters even better, shopping for clothes at thrift stores doesn’t only help charities and non-profits, it is also good for the environment. Textile waste, which sees clothes end in landfill sites just a few years after they were originally purchased, is a real problem. But recycling those clothes at thrift stores helps to address that problem by giving them a second lease of life, which can double the amount of use items get before they are disposed of, as well as encouraging a recycling culture.

Buying clothes in thrift stores also limits the demand for new clothes. Though we inhabit an increasingly environmentally conscious society, it can be difficult to keep track of all the best environmental practices. As a result, the damage caused by the mass production of clothes across the world has often been overlooked. For example, a fairly astonishing 1800 gallons of water is required to make just one pair of blue denim jeans. That is particularly alarming when the scarcity of water in many of the regions where clothes are produced is considered.

And that is without even factoring in the damage that can be done by the excess dyes and chemicals that are an inevitable result of producing clothing on a mass scale. These are often difficult to safely dispose of and end up polluting local environments. Environmental sustainability is becoming an undeniably important part of life across the world and that is a trend that is set to continue in the coming years and decades. Getting an early start on the practice of second-hand shopping could provide valuable experience of a practice that is likely to become commonplace.

The perfect time to explore Thrift Stores

With the school year about to start, thrift stores provide the perfect opportunity to help equip kids for the year ahead with smart, stylish clothes and accessories. For example, backpacks and winter coats, both absolute musts for the school year, can often be a significant expense, particularly as few kids will want to settle for the cheapest, simplest option. But shopping at thrift stores allows parents to buy more exciting options without breaking the bank. For back-to-school thrift store shopping beginners, there is no shortage of advice out there, with a number of blogs and vlogs offering useful advice on how to maximize savings.

Nor are clothes the only purchase that customers can make at thrift shops. Second-hand furniture shops, many of which sell restored pieces, provide particularly good value, allowing consumers to purchase high-quality workmanship that would typically be prohibitively expensive at affordable prices. And with National Thrift Shop Day likely to see stores offering promotions and discounts, it could well be the perfect time to make an investment in some restored furniture.

National Thrift Shop Day

Goodwill, the US’ largest network of thrift shop retailers, has previously marked National Thrift Shop Day by running a variety of campaigns and promotions, encouraging consumers to see the benefits of shopping at thrift stores. In 2017, Goodwill joined forces with Michael-Anthony Spearman, a stylist and personal shopper best known for his Instagram account @bigfashionguy, and the youtuber Jenn Im. Spearman created a video offering tips for shopping at thrift stores while Im expounded the benefits of thrift store shopping on her YouTube channel.

In recent years, local Goodwill organizations have also offered a number of programs to help customers improve their thrifting skills. Goodwill North Georgia, for example, held a ‘shop with your favorite influencer’ event where customers were given advice on how to identify vintage and designer items, how to improve their selections for their wardrobes while fashion experts offered tips on styling. In Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, a ‘thrift store crawl’ was organized, with registered customers receiving a 25% discount.

With both large thrift store chains and independent retailers likely to be offering promotions and sales again this year, it is more than worth keeping an ear to the ground in your local area for potential deals at thrift stores. Because while it is always worth checking out your local thrift store, it is surely doubly worth doing on National Thrift Shop Day. Your local community, the environment and your wallet will all thank you.

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Thrift Stores Tips & Tricks

What Is a Thrift Store?

thrift-store-shopping

A thrift store is different from a consignment or resale shop. It is run by a not-for-profit group instead of a merchant. The purpose of a thrift shop typically is to raise money for charities via the not-for-profit group.

Merchandise. The merchandise in a thrift shop is varied, changing frequently because this type of shop relies on donations most of the time. Some thrift shops may take items on consignment as well. A typical thrift shop will have a large section for clothing such as casual wear, business outfits and children’s clothing. Other sections may include household items, appliances, books, toys, furniture and baby items such as strollers. Prices are bargains, often marked at half or one-third less than retail stores.

Expectations. A thrift shop is not a high-end retailer with a large marketing and decorating budget. Expect your local thrift shop to offer gently used items in a no-frills shopping environment. Some thrift shops do have the space for dressing rooms, but many do not, so trying on clothes is not an option. Because the items are donated, selection will vary from day to day and you may not be able to find certain sizes.

Charities. The money you spend at a thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL usually benefits a specific charity such as a church, school, community group or programs such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation. The proceeds from sales at Goodwill thrift shops help support “job training and placement programs for people with disabilities and other disadvantages.”

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Thrift Stores

10 Amazing Benefits of Shopping at Thrift Stores

10 Amazing Benefits of Shopping at Thrift Stores

Shopping at thrift shop in Panama City Beach, FL is one of the easiest ways to save money. With so many thrift and consignment shops around today, it simply makes sense to take advantage of the savings second-hand shops can provide your family.

Quality Kids Clothes – those kids grow way too fast, thrift stores help save a lot of money when it comes to buying clothes for growing kids.

Long-Lasting Quality – any items you find at a thrift store have withstood much wear and tear yet are still in good shape to purchase, this means they’re long-lasting quality products.

Give Back to Community – many thrift stores will give back to their local community through purchases at the store, consider finding a thrift store that does this.

One-Stop Shop – you can find more than just clothes at a thrift store making this trip well worth not only the savings for buying things but saves you in gas because you make one trip to one store.

Designer for Less – many thrift stores stock their shelves on specific days, find out what day and be sure to frequent their new stock because you may find designer items and clothes for well under retail price.

Hefty Sales – thrift stores will often get overloaded with inventory and do monthly ales where you can fill a bag for cheap money, this deal is well worth checking out to save cash.

Broken in Clothes – buying new jeans can sometimes be a pain because they aren’t broken in yet, but shopping at a thrift store allows you to buy broken in clothing.

Unique Wardrobe – thrift stores allow you to create your own style and fashion without feeling like you must pick something from today’s fashion standards.

Good Spending Habits – shopping at thrift stores will allow your kids to start having good spending habits as they will have grown up knowing thrift store shopping is good.

A fun Adventure – lastly, it’s fun to shop at thrift stores on a regular basis because they allow you to have an adventure finding new and old products from all walks of life.

As you can see, there are many amazing benefits of shopping at thrift stores. Sure some families prefer to have that brand new, name brand product but many of us are able to save a significant amount of money by opting to shop at a thrift store. That savings alone can pay for a family vacation or a remodeling project for your home. I invite you to consider shopping at thrift stores more often and enjoy the benefits of making that decision.

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Thrift Stores

5 Benefits to Shopping at Rescue Mission Thrift Stores

How Does Thrift Shopping Help You Save the Environment? — Green and Prosperous

We all know that shopping at Thrift Stores can be a great way to find amazing deals on collector’s items and brand name items. But did you know that there are huge benefits to shopping at thrift store in Panama City Beach, FL? In this article I am going to give you even more reasons why shopping at a Rescue Mission thrift store should be at the top of places to shop.

Benefit #5: Frequent Change of Items in Stock

Rescue Missions Thrift Stores are always getting new items in stock. That means more choices in top name brand clothing, home appliances, sporting goods, and electronics. That also means you’ll have more luck in treasure hunting at your local Rescue Mission Thrift Store. It’s no secret that you can find amazing things at your local rescue Mission Thrift Store.

Benefit #4: Pay for Pennies on the Dollar and Pay Zero Sales Tax

One of the best kept secrets about shopping at Rescue Mission Thrift Stores is that customers pay NO SALES TAX on all in store products. We all know that sales tax can take a toll on your purchasing power. Rest easy knowing that what you see is what you get when you shop at any Rescue Mission Thrift Store.

Benefit #3: Designer Clothes and Top Name Brands

Why spend hundreds of dollars on name brand jeans, shirts, and women’s clothes when you can buy the exact same items for just a few dollars. It’s no secret to the seasoned bargain hunter that you can find new or slightly used name brand clothing articles for just a few bucks. So the next time you are out looking to buy new threads, check out your local Rescue Mission Alliance Thrift Store. You’ll find some great threads while helping your community. It’s the right thing to do.

Benefit #2: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Every year Americans throw away a tremendous amount of clothes and consumer products that senselessly end up in our landfills. The environmental impact of dumping perfectly fine goods is detrimental to the planet on which we live. By shopping at your local Rescue Mission Thrift Store, you are helping preserve the environment by reducing landfill, pollution from factories, pollution from semi-trucks, jet fuel, and exhaust from cargo ships. The simple act of shopping at your local thrift store has a significant impact on our planet’s environment. Help reduce your carbon footprint by shopping at your local Rescue Mission Thrift Store. Mother Earth will thank you for it.

Benefit #1: You are helping build a Better Community

In addition to all the financial and environmental benefits of thrift store shopping, there is one major benefit that you can be really proud of. Every time you shop at your local Rescue Mission Thrift Store, you are helping people gain job experience. Part of our rehabilitation program is to get our people back to work and become productive members in our community. But that’s not all. Every dollar you spend at The Rescue Mission helps us fund our Rescue Mission Programs which help feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and provide recovery programs. Help us build a better community by simply shopping at your local Rescue Mission Thrift Store.

While there are many benefits to shopping at our Thrift Stores, know that by shopping here you are doing a great service to the community, the environment, and your wallet. Thank you and God bless!

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Thrift Stores

6 Tips for Mastering Secondhand Shopping

5 Easy-to-Implement Tips for Thrift Shopping | Grotto Network
t’s here, it’s here! The official Going Zero Waste guide to second hand shopping. 

I love second hand shopping. It’s been my preferred method since I started shopping for myself around middle school. 

I remember my first trip to the thrift shop in Destin, FL. I was in drama club (of course) and we went to Goodwill to buy costumes for a show. 

5 Tips for Dealing with Eco Anxiety

When I was at this mega Goodwill in San Antonio, TX, I found so many cool pieces of clothing! After that eye opening trip I would beg my mom to go to Goodwill and the answer was always, “No.” 

My mom was not a huge fan of secondhand shopping. It wasn’t until recently that she came around. Finding designer duds with tags still attached on eBay for a fraction of the cost!? She was sold. 
However, my love for Goodwill and other thrift stores has never wavered. Shopping for second hand clothing has always been a way for me to snag designer looks for less.

I love the thrill of the bargain. Being an actor most of my professional life, I haven’t always had the funds to buy nice “new” clothing.

My favorite thrifted find was a long sleeve, black lace torch dress. It was cut high and straight across the neck and had a tasteful deep cut in the back. I bought that dress from an antique store for $8. 

It fit like a glove. That dress looked like it was made for me. I would wear it to the theatre all of the time and I was consistently stopped (by women with much, much more disposable income than me) and complimented. 

It’s my favorite dress I’ve ever worn. I have no photos in it because cameras and phones were still two separate objects. I bought it when I was a junior in high school and try as I may, my hips will never, ever, ever, fit into it again. 



This guide you’re about to read has been years in the making. It’s everything I’ve learned about creating a secondhand wardrobe. 

Of course, the secondhand market has changed drastically. There’s a few differences between shopping in 2007 and now. 
Clothes aren’t made like they used to be. if you haven’t watched the True Cost documentary, you should. Our thrift stores are being flooded with poorly made clothing that just doesn’t last.

Shopping secondhand is way cooler. Which is amazing!! But, it also means it’s not as easy to find fashionable pieces. 
Deals are harder to come by. Most thrift stores are starting to mark-up designer brands. While it’s still cheaper than buying first hand, it’s still not as good of a deal as it used to be. 


So, let’s get started. 

1. get comfy: 

When, I’m shopping, I’m a woman on a mission. I was never the kind of girl who wanted to go to the mall and browse. I like to shop and try on very efficiently. 
This means, slip on shoes with socks. Yes, I look like a total nerd, but it’s SO much easier to try on shoes and clothes in the dressing room. I don’t like putting my bare feet on dressing room floors. It grosses me out. 

I also typically wear a dress that easily pulls on and off. This way I can be in and out of the dressing room in a flash.
Moral of the story, dress like you’re going to be undressing…. a lot.
 
2. be prepared to leave: 

This one is huge, and what I struggle with most. If I’ve spent 30 minutes combing through racks and another 30 minutes trying all of the things on, you can bet I want to leave with a reward. 

It just doesn’t work that way. You will leave empty handed more often than not. In order to keep my wardrobe small, functional, and not waste money – I have to LOVE a piece. 
I mean really, really LOVE it. 

If it doesn’t fit perfectly, put it back. If you don’t immediately say, “This is one of the best things I’ve ever put on my body!” put it back. 
When in doubt… put it back. 
How many times have you regretted leaving something on the shelf? Probably one one or two times. 

Now, how many times have you bought something, put it in your closet, not worn it, and regretted buying it? Probably more times than you can count. 
Better safe than sorry. Walk out empty handed. 

3. know thy wardrobe: 

Before shopping, you should intimately know your wardrobe. We’re often drawn to similar items. My kryptonite is sweaters. I have at least 20 sweaters, and around 5 of them are pink. 

So, when I go to the thrift store and see an adorable pink sweater OF COURSE I’m going to pick it up because I love pink sweaters!!!

Because I know my wardrobe, I have the foresight to put it back because I don’t need anymore pink sweaters. 
You have to know what’s in your wardrobe before you go shopping.



What colors do you reach for most in your wardrobe?

Are there any particular colors you love, but don’t wear? I love the color green, but I just don’t wear it very often. 
I’m not drawn to wearing green so if I found a gorgeous green dress, even if I love the fit, chances are I’d pass over it simply because it wasn’t one of my favorite colors to wear.
 
What are your favorite pieces to wear and why?

Off the top of your head what are the five favorite pieces in your closet? More importantly why do you like wearing them?
 
Yellow Shirt Dress: It flatters my shape, it’s a happy color, it has embroidery which is quirky, fun, and bespoke.

Navy Blue Dress: It really flatters my shape, I like the short sleeves, I like how heavy it is and how well it hangs.

Pink Striped Sweater: I love pink sweaters and it fits perfectly. I love wearing it with shorts!

White Cable Knit Sweater: It’s tight but not too tight. I feel like a tennis player when I wear it. 

Blue Wrap Skirt: I love the pattern. I love how it accentuates my waist and how it can be tied a number of ways. 

Categories
Thrift Stores

Thrift Store Tips: 10 Risky Things Not to Buy

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Shopping thrift stores shouldn’t be scary — but the reality is that even the savviest of thrift shoppers could unknowingly purchase unsafe and potentially dangerous items at thrift store in Destin, FL. Thrift store tips can save you a few bucks on expensive necessities but without you even knowing it at time of purchase, eventually cost you big on the safety scale. These 10 items you shouldn’t buy at a thrift store each carry their own unique “risk.” According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, a few specific items on this list should never be purchased or sold at a thrift store because they carry the risk of having been recalled by the manufacturer or previously damaged by the former owner or expired over time. While not a safety risk, there are still other items that when bought used defeat the purpose of buying the item at all. Plus, I personally believe that still other things shouldn’t be shopped at thrift stores because of their high “ick” risk of having been previously used in ways that make you go “ew!” I love shopping thrift stores for the best selection of quality clothing brands at a fraction of their original cost. But when it comes to shopping the other departments of thrift stores, keep this important checklist in mind so that you don’t accidentally invest in a thrift store score that compromises your safety or state of well-being!



Whether you’re shopping at a thrift store, yard sale or on a site like Ebay or free/swap/trade sites like Freecycle and Craigslist, avoid buying these 10 items to keep your safety AND savings in check. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this checklist of risky items you should never thrift store shop. Let me know if I should add another “risk item” to the list by leaving a comment below the post. Plus, I’d love to know things that while tempting, you ultimately decided not to buy at the thrift store. We can’t buy everything all the time!




Thrift Store Tips on What Not to Buy

1.) HELMETS

Thrift Store Tips: 10 Risky Things Not to Buy



DON’T BUY THEM BECAUSE: Once a helmet receives impact, its ability to protect the head from future impact has decreased. Actually, if your helmet has received significant impact from crash, collision or fall then you should technically buy a new helmet to sustain future injury.

THE RISK YOU TAKE: Buying safety equipment like helmets from thrift stores seems harmless, but all you know about that helmet is what you’re looking at and not what it’s actually experienced. The potential risk you take is that the helmet could have withstood impact and was donated to the thrift store after being replaced by its former owner with a new and therefore safer helmet. The former owners of safety equipment usually won’t remember that their equipment has been used and abused and is therefore not safe to donate, which is why the chances of finding helmets for sale secondhand remains likely despite a general understanding of their average lifespan.


WHY IT’S WORTH THE FULL COST: When it comes to safety equipment don’t cut corners to save a few bucks on used equipment. Sure, there’s a chance the helmet may never have been worn at all. Heck, it could even look brand new! But like taking the chance of not buckling up in the car or forgetting to look both ways before you cross the street, the cost of that “small chance” becoming reality will cost you BIG loss in the end. Fork over the price-in-full for new safety equipment to ensure both health and wealth.

2.) MATTRESSES & BED FRAMES

Thrift Store Tips: 10 Risky Things Not to Buy 


DON’T BUY THEM BECAUSE: Mattresses are the number one “homes” to that little epidemic we like to call bed bugs. Bed bugs are microscopic, nocturnal critters that can hibernate in the far corners of our mattresses for months without feeding. That means a mattress or bed frame may be in a thrift store for months and soon after purchase and placed in a home of people, the bed bugs awaken because they sense the warmth of bodies sleeping above them. Gross, I know — but ’tis the truth!

THE RISK YOU TAKE: While cities like New York City have laws guaranteeing a renters’ right for free extermination of bed bugs, a homeowner will have to spend a few thousand dollars for the full extermination process once the bed bugs are discovered. Not to mention the frustrating process of washing and drying clothing if the bed bugs have moved into your closet and drawers.

WHY IT’S WORTH THE FULL COST: I speak from personal experience, having endured living with bed bugs in my New York City apartment for approximately two months in 2010. I threw away all of my furniture and covered my mattress with a cover, washed and dried all of my clothing twice and had a visit from Barry the exterminator three times. It was a difficult situation to deal with and one which I stress no one should ever risk experiencing themselves when shopping in thrift stores.

3.)  OLD OR NEW MAKEUP

Thrift Store Tips: 10 Risky Things Not to Buy



DON’T BUY THEM BECAUSE: Makeup have expiration and best-used-by dates which are not legally required to be marked on the bottles. Since we can’t find an expiration date on our makeup containers, we only know that it’s expired if we remember the approximate date of original purchase.

THE RISK YOU TAKE: The general rule of thumb is to throw away unopened makeup after a “few years” — but only if it’s remained at stable room temperature. Whose to say those bottles of Cover Girl foundation being sold for $1 each at your local Goodwill weren’t boiling in the summer’s heat while being transported to the store? The opportunity for cheap makeup deals is appealing at thrift stores, but you take the chance that you’re purchasing expired makeup that will run off your face or even worse, have a reaction with your skin since the formula has weakened over time and harsh conditions.

WHY IT’S WORTH THE FULL COST: If shopped correctly, you can still get makeup at discounted prices. When purchasing discounted makeup at a major retail chain, you probably are buying unopened makeup that’s been on the shelf a tad too long than the store wants. But at a thrift store, the shelf life is indefinite since it’s less likely a thrift store employee is going to mind the makeup inventory like a drugstore would. Watch for sales at your local CVS or Rite Aid instead!



4.) CHILDREN’S CRIBS

Thrift Store Tips: 10 Risky Things Not to Buy


DON’T BUY THEM BECAUSE: Children’s cribs, strollers, swings and car seats are carefully regulated to meet the highest safety criteria of the moment. When one of the above is found NOT to meet the government’s closely monitored standards, that item is recalled and therefore legally forced to be taken off the shelves of stores and returned to the manufacturer for recycling.

THE RISK YOU TAKE: If you own a crib that has been recalled, a public service announcement is made through the news and you are asked to send it back to the manufacturer so that it’s no longer used by you and so that it doesn’t accidentally fall into the secondhand sales industry. However, we cannot hold everyone accountable for awareness of each and every recall, which is why there is always a risk that the toy, sporting equipment, kitchen appliance and yes, even baby crib has been recalled but the previous owner donated it to the local thrift store unaware that they were passing on a safety risk to an unknowing potential buyer. Some reasons old baby cribs are unsafe is because they collapse or because the space between the bars is too wide and can harm small children up to the point of suffocation. According to government regulations set by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, no thrift store is supposed to sell donated baby cribs, strollers, baby seats, swings and more. But the true responsibility rests in the consumer and that is why we must be discerning of our secondhand purchases for children.



WHY IT’S WORTH THE FULL COST: Purchasing a baby crib new means you’re investing in something that has not been recalled, since it remains on the shelves of a mass market retail store. This doesn’t mean that it won’t be recalled in the near future, but the chances of you hearing about that recall is likely. Old recalls are not repeatedly announced via public service announcements in the news, so you may buy a baby crib at a thrift store that was recalled two years ago and you’ll never hear about it.

5.) STUFFED ANIMALS

Thrift Store Tips: 10 Risky Things Not to Buy



DON’T BUY THEM BECAUSE: Next to diapers, stuffed animals are probably the most disposable items owned by children . This is because stuffed animals are more likely to be slobbered on, mixed with food, eaten up by pets and yes … even the proud absorbing wipe of a pee-pee or poo-poo! Secondly and far more important than their gross factors, stuffed animals are made with materials to resemble human and animal hair which can become the happy homes of lice. Ick!

THE RISK YOU TAKE: Since stuffed animals are machine washable, you can take the risk of acquiring icky remnants of past lives or current pests and simply wash the stuffed critters immediately upon arriving home from thrift shopping. Washing thrift store purchases immediately is a regular practice for most thrifters anyway. Just make sure your 8-year-old daughter doesn’t start playing with her new stuffed doggie before he gets a dose of Tide detergent!

WHY IT’S WORTH THE FULL COST: Like buying lingerie & underwear, some things are just meant to be bought new. Stuffed animals may cost one-quarter of their full price at the thrift store, but do you really want to take that stuffed puppy home only to find it was the previous owner’s snot rag or even worse, for the school nurse to call home from school to report that your son or daughter has a head full of lice? I didn’t think so!

6.) FOOD BLENDERS AND PROCESSORS

Thrift Store Tips: 10 Risky Things Not to Buy


DON’T BUY THEM BECAUSE: First, unless you find an electrical outlet in the thrift store you’re not going to know if that blender actually works. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve blown way too many blenders in my college years intensely crushing ice for margaritas! Basic blenders are so dime-a-dozen that the chances one found for sale in a thrift store actually works is pretty slim. Second, the chances that the blender is completely “clean” also isn’t likely. If you’re someone sensitive to crusty food remnants, I warn you now: DON’T PEEK INTO THAT BLENDER! You’ll probably see bits of fruit, protein powder and other frequently blended bits. Double ick!

THE RISK YOU TAKE: Forking over a few bucks for a thrifted blender is chancing not only whether the device works, but whether it’s going to work well. The blades could have lost their sharpness over time, or hardly spin at all. Plus, you’ve got that “former” food life issue. You’ll have to soak the blender’s pitcher in some seriously cleansing dish washing soap and hot water to remove anything that may have stuck around from its former owner’s last meal.

WHY IT’S WORTH THE FULL COST: A brand new blender can be bought for $10-$15 at a Target or Wal-Mart. For the $10 extra in full cost value, you might as well start fresh and get the “first blend” to your benefit. Just remember not to fill the blender up with too much ice, margarita mix and tequila because next to buying a used blender, that’s also a recipe for disaster!




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