Thrift Store Shopping Tips
1. Shop on days most people are working. If you can of course. Don't take off work just to go shopping at a thrift store. However, most people, with families (read: screaming kids) are going to do their shopping on Saturday. This leaves the store picked over and your nerves on edge. Go on a Tuesday, Wednesday (around here Salvation Army has $.99 days on Wednesday) or Thursday if you can.
2. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Find out when a thrift store restocks. Find out when they change their color tag of the week. Find out if they have bag sales. Some of the answers you can figure out yourself by just by listening to employees babble.
3. Learn which stores specialize in what areas. Around here, I have a few I go to for clothing, others offer better selections on furniture and other stores have lots of books and whatnots. If I'm looking for a Remington Hot Roller set, more than likely I am not going to find it at our local church thrift store (I have not given up on it, but I have never found one there). If I'm looking for bread and butter items, the church thrift store is where I head to.
4. Test electronic items before you buy. Most stores will have a place where you can plug an item in for testing. One of my local Goodwill stores also puts a tag on it that says it was tested by them. Don't be afraid to haul batteries around in your purse. They will come in handy if you want to test a battery operated item.
5. If your thrift store has a newsletter, sign up for it. If they have a Facebook page, like it. These sources of information will tell you when they have a sale and what will be on sale. Plus some stores will let you know when they get new arrivals. I love getting these type emails!
6. Shop small towns. Yes. You heard me right. I have found some of the best (and cheapest) items in a little hole in the wall thrift store in a town I had never even heard of. They have one grocery/gas station and an auto parts store in that town. I found a Lularoe top for $2. It's my second ever Lularoe.
7. Some stores let you return items if you are not satisfied. The first time a Goodwill told me I had 7 days to return an item I was like surely not! I had no idea. When you get home, make sure you inspect those items and if there is anything not right, return them for a credit. You might want to make sure they don't have an all sales are final policy first.
What tips do you have?
