8 Great Reasons Why You Should Shop at Thrift Stores

8 Great Reasons Why You Should Shop at Thrift Stores

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There are plenty of reasons that people don’t want to shop at thrift stores, but if you are looking for cheap goods, thrift stores are the way to go.

You Can Find High Quality Antiques

If you are anything like me, you are tired of cheap products that fall apart before you really have a chance to use them. Antiques are a great option if you are looking for sturdy products that have stood the test of time and will continue to last.

Thrift store are sometimes times more reasonably priced than what you would find at other retail stores. Just make sure that nothing is broken or missing and take those treasures home and clean them up.

You Can Save a lot of Money

I save a lot of money by buying some of our clothes at thrift stores. I needed maternity clothes when I was pregnant with my son, so I went to Goodwill. When I lost weight and needed a new wardrobe…Goodwill. When I realized that my endometriosis was being worsened by synthetic clothing, Goodwill helped me out again. Because I shop at Goodwill and other thrift stores for everyday items that are readily available, I’m able to take that extra money and put it towards items that I prefer to buy new, or items that don’t often show up in their stores. 

I can’t begin to tell you how much money I’ve saved by buying my son’s clothes at goodwill. Babies grow out of clothes so quickly, so it really doesn’t make sense to spend a fortune on them.

It is great to buy a couple cute items that you are in love with while shopping for baby items you should never buy at Goodwill, but you can easily save yourself a lot of money if you just buy their clothes at Goodwill or other thrift stores. For this very reason, I also love shopping at Once Upon a Child.

Dressier clothes that don’t get worn very often are some other great buys, especially because they can be very expensive at traditional stores. Kitchenware, books, and furniture are more items you can get a great deal on at Goodwill.

The Goodwill Outlet stores are another great way to save even more money because these stores sell items by the pound, so it is really cheap especially if you are purchasing a lot of lighter weight items that are normally expensive. Although, this may not be for you if you don’t like sifting through bins of items. 

You Can Find Hard to Find Products

If there is a shortage of a particular item in regular stores like Walmart and Target, may have a chance to find these items at thrift stores like Goodwill. When many people were having a hard time finding mason jars, people often searched their local Goodwill stores and other thrift stores hoping to find the jars they needed.

Ball mason jars and other glass jars that could be found at Goodwill and other thrift stores during a jar shortage.

You’ll Reduce What Goes to the Landfills

If you don’t shop at thrift stores like Goodwill, many of those items just go to landfills. Some are exported to other countries, but other countries are beginning to stop importing these clothes and other wares because they want to make their own and nourish their own economy. So ultimately, they just end up in a landfill somewhere else.

You Prevent the Overproduction of Items

Because we donate so much to Goodwill and other thrift stores, they are overwhelmed with the items. However, by buying as much as you can at these thrift stores, you are decreasing the number of items that are produced. This keeps the cost of these new product lower, because the companies aren’t rushing to keep up with a high demand for their items.

You Provide Jobs for the Workers

For every store that is open, there are basic jobs that need to be filled by workers at each location. By having a lot of thrift stores, you are creating more jobs for your community because Goodwill and other thrift stores are a lot smaller than any Walmart or Target you visit, but because of how many donations they receive daily and because they still have the same basic needs as any store. They are able to employ more people per square footage of each store compared to larger stores.

You’ll Encourage Other Thrift Stores to be Built

When stores make a lot of money in any area, it shows them that there is a demand for that kind of store. If a store makes enough money to fund the creation of another store, they will build it for the sake of being able to make more money.

You Can Find Affordable Gifts

You can easily find unique items and items that you wouldn’t be able to normally afford. I love shopping for classic kitchenware for the ladies in my life and new board games and toys for the kids.

There is also sporting equipment for all ages available as well. Sometimes you can even find new items like the golf practice nets for a fraction of the price. Just be sure that you think the item will be a great gift, because many items aren’t able to be returned once purchased.

Summary

Shopping at Goodwill and other thrift stores is a good way to be economical and environmentally conscious. You can save money and find affordable and durable high quality gifts while also supporting your community and charities.

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Woman Thrift Shopping. Image for the blog post 8 Great Reasons Why You Should Shop at Goodwill by Frugal Savvy Mama