Thrift Store Shopping Tips

When you are looking to buy a lot of items for the least amount of cash, thrift stores are your best bet. If you shop smartly, you can easily get good quality items at dirt cheap prices. In this post, we look at a few things you should keep in mind when shopping at thrift stores.

1) Avoid Weekend Shopping:

As far as possible, try to avoid shopping on weekends. This is when the thrift stores will be at the peak of customer attendance. You will literally have to squirm through some sections. And being overcrowded, you won’t be able to fully test the items you wish to buy. As such, it is best you visit on any weekdays when there are not many people around and you can shop comfortably.

2) Discount Cards:

Some thrift stores offer discount cards that you can get from various coupon outlets. These cards will give you an additional discount on the purchases over the already low prices. As such, you can ensure that you get the cheapest price possible for the product.

3) Vintage Clothing Size:

If you are visiting the store to buy some vintage clothing, do keep in mind that there will be a variance in the sizes between vintage clothes and modern clothing. A vintage dress that is marked with the size XL may be larger or smaller than the modern dresses marked as XL. As such, always try out the vintage clothes to make sure it fits you perfectly before purchasing them.

4) Test Electronics:

When buying electronics products never make a purchase without testing them. There is a good chance that the item may not work for too long once you take it home. As such, it is recommended to shop with a friend who has a good knowledge of electronics and can know whether an item will last long or go bust very soon.

5) Minimum 80% Savings:

The only reason for shopping at thrift stores is to buy items at a lower price. Period. There is literally no other reason for buying items from such stores. As such, it is recommended that you ensure the items you buy are priced at least 80% below the MRP. Anything higher than that is likely not worth buying. And remember to not limit yourself to just 80% off MRP. You will easily be able to find products at even 95% discount if you search long enough.

6) Bargain:

Just because thrift stores sell items at a lower price does not mean that you should just buy it blindly at the marked price. Just as with any other place, you can bargain and get an even lower price for the item you want. This is especially true if the item has some defect. For example, if the clothing is priced at $10 and you see that there is a small tear on the side of the dress, you can bargain and bring prices below $3 or less.