Tips for Shopping and Saving Money at Thrift Stores

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    Each week, Columbia SC Moms Blog features ways for you to save money in our Sunday Saver series.

    Alright, so how many of you are like me and your only pre-kid thrift store experience was shopping for a tacky 80’s/70’s/90’s Halloween party back in your younger days? I have fond memories of heading to the Goodwill in Hickory, North Carolina with friends as we prepared for our various college shenanigans. But, like my experience with the Dollar Tree, I never thoroughly appreciated the wonders of the thrift store until I had children.

    Yes, thrift stores can be dirty. And yes, thrift stores are kind of like being on a treasure hunt. But if you shop often, you can find some awesome barely used clothing and other things if you are willing to look.

    Below are some great items you can find at local thrift store (and I’ve even included my favorite places to shop, as well as tips to make the most out of your shopping experience).

    Neiman Marcus cashmere!  I'm sure the original owner of this sweater paid much more than $2.25.
    Neiman Marcus cashmere! I’m sure the original owner of this sweater paid more than $2.25.

    Nice Clothing and Bags

    I’ve found lots of great name brand items at the thrift store. Labels like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor and Land’s End are easy to find. I once found a Neiman Marcus cashmere sweater and paid $2.25 for it (because it was half price day) and a friend of mine found a couple of Lily Pulitzer dresses. Vera Bradley bags are often at the thrift store, and I’ve also seen Fossil and Coach purses.

    Kids Clothing

    Believe it or not, you can find great kids clothing at thrift stores, particularly jeans and pajama pants. I LOVE finding jeans for my boys at the thrift store, because kids’ clothes are priced the cheapest. With three boys, I’m lucky if I have much of anything to hand down. So when my middle child wears holes in his pants that came from the thrift store, I don’t worry as much because I got them at a great price, and he and my older child both wore them.

    Maternity Clothes

    I’m expecting, but I donated all of my maternity clothes at the end of my last pregnancy. New maternity clothes are expensive and you only wear them a short time. At Goodwill I pay no more than $4.25 a piece.

    Books

    If you haven’t read the Twilight series and are interested, don’t buy them full price because they are ALWAYS at the thrift store. I also love to purchase kids’ books second-hand, because each of my boys has gone through a destructive phase, and it hurts a lot less when I only paid 50 cents-$1 a piece. I also love to collect random cookbooks and I’ve found several great ones from the 70’s and 80’s.

    Target Salvage

    These notepads found their way into my basket at Goodwill for 25 cents each; they were originally $1 at Target.
    These notepads found their way into my basket at Goodwill for 25 cents each; they were originally $1 at Target.

    Let’s face it, we all love Target. Ever wondered what happens to their clearance items that don’t sell? They send it to Goodwill!

    All of the Targets in our area package up their clearance items and send them to the main branch in Greenville where it’s priced and then redistributed. It’s possible these items may have been priced cheaper while still at Target, but it’s still a great deal nonetheless. And it’s always a thrill to see brand new stuff when it arrives in-store. I’ve gotten some great scores that I will be using for teacher gifts throughout the upcoming year. (If you are interested in checking out all of my thrift scores, I’ve kept a tally at my personal blog.)

    Tips

    • Take an allergy pill before you leave home (that is, if you are prone to allergies). Merchandise is usually hanging up, but you will be coming into contact with the environment from lots of other people’s homes, which could include things like dust, pets, a laundry detergent that’s not to your liking, etc. Keep hand sanitizer in the car.
    • If you’re shopping for clothes, be prepared to try things on. Don’t necessarily trust the size tags (particularly the ones that the thrift store itself tags). If someone has worn it, it may have shrunk or stretched out.
    • Touch EVERYTHING on the rack. If you thrift frequently, you will be able to feel out the “good stuff.”
    • Thoroughly examine each piece of clothing. Most of the items a thrift store receives is clothing, and as you can image, that can be a lot to sort through. It’s up to you to spot holes and worn places. Nothing is worse than getting your treasures home and finding holes in them.
    • Plan to shop frequently. Obviously thrift stores don’t maintain the same merchandise all the time, so shopping frequently is your best bet for finding what you’re looking for.
    We broke a tricycle. We went to Goodwill the next morning and found this like new bike for less than $10.
    We broke a tricycle. We went to Goodwill the next morning and found this like new bike for less than $10.
    • Shop first thing in the morning, if possible. Last summer a piece of one of our tricycles broke. It was plastic so nothing could be done. I went out to Goodwill the next morning and found a like new Spiderman bike. I was amazed. Perfect shape, and just the right size for my kids. I posted on Facebook and a friend said she went to the same store later in the day and found nothing.
    • Leave the kids at home, if you can. Thrift stores are packed full of items and kids are easily distracted. Plus the employees get cranky when they start to climb on the merchandise.

    Where to Shop

    Thrift stores abound in the Midlands, and I’ve actually had many people comment on my Facebook and blog regarding the quality of the merchandise found at our thrift stores here in Columbia versus other places. Below are my recommendations:

    • Goodwill has several locations in the area including a pay by the pound salvage in West Columbia. (Make sure you take an allergy pill before you shop at that one!) Stores are neat and well organized, and most employees are friendly and helpful.
    • You can’t miss Palmetto Thrift if you are traveling on I-26. Located on Fernandina Road, it’s easily spotted from the interstate. All kids’ clothes are priced $1, and they often have like new Coach purses in stock. Proceeds from their sales go to Children’s Chance, which helps local kids with cancer. Like them on Facebook, as they often post many of their interesting items.
    • The Habitat for Humanity ReStore offers household items you might not find at other thrift stores. If you’re looking to replace something in your home, you might want to check them out first!

    This is by no means a list of all of the thrift stores in the Midlands, so if we’ve missed your favorite, please comment here and let us know!

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