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Thrifty Shopping - Secondhand Saves Money .by Jeanette Edwards 5-27-07 Thrift shops are the urban equal of the local yard sale, places where people dispose of used items and bargain hunters seek treasures among other peoples trash. Thrift shops tend to be less frills than other discount outlets, because the place is usually older and money for maintenance and upgrading is short. Some thrift shops are clean and organized, depending on their funding and staff. Thrift Shops will roughly organize their goods by type. Clothing will be hung on racks, furniture will be arranged together and appliances will be separated by type. Others have items stored in boxes that you need to hunt through. Donations of good used items to the thrift shops are accepted by volunteers who sort, repair, clean and price items. Many thrift stores are for the benefit of a certain charity, the Salvation Army comes to mind as being perhaps the oldest and most well known. What can you buy at a thrift shop? What can’t you buy? Many interesting items that have come into the thrift shops may also contain undiscovered collectibles or antiques which can be resold for a profit or to complete a personal collection. If shopping for antiques get a copy of an antique bible. I use Kovels Antique and Collectable Price Guide, because it gives prices on what you should pay retail or what collectors are paying. There are other books, but that's my favorite. Thrift shops can also offer a few advantages over traditional retail outlets such as price and value for your dollar. Popular items in thrift shops include toys, bedding, decorative items, books, low cost clothing and household items; and are good places to find used computers, curtains and furniture. Thrift shops are a great source of dress-up clothes and costumes. Thrift shops are also great places to get other gadgets and knick knacks. Thrift shops are a pleasant alternative to hand me downs from relatives, even though free is better. Thrift shops are similar to garage sales in that you can find a lot of used spare parts and older items, but you can come across some deals of newer items once in awhile. Some thrift stores may have a few brand new items with tags. When found they were usually brand new items that were forgotten about in a closet until spring cleaning, when they were sent to Goodwill. Many customers respond to thrift store personals warm greeting and become regulars, returning daily to the store to shop and chat. Visit frequently because they constantly get new items in so don't get discouraged if you have a uneventful day. You can request that the store contact you when certain items become available. If you are a frequent shopper and get to know the owner they might be willing to set things aside for you if they know what you’re looking for and direct you to items you missed. There are online thrift stores but they can make the hunt a little more difficult. It's hard to judge quality and fit online. In the United States shopping at thrift stores has become so popular that the term thrifting is used. It adds a lower end to shopping people like. Purchasing previously owned items is no longer just for people short on money; even the wealthy go thrift store shopping every so often. Visit thrift shops and see the great deals available on high-end, quality merchandise. If you'd like to create your own expedition, check out a few stores, by word of mouth or the phonebook. When in a store ask other customers about other shops. For more information about thrift shops, contact the thrift shop nearest you. Don’t forget to bring extra cash for rare finds. Many thrift shops are starting to accept checks and credit cards but cash gives you more bargaining power. Happy bargain hunting, ur, uh, thrifting. Thank you for visiting my site and don’t forget the check out the other articles at http://www.thrifties.com. Feel free to use my article, my only requirement is that you leave the link to my site intact. |