Making new purchases can make us feel good — but our wallets may feel differently. Luckily, there are bargain options to help satisfy your mind and your wallet simultaneously. Thrift stores are the most glamorous shopping venues, but you might be surprised at what you find. If you need some convincing, check out the multitude of reasons you should try shopping at a thrift store.
1. Find Valuable & Unique Purchases
You are basically shopping from a variety of people’s closets and this can lead to finding plenty of overlooked treasures. Sometimes this includes items that have never been worn before and still have their original tags. Ranging from designer pieces and home decor to electronic or kitchen equipment, you may be surprised at what people are willing to give to a thrift store. Even if it isn’t particularly worth a lot of money, it may become one of your most valuable wardrobe staples. Taking your purchases home can be fun, but the thrill of the hunt — scouring and rummaging through to find that one perfect item for you — can be exhilarating.
2. Leave Money for Other Goals
You can’t discuss the benefits of thrift stores without mentioning the price. Sometimes you can even get store credit for bringing in your own items to donate, helping you save even more. Getting new (or used but new to you) items at a thrift store instead of traditional retail means you have more money to save for other financial goals.
From paying back student loans to working toward a comfortable future by building up your retirement savings, the money you don’t spend by shopping at a bargain store can get you into better fiscal health. When you are using your money wisely, you can feel responsible and confident in other aspects of life as well.
3. Reduce Waste & Help the Community
When you shop items that would have otherwise been discarded, you are participating in a form of recycling. Secondhand shopping is eco-friendly and essentially a community’s form of collective hand-me-downs. Furthermore, these establishments are usually run by charitable organizations, supporting nonprofits like AIDS research and battered women or low-income household help with the money you spend. Shopping at thrift stores mean you are contributing to maintain important services while keeping these retail platforms in business. You get what you want and can feel good about helping others at the same time.
So whether you are a collector, new homeowner, unique costume lover, sociology nut looking to peek into the past or just a bargain hunter looking for some new stuff, the thrift store can be a great shopping destination.
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This article originally appeared on Credit.com.
This article by AJ Smith was distributed by the Personal Finance Syndication Network.
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