One Man's Junk Is Another Man's Treasure
There are a few used thrift stores that many people are familiar with, like Value Village, Goodwill, Salvation Army, and others.
And I remember when I was in elementary school and high school that kids would bully other kids, saying that they purchased their clothes from these places. I guess they were trying to insinuate that if you did buy used, then you weren't as good of a person as they supposedly thought they were.
I think there is still a strong negative stigma around used items, with many people being too proud to ever consider opting for a second-hand item. Many people just think that if the item is already used then it is no good, or dirty, and can't provide any value, and sure that might be true for some; but not all.
Throughout the years, I have decided to increasingly embrace second-hand items and I really think that looking for used items first is a great and easy way to save yourself lots of money. Why pay $500 for a brand new sofa from Ikea or some other business, when you can get just as good of a sofa on a place like Craigslist for $100?
I also find there to be a sort of thrill to the hunt, whenever I go to bargain shopping locations. You never know what you are going to find and sometimes I have come across some incredible deals.
A winter coat for $20? Cast iron pan for $5? Fishing rod for $2!?
There are many items that can be found which can be high quality used items. There are a lot of great used car options out there, lightly worn clothing that's a great price, used tools, dishes, furniture, and much more. Whether it is a flea market, local garage sale, or a thrift store like Goodwill, it can be a very fun activity to go looking for great bargains on usable items that you might need.
I've found some great books, belts, jackets, bags, and I have even dropped off many items myself over the years as well. I much prefer to think of my items going to use by someone else, being recycled, than collecting dust in a landfill somewhere. In some used items I find it even adds a little more meaning.. or character; it's got a story that goes along with it.
It's a fun activity because you never know what you are going to find, when you decide to branch out and embrace the opportunity to consider used items over brand news ones. From the looks of the thrift store hauls and thrift store shop challenge videos online, it seems like there are many individuals who aren't afraid to be open about their love for going to the thrift store and looking for a bargain.
Never be ashamed about trying to find the best deal for what you want.
Pics:
Pixabay
Rec Reading:
Be the Master of the Thrift Store
https://fee.org/articles/be-the-master-of-the-thrift-store/
I love this article, and so agree. Recycling is so important in todays age . I write my blogs on Car Boot Sales. I'm not sure if these are unique to the UK, but like Thrift or Charity Shops they fulfil similar needs, preventing landfill, creating a little extra cash for people, enabling them to buy nearly new items at a fraction the original cost and as a bonus you can sometimes find a real treasure . Good luck with your quest to promote thrift and The Thrift Shop. I shall follow you with interest.
Yes i do that! My friends too.
Finding a gem among those 2nd hand stuff is thrilling! Sometimes, there's even a tag from the store it's from.
good work! My respect for you
Thank you for Your post. This for some can be very important. You can find rare or very necessary book. Or other things. Thank you @doitvoluntarily
thanks for your kind words!
followed! :)
Yep, can find some real prizes in other folks' scrap heaps.
BTW, in light of today's vernacular, you might go with trash or crap rather than junk... ;)
There is nothing wrong with second-hand goods. I have even taken things out of dumpsters - not clothing, of course, but lamps, fans, and so on.
This post has been ranked within the top 25 most undervalued posts in the first half of Mar 06. We estimate that this post is undervalued by $7.82 as compared to a scenario in which every voter had an equal say.
See the full rankings and details in The Daily Tribune: Mar 06 - Part I. You can also read about some of our methodology, data analysis and technical details in our initial post.
If you are the author and would prefer not to receive these comments, simply reply "Stop" to this comment.