26 Mar 10 Thrift Shopping Commandments, Part Two

Last week I gave you the first part of my 10 Thrift Shopping Commandments and here’s the final five. They’re in no particular order as they’re all crucial to ensure a happy, productive thrifting experience.

Would I Buy It At Full Price?
This is the question you need to ask yourself before buying anything. Cheap prices can be mighty alluring so you want to be sure you’re not solely buying something because it’s a steal. Though a dress may be $2, it’ll be a total waste of cash if you never wear it.

Patience is a Virtue One Must Possess
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people walk in and out of the thrift store after five minutes and wonder why they found nothing. Um, it takes time y’all. Try to give yourself an hour to browse and properly see what the store has to offer. Otherwise, you may be leaving some serious thrift store scores behind for other people to grab.

Give Back
You want good thrift karma? Give back to the thrift store. I know this sounds counterintuitive but try to adopt a one in, one out rule. When you head to Goodwill, Salvation Army or whatever your secondhand shop of choice is, bring a donation to drop off. Besides ensuring your closet won’t overflow, there’s just something about the law of freely giving, that allows you to receive bigger and better.

Save Even More
Some people don’t realize thrift stores have sales, so you can get already affordable gems at even more affordable prices. Check with your local store for days when certain items may be up to half off. And some stores even have rewards incentives, like Super Savers Club or the Goodwill Rewards Card, which I’m a proud card-carrying member of. They’re not available in all areas but put some {friendly} pressure on your local secondhand shop to bring the savings to your store.

Budget
I can’t stress this enough: have a set budget when you hit the thrift store. When you’re on a thrifting high and find tons of goodies, the tab can quickly rack up. Determine how much you want to spend for the day or per store and stick to that. And since most thrift stores now accept plastic, you may want to leave the credit or debit card at home.

So there you have it, my 10 Thrift Shopping Commandments.

What are yours? What are your must abide by rules when you thrift shop?