I am the youngest in a family of three siblings. Growing up, my sister got hand-me-downs from my brother and I got hand-me-downs from my sister. I loved getting hand-me-downs because I got to change my style with new (to me) clothes for free! Nowadays, I don’t get many hand-me-downs from my sister, though sometimes we do share clothes. More often than not, I get my clothes at the thrift store. Many people cringe at the thought of rummaging through other people’s old stuff, but I’m here to tell you why I absolutely love shopping at thrift stores!
1. Shopping secondhand is overall way way way way (WAY) cheaper than shopping retail. I see adorable dresses and other items at retail stores starting at $45 and going all the way up to $100+. That is a price tag I cannot realistically fit into my budget or justify “indulging” in. On Sundays and Mondays, I go to the Goodwill where they have $1 day. Let me explain: This store has six different colored tags. Each week, one color tag is 50% off and one color tag is 75% off for that entire week. On Sundays and Mondays, another color is $1 regardless of the price tag! To top it all off, I have a card that costs $10 a year that gives me 10% off every single visit or 25% off on my birthday. I am not sponsored by Goodwill. I just seriously love the savings! My strategy: Go into the store and look for items with these three colors. It saves SO much money! Not all Goodwills (and other stores for that matter) have the same exact same sales, but most thrift stores DO have sales. So make sure to check your local thrift stores for their sales! But I know what you might be thinking: “thrift stores are disgusting—I would never wear someone else’s clothes. And to that I say: Read my next point. 2. There are GEMS in thrift stores! During each visit I tend to find BRAND NEW clothes with the original tags (and let me tell you, some of those tags are $$$)! I’m not picky. I go in and look for clothes that look gently used without rips, stains, tears, damages to the zippers, etc. Likewise, I look for furniture items and décor that are gently used. While not everything is perfect, there are so many nice things in thrift stores that are priced cheap. Most things can easily be washed when brought home and then used right after. 3. Buying used creates less of a demand for new clothes. This is a big point that may often not be thought about, but it hits on two big things: the environment and human ethics. I’ll briefly talk about both. The environment: Each time we go to a store and buy brand news clothes, we are creating a demand for even more clothes to be created. The same goes for any other product. This demand requires resources from our environment to make the clothes. Each time we go and buy something new, we are impacting the environment. Each time we buy secondhand, we are decreasing that demand for new clothes and are even preventing old clothes from going to the landfill. Buying secondhand is a great way to reduce and reuse clothes! Humans: A significant amount of clothing is manufactured outside of the United States. There are many who work in factories with harsh conditions and very low pay in order to make these clothes. By buying clothes in retail stores that come from these factories, we are creating a bigger demand. This increase in demand can make workers work longer, harder, and without compensation. There are many films on human ethics and merchandise. One is China Blue. By buying secondhand, you aren’t creating a higher demand for these clothes. Furthermore, buying items on clearance also does this (and saves money!). One other thing that you can do if you buy new is to look for items that are made in the United States or are Fair Trade certified. I am no expert on this topic and I’m not perfect with what I buy and where it comes from, but I do my best to be mindful of what I’m buying and who it might be affecting. 4. Items at thrift stores are always changing! When I went through a skirts only phase of modesty in high school, I found that retail stores did not have modest skirts. Most of the skirts were too short for my liking and even those that were long were either very sheer or had long revealing slits. Looking at thrift stores, I was able to find a variety of styles of skirts from a variety of years they were made. You don’t always know what you are going to find at a thrift store, but that’s the fun in going! Not only that, but there are all sorts of products—not just clothes. 5. It's easier to go out with the old and in with the new! Last but not least, since you’ve saved so much money shopping at thrift stores, it’s not the end of the world if something breaks, gets worn out, or you tire of it. Spending $1 on clothes makes it easy to let go of a shirt that has a hole or pants that no longer fit right. It also makes it easier to let go when kids rapidly grow out of the clothes you bought. If you want a change of décor, that can go too! It becomes a lot easier to let go of items because you haven’t invested so much time and money into them. It’s a fantastic feeling to be able to let go of the old and make way for the new (to you)! However, do be mindful of how you get rid of your items. If you can, donate, sell, or rehome items that are still in working condition. Recycle what you can or find other ways to use them that do not involve the landfill. For instance, that T-shirt with the hole in it? Tear it up and use it as rags! There are so many reasons why I love shopping secondhand. Hopefully this blog inspires you to give them a chance, too! Want to see more? Click here to watch a Goodwill haul I did*! *Not sponsored Your thoughts: What is your experience shopping secondhand? What’s the best or worst thing you have found? ~Jess
1 Comment
Violet
12/2/2020 01:59:32 pm
I just wanted to mention that when skirts have slits, it is sometimes possible to sew them up. This has worked well for me, though I do not recommend it for very straight skirts
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Life can get stressful! My goal for this blog is to inspire others to step away from that stress and honor God with their lifestyle in the way He intends them to.
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