bargain shopping at the thrift-o-rama
If there were a twelve-step group my husband would make me join. I admit, I’m a confirmed thrift store shopper. At least once a week you’ll find me at one of my favorites (I have three that are my preferred shopping destinations, but I’ll stop in at another one if it looks good), and I’ve always gotten some great deal that I want to share. Daddio can’t really complain, though, since my love of the bargain keeps our clothing bill so, so low. I know, I know, if you’re not like me you’re probably thinking one (or more) of the following:
- Thrift stores are dirty and smell awful (bad ones are…I skip those).
- I would have to paw through so much stuff I’ll never find what I’m looking for (the ones I like are really well-organized, and once you frequent one it’s easy to get around).
- All the stuff at thrift stores is worn out (patently untrue–think about the stuff you donate!).
- I’m going to look like a hippie if I shop at the thrift store. Their stuff is so outdated (You can look like a hippie if you want to, but you could look like an old lady if you shop at Kohls).
- I’m so not wearing someone else’s old underwear (yeah, me neither, but you don’t have to buy that there, for goodness’ sakes!).
I used to think that way, but then I discovered a few universal truths:
- Kid’s clothes are really expensive and they outgrow them really fast, then people take them to the thrift store.
- Nice people with good taste apparently give their clothes away soon after buying them, sometimes before they even cut the tags off.
- I have more fun stuff to spend my money on than buying clothes.
- I love shopping at thrift stores, and once I’m done with something I bought there I never feel guilty giving it back since it was so cheap. (like the board game we played to deal and I never want to see again)
- The process of manufacturing a new item takes a ton of energy (from the fertilizer to grow the cotton, to the lights in the factory, to the gas to run the ship to carry the goods from overseas…) and buying used is a huge reduction in your carbon footprint. Recycling is good, reuse is better! (…and reduction is best of all!)
Consider this example. Let’s say that you’re very organized and wash clothes regularly (I’m not, and I don’t, but let’s just say), and your child has five outfits.
Let’s say that you paid full price at Old Navy (nice, mid-priced example) for clothes for your two-year old: five bottoms @ $14.50 each, five tops @ $8.50 each, a sweater @ $14.50, and a winter jacket @ $ 29.50. That’s about $160 (plus shoes and socks, tights, etc, and times two, since you need summer and winter clothes, and many people have more than one kid, so multiply that by the number of kids you have).
If you’re a bargain-hunter you might shop clearance sales and get good deals at Target too: five bottoms @ $8 each, five tops @ $5 each, a sweater at $10, winter jacket @ $20. That’s still $95 for just the basics.
If you’re shopping at an average thrift store on a full-price day you’ll spend even less: five bottoms (from the Gap, Old Navy, and Gymboree) average $2.50 each, five tops average $2 each, a sweater $4, Columbia winter jacket $7. That’s less than $25, and you got really cute stuff…maybe better than you would’ve bought in the first place. Shop on a half-price day (often it’s a Saturday) and you’ll spend even less. (for example, just this morning I got a brand new pair of BCBG pants (w/ $110 tag) for $2.25 since it was a half-price day).
Keep in mind that I’m thinking 2 year old kid prices–clothes get about 50% more expensive at Old Navy once you hit “kid” sizes. Thrift store prices stay about the same.
Just FYI, there are certainly things that I will and won’t buy at the thrift store, and specific things that I keep an eye out for year-round.
Won’t usually buy:
- Underwear (I mean, really!)
- Swimsuits (see underwear, above).
- Socks (I like cute socks).
- Used shoes (I believe in buying really high-quality shoes with the money I’ve saved).
- Stuff that doesn’t look good, is stained, has holes, paint spots, is cheaply made, won’t get worn, or seems overpriced. (don’t forget to check zippers, buttons, elbows and knees!)
- T-shirts for me (I just haven’t had very good luck, and I kind of feel like it’s icky).
Always looking for:
- Winter gear, especially boots (since they get worn so little and are so expensive!).
- A great bread machine (mine’s okay, but I’d really like a Zojirushi).
- Clothes up to two sizes bigger than my kids currently wear (each kid has a tub of clothes to grow into stored in their closet).
- Cute pajamas (since they really get worn out…I often buy these new).
- Really high-quality stuff. Most of what I buy is Gap, Gymboree, or Old Navy, with some Baby Lulu, Minibee, Tea Collection and Minibee thrown in.
- Kids’ books (people give away SO MANY new books. It’s unbelievable).
- Fun board games and great quality toys with all the pieces. (they run about $2.50 rather than $15-20, then you can return them as a donation when you want them out of your house).
So, how do you do it?
First, find a couple of thrift stores near you that you really like. They should be clean, smell good, and be in a decent neighborhood (since those are the folks donating). I prefer private thrift stores (as opposed to “Goodwill” or “Salvation Army”) just because I seem to have the best luck there, but it’s sort of up to what you have in your area. Prices can vary, too…one local shop has bins of clothes (great stuff, too) for 33 cents per item, while another favorite runs about $1.50-$2/shirt, a little more for pants.
Next, figure out how it’s organized. Are the clothes organized by size? Color? Season? How do you know what’s on sale (often it’s by tag color, e.g. red and blue tags are 50% off).
Then find stuff that you like. Check it over to make sure it doesn’t have a hole or stain, that the zipper works, and that pants aren’t especially worn in the knees. Know that you probably won’t find a whole wardrobe on your first visit. I usually go every couple of weeks or at least once a month. I buy what looks good (based upon my rules, up above) and keep it until the kid grows into it, then I can reminisce about the great deal I got and think about how cute those pink velvet pants look on my five year old, or how my new, never-worn Banana Republic linen skirt from last spring was only $4.50 this spring. (as an aside, clothes from Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic have a little tag under the size tag that tells you when the item was available in the store, if that matters to you).
Finally, buy it and feel like you got an awesome deal. Take it home and wash it with some Oxy Clean and it’ll usually come out looking brand new. Send me an email and tell me what you got. I’d love to hear 
How do you shop? Are you a bargain shopper, or is it important to you to follow the trends? Or, like me, are you a confirmed thrift shopper?
Great post! I’m a huge thrift store fan!
I find there are some days, like right after half-price day, when the stock is so depleted it’s not worth going. I think it’s important to learn when stores usually put the new stuff out?. Being a “regular” helps, too. You learn the store’s layout and pricing system and can shop more efficiently.
Clearly I am a thrifter too. LOL (Is that like saying the sky is blue?)
Always check the zippers on the pants. We have burned by that before.
And don’t forget the power of kids consignment sales. These are HUGE, HUGE events around here, and I always have a lot of luck at them. I bought everything Jack needed for this coming winter (aside from underwear, socks, shoes and pjs) for $75 a few weeks ago. That included snow pants and winter coats. The really awesome part though is that I sold his outgrown stuff for $50, so all of his winter clothing cost me $25.
You cannot beat that with a stick.
Our local thrift shop needs to read this. Often, they price things close to what you can buy it new…. I don’t know who’s buying it. I love a good bargain!!
We went to one of our favorites yesterday too! We struck the jackpot! Luxe got a 100% cashmere cable knit sweater, a wool sweater, & a cute thermal shirt with horses on it; dad got a brand new pair of Brooks Brothers pants (very nice) & a J Crew dress shirt; & I got 2 skirts to wear with my 'investment' boots I bought last year. Plus we found an ALEX brand kids croquet set for indoor or outdoor use in near perfect condition. We got all this plus a couple more items for $30!
True…You do have to take the time to look and look often. You never know what you are going to find at the thrift store. I get much more satisfaction from the 'hunt' of buying something at the thrift store versus heading straight to the sweater table at Old Navy. And your right…The money you save buying thrifty allows you to buy other items that may cost a bit more and not have that sick feeling in your stomach wondering if you should have spent so much on a pair of boots!
Thanks for the great post. Very inspiring and green!
Hand-me-downs have been a HUGE blessing to our family. My brother has twin girls who are two years older than my twin girls. How perfect is that?
I think it’s okay to approach a friend with an older child and ask if they have someone they hand their clothes down to. If not, you might suggest your little darling.
Also, the girls get lots of clothing for Christmas and their birthday, and we try to let the grandparents know of anything we need around those holidays.
We rarely buy them any clothes-just undies, swimsuits and shoes. (We don’t usually wear socks here in southern California.)
I am a bargain hunter - but don’t have a lot of thrift stores around here so I always hit the end of season clearance at some of my favorites (old navy, children’s place, gymboree, carters). I usually never pay more than $2 for a shirt and $3 for pants. I do have to store it for a year, but the savings is well worth it!!
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@angie- Good point! One of my favorites has big half-off-everything sales on holidays and it’s totally picked over for at least a week. Our stores seem to restock continuously (but not over the weekend), but I wonder if others are different (like the way our Target marks down kids’ clothes on Mondays)…
@sarah- Yes! Zippers–and zipper pulls! I also love consignment sales. The deals there are amazing, and it’s such a great way to recycle your own kid’s clothes and get a little cash for them!
@chrissie- I agree on hand-me-downs. It never hurts to ask, since usually people are sending stuff to charity when they’re done!
rachel- great point about end-of-season sales…I love the Children’s Place for this! Our Old Navy also often has a rack of *something* for 97c. You have to go regularly, but storing it for a year seems really worth it!
Best, Amanda
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I am totally a bargain hunter. There is a consignment store around here that is wonderful. They are EXTREMELY picky about what they will accept. I’m usually more pleased about the toys than the clothing though. Here’s an example-I got my daughter a Powerwheels for $40!
thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. I have read through many of your posts and you have posted some great ideas- I am somewhat of a thrifter too- but I did not use to be. However, I have found so many good things at consignment stores and Goodwill, that now I stop by every once in a while….but when it comes to food, I only use coupons and shop sales. A few weeks ago (this will be coming in a post) I saved $80 on my grocery bill- and got over 40 items for about $20. It was incredible! Anyway- great ideas- I’m going to add you to my links
I have been a blog lurker on your site for awhile but decided that I’d better be polite and comment. As it happens, I just returned from my favorite kid’s retail shop near where I live. I came away with two adorable outfits, one from Old Navy and one from Osh Kosh (3 pieces in each), 3 Osh Kosh shirts, a BRAND NEW pair of Gymboree overalls with a matching long sleeved onesie, pair of BRAND NEW Baby Gap fleece jammies, three Old Navy long sleeved shirts, a pair of patterned corduroy pants and two pairs of jeans all for…$52! I didn’t pay more than $4 for anything except for the 3-piece outfits that were $7 for all three pieces! I love resale. I also love donating because I can get store credit to use to keep my costs down even more.
Anyway, I wanted to thank you for your blog, I love to read it.
Great write-up, maybe I need to expand my thrifting a little. I laughed out loud at the “You can look like an old lady if you shop at Kohl’s” Good tips.
Loved this post- I was raised in thrift-store duds, and my little man will be, too.
Last week, between a thrift store and a consigment store (where some things were cheaper than at the thrift store!), I got 9 shirts, 2 pairs of pajamas, 1 pair of khakis, and 1 fleece pullover for just under $35. A few more pairs of jeans and we’re set for the winter!
I have a post up on my blog about the wall art I put together from a thrifted $.50 book up at my blog, too. It’s pretty fantastic, if I say so myself.
Great blog, by the way, I really enjoy it.
Great green post Amanda! You put a lot of work into this, I bet you’ve converted a few of your readers into thrifters with your great points and tips. I was raised in hand-made, refashioned and used clothes…my children followed in my footsteps. We are fortunate to have a phenomenal children’s resale shop in our town, Mama Goose. After several years of business, it was doing so well, that the owner expanded from an 850 sq ft space to 4000! Children’s re-sale shops are fantastic businesses for start.
I’m heartened to hear that bargians at thrift stores still exist in the world!! In Melbourne, Australia there seems to be some kind of madness in the pricing at thrift stores or what we call ‘opportunity shops’ shortened to ‘op shops’ (at least thats how I feel). There are chains of op shops which are huge and have so many things, all in nice organised rows but the prices for used, (and often not in good condition clothes and shoes) are often more expensive than similar things new from Kmart or Target, especially baby wear, blankets etc..it is a bit depressing to come out of the op shop with nothing, simply because it was all too expensive!!….however, there are a few odd op shops in wayward suburbs which might still sell things for less than $2 but it is in the minority….:)
I love thrift stores! All of the Goodwill stores around here seem to have gotten more expensive though- they’ve gone from individually priced items to having a set price for a particular type of clothing- ie all jeans are $7.99. Still less than the store, but not as great of a deal. Granted, they still do 50% off and dollar days, but it does means I’ve had to be more picky.
Hello Fellow Bargain Hunter! My mom is also a DIE HARD thrift shopper and has recently become an Estate sale shopper (some REALLY good deals there) so I get it from her. The problem I have is that where we live there is almost no decent shops! Our goodwill reminds me of a run down pawn shop! It’s just sad - glad your finding some good deals though. We are moving in Jan so I’m hoping they have some good shops there!
Nice list.
We’ll have to go thrifting (finally) one day when we’re each down to 1 kiddio!
Absolutely! Preach on sista! I’m an addict, especially for old vintage material, buttons, or cute dresses for my girls! Today I found the most darling orange full on polyester dress, my heart leapt! It’s the real deal, straight from 1958!
Great post! I’ve recently found “thrifting” and I must say…IT’s awesome! I used to go to kids resale shops and wasn’t having much luck. Then recently I went to my local thrift store and I’ve hit the jackpot! It amazes me what people will donate! Recently I went for some winter items and walked out with almost complte wardrobes for all three kids for under $60.00!!! All of it was from the above named stores in new or like new condition. Gotta love that! Thanks for sharing your love of thrifting. It made me feel better knowing I wasn’t the only one who was addicted to thrifting! *wink*
Hi I’m new to your site, and I will definitely be back. Great post, I am a thrift shopper also. Our local store has puzzles for 49 cents! Most are brand new, apparently kids don’t like puzzles, don’t tell my grandson, he loves them! I love a great bargain
I do a little bit of each. I do the thrift once a week although i have to drive some way to them so i hit two in a day. Usually looking for new kids clothes, newish/nice toys and craft things like knitting needles (i skip the yarn because it often smells funky but i do buy fabric). I love the days i find big bags of buttons for 99 cents. Use those for crafting, for playing (my son…oh heck, for me to play with too) and for sewing.
At the switch of seasons, i go to the name brand stores for kids (old navy, gap, children’s place) and buy clearance items i eyed earlier in the season for a third of the price for the next year. About to go do this today.
I also hit church rummage sales A LOT. They are my greatest scores. They often don’t know the price of kids toys these days. I’m thinking of the playmobil castle i got last week for $5. Missing all the little people etc but that castle goes for $200. I can buy the guys on ebay. A huge box of legos for $5. I skip the clothes there though. Too many people in that pile.
When thrifting i look for:
hard to find items/one of a kind items (pyrex, etc)
high ticket items (toys)
newish clothes for kids
My husband hates me thrifting for kids clothes but i always buy newish only and i get name brand stuff for a quarter of the price. I love that i have no problem redonating and often redonate each month. Kids outgrow things fast or they just won’t take to a certain rain boot because it’s uncomfortable. I love feeling good about giving back and sometimes i’ve given things with store prices too remembering when i was so happy with a score like that (like the $80 snowsuit price tag still on for $3.50).
Just found this blog and am loving the links etc.
You’re talking my language! I love thrift shopping for kids clothes, games and books. Why pay so much for basics like jeans, shorts, t-shirts, etc.?
I usually agree about chain thrift stores (esp. Goodwill which tends to have a crummy kids section and is expensive), but I LOVE Value Village. It’s a national chain, but has the BEST selection of kids clothing. And they have occasional half off days. Name brand stuff - I always buy in bigger sizes too.
And, they have all their kids books at one flat price - like 75cents per book - buy 4 get one free. So picture books are the same price as board books. Awesome!
I’ve also had great luck with church and preschool rummage sales. One even has kids clothes for 40cents per piece! I found like new Hanna Andersson clothes
natural fibers like wool are still the best for winter clothes:`~