11 Thrifting Secrets From a Former Thrift Store Employee

I buy my jeans and shirts at the Savers store up the street from me. They are tied in with DAV, so since I have service-connected disabilities on my VA ID, I get a 50% discount on these items. I don't get as much of a discount on all items, but on clothing I do, and that is pretty much what I buy. Every two or three years, I go spend another 20 or 30 dollars and I am good to go for another several years.

Goodwill has a veteran discount on Tuesdays, but also have a similar senior discount on the same day. Since you can use one or the other and they are the same percentage, it is a wash.

Since I always had hand-me-downs growing up, I am used to buying my jeans and shirts from a thrift shop. It is FAR less expensive than buying new.

We donate items throughout the year, so in a sense, it is a bit of an exchange. :)

Tony
 

One of my favorite pastimes is checking out the Salivation Army store
I can find remnants, or even large curtains or tablecloths to use on my quest to learn how to sew. If I ruin the fabric I don't have a total meltdown.
I've found lids and covers to old pots or casserole dishes that I broke years ago, also nice picture frames and photo albums.
I try to stop in every couple of weeks there is always something new to drag home.
I try to follow my New years resolution by donating two items for every single item I buy. Sometimes it works and sometimes not.
 
Oh man!! I’m the thrift store Queen!! Just today I hit my favorite goodwill store, and left with yet another gorgeous comforter and three!!!!! matching trivets for the kitchen!

Not every visit is successful, true. But there are times when it seems like Karma, or The Gods, or Serendipity, or whatever you believe in, is on my side and I leave with amazing finds for 1/10 the cost of new!!!

I will never NOT be a thrift store shopper!! 👍💕
 
Ruth n Jersey said:
One of my favorite pastimes is checking out the Salivation Army store
I can find remnants, or even large curtains or tablecloths to use on my quest to learn how to sew. If I ruin the fabric I don't have a total meltdown.
I've found lids and covers to old pots or casserole dishes that I broke years ago, also nice picture frames and photo albums.
I try to stop in every couple of weeks there is always something new to drag home.
I try to follow my New years resolution by donating two items for every single item I buy. Sometimes it works and sometimes not.
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My wife used to go to the Salvation Army Church. I was impressed with that congregation. They were heavily invested in the surrounding neighborhood, not by trying to convert people, but instead in actually DOING things for them and being there when needed. There are many other religions that do that too, but there was something about these people that seemed somehow different. My wife, at that time, drove one of their emergency trucks as a volunteer. They went to various disasters around the Midwest. Since then, she has developed health problems that preclude being able to participate.

Tony
 
Question about Goodwill stores. A bit over a year ago some family was visiting in the area and we went to a couple of Goodwill stores. My question is this, were the aisles arranged by the items color not by what the item was electronic, decorative, kitchenware, etc. If it wasn't clothing it was sorted by color. If it was green it was in the green aisle, if it was orange that's where one would find it. I was pretty sure I'd stepped into an alternate universe, anyway two separate stores were arranged like this. Anyone else experience this?
 
Oris Borloff said:
Question about Goodwill stores. A bit over a year ago some family was visiting in the area and we went to a couple of Goodwill stores. My question is this, were the aisles arranged by the items color not by what the item was electronic, decorative, kitchenware, etc. If it wasn't clothing it was sorted by color. If it was green it was in the green aisle, if it was orange that's where one would find it. I was pretty sure I'd stepped into an alternate universe, anyway two separate stores were arranged like this. Anyone else experience this?
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The store I have visited where I live has electronics in one section, clothes in another, housewares in another, etc. I suppose different stores or areas (since you said more than one store) do it differently (?). Your store would be confusing to me too.

Tony
 
Before the pandemic, I used to graze one or more thrift shops every time I went out to run an errand.

Now I buy what I need when I need it and usually buy it online.

“If they’re selling elephants two for a quarter, that’s a great bargain, but only if you have a quarter and only if you need elephants.” - David N. Dinkins
 
In the Salvation store where I go all the women's blouses and tops are by color other items are in categories around the store with colored labels. Each day they put a different color label at half price. Above the cash resister they put a big tag showing the color of the day.
Our store is well kept, Clean try on rooms and no stained or dirty clothes.
 
I just can’t handle buying & wearing somebody else’s clothes. The Goodwill and SA stores here are very boring but I’ve found things I really like at Savers. Hope to go again soon. Some examples, A nice copper bottom Revere pan, the China coffee mug I’m drinking out of right now; some books, some great sets of new or almost new place mats, some figural candles for my collection including a tall angel.
 
Thanks for the responses. I was hoping organizing a store by the item's color was a local aberration .

Where I live there are 2 thrifts, both run by local charities . They have a pretty good selection of things especially considering the low population of the area. One of them we've had to stop buying used clothing as they soak everything in Febreeze or similar substance. That product literally makes me ill, and to try and remove the odor from an item takes a lot of time and effort thus making any savings over buying new a moot point.
 
Ruth n Jersey said:
In the Salvation store where I go all the women's blouses and tops are by color other items are in categories around the store with colored labels. Each day they put a different color label at half price. Above the cash resister they put a big tag showing the color of the day.
Our store is well kept, Clean try on rooms and no stained or dirty clothes.
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Same @Ruth n Jersey. The two stores that I frequent..one close to my daughter’s house and one close to mine..are both really large, well stocked and clean.
 
tbeltrans said:
My wife used to go to the Salvation Army Church. I was impressed with that congregation. They were heavily invested in the surrounding neighborhood, not by trying to convert people, but instead in actually DOING things for them and being there when needed. There are many other religions that do that too, but there was something about these people that seemed somehow different. My wife, at that time, drove one of their emergency trucks as a volunteer. They went to various disasters around the Midwest. Since then, she has developed health problems that preclude being able to participate.

Tony
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When I was 17 I became homeless while waiting to turn 18 and join the army. It was when the Vietnam war was full on. (I’ve told this story elsewhere). The Salvation Army Home for young woman in Los Angeles age limit started at 18.

My father’s fifth wife would not let me stay with them for three months. My father spoke to general at the home who said if I showed him my recruitment papers he would let me live there till I could go to basic training. 80 dollars a month and breakfast and dinner. My job paid 1.25 an hour. I could not afford a 25 cents bus ride to work or lunch, but I wasn’t on the streets.

It was the poorest period of my entire life and I was and am so grateful to the Salvation Army.
 
Aneeda72 said:
When I was 17 I became homeless while waiting to turn 18 and join the army. It was when the Vietnam war was full on. (I’ve told this story elsewhere). The Salvation Army Home for young woman in Los Angeles age limit started at 18.

My father’s fifth wife would not let me stay with them for three months. My father spoke to general at the home who said if I showed him my recruitment papers he would let me live there till I could go to basic training. 80 dollars a month and breakfast and dinner. My job paid 1.25 an hour. I could not afford a 25 cents bus ride to work or lunch, but I wasn’t on the streets.

It was the poorest period of my entire life and I was and am so grateful to the Salvation Army.
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a few yrs back if it hadn't been for the $ store & the thrift shop i wouldn't have survived. lol!
 
I feel so bad I haven't known many who became homeless...to help them. Did give our apt. to a mother and 2 kids for several months - she came here from California and was an ex 11 yr Air Force IT. She had a miserable marriage that left her in fear of losing her 4 yr old girl. We have become so very close...closer than most blood born family. She never met me except on line and drove across all that way in a little white Corolla pulling a trailer with all their worldly goods on a spiritual hope and dream.

Now she owns 3 acres and her own nice manufactured home here in Texas. She teared up once, saying she never could have owned anything if it hadn't been for this. She always haunts thrift stores.
 
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