Take a trip to the secondhand store
For most budget-conscious students, the financial responsibilities of education leave little room for shopping for non-essentials. It can be difficult to furnish an apartment on a dime, find clothes that express your personality or even buy books you want to read. In times when money is tight, some students turn to thrift stores to do their shopping.
While some shy away from the idea of thrift stores, which have been stereotyped as dirty and full of mediocre and broken merchandise, thrift stores can be treasure troves of desirable items with prices that fit in a student budget. They can be great resources for clothes, shoes, accessories, coats, dishes, books and movies — the list goes on and on.
If you’re looking to do some successful thrift shopping, here are some tips to help your next adventure be more profitable.
1. Take your time – don’t visit a thrift store if you’re in a rush. Dedicate a few hours for your thrifting adventure. Rummaging through everything being sold will take some energy, so be sure you go at a time when you’re not tired.
2. Figure out the system – most thrift stores sort their merchandise. Shirts are often organized by size and color, dresses by season, etc. Take a minute before you start shopping to familiarize yourself with the layout of the store, so you don’t waste time sorting through things you don’t need.
3. Be patient – it can take a lot of time to go through racks of secondhand clothes. Give the racks a once-over, and pull out pieces with eye-catching color and texture, then evaluate the style.
4. Check for stains and disrepair – lots of items are given to thrift stores because they are broken, stained, torn or in some form of disrepair. Be sure you give every item you’re planning to buy a good look-over for problems. Be honest about the damage. Dirty dishes can be washed, clothes can be cleaned and altered, but some stains won’t come out.
5. Use the mirrors – try on clothes before you buy them. Almost all thrift shops will provide mirrors, but some won’t have dressing rooms. If you wear tighter or layered clothing when you thrift, you can try on outfits over what you are already wearing. It is just as important to try on clothes while thrifting as it is while shopping at a department store. Remember, most thrift stores don’t let you return items.
6. Read labels – many thrift shops have designer clothes buried in the racks. Be sure you know what brand of clothes you are buying. Sometimes cheaper brands will sell at the thrift store for the same price as they would new. Don’t overpay.
7. Remember, there are lots of reasons someone might have donated something to a thrift store – it didn’t fit, they couldn’t find anything to match, the particular style didn’t suit them, etc. Not everything is there because it’s broken or old.
8. Don’t be ashamed to shop second hand. It is smart, practical and financially sensible.
– m.van911@aggiemail.usu.edu