I love thrifting — the act of shopping for items for less at tag sales, in thrift stores, or at flea markets. It has become a way of life for me, and it’s so much fun.
In this post I’ll give you five reasons why you should try it as well to decorate your home, buy items and gifts for your children, and more.
You’ve never been to a flea market? You don’t stop for yard sales? Oh, you don’t know what you are missing!
Years ago, after moving to one of the most expensive areas in America — Westchester, NY — and wanting to stay home with my little son instead of putting him into daycare, I had to come up with a plan.
I had to find a way to make one income stretch for three people in an area where Richard Gere and Martha Stewart live in mansions.
Since then, I’ve become an expert at cutting coupons and finding healthy food for less. And “thrifting” at tag sales and thrift stores is part of my weekly ritual.
My son sometimes tags along, often coming home with the biggest score of the day.
I’ve managed to purchase so many interesting items for way less than I would’ve normally paid for in stores.
I even hosted a weekly “Thrifty & Vintage Finds” link party on this blog for years where I showed off my latest scores.
5 Reasons Why I Love Thrifting
1. The Love of the Hunt
There’s nothing better than finding something unexpected and getting it for just a few dollars.
Last week I went to a local flea market after seeing a sign for it the day before and came home with a beautiful 20-pound cast iron farmhouse.
I spotted it among a whole bunch of other items, and I’m so glad I asked the vendor for the price. I ended up paying $3 for it!
2. It’s a Creative and Unique Way to Decorate Your Home
No one else I know will have a cast iron farmhouse sitting on their porch. It’s sure to be a conversation piece the next time we have friends or family over.
Thrifting lets me express my personal design style on a dime. I love making our home a cozy and inviting place – and it doesn’t have to cost a lot.
3. Thrifting Makes Buying Your Favorite Items Affordable
Like my parents, who owned an antique store in Germany I grew up in, I’m a collector. I collect vintage bottles and linens, pretty stationary, and vintage tea cups for my handmade candles.
One of my newest collections is milk glass. I wouldn’t want to buy milk glass for antique store prices, so instead I built a whole collection just from going to tag sales and local thrift stores. I once found 15 milk glass vases for $1.50 a piece at Goodwill.
4. You’ll Learn to Barter, and Your Kids Will As Well
It takes a little bit of guts to barter and get the best price for an item. I think that’s a great skill to have, but it takes a little bit of getting used to.
My son gets a first-hand look at how to barter every time we are out thrifting. When he was little, I used to encourage him to find an item he liked, let him barter for the best price with my help, and buy it with his own money so he learned math skills.
He also learned that sometimes you can’t have the item you fell in love with because it’s too expensive – another very valuable life lesson.
5. You Can Make Money Reselling Vintage Items
If you score a vintage item for very little money, you could resell it for much more on Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, Craigslist, or ebay!
If you have never been to a thrift store or flea market, I encourage you to visit one! I bet you’ll come home with some wonderful finds. And sometimes you can also find new items for less, things that are still in their original package.
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