The Art of Thrifting

Posted at 12:53 am on September 28, 2009 by Farrah

Today’s guest post in courtesy of Rebekah from Wheaton, thrifting queen!  Thanks so much for sharing your secrets with us, Rebekah!  This post continues our series on Frugal Living.  Check back every Monday for the next 6weeks for more fabulous ideas on how to make the most of your budget and learn to love Frugal Living.

Alright, so “thrifting” is not really a word.  But to those of us who do it quite often, it is MUSIC to our ears.  Thrifting is simply going to Goodwill, thrift stores, resale shops, garage sales, etc… on a weekly to monthly basis.

Since moving to IL four years ago, my family’s lives have changed quite dramatically. We live on one income, have 2 children and rent a home. Needless to say, there is not much money left over for babyGap, Crate & Barrel furniture, and Pottery Barn Kids.  That is why I make it  my goal to hunt down every thrift store around the Dupage County area, and go frequently.

Frequency is the key.  It is not ideal to take the kids along, but when its the only store you shop, the kids get used to it.You must have a “flinch point” and stick to it.  Having a flinch point is simply having an idea of how much money you are willing to spend for any given item. My flinch point is typically 5 dollars. If its more than 5 dollars, it’s probably not worth my money. I know that sounds cheap, but remember we are “thrifting”. The flinch point goes up according to what it is you are searching for. For instance, currently I am searching for 2 dressers for my kids. I am willing to pay anywhere between $10-20.  Anything over, I’m not going to take a second glance. When you have a goal in mind and stick to your goal you are becoming what I call, a “good thrifter”. In turn, you will feel really good about your purchase.

When you set out to thrift. you must have a good idea of what it is your are searching for. It is NOT good to go into a thrift store, simply to gallivant. You will end up spending too much money. I typically go to thrift stores hunting for children’s clothing, furniture, household decorations, seasonal items ( ie. Christmas, Fall, Thanksgiving), jeans, bags etc.

With the economy the way it is, thrifting is becoming the next best thing. I know when I was growing up, not many people would go to resale stores. In high school, I was always the crazy person for walking into a smelly secondhand store. However, TIMES HAVE CHANGED. Not only are we saving money, we are being extremely eco-friendly.
It excites me to see an old chair with great bones, but ugly fabric. Why? Because I have a vision.   A little paint, a stapler and some brilliant fabric …Voila!  Your chair has been re purposed and it fits “your style”. I can’t tell you the number of times I have purchased Gap jeans for my kids with the extremely low price tag of $1.21 or $2.99. Often the jeans are next to new and look great.

Finally, and I believe the most importantly, God has created us to be good stewards of our time and money. Is it wise to go to the mall and drop an easy $200.00 on 6 items of clothing for our kids? It is wise to spend $700.00 on an entertainment system? I don’t believe it is.
As women who desire the best for our families, our marriages, our well being and our future, its time to take a look at where our money is going.
If this sounds all too bizarre and disgusting for you, I suggest you give it a try. Plan a day with a good friend, get a sitter for the kids and go “thrifting”. With the money you save at the thrift store, you can enjoy a large basket of chips and salsa and wonderful conversation.

Oh yeah, one more thing. I like to compare thrifting to a tall can of Pringles, “Once you pop, you can’t stop”

Have fun on your next adventure!

Rebekah isn’t the only one thritfing these days.  Check out this NY Times article from 2008 about why people are shopping at thirft stores more and more.  Vintage is the new New.

Photo Credit: Gradiate on Flickr

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