How to Find the Best Deals at a Thrift Store

Shopping Savings
on February 28, 2013

Looking for a bargain at a thrift store is easy to do when you know how to find them. For example, some items are very affordable because they are obsolete, like cassette tapes for your car to entertain the kids on long drives.

Beyond this, many families are finding that saving money on clothes and furniture can be easy. These are the hot buys at thrift stores that you need to look for.

Finding pants for work or play can cost a fortune at the mall, but thrift stores typically charge $5 of less for many of them. While some items would not be useful in more corporate settings, bargain hunters who work in less formal ones, like restaurants, can ill afford to waste a night’s tips on uniform items when they can find equally suitable khaki pants for $3.

The same goes for sweaters. Every winter it gets cold and every spring many people get rid of their sweaters. A good bargain hunter may find themselves saving money by the fistful when they outfit their family in warm tops for $20 or less. It is not uncommon to find sweaters and sweater vests selling for just a few dollar apiece in a thrift store.


The same can be said for furniture. While a couch is not going to be found for $3 like a sweater will be, it can easily be found for $100 or less, and these can include L-shaped sectionals. Just this week, a thrift store in Babylon, NY sold one such item for $97, and the lucky family who picked it up was thrilled to have replaced the love seat and recliner they formerly had (3 seats) with a couch made for six!

Now, saving money can be a bit of a sport because great items like designer jeans and sectional couches are going to go fast while much of the less desirable items are not going to budge until they are rid of, so it is important to know that there are is a prime time to hit thrift stores.

The best time of year to go bargain hunting is in late December when people are making last minute donations so they can claim them on their taxes. This is not to say that other times of year are not great, too, but if you were to save a date, this would be the one.

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