Save money, find the best deals, and learn to thrift like a pro with these must-know thrift shopping tricks!
Who doesn't love the thrill of the hunt?
From exploring new areas and discovering new thrift stores to finding unique, vintage, and affordable
You can have disappointing thrifting days where you walk out empty-handed and days where your cart is full and overflowing.
Today, I'm sharing my favorite items to thrift and 18 thrift shopping tips and tricks I've learned over the many years of thrifting.
HOW TO THRIFT SHOP LIKE A PRO: 18 TIPS AND TRICKS
1. MAKE A THRIFTING LIST
Walking aisles, browsing shelves, and digging through bins can get overwhelming. Keeping an idea list of what you hope to find will help items stand out as you walk and scan aisles. Entering a thrift store prepared helps reduce anxiety and the overwhelming feeling you may get when thrifting.
MY CURRENT THRIFT STORE LIST:
- Vintage jeans
- Vintage flannels
- Wood furniture (solid wood, smoke-free, dovetail joints)
- Old books
- Vintage and antique items
- Vintage glassware (Anchor Hocking, Whitehall, Fireking, Libby, Jadeite, Fenton Hobnail)
- Vintage brass animals and candle holders
- Vintage pottery (USA, Hull, McCoy)
- Hoodies, shirts, and shorts for my children
- Anything that can be upcycled or repurposed
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2. GRAB A SHOPPING CART
Always be prepared and grab a cart when you first walk in the door of a thrift store. You may find nothing, but you'll be happy you have a shopping cart if you find more than you can carry. You also want to avoid leaving an item on a shelf because your hands are full and you must return for a cart.
3. DON'T GET DISCOURAGED
Have an open mind and a good attitude when you go thrifting. Some days, you may find incredible deals and others walk out empty-handed. Don't let an unfavorable thrift shopping day get you down and discourage you from thrifting.
4. CHECK ALL AISLES
No aisles are off-limits when it comes to thrift shopping! Inventory may be incorrectly categorized by employees or placed on random shelves by customers. It's essential to check all aisles and shelves so nothing good gets overlooked.
Just the other week, I found a set of brass duck bookends in the silver aisle that I would have missed if I had skipped that aisle.
5. SHOP OFTEN
The best items and deals will get snagged up quick! Shop as often as possible to ensure you get first dibs on new stock and inventory. Many thrift stores restock throughout the day, while others restock early in the morning. Either way, inventory is rotating and new items are hitting the shelves daily.
I have a thrift store a few miles from my home and within a mile from Walmart and a grocery store. I make it a point to stop in multiple times a week to try and catch new inventory. Often, I walk out empty-handed, but other times I find some great items.
6. AVOID IMPULSE BUYS
It's never a good idea to buy something simply because it's cheap or on sale. You can quickly spend more than you intend and wind up with multiple items you don't particularly want or need.
A FEW THINGS TO ASK YOURSELF WHILE THRIFT SHOPPING:
- Will I wear it?
- Do I need it?
- Do I already own it?
- Will it sell? (If you are a reseller)
7. CONSIDER THE RETAIL PRICE
Just because an item is at a thrift store doesn't mean it's a good buy. Many thrift stores and secondhand shops are increasing their prices to near retail prices. You may even find that some prices are more expensive than vintage shops and home stores like HomeGoods, TJMaxx, and Hobby Lobby.
Google Lens is a great tool to check prices and help limit overspending.
9. DOWNLOAD GOOGLE LENS
Google Lens is a search tool that provides information using image recognition. I use it often while thrifting to confirm the brand, make, manufacture, or resell cost of items.
Simply download the app, click the camera icon in the search bar, then take or upload a picture from your camera roll. Google Lens will recognize the image and provide articles, videos, and other informative information.
As a vintage reseller, I find Google Lens especially helpful in identifying unmarked glassware and pottery.
8. SIGN UP FOR LOYALTY REWARDS
Some thrift stores have punch cards and free loyalty programs that save a dollar amount or percentage after you spend a certain amount of money. Loyalty programs are an effective way to save money, especially at stores that you frequent often. I always take advantage of these programs and often save my points for higher ticket items or large purchases.
THRIFT STORE LOYALTY PROGRAMS
1. 2nd Ave Stores: Earn 1 point for every dollar spent. 150 points = 10% off a future purchase
2. Savers/Unique: Earn 1 point for every dollar spent. 100 points = 20% off a future purchase of up to $100
3. Prime Thrift: Earn 1 point for every dollar spent. 20 points = $2 off, 50 points = $5 off, 100 points = $10 off, 200 points = $20 off, 500 points = $60
9. DISCOVER NEW AREAS & MAP OUT A ROUTE
Do you live in an area with very few thrift stores? Do you often walk out empty-handed when you go shopping? Broadening your thrifting area is a great way to discover new stores and increase the likelihood of finding better deals.
I often travel across state lines for auctions and search for thrift stores and antique malls in every town I visit. I quickly learned what thrift stores are near each auction and started mapping out my routes. I've discovered many new places to thrift, which allows me to hit multiple thrift stores in one afternoon.
10. SHOP OFF-SEASON CLOTHING AND DECOR
Take advantage of higher inventory and lower demand and shop off-season clothing and decor. Most customers aren't shopping for pants or sweaters in June, so you'll find the best inventory and snag great deals.
I shop all year long for holiday decor and winter clothing. A local thrift store where I frequently shop rotates colors (even on seasonal inventory!) and offers discounts up to 50%-75% off. I often snag snow pants for my kids and holiday decor at the highest available discounts.
11. BRING CASH
Not all thrift stores take cards, so you want to be prepared. Many smaller church missions and even larger chain stores only accept cash to keep overhead costs and inventory affordable.
Red, White, and Blue Thrift Stores (a large chain store) is one of my favorite places to go thrifting and they don't accept cards. They provide ATMs, but it's better to be prepared than pay additional bank fees.
Paying cash will also help you keep track of spending and think twice about making unnecessary purchases.
12. DON'T RUSH
Sure, you can pop into a thrift store, quickly scan the aisles, and be in and out in just a few minutes. If you really want to find the deals, shopping at thrift stores requires time and patience, especially when looking for clothing. Check tags for vintage and name brands and look for stains, rips, or tears.
13. THINK WHILE YOU SHOP
Have you ever returned to a thrift store for an item you wish you had previously purchased? Only to find it's no longer available? I know I have!
When it comes to thrifting, it's better to play it safe. Avoid leaving items on the shelf that you may want to return for later. Instead, if you see something you may want to buy, put it in your cart and think about it while you shop. If you later decide you no longer want the item, put it back on the shelf. If you keep the item, you'll be happy you picked it up when you did!
14. SHOP THE RIGHT DAYS
Monday and Tuesday are my favorite days to thrift. People often donate items on Saturday or Sunday and most stores have restocked from the busy weekend. It also doesn't hurt to ask when a store typically restocks inventory. It may be daily, but they may also have specific restock days.
Thrift stores also have weekly discount days consisting of family, senior citizens, military, and dollar days. Take advantage of your local store's discount days for even steeper discounts and savings.
15. HAVE AN OPEN MIND
You can usually get a feel for a store the minute you walk in the door. Have an open mind and give each store a chance, especially if visiting new areas. You could find unique and cool items in a dirty and disorganized store and affordable deals in a higher-end, higher-priced store.
If you see something that's a great price, but the wrong color or a little damaged, consider if it can be painted or repaired. You may not find exactly what you are looking for in thrift stores, so it's imperative to keep an open mind and give each store and its inventory a chance.
16. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HOLIDAY SALES
If you are okay with larger crowds and extra wait times, consider taking advantage of holiday sales. Large chain thrift stores often offer storewide savings of up to 50% off during major holidays. Keep in mind that inventory is usually limited and often picked over during holiday sales.
17. DON'T OVERLOOK THE BAG AISLE
Larger thrift stores often group small and like items in bags and display them along a wall or on end caps.
I've found MCM glassware, flower frogs, small brass animals, brass candle holders, and vintage Christmas ornaments, among many other items. If I'm quickly scanning the wall of bagged goods, I look for brass since it's easy to spot and often grouped together.
18. KNOW THE COLOR OF THE WEEK
Many thrift stores price and color code inventory, which rotates week after week. Each week, a different color is discounted up to 75% off. Thrift stores also have dollar days where all items of a particular color are $1. It pays to know what color tags are discounted, so you can save even more.
I hope these thrifting tips and tricks help you find incredible items, discover new stores, and save money!
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