I love to shop in thrift stores, consignment shops, and resale shops.
There’s just something about getting a bargain that draws me back again and again. Buying smart also helps me to stretch my family budget.
But what about the time commitment?
Thrift stores tend to be big, huge outlets stuffed full of all kinds of clothes. Who has time to go through tons of junk looking for a bargain? You would probably prefer to spend full price and save time. Right?
Hold on.
I want to share with you my formula for shopping in thrift stores quickly.
I can go into a thrift store, go from aisle-to-aisle, and be out of there in no time. My hubby doesn’t even mind shopping with me now. Trust me- that is saying a lot!
In the past I used to feel like I had to look at e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, because I didn’t want to miss something good. But then I would have to make a decision about each and every piece of clothing I picked up. That was a long process and tiring.
Now I shop quickly. In. Out. Done.
Do you want to know how?
I look for 3 things:
- Color
- Style
- Condition
Once I developed this 3 step formula, my days of long shopping trips were over. You can have the same success.
Color
Learn what colors look good on you. It doesn’t matter how cute it is or how cheap it is, if it’s not the right color- move on!
Style
There are many different styles of clothing. I prefer a classic, traditional look. Defining “my style” also helps others to shop for me. They now can easily say- that looks like something you would wear.
Condition
The item may be the right color and the right style, but if it is in need of even the slightest repair- I pass. I know myself well enough to know that I will not complete the repairs so in the end it would be a waste of money, not a savings. Maybe you have some mad sewing skills and that is not an issue, but not me. Be honest with yourself while shopping though. You may have the skills, but do you have the time?
Hopefully you too can use the 3 step formula to thrift store shopping.
You can save money and find really cool unique clothes.
If you don’t know a thing about color and style- Shari is coming to help you out with that!
Check out - http://apowerfulmoment.com/coming-september-13th/
Very helpful! Thanks Susan.
I love these tips! I am addicted to thrift shopping. Narrowing down color, style, condition is so smart. Now I have a system to spend even more time in thrift stores. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not??