I know, most of the time, I focus on saving with groceries. Well, today, I want us to look at another avenue. You see, with four growing boys, clothes are constantly getting stains, rips, or out-grown. We pass down what we can—which leaves our eight-year-old with an abundance and the fourteen-year-old with one outfit. So, to help even this out, I utilize our local Thrift Stores.
I love thrift stores and I usually go alone if I can. Not a problem where my husband is concerned—he lacks the patience it takes to find the treasures. That’s how I look at it, as a treasure hunt. Let me tell you, when I find a great deal, it is a treasure (and I get really excited too!)
Yesterday’s trip was to a local Christian Thrift Store. This is a ministry of our church and all the proceeds go to our missionaries—double bonus for us! This trip was focused on our 10 year old who has outgrown all of his shorts except for two pairs. This is a staple here in Florida and he rarely wears anything but shorts.
I bought:
2 pairs of Old Navy cargo Shorts
1 pair of Nike nylon shorts (for soccer)
1 pair of Wear First cargo shorts
1 pair of Place cargo shorts
1 pair of American Eagle shorts
1 Old Navy shirt
1 Long Sleeve Hollister shirt
My total cost was $14.
When I choose a Thrift Store to shop at, it has to meet some criteria. First of all, I like for my money to go to a good cause, i.e. missionaries. Second of all, the shop itself must be in a good part of town. Why? You ask. Well, I have found that you will find much higher quality clothes at these stores. The two shops that I frequent are in high income areas where the residents are more likely to give clothes away before they are out of style and are still in good shape.
The two thrift stores that I shop at have the clothes broken down by sizes and types of clothes. This is important to me as I have been to a few that don’t and it really takes a lot more time. When you look at an article of clothing, inspect it well. I cannot emphasize this enough. Look for any kind of stains, rips, holes and make sure all zippers work. You are looking for a bargain, not a project.
Originally Published on MojoSavings.com
