Spring Break Survival Guide

Thrifting can be a confusing process for many people. Now that spring break is upon us, I hope some of you will try it out! I think everyone could use a survival guide of some sort on how to go about a thrifting experience.

1) Like I mentioned in a previous post, find someplace to go! It can be locally near your home, or if you are going on vacation look around you! Sometimes thrift stores in vacation spots have incredible stuff from people that live there, and often times it is full of expensive or higher end objects. Thrift stores and consignment shops are everywhere, and some are better than others, so don't get discouraged if you go to one and it isn't what you hoped for, or nothing there appeals to you. Try somewhere else, sometimes it just takes a little bit to find the best!

2) Next is obvious: shop around! A good thing to know is that thrift stores are usually bigger, and  somewhat resemble a Marshall's or something of the sort. A consignment shop is usually smaller, and has more unique things like jewelry or records. Once you are in whatever place you end up, start looking around for whatever you are interested in. For me, I look at jeans, t shirts, sweatshirts/sweaters, and books mainly. Some bigger places, like Savers, have huge book collections and shelves full of household items that are always unique. Big thrift stores are full of everything, but a good example of how to differentiate between thrifts and consignment is that thrifts are usually are stocked with things like team apparel, whereas consignment stores might have more funky stuff, like the necklace I described earlier or this cool shirt that ended up in Maine from Santa Barbara. However, this isn't something that is set in stone; thrifting is always surprising and unexpected!

3) Look at the prices! While everything at these places is discounted, some places are more expensive than others. For example, I have found that consignment stores are more expensive than thrift stores, and Savers is more expensive than Salvation Army. Every time I go thrifting, there is almost always a sale of some sort going on, usually by tags. For example, some days yellow tags are half off, or pink tags are $3, and so on. This is another major way to save money!

4) Make sure you also look at the quality of something. Sometimes I grab a plain t shirt, just to see it's a brand Target sells for pretty cheap anyway, so I would rather pay just a little bit more for something I can get brand new. Thrifting is kind of a guess and check system in that way. Check thing for rips, holes, stains, and other things that could potentially ruin the object. Also, when you look at the things you are potentially buying, sometimes you can find extremely nice things, like high end purses, nice jackets, high quality jeans, and vintage clothes that aren't made anymore. My mom loves collecting unique finds that aren't made anymore that are high value.

5) When you go thrift shopping, make sure you bring cash with you, because some places only take cash. Another thing to consider bringing with you is a bag of things you want to donate to the store, and sometimes the store gives a discount to those who do!

While these steps are things I find basically necessary to thrift, it is completely up to you! If you have a way that works for you, or once you go you find that something works better, please share! I am always open to new ways.

Happy thrifting!