I’m a Frugal Shopper: 4 Items I Always Buy Secondhand To Save Money

Life is expensive, but buying secondhand can ease the stress on your wallet. If you currently tend to seek out only brand-new items, it’s time to change the way you shop.

“As a vintage store owner, I buy lots of items from thrifts, auctions, yard sales, etc.,” said Willow Wright, owner of Urban Redeux, a vintage and antique store in Alexandria, Virginia.

An eco-friendly way to shop, buying secondhand can allow you to score unique items while also saving money.

“As the cost of living expenses continues to rise, more and more people are looking for ways to save,” she said. “Having said that, we will always be a consumable society, especially when it comes to our homes, so looking to thrift stores is a great way to make your dollars go farther.”

Think of it this way — one person might be finished with an item, but that doesn’t mean it’s reached the end of its useful life. You can work it into your home, and you can do so for a fraction of the original price.

Of course, all items aren’t a great choice to buy used, so it’s important to be informed. Here’s a look at four product categories from which it’s a great idea to purchase secondhand items.

Seasonal Decor

If you’re like many people, you enjoy decorating your home for many holidays throughout the year. However, this can get expensive when you consider the sheer number of annual holidays you might celebrate.

Personally, Wright said seasonal decor is one of her favorite things to shop for, but she doesn’t feel the need to purchase brand-new items.

“From Christmas ornaments to bunny cake molds, you can find almost any holiday represented at a thrift store,” she said. “With the exception of Christmas, these items are displayed for such a short time in our homes, so buying them secondhand is a great idea.”

If you’re purchasing a few holiday decorations here and there, you might not even realize how much you’re spending. For example, in 2023, consumers were expected to spend $3.9 billion on Halloween decorations, according to the National Retail Federation.

Housewares

Furnishing your home, decorating it to feel like your own, and keeping your kitchen cabinets stocked with all the right tools, utensils, appliances, dishes, and pots and pans may feel like a never-ending task. These items can also add up fast.

“The Home Edit is all the rage, and those plastic bins are expensive,” Wright said. “But variations of these items line the thrift store plastics aisle and are a great way to save money while still getting the organization that you need at home.”

For example, a case of three small iDesign Linus Clear Stackable Closet Bins costs $89.97 at The Container Store, while one iDesign Linus Narrow Pantry Bin is priced at $17.99. You might be able to find similar items for a fraction of the price secondhand.

In addition to saving money, shopping for housewares at places like thrift stores, yard sales and estate sales can allow you to find unique items that aren’t sold by traditional retailers.

Books

Many people buy a book, read it once and then get rid of it. Therefore, Wright said books are an excellent item to buy at thrift stores.

“They usually range from $1-$4 — a tenth of what they might cost retail,” she said. “And often, stores run promos — buy four, get the fifth free.”

She said this is a great way to build your library, find unique decor and stock your children’s bookshelves.

Local libraries are another good place to find used books. Many have book sales at least once a year, where books donated by patrons are sold to raise money for the library.

Kids’ Clothing

“As a mom of two young kids, I always buy children’s clothing secondhand,” said Gennifer Rose, founder of the blog My Thrift Life. “They grow so fast, and it feels like a waste of money to spend significant sums of money on brand-new clothes that will be obsolete in about six months.”

Thankfully, she said other parents are constantly donating nearly new kids’ clothes to declutter their closets.

“The cycle of parents needing new sizes, while at the same time other parents needing to offload clothing, creates a perfect situation for a sustainable life cycle,” she said. “Plus, it really helps parents save money in a world where being a caretaker is constantly becoming more expensive.”

As a parent, you can probably relate to the many expenses associated with raising little ones, so buying secondhand clothing can help offset some of those costs.

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