Shopping secondhand, whether at a boutique or thrift shop, can be a fantastic way to save money on clothing, furniture, accessories, household items, gifts, and more. However, there is a formula that can help you to do a much better job at shopping secondhand, especially if you are shopping for clothing items. If you want to know how to start saving money by shopping secondhand and picking out fantastic items only, read on.
Start Big and Eliminate Options
You might think that customers you see in secondhand stores with huge bags, carts, or armloads of things seem crazy. To be honest, they are approaching shopping secondhand the right way. Shopping in a place where the goods are so cheap can be hectic, and it can mean that an item can be snatched-up by someone else as soon as you sit it down. Start with a large cart of items that you plan on whittling down through trying them on, inspecting their quality, or just deciding how much you love them. If you have it in your cart, or near you, the last chance there is of it being purchased by another customer.
Always Try Items On
Next, after you have your large cart and/or handful of clothing items, head to the dressing room. Those who do the best when they secondhand shop know that you should try everything that you are thinking of purchasing on. This can help you determine more about size, fit, and style, as well as if the item is worth the asking price. Even if the item does not seem to be your size, give it a try, anyway. You might be surprised what will and will not fit.
Only Buy Things You Truly Love
The third step in this process is to decide what items you really, really love, and those that you think are just OK. Think about this in terms of comfort, sizing, quality, and style. If you put something on and absolutely love it, but it seems too tight, too big, or too flimsy, don’t buy it. If you truly do not think you will wear a piece often, don’t buy it, either. But, if you put something on and absolutely love it, and the value seems good, plus the construction seems up-to-par, keep that item to the side. Those are the types of items you want.
Buy to Match Other Things You Already Own
Lastly, think about how these items will fit into your current wardrobe. If it fits, seems like a bargain, and you love it, plus it fills a gap in your wardrobe, buy it. If it is just another piece just like various other ones you have already, and you do not know that you will wear it that often, put it back. Secondhand clothing can be cheaper than new, but it the piece seems too wacky or you just do not feel that you will wear it on a regular basis, even the small price is not worth it.