News & Advice

Thrifting is good for your wallet, good for the environment, and can become an activity you enjoy — it’s like looking for hidden treasure. 

Adding unique clothing to your wardrobe or vintage furniture to your home becomes much more affordable when shopping secondhand. That could be a big reason thrifting has been steadily increasing in popularity. According to ThredUp’s Annual Resale Report, 52% of consumers shopped for secondhand apparel last year, and the secondhand market is expected to continue to grow. 

When you thrift with these tips in mind, you can save even more money. 

TAKE INVENTORY OF WHAT YOU HAVE FIRST 

Before you head out in search of a basic black T-shirt, flip through the clothes in your closet (and maybe the floor — we aren’t judging). You might already have a black T-shirt in the back of your dresser that you completely forgot about. Or, looking through your closet might remind you of what styles and outfits you love so you can be on the lookout for similar items when you go thrifting. 

When you know what clothes you already have, you can know what to specifically look for. While you’re at it, you can clean out your closet so you can bring along anything you want to donate to the thrift store of your choice. 

HIT THE SMALL TOWNS 

You may think that big cities have the trendiest, highest-quality donations to thrift stores, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Thrift stores in small towns have hidden gems, too, that may be less picked over, giving you a chance to find some unique pieces. The prices might even be cheaper than they would be on a resale app or in bigger cities. 

JOIN REWARDS AND LOYALTY PROGRAMS

Many businesses and thrift stores, like Goodwill, offer rewards programs so that you can save more money over time. If you’re serious about being thrifty, make sure you opt into receiving emails from your favorite thrift stores so you know what sales are happening. To save more money, shop on markdown days or days with sales. Look for colorful tags that indicate extra percentages off. Between rewards programs and going shopping on days with special offers, you’ll see even bigger savings. 

SHOP OUT OF SEASON

Shop for out-of-season clothes to make the most of your budget. Buying a winter coat in the summer is going to be cheaper than buying a winter coat when there’s snow on the ground. 

To increase your chances of finding unique pieces that haven’t been picked over yet, find out what days your local thrift stores restock inventory. If it’s a weekday, you’ll probably beat the weekend crowds, too. 

THOROUGHLY LOOK AT ITEMS

A cheap shirt with stains or rips just isn’t worth it, unless it’s something you can easily repair. Pay attention to the seams, underarms, and necklines. You don’t want to feel like something was a waste of money — even when it is cheaper than name-brand stores — when you get home and find an issue. 

ONLY BUY WHAT YOU LOVE 

If you aren’t sure, skip it. When stores offer lower prices, it can be tempting to load up your cart since it won’t make a huge dent in your wallet. It’s still important to only purchase items you really enjoy and know you’ll get use out of, though. Spending a little bit of money on something you don’t love is still spending money you didn’t need to spend. 

FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

In thrift stores, items can be there today and gone tomorrow. Not every thrift shop will have an online presence, but for those that do, follow their social media accounts. By scrolling through new posts of what’s available, you can score good deals without spending much time looking. There are also online-only thrift stores like thredUP and Poshmark that can save you time since you can filter what you’re looking for. 

EARN REWARDS WHILE YOU THRIFT

When you bank with INOVA Federal, you can earn money while spending it. When you shop with INOVA Rewards Credit Cards and INOVA Rewards Debit Cards, you’ll earn great rewards like cash back on your purchases. Learn more about our rewards program online or stop in and see us at one of our convenient locations or call 800-826-5465.