4 REASONS WHY SHOPPING SECOND-HAND IS A GREAT FIRST CHOICE!

I’ve worn and sat on second-hand finds most of my adult life. And I’m not ashamed to admit it! I always enjoyed thrift store shopping due to my inherited love of a deal and having a small budget. Today I wanted to share a few reasons why shopping second-hand is a great first choice!

IT SAVES MONEY

This one really is a no-brainer! Second-hand is a great first choice when it comes to clothes because you pay a fraction of the retail price for your clothes. Sometimes they still have the original tags on them!

I make it a point to look at thrift and resale stores first when filling wardrobe holes for my children. They tear through clothes a little quicker than they outgrow them right now, so paying retail really doesn’t seem worth it.

In fact, one of my first posts was titled Buy Clothes Second Hand to Clothe Your Kids on a Dime. By no means is this a new habit for me. It works!

On the plus side since I save so much money I can actually afford to buy BETTER quality clothing than I would if I had to purchase new! That’s right; if I buy new clothing Carter’s clearance is probably the best my kids are going to get on our small budget.

But by simply shopping second-hand my kids get great clothes from quality brands with steep savings! I’m no brand snob by any means, but check the tags; sometimes the discount store brand items cost as much second-hand as they do brand new. So I skip over them and go for better-made garments.

SECOND-HAND IS A GREAT FIRST CHOICE BECAUSE IT’S BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

The fashion industry is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to pollution and waste. From microplastics in the water to human rights atrocities it’s just not pretty. It is literally the second largest polluter in the world. And the fast fashion turnaround only speeds up the pollution and waste.

Run a Google search on factory collapse and it’ll seriously make you think about the true human cost behind cheap new clothes. I am trying to make more thoughtful, intentional clothing purchases and keep them longer when I do buy them – new or second-hand.

IT MAKES FOR A MORE UNIQUE WARDROBE/HOME

I was thirty five years old before I sat on a brand new piece of living room furniture in my own home! Thirteen years of married life on second-hand and hand-me-down furniture saved us literally thousands of dollars!

And since our cat decided to um, personalize the ottoman (among other things) shortly after we got her, I slip covered it and gave the room a unique look suited more to my tastes.

We actually went through three second-hand couches before deciding the one we had when we built the new house was too brown and traditional for our gray farmhouse interior. It was pretty exciting to buy our first brand new couch, and well worth the wait!

We’ve also sat on second-hand and hand-me down recliners and rocking chairs and placed clothes in dressers and chests that were already in our first home when we bought it. It definitely gave the house a bit of an eclectic feel.

I love a good DIY/upcycled project, and when it came to decorating a large blank wall in our living room second-hand was the way to go! This farmhouse gallery wall came together for less than $30!

THIS IS EVEN MORE TRUE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR WARDROBE!

When you buy your clothes second-hand you can be more confident that you won’t get on an elevator or pass someone on the street in the same outfit! You can have a unique to your personality collection of several different styles at a fraction of the original cost.

I know a lot of gals I’ve worked with in the past that rocked vintage clothing like nobody’s business and looked amazing! Plus they saved so much money by not buying the latest mass produced look.

Teresa Maria of the amazing Outlandish Blog encourages her readers to shop from their mother’s wardrobe for great quality finds! This is an awesome idea! I for one kept a few of my mother’s accessories and pull them out from time to time. And I always seem to get compliments when I do.

If your taste of style tends to change more often than most this is also a great way to save money and avoid the guilt of buyer’s remorse when you get tired of something. Is the piece still in good shape when you lose interest in it? Just donate it back to the thrift store for someone else to enjoy!

SECOND-HAND IS A GREAT FIRST CHOICE BECAUSE YOU GET TO GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY

And the world! Visiting thrift stores and resale shops will help introduce you to different ministries and charitable organizations in your area. You might even find an opportunity to get involved and volunteer yourself!

There are some great organizations out there that make quite an impact in their communities and across the globe! This is just one more reason that second-hand is a great first choice!

I know in my area we have a thrift store that supports women in our area with professional clothing and other forms of assistance. There is also a section that contains pieces made by women around the world. This is just one example of a great charitable organization you could support while updating your wardrobe at the same time.

DO YOU SHOP SECOND-HAND?

As you may have guessed, I highly recommend it! If your budget is even smaller and you have some friends who wear similar sizes try a clothing swap! Save some money, help out your community, and don’t worry about changing out your style more often if that’s your jam.

So do you shop second-hand? Let me know in the comments! It’s just one great way to help you stay frugal my friends! See you in the next post!

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