by Donna Thacker

Created on: October 23, 2009

Shopping at thrift stores is a great way to save money on clothing and accessories. You can save a bundle of money and dress quite well so long as you follow a few key ideas.

Never shop at a thrift store when you are in a hurry. You can and should spend plenty of time searching for just the right outfit. Taking your time to search for things can lead you to a great designer dress or jacket. It may be sitting on a rack between things you might not have bothered to look at. Searching through everything is the key to finding these bargains!

It is also important to find out if there is a certain day that your local thrift store puts out new items. Some thrift stores put stuff out on a daily basis; others only do it certain days of the week. If your store does it daily, chances are you do not shop daily so your selections will be narrowed down by other shoppers who got there first.

If your local thrift store puts out clothing on a certain day, be sure to get there early. They may even accept volunteers to help them put it out and that is a great way to get first choice. If this is not allowed, you can still spot great clothes as the workers bring them out. Hang around the store while the new stuff is being brought out.

Another great way to save money at thrift stores is to watch for the sales they have. We have a local thrift store that does a bag sale occasionally. When you go into the store you pick up a brown paper grocery bag. This bag costs you $5.00 and you get to stuff it as full as you can get it! If you fold and roll the clothes you select you can get quite a lot of items in that one bag.

Thrift stores also do end of season clearance sales. So, when winter ends you may be able to purchase a bunch of sweaters and coats for any where from 50% to 80% off the already bargain price. All you have to do is pack the items into a plastic tote and save them for next year!

Taking the time to coordinate your clothes will save you a bunch of money too. If you have found a terrific pair of slacks, carry them with you and select a shirt, blazer or jacket to go with it. Women may even want to add a skirt to the mix and match ensemble. Choose another sweater or blazer that will also go with what you have. This way you can mix and match several different outfits.

Check for accessories such as jewelry or scarves. You can find anything from costume jewelry to antique jewelry all sitting in the same cabinet. Some thrift stores even have a lot of retro type jewelry that can change the look of your clothes from work, casual or evening. Mix and match several pieces of jewelry and scarves to change the look of your outfits.

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