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5 Tricks for Paying Less at the Thrift Store

April 12, 2011 by Deal Seeking Mom 17 Comments

thrift store savingsPhoto by Orin Zebest

You like to live on less, so you’re probably already a thrift store shopper. Thrift stores are wonderlands, filled low-priced goods, but did you know you could save even more while thrifting? Here are some lesser known methods for saving while thrifting:

  • Senior and Student Discounts: Some thrift stores offer special discounts for senior and students. Ask what kind of discount programs your favorite thrift stores offer, you may qualify for one!
  • Frequent Shopper Programs: Check to see if your thrift store offers coupons and incentives to frequent shoppers, usually in the form of a frequent shoppers card that’s stamped with each purchase.
  • Frequent Donation Offers: If you make a lot of donations to your thrift store, see if they provide coupons and discounts when you make a donation. Be sure to ask whenever you’re donating a few boxes of junk to the thrift store!
  • Shop on Discount Days: Many thrift stores have discount days, like half off Wednesdays and Sundays. Some offer different deals every day! Look for flyers and signs in the stores that disclose these days. If you don’t see any, ask about them. Some stores have them, but don’t display them.
  • Ask for a Discount: You might find a chipped bowl or a jacket with a missing button that you think is priced too high. If you encounter an item that isn’t fairly priced, politely ask a supervisor if you can receive a discount.

The common theme here is that it never hurts to ask. Be an investigator and see if thrift stores near you offer the additional discounts you crave.

Vanessa is a full time copywriter and webmarketer with a passion for art, creativity, and thrift. She writes about thrifting, creating, and saving money every weekday on her blog, Thrift Core.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: saving money

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. MomofTwo

    April 12, 2011 at 3:14 pm

    Our thift store always has half price clothes (tagged with a specific color) on Wednesdays. On other days the discount varies, it might be on clothes or household items or books. I usally call if we are on that side of town and think we might have time to stop. Plus our thirft store frequently has items in the entry way that are free for the taking.

    Reply
  2. Vanessa

    April 12, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    I worked at a Goodwill for a couple months as a cashier. There are certain days of the week that have special discounts on things.

    You could ask to fill out a Goodwill membership at the register to get a card and you get 5% off any purchase of $20 or more every day, 15% off Wednesday for seniors, 10% off Saturday for students, and you also get birthday coupons.

    What Goodwill doesn’t do is adjust prices. We are told to say no to customers that want to lower the price on items.

    I don’t like that policy because the people that work in the back putting prices on things sometimes don’t know how to price things. Sometimes it’s way too much for an item and sometimes it’s too cheap.

    Reply
  3. Kristine

    April 12, 2011 at 3:41 pm

    Military discounts are AWESOME, too. Also, the Goodwill in our area has color coding that isn’t advertised–instead of 30% or 50% off, they have 75% off oldest items, but not posted, so you have to ask a clerk which color it is.

    Reply
  4. Shelly

    April 12, 2011 at 4:20 pm

    Our local Goodwills sometimes do a “midnight madness” sale where everything in the store is half price. I love those!

    Reply
  5. Samantha

    April 12, 2011 at 4:51 pm

    I love shopping at Savers (Value Village) on the 99cent Monday’s! They pick a tag color and any tag you find with that color is only 99 cents!

    I once found an almost new North Face fleece jacket for only a buck!

    Reply
  6. LaVonne

    April 12, 2011 at 6:56 pm

    Our Goodwill hands out a calendar for the month, so I know what are the 50% off days and certain discount tag days. I like that.

    Thanks for these tips!

    Reply
  7. Chrissy

    April 12, 2011 at 8:44 pm

    What are the best thrift stores in Columbus? I haven’t found a good one yet.

    Reply
  8. Dizzy Mommy

    April 12, 2011 at 9:38 pm

    The Salvation Armys by my house now ask you too leave if you request a price reduction even if it is broken. There are signs all over the place that say this, so Ive never tried to see if they follow through. Our thrift store prices are call extremely high, Ive noticed since the economy took a downturn prices go up. I do know that most the stores do have specials around me.

    Reply
  9. Marcia

    April 12, 2011 at 11:37 pm

    Great tips! Our Volunteers of America has three levels of prices. There is a $.99 colored tag each week, a 50% colored tag and the rest are full-price. This week’s 50% off tag becomes next week’s $.99 tag, so sometimes I’ll keep an eye on an item and go back the following week to see if I can get it for $.99.

    Reply
  10. Willow

    April 13, 2011 at 12:17 am

    My Goodwill will take competitors coupons. Salvation Army put a 20% discount on the ads on back of the Fred Meyer receipt. Our Salvation Army is really small and kinda junky but Goodwill is really good and I can get 20% off with my coupon.

    Reply
  11. Bobbie

    April 15, 2011 at 11:47 am

    My thrift store has 50% off 3 different color tags each week and on Mondays they have spin the wheel for a percentage off so I go and look for the colored tags that are half and also get an additional percentage off up to 35% off. I love it.

    Reply
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  14. Kelsey Apley

    March 4, 2013 at 1:02 pm

    Interesting! Never knew to do any of those, thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
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  17. latriciaforst

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