Save More at The Thrift Store (2)

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

30 Dec 2006 06:28 AM

In Save More at The Thrift Store (1), I wrote about some great ways to get additional discounts and savings at the thrift store. If you don't take advantage of some of these ideas, then you are paying more than you need to in your thrift store shopping. Save More at The Thrift Store (1) covered some of the biggest ways to save. Here in this second part, I will cover some of the more secret and little known ways to say big.

Sudden specials: Do you remember the famous Kmart blue light? The light would go on somewhere in the store to indicate a limited sale deal. The deals were usually very very good, and people would stampede over to wherever that blue light went. Some thrift stores will do their own version of this type of sale, without the actual light. I've been in a store shopping for baby clothes when an announcement was made that all men's jeans would be 10 cents for the next 15 minutes. My husband is now set for life with jeans! If your store doesn't do this, just ask the manager. They may just do it, as it generates lots of excitement in the store, and encourages shoppers to stay longer to see what the next special will be. Besides, the employees seem to have a great time with it.

Vouchers: Do you donate your excess? Some thrift stores will give you vouchers to use in their stores when you donate items, but you may have to ask. You may save a percentage off of your purchase or get a dollar amount back with a purchase. It is also fun to see your items disappear off the shelves to get new life with someone else.

Sale racks: Check around the perimeter of the store, or ask an employee about sales racks. Merchandise that has been sitting around too long usually get big discounts. It doesn't necessarily mean the items are undesirable; sometimes they are just overlooked. I found three pairs of kids footsie pajamas, in excellent shape, for 20 cents each. One was brand new with the tags on it, and another was from the Disney store.

Haggling: Did you know that you can actually haggle in a thrift store? This is something I learned directly from one of the thrift store employees. This even works at the chain thrift stores. Simple go up to the manager and ask for a better price! On separate occasions, I have done this to get a large kids kitchen set for $3 and a large light up art desk for $5. I pointed out that the chair was missing from the art desk, for example, and that the kitchen set was taking up a lot of space in the store (now you know one of the reasons we are selling our house to move to a bigger one). Both items looked brand new.

What are your favorite ways to save? I would love to hear your ideas!

Related Articles:

Save More at The Thrift Store (1)

The Hall of Frugal Fame

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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