I am an addict.  My blood pressure rises ever so slightly when I walk through the doors of my favorite second-hand shop and get ready to hunt for treasures.

Thrift store shopping to save money on clothingIt wasn’t always like this.  When I began my adventures in thrift store shopping there was hesitation. I thought most things were scuffed up, stained and shrunken and that you always had to shlep through junk.

But when I started making thrift stores my first stop as part of a commitment to greener living, I was shocked by how often I could find what we needed at a fraction of the cost.  Night lights, bathroom scales, furniture, Tupperware, toys, and, most importantly, clothes.

My son has been dressed strictly in secondhand duds for the last two years and looks adorable on a daily basis.  I’m sure we’ve spent less than a hundred dollars total on all of his clothing and shoes.  Oh!  And the shoes!  Since they’re just two to three bucks a pair we spend less in a year than many people do on just one set of sneakers.

And it’s not just limited to kids!  Stay tuned for a post on why thrift shopping can be so great for moms too.  Are you a thrift shop junkie or do you prefer to get your high from garage sales?  We’d love to hear where you get your adrenaline rushes!