Thrifting: Best tips for getting the most out of your money!

Arguably, the best thing (in my opinion) about living in the world today is the re-emergence of thrift shopping! I love that we are now moving away from fast fashion and the trend cycles and moving onto quality pieces that have already stood the test of time, which is a lot more than can be said about the clothing from the brands of today!! It’s also so important that we are able to find affordable and amazing pieces that we can wear and be creative with while not breaking the bank because we all know the cost of living is so insane and its so hard to do anything these days!

I prefer thrift shopping to retail shopping for many reasons; the quality is better, the pricing is better, and I know where the clothes came from and what they’re made of. I only got really into thrifting in my last year of university, and I don’t think I’d ever go back; what would be the point of going back to brands that make their clothes out of plastic that clog our skin and then also charge us extortionate prices? Rant over lol. If you’re just starting out and are unsure about how to make thrifting work for you, I would recommend you read through these thrift tips and if you have any follow up questions please don’t hesitate to ask!

1. Decide on a budget and stick with it.

This is probably the most important tip when thrifting. Deciding on a budget beforehand is so important because we all know how overwhelming it can be when you see everything on the shop floor! Personally, I decided that I was going to have a budget of about £10-20 a week for thrifting which has actually worked out perfectly for me because the things I like to purchase are typically things that are priced around £5-10 and anything that’s priced higher than that is not worth it to me (except for special circumstances). My sisters and I have a running joke where if I know an item isn’t “special” and is easily accessible in the real world I’ll say No if its not £5 or under!

Now your budget also needs to reflect your personal circumstances; if you can afford to increase your budget, then go for it! Or if you’re starting out and know that you’ll be spending more on thrifting for only a short time in the beginning before you’re happy with your core pieces; after that you can set a more reasonable budget that will also help you flesh out your wardrobe with whatever calls to you!

2. Understand how much these pieces are really worth.

The next best thrift tip for getting as much out of your money as possible is to know when a deal is being made. The best way I have come to realise if I’ve found a good deal is by basically going on Vinted or similar sites and searching keywords for items that I know I’m interested in. For example, I’m obsessed with vintage embellished jeans, and checking to see what the prices typically are, which really helps me to know if thrift stores are overpricing their items or if its worth grabbing!

Its also super important to remember that these items are mostly used and therefore the price should reflect that and should not be anywhere near to the original price unless its brand spanking new!

3. Only buy things that will serve a purpose for you.

This next thrift tip is so important for you but also for the world in general. Only buy things that you know you will wear or that will serve a purpose for you. There is no need to buy something that you will just keep in your closet until the time a spring clean comes around and then you sell it or donate it anyway! That’s just not only wasteful of your own money but it also takes the opportunity from someone who would have treasured that piece and would know exactly what to do with it!

I think we all need to move away from the idea of collecting something just because you like the look of it and would hate to part with it; this mentality serves no one.

4. Keep your own feelings in mind

A super important thrift tip is try to always remember that you’re only buying for yourself, and you have to love what you buy; if not what’s the point! There are so many clothes that end up in landfills or get shipped off to Africa like a garbage disposal and the best way I can avoid my clothes from ending up like that is by buying pieces that hold a lot of value to me and that I can see myself using for at least the next 5 years.

Along with this, it’s also useful to assess if the item’s price is reflective of how much you like it? I have found some amazing pieces that I just couldn’t reconcile the price with my love for it; and that’s okay! I’m also a huge believer of what is meant for you will find you, so I like to think if something doesn’t work out its because something better is on the horizon!

This actually happened to me last week; I went thrift shopping and I saw the most amazing jeans but someone else had already snagged them and kept putting them back and picking them back up, so I never got my hands on them, and I was so upset! Then, the very next day I went thrifting in a different area and I found the most AMAZING vintage Dolce & Gabbana jeans for only £10, so I snatched them up real quick! Basically, the best things to remember when thrifting is that you are the consumer, and you get to decide for yourself what you want and need and if an item fits within your wants and needs and if fairly priced in your mind, then that’s a match made in heaven!

5. Think about the potential!

This is also an important thrifting tip; thinking about the potential of a product is definitely a skill we all need when we go thrifting! We’ve all been there when you find an amazingly perfect piece but its got a hole, or its missing a matching part or even that its too big/small for you! In most cases you’ll want to leave that piece for the person who it will fit perfectly, or you’ll find that you don’t want to buy something you have to patch up. But for the small percentage of time when you just really can’t let go of the product even with all its flaws; then I have some tips for you!

There are always ways to make pieces work for you; maybe start by thinking about if you can layer it over something else? Can you patch up the hole? Maybe you can add some beading to the hole and make the flaw into a new eye-catching feature! Or if you love the pattern or texture of the piece, you can even pull it apart and create something completely new! I’ve recently completed an upcycling project from a skirt that I bought for £5 that I loved the print on it but the fit was pretty horrendous; so I decided to make it into a mini skirt and cropped top co-ord along with a matching headband! It came out so well and I now have a full outfit that only cost me £5!! If you’d like more inspiration for upcycling or reworking your old and new clothes, I have written a whole blog about it!