With about month left before school starts, it’s time to starting thinking about what you need to buy to send your kids back to school in style. Most of the big box retailers have already started their back to school sales where you can pick up some great deals. Another option you may want to consider is your local thrift store. I know people that embrace this idea and others that would rather die than wear someone else’s old clothes. My niece loves prowling around the second hand stores for treasures and one-of- a-kind items. She then up-cycles some of her purchases with embellishments and bleach pens. There are tons of thrift, resale and consignment stores out there – find one that regularly carries items you like and pay them a visit everyone now and then. It’s a great way to be green!
I like to visit the local Salvation Army Thrift Stores every once in a while. They tend to have pretty good prices everyday of the week and inventory that is constantly changing. Their stores are usually neatly organized and best of all they have awesome sales – plus their stores are everywhere! The 5 for $5 on Friday is my favorite. Each Friday they have a certain color tag on sale (clothing only) five items for five dollars! Take a look at what I purchased this past Friday for a total of five dollars:
Long Sleeve T-shirt (normally $2.99)
Long sleeve Button-up Shirt (normally $3.99)
Short Sleeve Button-Up Shirt (normally $2.99)
Mesh T-shirt (normally $1.99)
Khaki Shorts with the tags still on them (normally $2.99)
Here are a few tips for buying clothes from a thrift store:
- Check to make sure zippers work.
- Are all the buttons there?
- If you are buying a winter coat – is the hood attached?
- Check for holes and stains.
- Throw everything in the wash machine before wearing.
While this option is not perfect for everyone it may be a perfect option for others – a very inexpensive way to dress your child and the proceeds will go to a good cause.
