To preface this article, I think it should be known that I am a thrift-store fiend. If I had my way, I'd spend each and every day exploring the various flea markets, rummage sales and consignment stores I hold so very near and dear to my heart. However, as ideal as that sounds in my mind, my enthusiasm for second-hand stores is sometimes met with confusion, and I do get a lot of questions about it.

Quite a few of these questions have to do with the actual merchandise in these stores, such as: "Aren't the clothes gross?" and, "Isn't everything ugly and full of holes?" Seeing as this is what the majority of what people ask me about my love of thrift stores, I thought a little lesson on the art of bargain hunting wouldn't be amiss -- and, in regards to both of these two questions, the answer is a resounding NO.

For one thing, there is something so delightfully satisfying about "the hunt" -- the hands-on effort required to dig through an admittedly fair amount of used goods and clothes is made that much sweeter when you finally find that one eye-catching garment, or perhaps a vintage ceramic mug that would look perfect on your windowsill with a succulent planted in it. For me, it is the feeling of feeling the clothes that I love so much. You know that wonderfully worn feeling that your favorite clothes develop after countless washes in the machine? Well, I have great news for you: essentially all of the clothes in the thrift stores you will visit are previously owned, and everything you'll see is always laundered before being put out to be sold, so that comfy, familiarly soft feeling is something you can count on finding. Don't be put off by the soon-to-be-familiar smell of used clothes at thrift stores, you get used to it very quickly (I promise!) and it totally adds to the experience as a whole.

As it says in my tag line, I really do collect Aloha shirts (more commonly known as Hawaiian shirts) and I'd say that probably 90 percent of my assortment is from my excursions to the various thrift shops Los Angeles has to offer. Every city has their share of thrift stores, both small and large, and part of the fun of thrifting is finding all the best ones. Ask around, read reviews of different shops online or even just keep an eye out for a second-hand store you might not have noticed before. Need some inspiration? Reddit has a thread devoted exclusively to the cool things that people have scored in their favorite thrift stores, and you'd be surprised at what you can find. I especially love going with other friends, because finding things that you think they would too like makes the hunt all the more thrilling.

Thrifting isn't just fun for the aforementioned reasons: another great benefit is how cost effective second-hand shopping is. Most clothes (excluding rare or specialty items) rarely cost more than $15, and many stores offer special price cuts on certain days of the week -- so definitely do your research! In my case, I don't think I've ever spent more than $10 on any one item, and usually plan my trips around special discount days to fully make the most of the experience. This frugal alternative to department store shopping is one of my favorite aspects of thrifting, but there is another feature to keep in mind that really makes these stores all the more appealing.

Considering that the average consumer of today is buying 400 percent more clothing than they were 20 years ago, the case for supporting a more sustainable, eco-friendly model of sustainable shopping almost makes itself. Another report found that around 98 percent of clothing purchased in this country is made outside of the US -- talk about a carbon footprint. Filling landfills with perfectly usable but unwanted clothes seems silly to me, and the benefits of donating your old clothes to charity rather than just throwing them away could really benefit someone who can't afford a whole wardrobe from a department store for them or their families. HBO's John Oliver said it better than I ever could, but the ethical issues concerning the manufacturing of these clothes abroad are another factor to consider when shopping for full price garments. All in all, buying previously-owned instead of brand-new benefits you in a variety of ways, and is definitely worth keeping in mind.

So, the next time you have a free weekend or a couple of hours to spare, why not grab a few friends and head down to your local Goodwill store? For me, thrifting is more than just a hobby: it's like a grown-up treasure hunt! Vintage clothes are all the rage these days anyway, so why not be both fashionable AND frugal? And if you do find something great, make sure to post about it on that Reddit thread, so I can see what you got!