Many people know I have a bit of an obsession with clothes. I like to wear them, flip through glossy magazines full of pictures of them and of course go shopping for them. What people may not realized is that I buy all of my clothes used. I have many reasons for doing so, including the fact that it saves money, it is good for the environment and it keeps my money away from larger corporations. I know that many others would shop more at thrift stores if it were more convenient. Here are some tips and tricks I use to make it easier.

First of all go into the thrift store with a clear idea of what you are looking for… then abandon it the with the first item you find that does not fit that description. You can’t really go into a thrift store/used clothing store thinking “oh I really need a pair of jeans today” or “I really need a red top to go with that skirt I just bought”. One thing you need to know about thrift store shopping: you will rarely find what you are looking for. On the bright side of that, you will most likely find something else you want, even if you don’t need it.

Another good strategy when thrift store shopping is to give yourself lots of time. You will most likely be disappointed if you attempt to just pop into a thrift store to grab yourself something “new” to wear that night. Thrift store shopping requires a lot of time, patience, and possibly more than one visit to a single store. The good thing about most thrift stores is that their contents are constantly changing.

Thrift store shopping can be frustrating when you find something you like, but it doesn’t fit quite right. Most of the time you can’t send your girlfriend back out of the dressing room to grab you another size. If you really like the piece, and it is worth it, then don’t be afraid to get it tailored. Many local tailors will take something in or let something that for a really fair price.

Uptown Cheepscate is an excellent place to start for a thrift store novice in the Salt Lake area. Uptown Cheepscate mostly sells name brand trending clothing. Walk in that store and it is difficult to find anything you wouldn’t also find at the mall. If you are looking for something a little different I would recommend Decades on State Street. Decades exclusively sells pieces that would most likely be considered antiques. The men who work there have excellent taste for class and elegance. If you are looking for something in between I would recommend Name Droppers or their discount store. Name Droppers sells more expensive name brand used clothes which include some very unique pieces.

Thrift store shopping is an excellent answer for anyone on a budget or for people who care about whom their money is going to.