Steve Clark

I've been an avid thrift-shopper for the past three decades. Beyond a simple hobby, I have to admit thrift-shopping is a bit of an obsession for me — it channels my inner treasure hunter and provides an endless source of entertainment. (I'm a cheap date.)  And besides saving me thousands of dollars over the years, it's also helped me learn a few important financial principles, too. Here are seven money lessons I've learned from thrift-shopping. 1. Retail markups can be massive Retail markup on common items is so steep it should make most store managers blush. Between wholesale and retail, eyeglasses can be marked up by as much as 1000%, jeans 350%, and furniture 400%. While I don't begrudge anyone turning a healthy profit, I don't want to be the one to pay it. Thrift-shopping helps maximize my budget by minimizing my exposure to excessive markups. 2. Depreciation is a powerful force Depreciation is the reduction ...

Until last May, Kelly Herzberg worked at Seattle Children’s Hospital. “I was a psychometrist. I did IQ testing for kids who were doing through the diagnostic process for autism.” Herzberg’s coworkers would often compliment her on her style. “When people would ask to shop with me I’d say, ‘I prefer shopping at Goodwill.’ So we’d go through their closet and sort through their clothes, we’d make different outfits together and then I’d write some thing down like, ‘If you had a pair of black jeans, I think this could work better for you.’ or ‘What if you had a pair of black booties? I think you’d get more out of your wardrobe.’ So we would shop together and I’d pull some things. But eventually, it kind of caught on at work, like wildfire. And I realized: there’s a niche for this!” So Herzberg started Sweet Kelly Anne Styling, her personal stylist business. But she exclusively shops for her clients at thrift stores. Herzberg gave me a mini session so I coul...

Craigslist. Freecycle. Facebook Marketplace. Goodwill. Your local consignment shop. Yard sales. All of these are wonderful places to pick up used items at a low price, which can really help out your bottom line. There's a catch, though: Not everything that's used is exactly what it seems. Sometimes, you'll buy something used, take it home and find that it's far more trouble than it's worth. Here are five signs that you shouldn't invest your money in a used item. It smells bad. Nearly everyone has smelled items that repelled them, made them cough or sick to their stomach. Items that smell of cigarettes, mold or old pets can be truly repulsive, and you don't want that at home. If your nose says no, you're better off leaving the item alone and letting someone else pick up that "bargain." The issue with a smelly used item is that when you bring it home, that smell is going to fill your living space. It is likely that the ...

As summer heads into full swing, the season's fashion trends are also at their peak. For most people, buying an all-new wardrobe of hip summer essentials isn't financially feasible. However, for those who want to stay on top of the latest styles—or simply freshen up their existing clothing options—thrift shopping is a good bet. These days, it's an increasingly popular pastime online. For example, the app Poshmark, which connect buyers and sellers of used clothing, boasts 25 million items for sale. ShopGoodwill, an e-commerce auction site, sold 20,299 items from Goodwill of Central Iowa alone in 2017. But brick-and-mortar stores continue to thrive. According to statistics shared by the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops, the U.S. resale industry generates $17 billion in revenue per year and sees annual growth of around 7%. So why else is thrifting having a moment? Thrift stores cater to fashion iconoclasts. To Sarah Ekstrand, ...

Thrift shopping is a hit or a miss sometimes, so we’ve asked some savvy shoppers for their expertise on what things we should always pick up and what things we should leave behind. Buy: In-house label clothing “Most high-end department stores like Nordstrom have in-house labels that are at a slightly lower price point than more recognizable brands but are still high-quality garments,” says Betsy Appleton, thrift shopping expert and blogger at Goldwill Digger . So, scoop up the house labels from Nordstrom such as Halogen, BP and Treasure. It might not happen as often, but if you spot a Burberry trench coat or cute floral Ralph Lauren dress in your size, grab it. But don’t forget to check for missing buttons, snaps or broken zippers! Buy: Luxury handbags “Handbag designs tend to be classic, which makes them ideal purchases on the second-hand market,” says Suzanne Wexler , a culture and lifestyle expert. Wexler recommends buying from reputable consignment sellers, bu...

S econd-hand, vintage, consignment or however you want to refer to it — the clothing resale market is a billion dollar industry, with approximately 25,000 resale stores across the United States and over 80 in San Francisco alone. Thrifting is quite possibly the most rewarding shopping experience due to its effect of simulating “treasure hunting,” and who doesn’t love finding hidden gems? Despite the aforementioned thrill, buying and wearing used clothes have been stigmatized for years. Many people feared that secondhand clothes were dirty and carried diseases having not been appropriately cleaned by the stores. Additionally, those who were superstitious believed that the misfortunes and misdeeds of the previous owner would be passed on through the clothing. "The vintage craze in recent fashion and home decor has drawn attention to thrift shops due to the wide selection of antique clothing that these stores offer." Today, thrift shops are no longer re...

It’s one thing to have a house, but it’s another thing to make that house feel like a home. Decorating gives you the chance to add your flavor, taste and personality to the place you’ve worked so hard to own. And contrary to most home improvement shows that feature the shiniest new items and teams of experts, it’s possible to do all yourself without taking out a second mortgage. Follow these tips to help transform your space into a home to be proud of. Take an inventory and declutter. Before you kick things off, you’ll probably need to see what you already have and what works. Make sure you do a thorough clean and declutter before you even pick up a paintbrush or assemble your first piece of flat-pack furniture. Take an objective view of items that you don’t use often, or things that are simply too outdated, unfashionable, tired or worn. Try to evaluate if something is worth saving and if it can be upcycled, fixed or repurposed. If something still doesn’t work ...

  Why thrift? Environmental impact Re-wearing clothes reduces waste and pollution. Every garment purchased second-hand means one less new one produced, which is important because regardless of material, the production of clothing is costly to the environment. Producing synthetic fibers like polyester requires lots of energy, as well as crude oil like petroleum; byproducts include toxic gases and chemicals. Sadly, pesticides used on most plants mean that even cotton and linen garments have a negative impact. Transportation-related pollution also decreases when clothing is re-used, as new clothes are much more likely to travel long distances before being sold than are their second-hand counterparts. Second-hand clothes are less likely to end up in landfills. In order to survive its first wearer in decent enough condition to make it into your hands, there’s a good chance your thrifted item is pretty hardy. And every item that doesn’t break/rip/unravel on...

1.) Will I actually make something with it? SOON? Like most of us, I do not have huge amounts of storage space, and paying to store things is not something I’m okay with. If I am intrigued by something because of the possibilities it presents, I always ask myself things like; will I have to walk around it or find a way to store it until I DIY it? Do I even have the time to DIY it? Will I have to dust it?  Do I even dust?  The perfect….  perfect  credenza for $10. All it needs is a decent coat of paint and new knobs. (Did I mention it’s perfect?) But where would I put it? Would it cause me stress to bring it home and have to move the house around just to find a place for it? These are honest scenarios I have lived through and regretted. 2.) Does it need a major repair? “Holy chair Batman, its EAMES!” Wow, you have possibly hit the jackpot. A golden egg with a 50% off sticker. But wait, where are the legs? Is it missing its legs? It probably needs those…...

Thrifting can be overwhelming when you start out. There are racks and racks of clothing to sort through! I have found it helpful to keep a list in my purse of things I am in the market for. That way, if I'm short on time, I can go straight to the dresses, blouses or scarves. Keeping an organized focus never hurts! This next tip can be a little tricky. On any given thrift trip, I will find maybe 10 things I like and 2 things that I absolutely love! I've learned that it's best to only leave with the things I love. When you thrift often it's easy to amass a collection of b-list vintage… focus on only purchasing pieces that you are super excited about! The nature of thrifting is that you choose pieces you love from the most random assortment. Charity thrift shops run on donations, so you have to keep in mind that you never know when an AMAZING estate is going to be donated. Sorting through racks of clothing from the 2000s to find these vi...