Thrifting Doesn’t Have To Stop At Clothes

My uncle Buzz lives in a small Texas town called Uvalde. He moved there from Austin after the death of my grandfather to be with my grandmother during her final days. But, Uvalde doesn’t have too much going on, and that’s putting it nicely. Basically, if you’re not a farmer, rancher, hunter, or have your entire extended family living in the town, you’re not going to have a very exciting existence. So, my uncle got creative. He has a background in interior design and has a spectacular eye. He sees beauty in things that other people would consider trash. My grandmother is in hospice care, and so my uncle started going to the local thrift store that donates its proceeds to the town’s local hospice branch. He makes a pit stop at the thrift store almost every day and knows everyone who works there by name. I don’t know how he manages to find something new to buy every time he visits, but he does. He seems to work the miracles of the thrift store. Or maybe he just buys practical, and sometimes offbeat items that other people might not think to purchase.

Here Are Three Uncanny Items Uncle Buzz Thrifts

Number 1: Cleaning Supplies

They’re not cheap. A 100-ounce bottle of Pine-Sol is nearly seven dollars at Walmart. And various cleaning agents that come in spray bottles average at more than three dollars each. So, Buzz buys these supplies at the thrift store. Along with laundry detergent, cat litter, mops, brooms, you name it and he finds it. He walks out of there spending pennies in comparison to visiting a large retailer.  Number 2: Books He buys books for 25 cents a pop. (!!) Books about cooking, books about art and design, books about history. And when my mom is visiting Uvalde, she always makes a trip to the thrift store and stocks up on novels and memoirs. In comparison to Barnes & Noble, the thrift store is a gold mine for good deals. Number 3: Frames Buzz loves art. He always seems to be coming across prints, or beautiful old scarves, or paintings without a proper frame. And framing is expensive. I recently took a painting to have framed and it cost me a mere $150. That’s a remarkable chunk of change to spend on framing a picture. So what is Buzz’s method? He buys used frames at the thrift store and takes one with him to the local framing shop when he wants something framed. Oftentimes, the frames he purchases are quite a bit larger than the item he wants to be framed, so he’ll frame two, and sometimes even three pictures with one thrifted frame. He saves a lot of money at the frame shop and he puts the used frames to good use.

Now For The Takeaway

Whereas most people think of thrift stores as a place to buy some grungy old clothes, they actually can be resourceful tools for finding everyday items that will cost you a hefty penny when buying new. The next time you step into a thrift store, think outside of the box and make the most out of what the store has to offer. Now sure where to start? Visit The Thrift Shopper to find some discounted stores near you.