National Thrift Shop Day is here! It’s a day to remember and experience all the benefits of shopping at your local thrift stores. Not only can you save money in your day-to-day budget (which is great for debt management), but there is a lot more potential for your money shopping at thrift stores.
4 Reasons to Support National Thrift Shop Day
Have you ever shopped at a thrift store? Thrift stores amass items that people donate, including clothes, shoes, games, books, housewares, furniture and small appliances. Most likely you have gone into a Salvation Army, Goodwill or a Savers at some point, although you may not have realized all the benefits of shopping there. Here are four reasons to start regularly buying at thrift stores.
Saving Money at Thrift Shops
The most obvious reason to shop on National Thrift Shop Day and beyond is to save money. Everything that goes into the store is below retail price. While most things are used and vary in condition, the deals are fantastic. The merchandise can be very unique, vintage, designer or run of the mill. Whatever style you rock, there is a good chance you can find something to your taste at a discounted price.
Not only is everything already reduced, but there are sale days! Certain thrift stores will have a standing weekly sale on certain days. For example, Wednesday might be 50% of all items with a yellow tag.
If you just want to make your budget stretch, thrift stores allow you to purchase more goods than you normally could. Instead, use the savings to build an emergency fund or accelerate other financial goals.
Tax Deductions for Donating Items to Thrift Stores
Thrift stores often reward your generosity when you donate. By making a charitable contribution to a qualified organization, you can receive a tax deduction if you itemize deductions on your tax return. You will most likely receive an itemized list of your donated goods when you drop off your items. Then it’s up to you to assign a value to those items and claim in on your taxes.
Helping a Good Cause
The surface level benefit of the thrift store is to help people buy goods at a reduced price whether someone is facing financial hardship or they appreciate a good deal. These stores also do a lot of wonderful work to help train and support certain community members. They offer employment and training to persons with disabilities and financial assistance to other good causes. Each store or “chain” is unique, so check them all out on National Thrift Shop Day!
Earn Cash With DIY Projects
Shabby chic decor is still all the rage as are DIY projects. Transforming items found at thrift stores and reselling them is a great way you could make some extra cash. Project ideas can range from repainting picture frames to refinishing furniture or updating lamps and home decor pieces.
The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to the projects one can find at thrift stores. National Thrift Shop Day helps your wallet, your home, the community, and even the planet as a major green initiative- recycling and reusing products.
If you’re struggling to pay off debt, ACCC can help. Schedule a free credit counseling session with us today.