Love a good treasure hunt?

Over the last decade, I’ve learned a lot about the art of thrifting. Which places are best for what, how to get the best deals, and how location plays a role in pricing and item diversity. I’m going to lay out all the different types of thrifting out there and give you my personal tips and tricks to get the most out of each location! And if there’s one thing I want you to take away from reading this – it’s never be afraid to haggle! Chances are, you can always get a better price.

Let me start by saying, I love a good treasure hunt, which is exactly why I love thrifting! My passion for this hobby is so strong, I was even lucky enough to get a job at an antique store once. Each time I go out thrifting, whether I have a particular item in mind or not, I’m excited to potentially find something truly unique, rare, or priced as a total steal! I’m a huge collector and love decorating my home with fun and bizarre little items spanning generations and continents. Collecting is only part of the fun though, the rest of the fun lies in the hunt and getting the best deal possible. I love nothing more than finding a truly unique item at a ridiculously low price.

I can’t tell you why exactly, but I’ve always loved trinkets. When I was a little kid, I’d sit in my dad’s office and admire a shiny metal knight he had sitting on his bookshelf. For some reason I was obsessed with it. I did this for years until I was finally old enough to reach the shelf it was on. Turns out, the knight’s helmet retracted and was a lighter. Not only that, but it also had a music box in the bottom that played a delicate little tune which I adored. This made me love the knight even more, and being the little brat that I was, eventually I took it for myself. My dad knew how much I liked it, so he was kind enough to let me hold onto it for a few years. Though eventually he explained to me that it had belonged to his grandfather, and I realized how much it meant to him. So, I gave it back, and even though I missed it I knew it was in its rightful home.

Fast forward to a year ago. I was bored one day and stopped at an antique store here in Rhode Island just to look around. I’d already been there for a couple hours and was just about ready to head home when I came across a tall display case with a bunch of interesting little items. I was looking through everything in the case when something caught my eye on the bottom shelf. It was that exact same soldier. I honestly couldn’t believe my eyes. I’d never seen another one or anything even remotely close to it in my life. The price tag was half hidden, and I realized it was either $85 or $35. I knew I could only justify spending so much, but I also knew it just had to come home with me. I waited anxiously while the shop owner came over to open the case, and when she pulled out the price tag I was elated. $35! I was able to score an instant family heirloom that already has so much meaning, for such a low price. I’ve found some amazing stuff over the years, but this is my favorite find of all time hands down.

Thrift and Resale Stores

These are dedicated resale shops like Goodwill, Savers, and The Salvation Army. This is a where people donate items they no longer want or need, so these stores aren’t likely to have a whole lot of particularly unique or antique items. If you’re the type of person who enjoys a good challenge when finding that “diamond in the rough” piece, this is still a good option for you. Though generally speaking, these stores are best for deals on clothing, home appliances, or furniture. I once bought a couch at a Goodwill for $25 and it lasted me three years before I moved and sold it for $45 on Facebook Marketplace. I’d say going to these stores is the most practical form of thrifting. They’re the easiest shops to find, and nearly every city has at least one. Location plays only a small role in price at these kinds of stores. A thrift store in a suburb is going to be more expensive than one found in a rural area but will of course still be cheaper than one in a downtown district. Still, we’re only talking a difference of a few dollars per item. However, the difference in items for sale can be vast. Though no matter where you are, it’s a given that you’re going to run into an endless supply of kitchenware, picture frames, and kitschy home décor galore.

Now this isn’t always 100% the case, but generally you’re going to find more items that appeal to younger generations (e.g., stylish clothes, decent records, or modern décor), closer to larger cities. Their donation centers receive far more than those in rural areas, and the more donations they have, the more likely they are to come across desirable donations. This gives these stores the ability to pick and choose the best items for sale. Some rural thrift stores will have the same items on their racks for months at a time, while that cool pair of shoes you’re thinking about buying at the downtown thrift store may be gone in a matter of days.

Church thrift stores are some of the best places to find practical items at a great price. From what I’ve experienced, everything is generally sold dirt cheap so they can get rid of it and make room for other donated items to be sold. This is a great place to get clothes, especially for children, as well as children’s toys. Personally, it also feels good knowing I donated to a church while also being able to get some fun or practical items out of it.

Antique Stores

Antique and vintage stores are the best places to go if you love being able to peruse through rare, historical, or quirky items. This is where you’re going to find the cream of the crop in terms of one of a kind finds. Because of this, they can be a mixed bag in terms of what kinds of prices you’re going to be looking at. I’ve been in stores where the prices were so high, I felt like I couldn’t touch anything, god forbid I end up breaking it. Then other times I’ve been shocked at how fairly priced the store is and I end up taking home an armful of goodies. My favorite antiques store of all time is here in Rhode Island, and it’s always a blast to see what kinds of weird or interesting things I can find.

My mom’s and her husband have a set of Pyrex dishes that each come in a different color, though sadly they were missing the red bowl (coincidentally the largest of the set), because it had broken years earlier. So about two years ago, I made it my mission to find this bowl for her. It’s not an entirely uncommon brand, so I have found it more than once. However, the first time it was priced at $45 which I couldn’t afford then. The second time I found it, it was being sold as a complete set for $110. About six months later, I finally spotted it. Sitting hidden on a low shelf surrounded by random knickknacks and ceramics, priced at only $15. I can’t tell you how excited I was to tell my mom I’d found it, or how happy she was that I had. So much so that when she came to town to visit me, she had me bring her and my sister there. We had so much fun admiring all the curated collections and laughing at the ever-present plethora of creepy dolls.

Flea Markets

Flea markets offer one of the most fun, family friendly atmospheres when it comes to thrifting. If you have friends or family who also enjoy treasure hunting and antiquing, this is the perfect place for you guys to spend time together over the weekend. These markets are often paired with food and beverage vendors, so it’s a perfect place to take the whole family and spend a day just walking around, seeing what kind of treasures you might be able to find. I recently went to the Elephant’s Trunk flea market in Connecticut, and they had stands selling snow cones, watermelon slices, and BBQ – all I could think was how perfect this place was for enjoying the lovely spring weather and welcoming the upcoming summer. This place was huge and walking through the aisles while looking at all the booths, I’ll admit I was a little intimidated by just how much stuff there was. I would’ve bought up half the place if I could, there was just an endless amount of items to look through!

I stress – some flea markets can take you all day to get through! This can be overwhelming for some and heaven for others. If you like to avoid crowds or feel uncomfortable negotiating prices, then a flea market might not be a good fit. However, if you love bargaining, having endless items to look through, or enjoy including the whole family in your love for thrifting – then this is the perfect place for you! This is also a great choice for people who work long hours and can’t check out shops during the work week. Flea markets are generally only held Saturday and Sunday, sometimes only being open one day of the weekend. Make sure to check their website for opening times and weather alerts before you try heading to your local market.

If you find something you like at a flea market but you’re not sure if you want to buy it, it’s unwise to wait. Everything is priced to sell at these places - sellers don’t want to have to repack and unpack large or delicate items every week. They’re happy to work with you to find a price you’re both comfortable with because it saves them the trouble of packing it back up. This also frees up more floor space for them to bring in new items for sale. So, it’s likely that if you wait and try to come back for the item later, it will already be sold.

“What’s the best you can do on this?” I want you to remember this phrase, because this is what you should ask every seller when you’re interested in their items. Flea markets are all about the art of the steal. Just like you’d never pay sticker price for a brand-new car, you don’t buy items at asking price here either. Seller’s here price everything well above what they hope to make to take advantage of people who either aren’t comfortable haggling or don’t realize that the seller fully expects them to do so. If you’ve never haggled before, it’s important to keep a few things in mind:

-Always be polite to the seller, don’t scoff at their prices or get upset if they refuse to negotiate with you. There’s plenty of other sellers in the sea.

-Confidence is key. The more you act like you know what you’re talking about, the less the seller is likely to try to rip you off. I promise you’re not going to hurt any sellers’ feelings by offering below asking price, on the contrary, they expect it. (To add, you’re likely to come across handcrafted items at flea markets. Personally, these aren’t usually something I haggle on. If a person put in the time and effort to make it themselves, then I believe it’s worth what they ask.)

-When offering to buy an item, remember to start well below the maximum amount you’d be willing to pay for it. Try not to insult anyone though. If an item is priced at $200, don’t offer them $45. I’d recommend starting in the ballpark of around $75. This is still a low offer, but it’ll give you a good sense of what kind of mood the seller is in. If they balk at the offer, then it’s easy to tell they’re going to be harder to bargain with. Though if you’re lucky, the seller might be willing to meet you somewhere closer to $125. That’s $50 more than your initial offer, but $75 less than original asking price. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Estate and Yard Sales

Garage sales can be a great way to spend a Saturday or Sunday. Grab a friend, your partner, or the whole family and hit the road! You can go the old school route and just cruise around looking for sales, or you can take advantage of the modern era by using apps that tell you when and where you can find sales in your area. My favorite site for this is YardSaleSearch.com. You can search by city or by area code if you’re not looking to do a lot of driving.

Estate sales occur when a person is moving, looking to downsize, or passes away. The latter being an off-putting option for some, and I do understand that sentiment. I avoided estate sales for years because I found the concept a bit odd. Though I must admit, being the history buff that I am, when I finally decided to check one out, I was blown away by how unique the experience was. I was able to see an individual’s entire life’s work laid out in front of me. It’s a fascinating way to get a glimpse into a life that you otherwise would’ve never had access to, and it’s a great way to get to know the history behind the items you’re buying.

Estate sales are a picker’s paradise. When a sale involves barns, garages, storage units, or workspaces – you never know what you’re going to find. I went to an estate sale for a late jeweler recently and I was finding random pieces of jewelry in boxes in all corners of the garage – and literally in the corners! Hidden on the floor underneath furniture being stored. This truly did feel like a treasure hunt, and I was the only one who knew to look on the floor for these forgotten pieces. I walked away with over 200 pieces of jewelry for $35. That was one of my favorite thrifting experiences to date. Some estate sales are only for household items like furniture or furnishings, so always try to get as much information as you can on a sale before going to check it out.

These sales are the perfect place for bundle pricing. This means that if you find multiple items you’re interested in purchasing, wait to make an offer on each item individually. Collect them as you go and then offer to take all of the items off the sellers hands for one low price. Everything at these sales is priced to move, so this is an amazing place to find great deals.

If you’re planning on looking through garages, barns, or storage units – bring gloves and wear dirty clothes. You’re likely going to be dealing with a lot of dusty and rusty old items. You’re also likely to come across a critter or two, so if you’re sensitive to that kind of thing, this might not be the sale for you. Also, if you’re looking to buy furniture, make sure you have room in your car or a truck to take it home with you. It’s unlikely the seller is going to want to hold it for you.

Thrifting Online

During these difficult times, it’s easy to understand why some might not want to go frequenting stores that are often crowded on the weekends. If you like to avoid crowds, lack transportation, or have mobility issues, shopping online is the perfect option! This is also the ideal place to look for collections of things – old tools, trading cards, photography equipment, etc. Things that people may be trying to sell because they’re either looking to downsize, need the cash, or no longer have interest in the items.

Despite its somewhat infamous reputation, Craigslist can be a great place to thrift online. It can even be used to find things listed for free, or listings for upcoming garage sales. Though if you’d like something where you can get a better sense of the seller before buying from them, I’d recommend looking on Facebook Marketplace. It’s a great resource for those who enjoy perusing for antiques and collectibles from the comfort of their own home. Communication is easy, making this one of the most convenient ways to thrift. Also, if you’re the kind of person who likes to buy items so they can fix them up and flip them, this is an excellent platform to buy and sell your wares. Every item I’ve listed on Facebook Marketplace has sold.

Before you commit to a purchase, check to make sure the seller is located within reasonable distance. If they’re not, ask them if they’re willing to deliver to you or meet halfway. Not everyone will be willing to deliver, so it helps that Marketplace allows you to search not just by item name, but also by city or area code. If you find a great couch for $20 but end up having to drive a couple hours away to get it, it might not be worth it. If the seller isn’t willing to bring the item to you, your last option is to ask if they offer delivery by mail.

Haggling is encouraged when buying online. Not everyone is going to work with you, but it’s always worth a shot. Though just like with flea market vendors, make sure your offer isn’t so low that you offend the seller. It’s very easy to ignore or deny a request from someone when you don’t have to do it face to face. If your offer is way too low, you’re likely to get a quick no or no reply at all. Also, I can tell you from experience that items can move quickly on marketplace. It’s easy to get multiple offers with the kind of audience reach you can get with posting on Facebook. So, if you’re debating a purchase but aren’t quite sure whether to commit, I wouldn’t wait more than two to three days before making your mind up because it’s likely they’ve gotten multiple offers since you looked up their listing.