How To Thrive Financially Living The Second-Hand Life

How To Thrive Financially Living the Second-Hand Life

By

Marsha Walker Eastwood, B.S.Ed., MSHSV

"Being frugal does not mean being cheap! It means being economical and avoiding waste." Catherine Pulsifer

In the song Second-Hand Rose Fanny Brice feels abused since her father owns a second-hand store and everything in their house and indeed even her entire wardrobe is second-hand. To her, this was a form of intolerable abuse. When the song was written this country was just emerging from The Depression of 1920-1921. It was a time of extreme deprivation. However, just a month after the song was performed, the country once again became a consumer driven society. Post war money flowed like water from an open faucet and material spending was at an all-time high. Chic was the word of the day, and no amount of money was spared to maintain that status. Towards the end of the decade Americans were faced with the reality that those who do not learn from the past are destined to repeat it as the country plunged into The Great Depression. Between the end of World War 1 and the present, there has been one Depression, one Great Depression, thirteen recessions and one Great Recession. With each economic downturn, there were significant financial and material losses, and each recovery was usually due to post-war consumerism. However, with each recovery, there were those consumers who became more wary of extravagant spending for material items, and frugality became the wiser way to manage money. For some second-hand stores presented a shopping alternative, thanks to those who considered clothing and even some outdated, but still useful furniture disposable. In many cases, these donations allowed those who had lost everything to get back on their feet.          

The history of second-hand stores dates back to the Elizabethan era, and although they have existed in The United States since the early 1900’s. Religious organizations such as The Salvation Army saw second-hand stores as ways to fund their social programs which included food and shelter. This was a motivator for those who had items to donate and donate generously. The overwhelming stigma associated with anything second-hand had a significant impact on the business model. According to historian Jennifer Le Zotte, “By the 1920s, thrift stores were as organized as department stores. Goodwill, for instance, had a fleet of trucks collecting clothing and housewares from more than 1,000 households. The terminology had changed too: Once considered “junk shops,” the word “thrift” reflected a marketing appeal that allowed middle-class stay-at-home spouses to “feel virtuous about buying something new because they can give something back.”   

In their ever-evolving marketing plan to attract newer customers and to dispel the myth that they (the stores) were still junk stores, shopped only by poor people, organizations began to create tasteful displays of used clothing in their windows. Thrift stores weren’t the only opportunities for second-hand shopping. Pawn shops provided a no-frills retail environment for those searching for different types of  personal items such as heirloom jewelry, engagement and wedding rings, watches, tools, and musical instruments. Unlike most thrift store purchases, pawn shops oftentimes offered items that come with  interesting multigenerational history that make for perfect keepsakes. Thrift stores and pawn shops were precursors to the multitude of other second-hand savings opportunities. In the 1950’s many public and parochial schools held rummage sales, a derivation of rummage sales which were held on shipyard docks in the 1800’s where unclaimed cargo was sold to the public at a discount. School rummage sales usually included items donated by parents and others in the community to generate money for a program or programs at the school. At this same time more and more individuals began hosting their own personal rummage sales in the form of  yard and garage sales. These new types of venues offered buyers an opportunity to peruse a variety of gently worn clothes and gently used and new items that seemed to be a good idea at the time. Most of the items were from the seller’s personal collection.

               Now that you have a little background on how the opportunities began, we can look at real time opportunities and how they can impact your bottom line. Offline thrift store opportunities include The Goodwill, The Salvation Army, Savers (the for-profit arm of The Easter Seals), St. Vincent DePaul, Value World, and Habitat for Humanity to name a few. The Goodwill, Salvation Army and Savers are set up like department stores with each area labeled. The number one item sold is clothing. Savers is also set up like a department store, and while clothing occupies most of the store, there is usually a wonderful supply of dinnerware, flatware, and seasonal decorative items. For book lovers the stores feature a deal on the purchase of multiple books. St, Vincent DePaul has more high quality, mid-range priced furniture. Habitat For Humanity originally sold excess building supplies, but their offerings now include low-cost furniture, a variety of garden tools, as well as work tools and prices are often negotiable. Savvy shoppers should also consider local independently owned resale shops that specialize in certain areas such as baby clothing, children’s clothing, plus-size clothing, and bridal attire.

               Now that you have an idea of where to look for second-hand bargains, you need to know the do’s and don’ts. Do make a calendar that includes locations, hours of operation, discount days, coupon days and special events.   Do visit websites to look for coupons for additional savings. Do sign up for free newsletters and memberships. Do create a stick-to-it budget. Do create a list of needs, wants and gift-giving. Remember everything in these stores isn’t used. Don’t buy anything for future use unless the “future” is 60 days or less. Don’t engage in impulse buying. Do remember that location matters. Stores in more affluent locations often have better quality items and the same discounts apply. If time permits, visit your favorite store at least twice a week. New stock is constantly put out on the floors. If there is an item that catches your eye, and you are in the store the day before the “deep” discount day buy it anyway. Your member discount may offset the deeper markdown, and you will have the item. Do be picky. If you need a green sweater to wear to the office or a party on St. Patrick’s Day, don’t buy something you wouldn’t be caught dead in wearing again,  Do look at tags on comforters to make sure they have been sanitized. Do take your pant measurements for anyone you buy for. Do take neck and sleeve length for any male you may shop for and do take a tape measure on your shopping trips. Do have transportation and help lined up when shopping for furniture. Do check out return policies,

Great used bargains can also be found at indoor flea market stores, and outside venues as well, estate sales, police auctions, and storage locker sales.

In recent years, the internet has provided a variety of opportunities for online resale shopping. Some of the more popular ones include ThredUp, the largest online consignment and thrift store,  The always offer additional discounts and if you went ahead and bought that green sweater this is a place to list it for sale. If you are into stylized shopping Poshmark may be just the ticket. Sellers on the site curate looks to help facilitate a more seamless shopping experience,  if you are looking for a soup to nuts online shopping experience in or near your zip code then letgo.com is the site for you. Swap.com offers additional savings on a variety of family attire, toys, and other items. They also offer a membership program for additional savings. For those individuals with more upscale tastes looking to save money, sites like The Real Real, Tradesy and Rebag and Collector’s Square and The Luxury Closet may be just the place to shop online.

Just as with offline shopping there are do’s and don’ts. Do research the site thoroughly. Do they offer free shipping? Are all sales final? How are disputes dealt with? Do look for reviews from real buyers. These can often be found on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites. Do always remember caveat emptor.

The face of resale shopping has changed greatly over the years as has the face of the shopper. There is no longer a stigma attached to purchasing and wearing second-hand merchandise, and many a true treasure has been acquired for pennies on the dollar. While we all can’t be as lucky as Zach Norris, who according to MoneyWise, purchased a couple of watches from a Goodwill on Phenix for $5.99 each and after authentication realized one was worth almost $35,000 and the other one worth $4,000, we can find things we will treasure living the second-hand life.   

©2019 Marsha Walker Eastwood

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