Keeping a Thrift List

When I talk about buying stuff used, somebody always says "I can never find what I want when I go to thrift stores and/or look at yard sales!"

I sympathize. I rarely decide I want something, head out to the thrift store, and get it right away. If I absolutely must have something right away, I will go and buy it brand spankin' new. However, I find that I rarely need something so immediately that I have to go buy it full retail. Thrift shopping is a lesson in patience and creativity.

To be successful as a thrift shopper, one must learn to control the "need it now" mentality. It can be difficult! We live in an "instant" society. However, learning to control the want/buy right away cycle can save you a ton of money. It also gives you time to consider whether you really need or even want that item at all!

My strategy is to put things on a "watch for" list. I then keep an eye out for a sweet deal, be it free on Craigslist, secondhand, dumpster dived, from a yard sale...who knows where it will turn up? My list reminds me that I'm looking for it so I can keep my eyes open for a deal!

For example, here's a few things that have on my current "watch for" list:

1. Scented candles to fill the candle holder on our TV cabinet.
2. Black work slacks
3. A small bookcase for my niece.

I could go buy scented candles, black work pants, and a small bookcase today if I wanted. However, I don't really *need* the candles- they'll just help me decorate. I have had luck finding them for next to nothing at thrift stores, yard sales, and in clearance bins. The right candles will find me in time.

I *want* black pants to wear to work, but I don't really *need* them. I have plenty of clothes. If I should find a pair that fits at a rock bottom price, I'll get them. Until then, this is an expense that can wait.

The small bookcase is something that my sister in law has asked me to keep an eye out for since she knows I thrift a lot. Hopefully a free or inexpensive one will find us soon!

Looking for items this way may seem strange to some people, but I find that it works for me. One of my friends asked if I ever managed to find anything. I usually do- in time. Here's some things that I've recently found from my wants list:

1. New pillows for the guest bed. I've been watching for a sale. Kohl's put the pillows I wanted on sale for half off, plus I had a 15% off coupon. Time to buy!
   
2. A long black skirt. Like the pants, not something that I strictly needed to live, but it does make my work wardrobe go further. I got it for $2 (marked down from $4- watch those colored tags!) at the thrift store. It's lovely, a good brand name, fits like a dream, and has gotten lots of compliments!
   
3. A TV cabinet with doors (like this one, except ours is white!). I've looked for this forever and was thrilled to find it for $28 at a thrift store this month! We did have to fix it up a bit, but a coat of paint was all it took to make it look brand new. It was worth the wait.
   
4. A particular textbook for a class I'm talking. This is one I would have bought at full price if needed, because the class won't wait for me to find the text at a yard sale. However, I did a quick search online and got it for $70 less than the school's bookstore was selling it for. A quick search, a bit of patience, a small amount of waiting...and I saved big. (Go here for tips on getting textbook deals.)
   

Had I purchased all of those items full price, I would have spent around $340. Waiting and searching gave me the same things for a mere $58. It took time, but since those things were not things that I *had* to have, I was willing to wait for a deal.

What's on your thrift list?

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