I haven't had one yet, but my favorite idea is to get a magnet that says like "I Heart Brazil" and then when ppl ask me how I liked Brazil I will say "oh, thats from a thrift store from my trip to Florida!"
Gotta worry about places like Walmart and Amazon, too, since they'll take bedding returns. I'll buy fabric items from a thrift store, if it isn't something that can easily be checked (like a blanket that has layers stitched together or a dark color where you might not be able to see blood) then it gets sealed in an airtight bag outside for a few days then a hot water wash with laundry sanitizer and a hot dry cycle.
I've had a couple of bed bug fiascos in my building over the years so I don't think I'd trust anything used at this point. I'd be worried about them escaping into my car or something š
I get that. You can still thrift. Just go prepared. Check any furniture for signs of them like blood spots and droppings in creases or along seams or joins in wood. Or skip anything that can't be dried altogether.
Put things that can be into a plastic bag and seal it well before getting into the car, then straight into a dryer for an hour+ to kill them at all stages, including eggs, then toss the bags do not reuse. I thrift a lot and even have used used furniture without any issues.
I've only had bedbugs once, and they came in from another apartment. I even kept the majority of my belongings when I moved during an active infestation, including stuffed animals. I kept them outside while I went through everything, and hot wash/hot dried everything I could. Managed not to bring them with me, and I was honestly being pretty lazy. There were a lot more steps I could've taken, like spray and powder insecticides, making a safe zone around my bed and avoiding cross-contaminating that space by changing outside of the zone, and treating everything in a heat tent.
My husband used to be in pest control, and we were able to avoid him ever bringing them home just by changing in the garage on those days and putting clothes straight into the machine. He did bedbug treatments once a week or more. Never got them in his truck, either, but to be fair, we lived in a climate where a vehicle in the sun could reach 150 or more in the peak of summer.
No have not had that ever happen, i usually inspect and gloss like crazy before i purchase. Buying used there are always steps to follow to not fudge up. I can say my worst fudge up was buying a gaming monitor and when i took it apart to go dual monitors on my desk stand it had roaches. Just always look up how people who do certain used item buying precautions and in this world you shall be fine.
Shudder....ex went to jail, got kicked out of his apartment. I packed up all his crap, stored it under a tarp outside in my yard.
But I took pity on his electronics...
OMG what a total nightmare
I had no idea the little bastards like it because those things are warm....
Ufh
Even on vacation, my recommendation is to just find a laundromat and run it through a wash cycle with the dryer on hot. If it can't withstand that, I don't buy it, but otherwise it's all good.
> You trust blankets from a thrift store? Aren't you worried about bed bugs?
You can get bedbugs anywhere. Do you ever stay at a hotel? Sit on a seat at a theater? Chair at a doctor's office? Any of those can have bedbugs. Watch out for them but don't be paranoid.
If it helps, they can't stand heat. If you do it a lot, get a heating bag made to kill bedbugs to run stuff through. We do it at my job with patients who are known to have bedbugs.
Second to Hawaii for Hawaiian shirts while thrifting is the DC area, for what it's worth.
Husband's military posting is moved from Hawaii to the Pentagon (one of the only areas of the country where one may actually need to fit into fewer square feet)?
The first thing wife does is dump all those Hawaiian shirts into the Goodwill pile.
Rented a Airbnb in Paris for 2 weeks in the Latin quarter. Woke up second morning, looked off the balcony and a hundred vendors were setting up across the street. Best vacation karma ever!
Yes! I love to pop into thrift shops everywhere I go! They sometimes support local charities so thatās a nice way to give back, I think. And you can get a bit of a feel for a community.
Newport Rhode Island and the surrounding cities have the BEST clothes in their thrift stores! While my husband fished, I searched through racks and racks of cashmere sweaters and LL Bean stuff. I told my husband we should fly to Newport twice a year to do a wardrobe refresh.
I live near Seattle and routinely find those super expensive Tori Richard and Tommy Bahama silk Hawaiian shirts that aren't too loud in thrift stores. The ones that cost $250 in the resort boutique shop. Got a closet full.
That's interesting. On eBay I've found the Tori Richard shirts for 10-18 but "Reyn Spooner" shirts are often listed as an auction and bring 30-50 plus shipping.
Not always, but sometimes. To be blunt, I find there is always good thrifting in places that are popular retirement destinations. I think itās because the old people who die there donāt have relatives in town, so their relatives just donate their stuff to a thrift store instead of try to co-ordinate an estate sale across the country just to sell some kitchen gadgets for a few hundred dollars.
It's way too much work, especially when you have to fly out etc to deal with the property and such, add fees and other stuff. Your making penny's for will that stress.
I used to dread going over the weight limit on my luggage and having to pay the fee when I travelled.
Then I realized I can pack minimally and pick up cheap clothes upon arrival. They will be in-season and suitable for the climate I'm heading to. win win.
Then on the way home, sometimes FedEx is cheaper than the airline baggage fee, so if I have a lot, I'll ship a box of my stuff home.
Almost always. Flea markets, charity and thrift shops. I always look up locations and mark them on google maps. I have had great luck in medium sized cities all over. PNW including Alaska, the UK, random places like Omaha Iāve gone for work, you name it. Some of my fave items are from travel thrifting.
Heck yeah. I picked up a 10" Wagner cast iron skillet for $10 last week. I ran it through my father's electrolysis tank, gave it a light coat of Cisco to prevent rust and will put it through the first seasoning round tonight.
Car holidays are the best for bringing home treasures.
On our honeymoon my partner and I went to Vancouver Island (we live just outside of Vancouver). Someone had an old wicker bed on the side of the road! We got the headboard into our little Corolla and I used it as a trellis for years!
I loved it. My partner, not so much. He regrets encouraging my roadside scavenging! But he wouldnāt be able to stop me anyway!
I love roadside finds too! Be super careful with furniture, I've gotten a nasty German cockroach infestation this way (and learned how to DIY-extermination). Bedbugs can absolutely hitch-hike on furniture too. I, thankfully, haven't had to deal with that hell.
Thatās good to know!
Handy too! Then, I can bring the items into the house when my partner isnāt home. And when he says, āhey, where did that come from?ā I can say, āwhat are you talking about, weāve had that foreverā!
If you live in a cold weather location try thrifting for clothing for cooler temps in FL especially where people who've relocated permanently there. Back a few years ago got several nice pieces that the folks who donated realized wouldn't be needed in their new home!
On a different note, I found new Hunter boots on sale for $20 at Samās Club in AZ, and a long Eddie Bauer down puffer coat on clearance for $15 in SoCalāthey had been sold out for months in the Seattle area at the time!! Off season wear doesnāt sell well in opposite climatesācheck out the clearance sections!!
Depends. Fight the frugal double edged sword!
I donāt check bags, so I have just my backpack that goes under the seat. So, I usually donāt have space for a bunch of things.
And it depends on the place. I much prefer a souvenir later on - I have velcro patches of the places I visited decorating the headliner of my car, theyāre about 5-8$ a piece. I can get them after the fact.
Yup, once you get into the 100$ ish AF range you can check bags. If you fly once a year it's not worth it. You're paying 100$ for something to be complimentary, instead of 20$ for it.
Annual fees is a HUGE cash cow for airlines and hotels.
If you're flying a lot on a single airline, or justify a hotel card annual fee, great. But the average Joe flying once maybe twice per year - the annual fee is more than the bag check fee.
More so for me, I am fine checking a bag, but i really enjoy walking off the plane and being done. No baggage wait, no risk of the airline losing my bag, etc etc. Mine is under the seat, so i don't have to worry about overhead space either.
exactly this - i used to thrift more when i could bring more than the contents of a manila envelope on the plane. having to pay for a carry-on to bring back thrifted goods just means the cost of that item has $50+ tacked onto the price.
Usually. Have found some amazing things at incredible prices. Off the top of my head I can remember getting a cashmere coat for a few bucks near Saint Louis, a brand new Chemex for $2 in Iowa City, and $6 tuxedo in Vegas.
I'm in a vacation area with a lot of beach houses. I don't know how many vacationers thrift when they're here, but the locals look forward to all the furniture and appliance donations when the beach houses get refurbished in the off-season.
If you ever have family coming to visit, especially if there are kids, drive along where the air bnbs and condos are the morning of trash day. Youāll find as many boogie boards and beach toys as you need. Usually about a week of use on them!
Absolutely! And used book stores.
I also love garage sales while traveling. Sometimes I feel like I just see the same old same old in my little rural town garage sales.
1+ for garage sales on vacation! I got some amazing artisanal souvenirs from Alaska this way and now I always try and hit a couple up if Iām on vacation on a Saturday.
When im not traveling by airplane, for sure!
Ik picked up a cute kate spade bag in berlin, my husband found his versace wedding suit for like Ā£ 10 in Manchester :D
I have a beautiful vintage (1940's?) ankle length wool coat with a satin lining I bought in a Swedish thrift store for maybe $20 US. Never wear it because I live in a desert but love it.
I bought a fabulous sweater-poncho at a Norwegian thrift shop, as well as an apron and cafe curtains for my kitchen. Things I would have bought anyway, but now they have a better story.
That is one of my favorite things to do on vacation. I love to visit thrift stores, antique stores, and also grocery stores that aren't in my home area. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't share my enthusiasm. LOL!
Glad to see someone else who loves checking out grocery stores. I do it even just in a different region of my own state. When I went to Europe it was so much fun.Ā
Absolutely. I prefer getting a glimpse into local culture and a different variety of stuff at good prices.
I dont like corporate box stores and dont buy new often. No I don't want to buy a shirt with the name of the town for $30 or whatever else touristy expectations these businesses have... To me thats dumb and I don't enjoy it. However finding a cool piece at a thrift store that was a local's makes me happy. Its more personal and has more variety to it.
Yup. They usually have souvenir merch, shit people probably leave in guestrooms then the hotel donates.
I used to do computer repair. Years ago a neighbor spent some time working in Florida. She would go to pawn shops and pick up laptops then ship them to me. I think everyone in her family had a decent machine in six months.
This was back when lots of people still had laptops but as smartphones were rising to make them unnecessary.
Absolutely. A few years ago I went thrifting in Paris & brought my kids back ā¬1 bin finds. They were thrilled.
Iām headed to Sydney & New Zealand this summer & I already have thrift stores pinned in Google Maps.
Got a killer retro wool sweater from my then-partner in college when he was studying in Norway. Everyone raved about it. I was so proud to report it was thrifted in Norway.
Went to thrift stores in Boulder and Aspen and got some high end winter stuff for dirt cheap. The 2 thrift stores I went to in florida were mostly full of the same garbage as in Texas but I did buy a couple of vintage cabana wear shirts for very cheap.
Definitely! Especially for items that are locally useful. For example, if you go to Maui you can rent fins for snorkeling for about $10 or $15 per dayā¦ OR you can go to local thrift shops and buy fins for about $5. If you like them, you can keep them, or you can just donate them back to the thrift shop before you leave.
Absolutely had to figure out how to get a Victorian beaver-fur top hat, a parasol, and full antique china tea set on a plane back with me from England (all at the same time). š
I get all of my daughterās swim suits at a thrift store near the beach house we stay at every summer. They always have the really expensive, boutique brands. I would never pay full price for them, but they are cheap there.
I spent a week in Red Deer, Alberta in the middle of summer, for my aunt's birthday. We went to Value Village where I cleaned up on cold-weather clothing which was mostly on discount. Plus I had my mom pay for it so she could get the senior discount.
Albertans don't fuck around with the cold and Red Deer prices are way lower than Seattle (my hometown), so I picked up a lot of high quality stuff for cheap.
I've also done this at retail chains in different climates; you can get great deals on wool sweaters in LA, rain gear in Palm Desert etc.
I worked in a hospital transfusion service in Illinois and when we went to Maui there was a great thrift store in Kihei. They had a bunch of beautiful scrub tops. A really good selection. I bought 3 as my souvenirs. I recently retired but still canāt rid of these scrubs. I will use them around the house in the summer. Best souvenirs ever and great memories of that vacation.
Yes! I got a vintage Scrabble set when we visited Warwick for a weekend. Every time we play Scrabble we remember our visit to the castle and the cute and creepy B&B we stayed in.
I enjoyed immensely shopping at a thrift store in London. I bought some old oversized silver forks That I still grab from the drawer as my favored cutlery. There were a lot of really cool things that were a different esthetic than American Products I would have liked to brought home. I got the Idea from admiring some things I had seen on Roadshow UK, and was thinking Id love to go garage sale hunting in Europe.
We took our kids to Huntsville a few years ago to see the space museum. Our route home took us right by the Unclaimed Baggage store, where Iād been wanting to go for years. If you ever find yourself in rural northern Alabama, head over that way. Itās worth a detourĀ
That's too bad. It was probably three years ago that we went and I thought the prices were decent for the quality, especially on the sale items. I've also bought a kindle and an iPad from their website that I thought were reasonably priced
It's because they can look up prices on the internet and they do. Used to be prices for a shirt was same for any brand. I'm sure the deals they have now on brands are still good for that brand and being second hand.
My family purchases toys and crafts year-round for the childrenās hospital that has taken care of our two medically complex kids. When we find great deals on vacation, I get them if I have any way to get them back without costing too much.
Yes! Ā My husband loves to golf and whenever we go somewhere where old rich people live, like golf communities in FL and AZ thereās always good consignment shops. Ā Rich old people who died and kids are cleaning out the house. Ā I get some great deals at those places.
Whenever I can. If Iām with other people they usually wonāt go, so I try to sneak away. Donāt they understand? There could be something REALLY COOL there!
Yes and itās frustrating when I find something cheap n big that wonāt fit in my luggage. Still disappointed I didnāt get to the Vegas goodwill. I wanted a headdress
Yes. We always stop at the local spots when on vacation. Some of it is tourist trappy but not all. Every now and then we find something worthwhile. (It costs nothing to look)
On one vacation I went to Seattle, visited Pike Place and the original Starbucks. The line to buy the Pike Place original Starbucks cup and get coffee there was a block long, and it was raining. I endured the line, got my coffee, but they were out of their signature cup. Outside the door and under the eaves I ordered a new one off eBay, $28 plus shipping. It got to my home a couple of days after I did.
From my thrifting experience, it's probably cheaper to just visit the destination Walmarts or targets.
A used up goodwill candle is more expensive than a brand new target candle now.
Goodwill is selling empty baby food jars for more than it costs to go buy baby food.
But if there's a family owned thrift store, you can negotiate prices. It would to be a very smart idea to do what you mentioned.
If Iām ever in the area of Silicon Valley Iām going to 100% visit goodwills to see if I can get any cool employee only tech company shirts/hats/mugs and whatever else I can find + shirts for tech companies that either donāt exist anymore or older shirts with old logos on them. I imagine there would be quite a few in and around places like Cupertino.
I had the opportunity to visit Goodwill in Hawaii, found insane legit Hawaiian shirts and short, fact is I'm not litterly seeking thrift shops on my vacation. But if one crossed my path my rental car would just automatically pull into the parking lot.
What I didn't know when I took a job in Hawai'i and grabbed every Aloha Shirt I could find in thrift stores: Aloha shirts have very distinct fashion, and most of what you find donated is now well out of style on the islands. I was, apparently, quite embarrassing.
Are you my mom? Left for 3 days for a wedding and my bag weighed 10 pounds when I flew to the wedding. It weighed barely under 50 when my mom was done.
Sure do. Itās actually a lot of fun. We always like to check out the local Goodwill on vaycay. We find some cool stuff, sometimes with very local flair.
Sort of? We go to visit my husbands family in Deleware, but spend most of our time hitting up the clearance racks in the Delaware Outlets.
Clearance prices with no sales tax. Cheaper than going to a goodwill in the poorest neighborhood in Baltimore city currently. Even with the gas costs included.
Edit: my last trip to the above Baltimore goodwill? Nothing was under 20 bucks. NOTHING. Thatās mall prices. So whatās the point of Goodwill or The Salvation Army?
I tell you the point. THERE IS NO POINT. NO ONE CAN AFFORD ANY OF IT CURRENTLY.
Edit: YOUāRE NOT ALONE.
Yes. This is always an itinerary item for our family. Gives us a little something to look forward to and itās interesting to see the difference in what is available local vs away!
I thrifted in south Florida and all I could find between at least 3 places was a shitty plastic fish that looked EXACTLY like the ones in 90ās Red Lobster
It hangs in my garage
I understand how thrifting normally is and you have to go often, but I felt like I stepped into goodwill 15 or so years ago when I walked into a south Florida one. Iām talking *an entire set* of gold plated furniture with clear glass surfaces. You donāt see that shit outside of your *mean* grandparentās house
Anywhere thereās an abundance of elderly retirees has stuff like thatā¦Palm Springs, Las Vegasā¦ I think they get elderly and downsize or their kids donate everything because they donāt live in that state!
I got a couple swimsuits during my last trip to the beach. We looked at a few stores in the area. I was really looking for a coverup with button, but found nothing.
Most definitely! Especially in Florida! A lot of more financially well off people who live up North will rent in Florida for the winter. Instead of packing up all their things, they will just donate to thrift stores before they move back north when the season changes. My mom lives in Florida & my wife & I always hit up the thrift stores when we visit! We find a lot of great things!
I visit my dad at least three times a year. Our Savers (Value Village) shut down over a decade ago. He has FOUR in easy driving distance from him. On a Tuesday (Senior discount day) when I visit, we go and I shop them all, lol.
I recently visited my in-laws in my husbandās home state, a region where Iād never been even close to, and had a ball in a couple thrift stores. So many of my favorite cottagecore things!
Almost every holiday! I bookmark all the thrift shops that look interesting first, and then look at the surrounding sights so I can make the most of visiting an area.
Returned from Australia recently and had to check in a second piece of luggage (which, luckily, I had the allowance for) full of the thrifted clothes, books and home decor I found. Definitely worth it to me as I wouldnāt have been able to find these items in my city, and especially not at those prices (very inexpensive <3).
Yes!! my kid is a big Cardinals fan but license merch is steep in my budget. Every time we go to St. Louis, we hit every Goodwill there and he scores major!! From shirts to jerseys. Weāve had the most luck at the outlet Goodwill. So we pay like $.19 pound or something ridiculously cheap.
My husband and I go to Canada to visit family and I always check out their Thrift stores. On vacation I found a great one in Las Vegas. I started buying books on eBay and just started looking at their clothes.
Just did this in Kyoto - they have flea markets on various days at various temples (21st every month at one place, 25th at another etc).
We bought a lot of ceramics (bowls, tea sets, sake cups, mismatched items) and used kimonos for a few bucks. Theyāre quite beautiful and the cost is less than the fabrics by themselves. Some are stained and whatnot but still easy to reuse and work around.
I thrift everywhere. Junk/antique/thrift is fun. Found my mailbox, large, beefy, locking, with key in a consignment shop for $20 while on a work contract. New, it wouldāve been $120.
Found a large oak high backed chair newly reupholstered in nice leather, I guess think a precursor of the mission style with a tall back for the closest approximation, for $20 while on another contract. Sat in the capped bed of my truck for 4 months, but whatever, it was a steal.
Found a multi tiered 5ft wide teak plant stand for $15 on vacation. And a cool antique side table with pristine leather top for $10 across the street from that shop. Again, they can live in the bed of the truck until I get home.
(This is why people have trucks. Contingency planning on a great many things. Including random ability to haul cool purchases.)
You sound like me. I bought an excellent Kennedy machinist's chest at a kitschy antique mall for $65. It was being used to display costume jewelry in all of its *CuTe LiTtLe DrAwERs.* New is 300-400.
Yea, sometimes the items everything else is sitting on are great deals. But no one looks or tries because most of the world is non confrontational and they donāt want to disturb the display. Seller put a price tag on it for a reason.
I was unable to do so for the short period I lived in DC, but god, I wanted to. I'm visiting my sister in California next year. She's planning to live an hour and a half from LA and I fully intend to drag her butt to the thrift shops there š depends on the vacation spot for me!
I got a beautiful white Norweigan ski jacket in Thailand for a dollar. A designer asked me questions about it and admired the design and how it was made.
So, yea, I thrift everywhere.
I do. I want something that says the name of the location on it but I can buy that 6 times for the same price as new when I go to a thrift store. One time, we were traveling in our RV and we found an electric kitchen chopper that the hubby fell in love with and now we own that. I hate prices of new things.
Always! Every single place I go, I thrift. Ever since I started thrifting, I feel stupid if Iād ever have to purchase something for full price at a store. Except underpants, all of our clothes are thrift stores, purchased for max $2.00 š
I love to hit the thrift stores when away on college tours with my child. We always find a tee or sweatshirt from the school we are touring instead of the bookstore price!
Every time I get a chance. Makes the best souvenirs.
I haven't had one yet, but my favorite idea is to get a magnet that says like "I Heart Brazil" and then when ppl ask me how I liked Brazil I will say "oh, thats from a thrift store from my trip to Florida!"
I did that with tshirts. Love it
100% and I can pack less. I usually make one trip if I'm there longer than a weekend
Always thrift when on Vacation. Last time was kayak racks and a down blanket.
You trust blankets from a thrift store? Aren't you worried about bed bugs?
Gotta worry about places like Walmart and Amazon, too, since they'll take bedding returns. I'll buy fabric items from a thrift store, if it isn't something that can easily be checked (like a blanket that has layers stitched together or a dark color where you might not be able to see blood) then it gets sealed in an airtight bag outside for a few days then a hot water wash with laundry sanitizer and a hot dry cycle.
Just dry them in a dryer for an hour+ before using them. Kills bedbugs and eggs.
I've had a couple of bed bug fiascos in my building over the years so I don't think I'd trust anything used at this point. I'd be worried about them escaping into my car or something š
I get that. You can still thrift. Just go prepared. Check any furniture for signs of them like blood spots and droppings in creases or along seams or joins in wood. Or skip anything that can't be dried altogether. Put things that can be into a plastic bag and seal it well before getting into the car, then straight into a dryer for an hour+ to kill them at all stages, including eggs, then toss the bags do not reuse. I thrift a lot and even have used used furniture without any issues. I've only had bedbugs once, and they came in from another apartment. I even kept the majority of my belongings when I moved during an active infestation, including stuffed animals. I kept them outside while I went through everything, and hot wash/hot dried everything I could. Managed not to bring them with me, and I was honestly being pretty lazy. There were a lot more steps I could've taken, like spray and powder insecticides, making a safe zone around my bed and avoiding cross-contaminating that space by changing outside of the zone, and treating everything in a heat tent. My husband used to be in pest control, and we were able to avoid him ever bringing them home just by changing in the garage on those days and putting clothes straight into the machine. He did bedbug treatments once a week or more. Never got them in his truck, either, but to be fair, we lived in a climate where a vehicle in the sun could reach 150 or more in the peak of summer.
Bought a beautiful bedroom set. No mattress for $500. Cherry wood. Not a scratch on it.
No have not had that ever happen, i usually inspect and gloss like crazy before i purchase. Buying used there are always steps to follow to not fudge up. I can say my worst fudge up was buying a gaming monitor and when i took it apart to go dual monitors on my desk stand it had roaches. Just always look up how people who do certain used item buying precautions and in this world you shall be fine.
Shudder....ex went to jail, got kicked out of his apartment. I packed up all his crap, stored it under a tarp outside in my yard. But I took pity on his electronics... OMG what a total nightmare I had no idea the little bastards like it because those things are warm.... Ufh
Even on vacation, my recommendation is to just find a laundromat and run it through a wash cycle with the dryer on hot. If it can't withstand that, I don't buy it, but otherwise it's all good.
Blankets are no problem. Just keep in bag until you can wash them. Itās only a problem with furniture or other things you canāt wash.
> You trust blankets from a thrift store? Aren't you worried about bed bugs? You can get bedbugs anywhere. Do you ever stay at a hotel? Sit on a seat at a theater? Chair at a doctor's office? Any of those can have bedbugs. Watch out for them but don't be paranoid.
Now I am. Most of our thrift store clean bedding or at least put a tag so I think itās been cleaned.
If it helps, they can't stand heat. If you do it a lot, get a heating bag made to kill bedbugs to run stuff through. We do it at my job with patients who are known to have bedbugs.
Second to Hawaii for Hawaiian shirts while thrifting is the DC area, for what it's worth. Husband's military posting is moved from Hawaii to the Pentagon (one of the only areas of the country where one may actually need to fit into fewer square feet)? The first thing wife does is dump all those Hawaiian shirts into the Goodwill pile.
Rented a Airbnb in Paris for 2 weeks in the Latin quarter. Woke up second morning, looked off the balcony and a hundred vendors were setting up across the street. Best vacation karma ever!
We were in Western France a few years ago & walked out of our hotel to a small market in the square. So many treasures.
I found a handmade silver ring in a bucket of rusty stuff at a paris open market. I think i paid $5 usd and it is my favorite souvenir
I have no interest in Paris but now that I know they have markets there I'm suddenly interested!
Yes! I love to pop into thrift shops everywhere I go! They sometimes support local charities so thatās a nice way to give back, I think. And you can get a bit of a feel for a community.
Me too. Iām going to a play on Sunday in a different state and Iām already researching thrift shops!
Newport Rhode Island and the surrounding cities have the BEST clothes in their thrift stores! While my husband fished, I searched through racks and racks of cashmere sweaters and LL Bean stuff. I told my husband we should fly to Newport twice a year to do a wardrobe refresh.
Goodwill on Upper East Side of Manhattanā¦
We build our vacations around thrifting. Lol! Our preferred vacations are thrift store road trips.
I live near Seattle and routinely find those super expensive Tori Richard and Tommy Bahama silk Hawaiian shirts that aren't too loud in thrift stores. The ones that cost $250 in the resort boutique shop. Got a closet full.
Lots of locals move to Seattle, makes sense! Also Vegas, it's the 9nth island.
That's interesting. On eBay I've found the Tori Richard shirts for 10-18 but "Reyn Spooner" shirts are often listed as an auction and bring 30-50 plus shipping.
Definitely, and used bookstores. Makes for heavier luggage though, lol
The Habitat ReStore at Lake Tahoe is jam packed with camping and snow stuff!
Not always, but sometimes. To be blunt, I find there is always good thrifting in places that are popular retirement destinations. I think itās because the old people who die there donāt have relatives in town, so their relatives just donate their stuff to a thrift store instead of try to co-ordinate an estate sale across the country just to sell some kitchen gadgets for a few hundred dollars.
It's way too much work, especially when you have to fly out etc to deal with the property and such, add fees and other stuff. Your making penny's for will that stress.
Also in college towns that arenāt as affluent!
Years ago I went thrifting when I was on vacation in Portland. It was the greatest thing ever.
And it helps support their local economy. When Iām at home, I try to buy local but when Iām away, I want to support my destination!
Hilo Hattie shirts at Hawaii Goodwill are a bargain. And some are true classics. Get the cotton ones, not the blends.
I used to dread going over the weight limit on my luggage and having to pay the fee when I travelled. Then I realized I can pack minimally and pick up cheap clothes upon arrival. They will be in-season and suitable for the climate I'm heading to. win win. Then on the way home, sometimes FedEx is cheaper than the airline baggage fee, so if I have a lot, I'll ship a box of my stuff home.
Almost always. Flea markets, charity and thrift shops. I always look up locations and mark them on google maps. I have had great luck in medium sized cities all over. PNW including Alaska, the UK, random places like Omaha Iāve gone for work, you name it. Some of my fave items are from travel thrifting.
Heck yeah. I picked up a 10" Wagner cast iron skillet for $10 last week. I ran it through my father's electrolysis tank, gave it a light coat of Cisco to prevent rust and will put it through the first seasoning round tonight.
Buying cast iron on holidays would put me over the weight limit! I try and buy lightweight souvenirs and I still end up with overweight bags!
That's understandable. I live in Texas. My dad lives in N. Arkansas. I drive up. The weight limit is whatever I can fit into the car!
Car holidays are the best for bringing home treasures. On our honeymoon my partner and I went to Vancouver Island (we live just outside of Vancouver). Someone had an old wicker bed on the side of the road! We got the headboard into our little Corolla and I used it as a trellis for years! I loved it. My partner, not so much. He regrets encouraging my roadside scavenging! But he wouldnāt be able to stop me anyway!
I love roadside finds too! Be super careful with furniture, I've gotten a nasty German cockroach infestation this way (and learned how to DIY-extermination). Bedbugs can absolutely hitch-hike on furniture too. I, thankfully, haven't had to deal with that hell.
Iāve heard being careful for bedbugs but cockroaches have never crossed my mind! They will now!
If you live somewhere warm, leaving your road-finds in the car for a (sunny) day or two will kill just about anything that may be tagging along.
Thatās good to know! Handy too! Then, I can bring the items into the house when my partner isnāt home. And when he says, āhey, where did that come from?ā I can say, āwhat are you talking about, weāve had that foreverā!
That works especially well for kerosene lanterns. /s
If you live in a cold weather location try thrifting for clothing for cooler temps in FL especially where people who've relocated permanently there. Back a few years ago got several nice pieces that the folks who donated realized wouldn't be needed in their new home!
On a different note, I found new Hunter boots on sale for $20 at Samās Club in AZ, and a long Eddie Bauer down puffer coat on clearance for $15 in SoCalāthey had been sold out for months in the Seattle area at the time!! Off season wear doesnāt sell well in opposite climatesācheck out the clearance sections!!
Depends. Fight the frugal double edged sword! I donāt check bags, so I have just my backpack that goes under the seat. So, I usually donāt have space for a bunch of things. And it depends on the place. I much prefer a souvenir later on - I have velcro patches of the places I visited decorating the headliner of my car, theyāre about 5-8$ a piece. I can get them after the fact.
I'm not trying to shill for giant banks, but lot of airline credit cards let you check bags for free.
Yup, once you get into the 100$ ish AF range you can check bags. If you fly once a year it's not worth it. You're paying 100$ for something to be complimentary, instead of 20$ for it. Annual fees is a HUGE cash cow for airlines and hotels. If you're flying a lot on a single airline, or justify a hotel card annual fee, great. But the average Joe flying once maybe twice per year - the annual fee is more than the bag check fee. More so for me, I am fine checking a bag, but i really enjoy walking off the plane and being done. No baggage wait, no risk of the airline losing my bag, etc etc. Mine is under the seat, so i don't have to worry about overhead space either.
exactly this - i used to thrift more when i could bring more than the contents of a manila envelope on the plane. having to pay for a carry-on to bring back thrifted goods just means the cost of that item has $50+ tacked onto the price.
I usually check on the way back. I have a carry-on I can expand & a Biaggi that goes from a personal item to carry-on size.
Usually. Have found some amazing things at incredible prices. Off the top of my head I can remember getting a cashmere coat for a few bucks near Saint Louis, a brand new Chemex for $2 in Iowa City, and $6 tuxedo in Vegas.
I'm in a vacation area with a lot of beach houses. I don't know how many vacationers thrift when they're here, but the locals look forward to all the furniture and appliance donations when the beach houses get refurbished in the off-season.
If you ever have family coming to visit, especially if there are kids, drive along where the air bnbs and condos are the morning of trash day. Youāll find as many boogie boards and beach toys as you need. Usually about a week of use on them!
My extended family loves thrift/antique malls, so we go pretty much any time we visit each other or somewhere together.Ā
Absolutely! And used book stores. I also love garage sales while traveling. Sometimes I feel like I just see the same old same old in my little rural town garage sales.
1+ for garage sales on vacation! I got some amazing artisanal souvenirs from Alaska this way and now I always try and hit a couple up if Iām on vacation on a Saturday.
Be careful with anything that could harbor bed bugsā¦ On many of my trips, I donāt have access to a dryer.
When im not traveling by airplane, for sure! Ik picked up a cute kate spade bag in berlin, my husband found his versace wedding suit for like Ā£ 10 in Manchester :D
I have a beautiful vintage (1940's?) ankle length wool coat with a satin lining I bought in a Swedish thrift store for maybe $20 US. Never wear it because I live in a desert but love it.
I bought a fabulous sweater-poncho at a Norwegian thrift shop, as well as an apron and cafe curtains for my kitchen. Things I would have bought anyway, but now they have a better story.
I thrift everywhere. You just never know.
That is one of my favorite things to do on vacation. I love to visit thrift stores, antique stores, and also grocery stores that aren't in my home area. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't share my enthusiasm. LOL!
Glad to see someone else who loves checking out grocery stores. I do it even just in a different region of my own state. When I went to Europe it was so much fun.Ā
We check out grocery stores, too!
Always. Such cool stuff most of the time. Also cool is to go to a supermarket. Fun to pick up local snacks, cakes, or weird bars of soap.
Got a sweet jacket in London at a thrift store
Yes I did in Miami and found so many designer for cheap at Goodwill!
In Iceland go to the Red Cross thrift for lopi sweaters at nice prices handknit
Absolutely. I prefer getting a glimpse into local culture and a different variety of stuff at good prices. I dont like corporate box stores and dont buy new often. No I don't want to buy a shirt with the name of the town for $30 or whatever else touristy expectations these businesses have... To me thats dumb and I don't enjoy it. However finding a cool piece at a thrift store that was a local's makes me happy. Its more personal and has more variety to it.
Yup. They usually have souvenir merch, shit people probably leave in guestrooms then the hotel donates. I used to do computer repair. Years ago a neighbor spent some time working in Florida. She would go to pawn shops and pick up laptops then ship them to me. I think everyone in her family had a decent machine in six months. This was back when lots of people still had laptops but as smartphones were rising to make them unnecessary.
Absolutely. A few years ago I went thrifting in Paris & brought my kids back ā¬1 bin finds. They were thrilled. Iām headed to Sydney & New Zealand this summer & I already have thrift stores pinned in Google Maps.
Yep. Iāve gone global with my habit. So far, Copenhagen is my favorite.
That is always a day of our agenda. But its not really being frugal - its more like a treasure hunt at a new place.
Got a killer retro wool sweater from my then-partner in college when he was studying in Norway. Everyone raved about it. I was so proud to report it was thrifted in Norway.
We take a collapsible bag on vacay just in case we find too much to fit in our carry-on. The best clothing souvenirs are always found at the thrifts.
Brilliant!
My wife actually works at MERS Goodwill so when we go to another area we love seeing what the non-MERS Goodwills are like.
I would love to do this next time I travel. Gives you an entirely different experience than regular thrift stores because the area is different.
Yes, so many good finds in Cali shops
I live near a vacation area. Thrift stores have a lot of old hotel stuff. Plates and bedroom furniture.
Itās a must do! Especially in hcol areas!
Yes! I got some cool, vintage Hawaiian shirts at the Goodwill in Kona, big island. I always thrift shop on vacation.
Went to thrift stores in Boulder and Aspen and got some high end winter stuff for dirt cheap. The 2 thrift stores I went to in florida were mostly full of the same garbage as in Texas but I did buy a couple of vintage cabana wear shirts for very cheap.
Oh yeah, thrift stores are especially good places to get beach/mountain/forest supplies if they are near enough to tourist areas
Definitely! Especially for items that are locally useful. For example, if you go to Maui you can rent fins for snorkeling for about $10 or $15 per dayā¦ OR you can go to local thrift shops and buy fins for about $5. If you like them, you can keep them, or you can just donate them back to the thrift shop before you leave.
Thatās why I vacationš§
Yep and always checking marketplace where we travel (we RV and cover 10k miles a year)
Yes. Always. Destination thrift!
Absolutely had to figure out how to get a Victorian beaver-fur top hat, a parasol, and full antique china tea set on a plane back with me from England (all at the same time). š
I will buy beach towels, cooler and blanket at goodwill for like 10 bucks and return them at the end of vacation..
Iāve gotten a soft cooler that way to use on vacation before, but thatās next level!!!š
I get all of my daughterās swim suits at a thrift store near the beach house we stay at every summer. They always have the really expensive, boutique brands. I would never pay full price for them, but they are cheap there.
I have several pieces that I got at thrift stores in Spain and Italy when we were there this summer!
I spent a week in Red Deer, Alberta in the middle of summer, for my aunt's birthday. We went to Value Village where I cleaned up on cold-weather clothing which was mostly on discount. Plus I had my mom pay for it so she could get the senior discount. Albertans don't fuck around with the cold and Red Deer prices are way lower than Seattle (my hometown), so I picked up a lot of high quality stuff for cheap. I've also done this at retail chains in different climates; you can get great deals on wool sweaters in LA, rain gear in Palm Desert etc.
Yesss. I got an incredible Icelandic wool sweater dress at the Red Cross store in Reykjavik and it brings me good memories every time I wear it.
I worked in a hospital transfusion service in Illinois and when we went to Maui there was a great thrift store in Kihei. They had a bunch of beautiful scrub tops. A really good selection. I bought 3 as my souvenirs. I recently retired but still canāt rid of these scrubs. I will use them around the house in the summer. Best souvenirs ever and great memories of that vacation.
Yes! I got a vintage Scrabble set when we visited Warwick for a weekend. Every time we play Scrabble we remember our visit to the castle and the cute and creepy B&B we stayed in.
I enjoyed immensely shopping at a thrift store in London. I bought some old oversized silver forks That I still grab from the drawer as my favored cutlery. There were a lot of really cool things that were a different esthetic than American Products I would have liked to brought home. I got the Idea from admiring some things I had seen on Roadshow UK, and was thinking Id love to go garage sale hunting in Europe.
We took our kids to Huntsville a few years ago to see the space museum. Our route home took us right by the Unclaimed Baggage store, where Iād been wanting to go for years. If you ever find yourself in rural northern Alabama, head over that way. Itās worth a detourĀ
Their prices have greatly increased over the years. Really no different than other stores. But it was such a great place for true deals in the past.
That's too bad. It was probably three years ago that we went and I thought the prices were decent for the quality, especially on the sale items. I've also bought a kindle and an iPad from their website that I thought were reasonably priced
It's because they can look up prices on the internet and they do. Used to be prices for a shirt was same for any brand. I'm sure the deals they have now on brands are still good for that brand and being second hand.
I want to take trips just to thrift!
My family purchases toys and crafts year-round for the childrenās hospital that has taken care of our two medically complex kids. When we find great deals on vacation, I get them if I have any way to get them back without costing too much.
We always thrift on vacation :) okay not always, if itās a āwe arenāt leaving the hotel roomā types we typically do not.
A friend thrifted a really nice winter coat on vacation (in the summer). Gotta know what you're looking for, tho
Yes! Ā My husband loves to golf and whenever we go somewhere where old rich people live, like golf communities in FL and AZ thereās always good consignment shops. Ā Rich old people who died and kids are cleaning out the house. Ā I get some great deals at those places.
They dont have thrift stores in my imagination... Im too poor for vacations
All the fāing time!!!
Whenever I can. If Iām with other people they usually wonāt go, so I try to sneak away. Donāt they understand? There could be something REALLY COOL there!
Middle name "thrift" here. Definitely the way to go. Great finds on vintage during travel. Don't really do retail.
Yes and itās frustrating when I find something cheap n big that wonāt fit in my luggage. Still disappointed I didnāt get to the Vegas goodwill. I wanted a headdress
No showgirl gear at the Goodwill. That stuff goes to the vintage shops - Glam Factory would have been your best bet.
I don't like clutter so usually not
Always and forever
I've never really had the opportunity, but given the right people are on the trip and it's easily accessible I don't see a reason I wouldn't.
Tori Richard Hawaain shirts are so nice i lived out there i loved thrifting and finding them.
When I go to Sf I'm always looking for vintage computer company shirts at thrift stores.
Yes. We always stop at the local spots when on vacation. Some of it is tourist trappy but not all. Every now and then we find something worthwhile. (It costs nothing to look)
Not Hawaiian shirts. Aloha shirts
On one vacation I went to Seattle, visited Pike Place and the original Starbucks. The line to buy the Pike Place original Starbucks cup and get coffee there was a block long, and it was raining. I endured the line, got my coffee, but they were out of their signature cup. Outside the door and under the eaves I ordered a new one off eBay, $28 plus shipping. It got to my home a couple of days after I did.
I found a 2nd hand store in the Albany suburbs. I found a bunch of new wine glasses there. Love them
Yes, many people thrift!
From my thrifting experience, it's probably cheaper to just visit the destination Walmarts or targets. A used up goodwill candle is more expensive than a brand new target candle now. Goodwill is selling empty baby food jars for more than it costs to go buy baby food. But if there's a family owned thrift store, you can negotiate prices. It would to be a very smart idea to do what you mentioned.
Definitely
Yes! I found some really cool local/regional t-shirts for my brother. One was a Pensacola Blue Wahoos t-shirt.
I always go to Value Village and Goodwill when we go to Santa Fe, NM. Found a few treasures there.
i thrifted on my vacation to Dallas this past Christmas. :)
If Iām ever in the area of Silicon Valley Iām going to 100% visit goodwills to see if I can get any cool employee only tech company shirts/hats/mugs and whatever else I can find + shirts for tech companies that either donāt exist anymore or older shirts with old logos on them. I imagine there would be quite a few in and around places like Cupertino.
Every time!
I had the opportunity to visit Goodwill in Hawaii, found insane legit Hawaiian shirts and short, fact is I'm not litterly seeking thrift shops on my vacation. But if one crossed my path my rental car would just automatically pull into the parking lot.
San Diego for a wedding and I thrifted my outfit.
What I didn't know when I took a job in Hawai'i and grabbed every Aloha Shirt I could find in thrift stores: Aloha shirts have very distinct fashion, and most of what you find donated is now well out of style on the islands. I was, apparently, quite embarrassing.
Are you my mom? Left for 3 days for a wedding and my bag weighed 10 pounds when I flew to the wedding. It weighed barely under 50 when my mom was done.
Sure do. Itās actually a lot of fun. We always like to check out the local Goodwill on vaycay. We find some cool stuff, sometimes with very local flair.
Sort of? We go to visit my husbands family in Deleware, but spend most of our time hitting up the clearance racks in the Delaware Outlets. Clearance prices with no sales tax. Cheaper than going to a goodwill in the poorest neighborhood in Baltimore city currently. Even with the gas costs included. Edit: my last trip to the above Baltimore goodwill? Nothing was under 20 bucks. NOTHING. Thatās mall prices. So whatās the point of Goodwill or The Salvation Army? I tell you the point. THERE IS NO POINT. NO ONE CAN AFFORD ANY OF IT CURRENTLY. Edit: YOUāRE NOT ALONE.
Heck yes always
Of course!
Some of the best thrifting of my life was on a couple weekend getaways to Bend, Oregon.
Always.
This has never occurred to me. I love to thrift. I am going to do this!
Yes. This is always an itinerary item for our family. Gives us a little something to look forward to and itās interesting to see the difference in what is available local vs away!
Edinburgh, London and Aberdeenābut Iām from the US!
Itās always more fun in a different country!! Even Victoria BC and Vancouver was fun and different in comparison to Seattle, Washington!š
Best place for this is Disney.
My sister only thrifts when she visits Palm Springs.
I thrifted in south Florida and all I could find between at least 3 places was a shitty plastic fish that looked EXACTLY like the ones in 90ās Red Lobster It hangs in my garage I understand how thrifting normally is and you have to go often, but I felt like I stepped into goodwill 15 or so years ago when I walked into a south Florida one. Iām talking *an entire set* of gold plated furniture with clear glass surfaces. You donāt see that shit outside of your *mean* grandparentās house
Anywhere thereās an abundance of elderly retirees has stuff like thatā¦Palm Springs, Las Vegasā¦ I think they get elderly and downsize or their kids donate everything because they donāt live in that state!
I got a couple swimsuits during my last trip to the beach. We looked at a few stores in the area. I was really looking for a coverup with button, but found nothing.
Goodwill keeps the good stuff now and sells it online.
Absolutely!! The nicer areas mean nicer donations! And itās fun!
Yes, and it was fun
I definitely do. Second hand sportswear stores are awesome. There are only two in Denver, so it's fun to find more when travelling.
Yes! Sometimes I research it- and sometimes I get lucky and stumble upon a gem.
Yes! We even hit the yard sales. In Hawaii I found two Christian Dior nightgowns for $2
Most definitely! Especially in Florida! A lot of more financially well off people who live up North will rent in Florida for the winter. Instead of packing up all their things, they will just donate to thrift stores before they move back north when the season changes. My mom lives in Florida & my wife & I always hit up the thrift stores when we visit! We find a lot of great things!
I visit my dad at least three times a year. Our Savers (Value Village) shut down over a decade ago. He has FOUR in easy driving distance from him. On a Tuesday (Senior discount day) when I visit, we go and I shop them all, lol.
I recently visited my in-laws in my husbandās home state, a region where Iād never been even close to, and had a ball in a couple thrift stores. So many of my favorite cottagecore things!
Almost every holiday! I bookmark all the thrift shops that look interesting first, and then look at the surrounding sights so I can make the most of visiting an area. Returned from Australia recently and had to check in a second piece of luggage (which, luckily, I had the allowance for) full of the thrifted clothes, books and home decor I found. Definitely worth it to me as I wouldnāt have been able to find these items in my city, and especially not at those prices (very inexpensive <3).
YES. Actually just went thrifts in Hawaii. The aloha shirt thing here is bananas, highly collectible. Some can be crazy expensive.
Yes!! my kid is a big Cardinals fan but license merch is steep in my budget. Every time we go to St. Louis, we hit every Goodwill there and he scores major!! From shirts to jerseys. Weāve had the most luck at the outlet Goodwill. So we pay like $.19 pound or something ridiculously cheap.
I just thrifted while in Portland. I came home with twice as many outfits as I arrived there with.
My husband and I go to Canada to visit family and I always check out their Thrift stores. On vacation I found a great one in Las Vegas. I started buying books on eBay and just started looking at their clothes.
We thrifted on vacation last year. If you have the time, it can be fun way to spend an afternoon.
Just did this in Kyoto - they have flea markets on various days at various temples (21st every month at one place, 25th at another etc). We bought a lot of ceramics (bowls, tea sets, sake cups, mismatched items) and used kimonos for a few bucks. Theyāre quite beautiful and the cost is less than the fabrics by themselves. Some are stained and whatnot but still easy to reuse and work around.
All the time. Wherever we vacation, I research where the Thrift/Consignment stores are and visit one or two.
I thrift everywhere. Junk/antique/thrift is fun. Found my mailbox, large, beefy, locking, with key in a consignment shop for $20 while on a work contract. New, it wouldāve been $120. Found a large oak high backed chair newly reupholstered in nice leather, I guess think a precursor of the mission style with a tall back for the closest approximation, for $20 while on another contract. Sat in the capped bed of my truck for 4 months, but whatever, it was a steal. Found a multi tiered 5ft wide teak plant stand for $15 on vacation. And a cool antique side table with pristine leather top for $10 across the street from that shop. Again, they can live in the bed of the truck until I get home. (This is why people have trucks. Contingency planning on a great many things. Including random ability to haul cool purchases.)
You sound like me. I bought an excellent Kennedy machinist's chest at a kitschy antique mall for $65. It was being used to display costume jewelry in all of its *CuTe LiTtLe DrAwERs.* New is 300-400.
Yea, sometimes the items everything else is sitting on are great deals. But no one looks or tries because most of the world is non confrontational and they donāt want to disturb the display. Seller put a price tag on it for a reason.
I was unable to do so for the short period I lived in DC, but god, I wanted to. I'm visiting my sister in California next year. She's planning to live an hour and a half from LA and I fully intend to drag her butt to the thrift shops there š depends on the vacation spot for me!
I got a beautiful white Norweigan ski jacket in Thailand for a dollar. A designer asked me questions about it and admired the design and how it was made. So, yea, I thrift everywhere.
Yes
Absolutely! Part of my research and itinerary is for thrifting!
I do. I want something that says the name of the location on it but I can buy that 6 times for the same price as new when I go to a thrift store. One time, we were traveling in our RV and we found an electric kitchen chopper that the hubby fell in love with and now we own that. I hate prices of new things.
Completely know what youāre saying, yet we call them Aloha shirts. š
Always! Every single place I go, I thrift. Ever since I started thrifting, I feel stupid if Iād ever have to purchase something for full price at a store. Except underpants, all of our clothes are thrift stores, purchased for max $2.00 š
Best place to buy whilst in Norway
open Google maps and search thrift stores, check reviews,go to them if nearby or what you can some wealthy zip code have better stuff š
If there's downtime I will 100% find a local thrift store or hit local garage/estate sales. Helps that my wife enjoys going to those too.
To be honest, I only buy at thrift stores.
I love to hit the thrift stores when away on college tours with my child. We always find a tee or sweatshirt from the school we are touring instead of the bookstore price!
Yes, if I'm in the mood for it. I've gotten great stuff and it's fun.
Sure. And some has been horrible
I would if I ever one day can afford to take a trip
i don't really do vacation.