Save Your Artwork
Anyone who’s ventured into a thrift store can attest- there are some serious diamonds in those roughs. To say that you can score some pretty amazing finds at rock bottom prices would be an understatement. And considering the ever-rising cost of haute-couture fashion, furniture, electronics, and seemingly all other things materialism, it’s certainly worth a couple of hours’ worth of your time to browse through your local thrift store every once in a while.
Some people have had incredible luck finding gems at their local thrift stores. You may think that these stores only contain used clothing or furniture, but there’s so much more to them, especially if you have a keen eye. Keep reading to find out more about people’s thrift store picks that have made Redditors quite jealous…
Cheap Brand Name Clothing
My friend once bought two glass etchings, ugly as all get-out, for a nickel each because she wanted the frames. Her mother-in-law said, “Look those up before you destroy them while getting them out of the frames.” They were from the early 1900s, and the artist was highly sought after.
A smaller one similar to hers had recently sold through Sotheby’s for over $3000. What a great find! Reddit User: le_fez
A Conversation Piece
Found a pair of Banana Republic slacks for like $8 at the Salvation Army. I think they retail for $120 or something stupid. I’ve gotten all of my professional attire from the Salvation Army and have gotten some amazing deals on brands like BR, Express, Ann Taylor, etc.
This is a great way to find clothes for work, especially if you work somewhere that requires a professional look. Clothing can be expensive, so why not save yourself some money and check out your local thrift store? Reddit User: kebekwaz
Great Finds
I found a professional photo album of a Jewish wedding from the ‘80s and dropped it off in my living room. Next time I came up with my housemates, we were looking at the book trying to figure out where it came from. They had ruled out that it belonged to my parents, since the couple was white and I am not.
After a few days, they ruled out everyone and started coming up with creative theories as to how it showed up. It was a harmless prank that got me a week or so of fun. A few of the pictures are hung around the house/in people’s rooms. Reddit User: anxietyinHD
A Comic Book Collector
I once found two leather bomber jackets for $30 each, a copy of Diablo 2, and a lot of hard copy movies that are hard to find. Oh! I once found a Chinese bootleg of Star Wars Ep. 2, where the plot description on the back of the box was not of Attack of the Clones but was, in fact, the plot of The Last of the Mohicans.
They were all awesome finds. That copy Star Wars could be worth a lot of money! It’s probably extremely rare and valuable. Reddit User: Caudex99
This Find Kept Them Safe
The first issue of Spawn. I sometimes wonder what was going through the mind of the person who donated it to Goodwill; maybe they still think of what an idiot they were for getting rid of it. The first issues of comic books can often be considered rare and valuable.
This is why it’s always worth it to check out your local thrift store. You never know what you may find. Reddit User: Moctezuma_93
This Would Normally Be Expensive
I once found a government waterproof long coat when I was young. It doubled as a blanket for power naps during college. I looked intimidating for a while walking at night on the city campus. I have no idea if I got lucky, but I never got mugged even though my friends and family did.
If it keeps me safe, why wouldn’t I wear it? People never really approached me at all with it on. Reddit User: Expat123456
A Perfect Find
This was actually a few years back. I found a wedding dress for $30. I love thrifting, and I saw this one and thought I would try it on just for fun. To my surprise, it fit perfectly and I thought, “Well, I have to buy it now.” I wasn’t getting married, but I just wanted it, to be honest.
I actually had some pictures taken by a photographer to help him with his portfolio. I didn’t actually get married in this dress, but I was able to put it to good use. Reddit User: livelaughpoop
Wedded Bliss
I found a lovely cream-colored long lace dress at Ross that I wore when I got married. It was $19.99! It was perfect for my not-formal wedding. This was 19 years ago, but even then, I found exactly what I was looking for at my local thrift store and it took me totally by surprise.
$20 for a wedding dress is an absolute steal, even 19 years ago. Wedding dresses can be thousands of dollars. Reddit User: chocolatganache
Can’t Beat That Price!
My wife’s wedding dress was a thrift store haul. It needed nothing. 35 years later, we’re still deeply in love. Okay, I might’ve ticked her off a couple of times over the years, but we’re still together! A lot of people think a used wedding dress is bad luck, but it certainly hasn’t been for us.
Plus, we were able to spend the money on her dress on other important things for our wedding day. Reddit User: vt2nc
That’s Interesting
I got married in a dress I found thrifting. $32 for the dress and $250 to alter it to fit perfectly. Beats the heck out of $10,000 for a dress for one day. Wedding dresses can be so costly when you factor in everything. It’s not just the dress itself, it’s the tailoring, altering, storing, and everything else.
What a way to save money! It’s definitely worth the time to check your local thrift store for dresses. Reddit User: prettysoitworks
A Favorite Band
I found a novelty coffee mug with a cartoon of Father Time on it with the caption “Father Time can really kick the crap out of you.” I’m guessing it was from someone’s over-the-hill party. It was a really interesting purchase, and we display it instead of ever actually using it in the house anywhere.
People often ask about it when they come over, so in that sense, it was totally worth it to buy. Reddit User: [redacted]
Jackpot!
I found a CD from my favorite band that was signed by some of the band members at a Goodwill once. I already had the album and gladly bought it again. When you love a band as much as I loved these guys, a signed copy is an awesome find. I looked through the rest of their CDs just to see if they had other signed ones.
Maybe those signatures will be worth something someday! Not like I’d ever sell it anyway. Reddit User: joelneedsacar
A Gamer at Heart
I’ll start by saying my best find was in an ugly, beat-up cigar box that probably was looked over plenty of times. I found an iPod, iPod mini, and iPhone 6 along with shareholder deeds that unfortunately cashed out. It’s always a good idea to look inside boxes and purses before you buy them at thrift stores.
Some of these places have such an influx of items that they don’t always check inside pockets or boxes. You may be surprised by what you find! Reddit User: Blazedandamused
A Free Find
Two unopened Sega Dreamcasts. I used to be a manager at Goodwill, and I ended up with a LOT of old game consoles. Personally, I would love to still have all of those old game systems, but I had to sell most to pay for college books. Nothing is better than sitting down to play some old-school Mario or Sonic the Hedgehog.
The older game systems are now very expensive if you try to buy them at a used game store. Reddit User: a-l-e-x-t-o-p-i-a
Pure Profit
Even better is the free store finds. It’s a little shed at the dump you can pick through. I got a gorgeous cast iron skillet that’s $90 new. Ten minutes with some steel wool on the end of a cordless drill and the little rust layer was gone and now I have a delightfully seasoned skillet that I use every day.
Good cast-iron skillets can be very expensive! I wasn’t sure I’d be okay taking one from a dump, but it cleaned up nicely! Reddit User: goofygooses
Corduroy Finds
I’ve found so many things. I found a Classic iPod for $7 and sold it for $113. I also found Jordan 4s for $25 and sold them for $100. I can go on all day, to be truthful. Buying and reselling is fun, sure, but actually getting to keep some great buys and enjoy them is really what I’m on about with this.
So I basically buy and sell in order to fund my habit of buying thrift store items for myself. Reddit User: elnino
A Lovely Dress
It’s a split between this pair of camo corduroy skinny jeans or this blue velvet corduroy jacket. Also, this pair of Michael Kors pants I got that I’ve been wearing for like 6 months straight on and off. It’s amazing how things go out of style and come back in years later; I have trends to thank for my thrift shopping.
If you’re into vintage clothing, check out Goodwill and other stores because others will have been off the trend. Reddit User: kittenman
A Charitable Album
I bought my prom dress for $10 at a thrift store. The dress usually costs around $400+ in retail stores. Prom dresses can be expensive! You can’t beat $10 for a really nice dress, especially one that has a ton of embellishments (and that you’re realistically only going to wear once or twice anyway).
It’s so frustrating to spend hundreds of dollars on something like that to only wear it once. I guess you could always do alterations on the dress to make it a different style, but honestly, how often would you wear it? Reddit User: sunflcwerz
Second-Hand Profit
I got an original pressing of the “We Are The World” album. And inside, it had a news clipping from the original release. It’s framed above my record player. The “We Are The World” album was released in 1985 to support the people in Ethiopia. It was made to help combat famine in the country and featured a variety of recording artists like Prince and Bruce Springsteen.
It was certainly created for a wonderful cause, and finding an original was just shocking. Reddit User: JayneTheRockDwohnson
She Was Happy
I once bought a 5-dollar wallet with 700 dollars inside. I’m not kidding, that was an absolute win. It’s always a good idea to check the pockets of purses and wallets you buy from thrift stores. You never know what could be hidden inside and would make an epic buy.
Thrift store employees don’t always check these things when receiving items for the store. Reddit User: RipCurl69Reddit
That’s a Steal!
I bought a $250 floor cleaner for $15, and it worked perfectly right from the get go! I’m a 46-year-old lady, and the fact that I’m buying a floor cleaner from Goodwill probably proves it. There’s nothing wrong with being excited about a new way to keep your home clean, though.
It makes me wonder why the original owner got rid of it in the first place. Maybe they got a new one as a gift? Reddit User: keeks5117
A Musical Find
I found an LG sound bar with original stickers still on it. It had the Bluetooth bass system in it, and I got it for 10 bucks. The only thing it was missing was the remote. I ordered one online for eight bucks, and it works really well. Those sound bars can be pricey!
Sound bars can often make it feel like you’re in the movie theater. This thrift store find was well worth it! Reddit User: SquirtledaPurpleTurt
A Great Deal
I was walking through the aisle that had bags and luggage when I saw the word “Pearl” on the side of a bag. As a drummer, I knew this was something worth checking out. It turned out to be a glockenspiel in great condition. I bought it for 10 bucks. A brand new set could run you 200+ dollars.
A glockenspiel is similar to a xylophone but is made of metal instead of wood. Reddit User: Galactic_Wolftrot
Much Needed Furniture
I found not one, but three $400 leather jackets with all the original tags and such in the breast pockets. I looked them up and they were legit, so for $8 each, I couldn’t pass them up. I gave two as gifts and kept one for myself. The people I gave them to really loved them, and they lasted for a long time.
Leather jackets can be very expensive, especially when they’re real leather, but I was able to get three for $24 together. Reddit User: uss_intega
Difficult To Shop For
I just moved to a new state, and I saw a pretty cool thing at a thrift shop last week. I held off. Well, after seeing other stores and talking with my brother, I realized I really had to have something from the thrift store. Only today did I buy them, and I’m glad I did.
It’s two side tables and a coffee table. They wanted me to buy the couches that go along with it, but eh, no thanks. Reddit User: blagulon
A Nice Jacket
Around a decade back, I went looking for a winter coat for my dad. He’s 6’2” and pretty large, so it’s quite pricey and difficult to find his clothes. So, we decided to check out the local Charity Shop. We came away with a nice Hugo Boss wool coat. Dad was chuffed and generously paid more than the asking price.
It was priced at a tenner. That thing normally would have cost a bit more than a hundred, I think. Reddit User: SassyZo
Saving Money
I picked up a German military coat from 1991 at a charity shop where I was helping out. It only cost me £4, and it’s pretty nice. Military coats are unique and usually not found at thrift stores. It’s strange to me that someone would want to get rid of something like that.
I often get questions about the coat and where it came from since it looks so unique. Reddit User: Jfm509
These Are Expensive
I’ve had tons of great thrift store finds. I always check out the one that I pass if I have time. It seems that the Salvation Army sells its books by size. I’ve bought the full-size, up-to-date college textbooks for only $3. Obviously, this isn’t a reliable way to find a specific book for a class, but if you enjoy teaching yourself, it’s a great way to find properly structured learning materials or books to resell.
I once found a TI-89 Titanium in a drawer labeled “remotes.” It was also $3. Reddit User: codskar
It Was Priceless
A friend’s dad found a Rolex for 10 dollars. He got it fixed for a few hundred dollars. Yeah, I know, “Who spends a few hundred bucks to fix a watch?” Do you even know how expensive a Rolex is, though? The few hundred was paltry compared to the amount the watch was worth.
He got an incredible deal, even with the price it cost him to get it repaired. Thrift stores are a great place to find expensive items that you normally couldn’t afford. Reddit User: TFRek
She Found a Great Dress
I found a very old Hamilton wristwatch from a thrift store, which I happily bought for 5 bucks. It will need some maintenance eventually, but right now, it’s priceless to me. I’m happy I found it. It’s not a Rolex or anything, but hey, I’m not super picky. I’m just happy I found something like this.
It’s definitely a unique find! Even with needed maintenance, I got a great deal. Reddit User: today_okay
Sealed Records
I found a Liz Clairborne dress for 7 bucks in a thrift store. Her dresses are usually very expensive, and I could never afford to buy one at full price. They’re made of super fancy materials and come from basically a really high-end name brand, so it was kinda a dream come true.
There’s nothing wrong with buying clothes from thrift stores. They have some amazing deals! Reddit User: PatsBabe
Vintage Clothing
I once found a sealed vinyl copy of Jazz by Queen, complete with the naked bicycle race poster. It was $1 at Goodwill. Not only was this a cheap find, but a rare one too. A vinyl copy and a poster! That’s pretty awesome for a thrift store find, to say the least.
I was ready for the risqué bicycle race poster. I had been chasing it for such a long time. Reddit User: marky_sparky
Showing Support
This is easily my new favorite shirt. I got this amazing 1970s Wrangler disco shirt with apple motifs and apple pie written all over it. It’s pure polyester and has a large pointed collar. It has a funky pattern too; it’s just completely zany all around. I think it’s the perfect 1970s shirt!
There’s nothing wrong with showcasing your personal style, and mine is having my shirts say “apple pie.” Reddit User: Sappet10
Beautiful Pictures
Brand new with tags Levi’s sherpa jacket, which I snagged for $30. Normally I don’t like to spend more than $15-$20 on thrift store finds, but it fits perfectly, and the profits support my local animal shelter, so I couldn’t pass it up! I love stores that support animal shelters or the less fortunate.
Everyone needs a little bit of help every once in a while, and this is a great way to get much-needed supplies for the local animal shelter. Reddit User: glamorous_jasper
This Person Found a Great Deal
I found four boxes filled with slides from someone’s world travels. No “selfies” or family photos. Just pictures of geography and architecture. There were hundreds of them. What’s that saying? “A picture is worth a thousand words?” The people who took these photographs told the story of their travels through their pictures and were able to pass them on.
It was fun to go through these slides and see what the original owners saw through their eyes. Reddit User: Leen813
Cookware and Backpacks
I’m not a big thrift store shopper, but I did once get Super Mario 64 for $2 after having just been mad that I couldn’t get it for $50 from a used game store because they had just sold their last copy earlier that day. Looks like the universe was on my side after all.
Nothing compares to the original Nintendo systems and games. I was super stoked. Reddit User: The1WhoKnocks-WW
A Vintage Machine
I found a great ceramic lined frying pan last week with a lid for $7! I also have a great Kelty frame pack that I found for $5 a couple of years ago and have probably put 200 miles into it since. Both of these items were great finds that I didn’t know I needed until I saw them.
Ceramic frying pans are non-stick and easy to clean, and those backpacks can run upwards of $200. Reddit User: mrpoox
Expensive Jeans
I picked up a fully functional 1950s Coca Cola machine for $100! Everything from the bottle dispensing conveyer to the air conditioning system works. These Coca Cola machines are very expensive when they’re fully restored. It’s amazing that I was able to find one that was fully functioning!
These older machines were made to last, and it shows when you come across something like this. Reddit User: ContemplatingGavre
A Dream Come True
I once found a pair of Ed Hardy catch and release jeans. I was going to buy them for the meme, but they were only 20 bucks. The tag said they were $240 retail. That’s an expensive pair of jeans! I can’t imagine spending that much on just one pair if they weren’t at the thrift store.
It makes you wonder why the original owner got rid of them. Maybe the jeans just went out style. Reddit User: Zuccmaster300010h
I was telling a friend while thrifting that I needed a sewing machine. Not even 20 minutes later, we found one for $20 at Value Village! It’s a Sears Kenmore Model 1400, and it’s exactly what I was looking for. What a coincidence! It’s amazing how these things happen.
Sewing machines can be expensive, and there’s nothing wrong with buying one at a thrift store. Mine works great. Reddit User: Night-Changes