Yahoo Finance 8 Awesome Thrift Store Items People Often Miss
Here's a little-known fact about the Goodwill store in your town or neighborhood: It does not exist to sell low-cost goods to poor people. Goodwill's mission is to put disabled or disadvantaged people to work, and the money generated from the store supports that mission. Along the way, the stores teach job skills, and redirect some 3 billion pounds of castoff goods from landfills to reuse in someone's home.
From maternity clothes to office furniture, thrift stores such Goodwill have a little bit of everything. Some of it is more valuable than others. The next time you're out on a thrift adventure, keep your eyes out for these items that have the most value.
1. Tools and goods with lifetime warranties
Some Craftsman hand tools carry a lifetime warranty, which states if "this Craftsman hand tool ever fails to provide complete satisfaction, it will be repaired or replaced free of charge." You can return Craftsman hand tools covered by the lifetime warranty at Sears (which owns Craftsman). Cutco brand knives, scissors and shears carry a similar no fuss guarantee that allows you to send the product back. For thrift shoppers, this means whatever condition the tool, a new or like new one can be had with minimal effort.
2. Branded high quality clothing
Check the label. Apparel from stores like Old Navy or Target are cheap and won't last long. Apparel from higher quality department store or boutique brands will. Most thrift stores will price these goods accordingly. You may even find an arbitrage opportunity here. For example, there's a thriving reseller market in new and lightly used Lululemon yoga apparel. To see if you've found a deal, carry your smartphone and check prices on eBay.
For lightly damaged clothing or shoes -- or pieces that don't fit -- ask for a discount and then head to your tailor or cobbler for alteration and repair.
3. New clothing with tags
Speaking of lively reseller markets, lots of people donate brand new, never worn, still with the sales tags on clothing. Check the label, and then eBay on your smartphone to see if you can sell it for more.
4. Maternity and infant clothing
Maternity clothes aren't often worn for long, which means they're in generally good condition when they arrive at the thrift store. But the real cost advantage here is not their condition, but that the buyer will not be wearing them for long. Why pay full retail for clothing that will only be worn for a few weeks or months?
The same is true for infant clothes, especially for newborns. Babies outgrow their cute little outfits so fast. When moms and dads shop thrift, even firstborns can be dressed for less in hand-me-downs.
5. Small kitchen appliances
These seem to clutter up the shelves at every thrift store -- maybe that's because so many of us are busy decluttering our kitchen counters and cabinets. But if you're in the market for a blender or a toaster, you can pick one up cheap at your local thrift store. They are eager to get rid of it, and price it accordingly. And when that cheap stick blender starts taking up too much space in your drawer? Donate it back to the thrift store.
6. Raw materials for upcycled masterpieces
If you've got a craft or gift project idea, you can often make do with cheap, but still well-made stuff found in a thrift store. Upcycling is a craft in which necessity, inspiration and imagination come together to make something wonderful and new from old stuff. Think a dresser reformed into a kitchen island. Or bicycles upcycled into fences. You'll find plenty more upcycle ideas at UpcycleThat.com.
7. Bad art in great frames
Don't overlook the art on the walls. You may not like the representation of the lighted forest cabin at sunset, but the frame may be just right for an upcycled project or a piece of art you already have. At the least, the wood may be high quality, and with a little work, might become the raw material for something else entirely.
8. Signed books
Next to clothing, books are one of the most donated goods to charity-run thrift stores. Goodwill reports it recycles or salvages about 1 million pounds of books annually. Keep an eye out for popular titles from best-selling authors, and check the title page for a signature or dedication. Add it to your collection, or consult eBay yet again. You may not find a Mark Twain signed "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," but a Michael Crichton signed "Jurassic Park" could fetch $65 or more, depending on the edition.
Lars Peterson is an editor for Wise Bread, a personal finance blog that covers financial products and help readers find the best cashback credit cards.
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