A SHOPPING expert has revealed the items you should always buy at thrift stores to save yourself a serious amount of cash.
It turns out you can find a string of bargains that may even have better “value and function” than items from big retailers.
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According to Jeanel Alvarado, an expert at Retail Boss, Americans should always purchase their kitchenware from thrift stores.
Most people fork out for basics in discount chains such as Dollar Tree, which typically offers a small selection of dull designs.
From dinner flatware to cooking cutlery, there is little variety in the materials they are made of.
The majority of items are derived from stainless steel or plastic.
But Jeanel pointed out there is a way you can pick up some beautiful and unique pieces for your kitchen – with their own story to tell.
Although it can be difficult to find matching sets, she says thrift stores are a goldmine for cute pieces to purchase for your home.
And if you are lucky, you may even be able to find brand-new items that have a generous discount applied.
Jeanel told Yahoo: “I prefer to thrift kitchen and table items from a thrift shop over a dollar store for value and function.
“Nonetheless, thrift shops often receive donated items from other companies, so you may be able to find a better quality item that’s still in its original packaging.”
The retail expert said shoppers just need to have a little patience to secure the biggest bang for their buck.
“The tricky part may be finding sets, but often you can still find items packaged together,” she added.
So although you may have to spend a while scouring the shelves for matching pieces, it could save you time and money in the long run.
If you manage to snag some high-quality kitchenware, it is likely to be more durable and outlive cheap alternatives from other retailers.
So you may as well spend as many minutes as you can spare browsing thrift stores – rather than constantly shopping for replacements.
We previously told how a treasure hunter purchased a Staub cast iron Dutch oven for $13 from a thrift store, only to find it was worth a lot more.
The Goodwill customer picked up the cookware in near-perfect condition, only to discover they usually fetch up to $300 brand new.
They said: “I didn’t quite believe my eyes, at first. Then I pounced!”
And this savvy shopper showed how thrifting can maximize your earning potential after finding a 25-cent item that sells for $50 online.
They found a DVD entitled Arthur’s Big Hit for only 25 cents in a random bin at his local thrift store.
The thrifter urged other shoppers to be on the lookout for Arthur tapes because they end up being worth a lot of money, even in an age where consumers generally prefer streaming over DVD movies.
