According to a Gallup poll, shoppers in the United States will spend an average of $1,007 this holiday season, and 37% plan to spend more than $1,000. However, not everyone will be able to afford a big shopping bill this Christmas, given the increase in prices on so many everyday goods.
Trending Now: I Asked ChatGPT for the Best Amazon Deals This Black Friday — Here’s What It Said
Consider This: 9 Low-Effort Ways To Make Passive Income (You Can Start This Week)
Fortunately, there is a solution, and that’s to shop second-hand at thrift stores. Thrifting data from Capital One found the secondhand market generates over $50 billion in revenue, and 93% of Americans shop secondhand online.
Here are a few thrift store hacks you can use to find great items at discounted prices and avoid spending so much on Black Friday.
Check the Frame Section
People rarely print out photos these days, and that’s why giving someone a framed picture for Christmas is such a nice gift. Thrift stores sell large amounts of photo frames at a discount, including crystal and silver frames from high-quality brands. As long as the frames are good quality without any nicks or scratches, a gift recipient won’t be able to tell that it came from a thrift store and not a retail store.
For You: 11 Best Thanksgiving Items To Buy at Dollar Tree Before They Sell Out
Visit the Book Section
For those who enjoy gifting books, thrift stores are full of brand-new books, including popular ones and books that have recently been released. Thrift stores also have gift sets of book series. Many people receive books as gifts but never read them. Once they donate books, shoppers can purchase them for well below retail value.
Check Out the Newly Rolled Out Carts
Thrift store employees regularly roll out carts from the back and use them to hold items as they place new clothes, electronics and more on the shelves. Shoppers can usually look at the carts first and purchase any gems they find. Doing this helps customers to be among the first to check out new items that they can use as holiday gifts.
Always Look at Endcaps and Displays
Many thrift store employees decorate the endcaps with higher-quality items. Additionally, items that stores consider valuable are sometimes held behind the register or in a glass cabinet. Shoppers who want to save money on top brands, like Nike shoes or Columbia jackets, can usually find these items tucked away behind the registers.
Visit First Thing in the Morning
Thrift stores can get busy, even on weekdays. To get the best chance of scoring deals, visit the store right when it opens. That way, shoppers can be among the first to flip through the racks, see new carts get rolled out, and ask employees if they’ve seen specific items before the store gets too busy.
More From GOBankingRates
- 6 Costco Items for Responsible Retirees To Buy Before Hosting Thanksgiving
- I Retired a Millionaire: The Best $20,000 I Ever Spent Preparing for Retirement
- How Middle-Class Earners Are Quietly Becoming Millionaires -- and How You Can, Too
- 5 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Thrift Store Hacks That Are Genius Black Friday Alternatives
