In 2024, the secondhand market was valued at $50 billion, increasing from $28 million in 2019. Thrifting and secondhand shopping continue to boom, so on this episode, hosts Cristina and Addison learn tips and tricks for when you are hunting for your next purchase with guest Alexis Stuart, Photographer & Creative Entrepreneur at LexTakePix.
6:14
Cristina asks Question 1: So looking at this from a budgeting lens, how can someone realistically save while shopping like vintage and secondhand?
Alexis: Absolutely. Okay, that is such a great question. So my husband and I, we got married five years ago, and we actually thrifted a lot of our wedding decor. And then eventually when we started furnishing our home, we started drifting for that or just, you know, we got someone gave us a TV unit. We kept that for a while, and then we ended up finding one we liked better at a thrift store, spent $100, and then sold the other one on marketplace for $150. So we ended up making money on the whole situation. So I always encourage people like when you're furnishing your home, kind of just start, you know, with things that you are lower cost until you find the thing that you absolutely want. And it's at that time it's worth a splurge. And so using like marketplace to flip items can help you earn some of that money back. We found a West Elm couch that was $1,200 on Craigslist, and we bought it for 70 bucks.
And it's those little things. Just kind of knowing where to look. Checking marketplace, Craigslist, having the items like, okay, these are the things we want. There was a rug I purchased for my bridal shower that is ending up being the centerpiece in our house, and it's a ten by twelve foot rug. I got it for $30, but it was originally $2,000, so we just rented a vacuum from, you know, the wet vac cleaned it up, and it's good as new.
7:48
Addison Asks Question 2: So I know we talked about it a little bit in the intro, but I would love to go a little deeper into what are some of the biggest changes that you've seen in the thrifting scene since, you know, it started to now where we're at now?
Alexis: Yeah, well, a lot has changed, including the stigma around thrifting in general. I will say that it used to be something that like was kind of taboo, people would only thrift if they had to financially. But now it's something that like kids, teenagers, young adults, even older adults, they want to do it because it is a little bit what you said in the intro, the thrill of the hunt. And so a lot has changed over the past few years. I've noticed that thrift stores have a lot more curated racks, which I find really helpful. Like around Halloween time, they'll have racks of Halloween costumes or even items they'll pair together that will look like a costume. I'll see end caps with like certain colors that are really helpful. It's like, oh, if you want to decorate your house blue, there's all the blue items here. Or even just like if you're more coastal, they'll put all the coastal things together. So I've seen that a lot more popular in thrift stores, which I find helpful. There's local thrift stores that will post when they get new items. And that's how I know. Okay, I need to go check out this one. They just got a bunch of Disney donations or just all of these new online shops that have opened up. There's ThredUp, which is a great source for cleaning out your closet. You can literally package up your items, they'll give you a shipping label and a credit, and then you can turn that around and go shop online. And then you get to like, shop through different searches like you're like, okay, let me upload a picture of something. I don't think ThredUp has that feature, but Poshmark does. You upload a picture of something you want and other items that you can get for just a fraction of the cost.
9:43
Cristina asks Question 3: That's really cool. Okay, so you mentioned how thrifting can fit into a budget. You kind of already mentioned this with your own home, so how can you properly set a budget and really but still find those high-quality items like are there any tips that you have for that?
Alexis: Yeah, that's a great question. So one thing I do is me and my friends, we know what each other is looking for. There is a peacock chair that I really wanted and they go for $400 or $500. And a friend of mine saw one at a local garage sale and texted me right away. And I was like, yes, I've been looking for this. And you know, when I'm out, you know, thrifting or at a store and I see a really good deal of something that I know my friend is looking for, I'll send them a picture and be like, hey, look, this is incredible. So that's definitely one way my husband and I have kind of a silly rule that's just more or less like, you can't just buy one item, and that kind of sounds like it maybe would like make us spend more. But most of the time, if we are out shopping and we only see one small mug or a t shirt, we're like, well, is it really worth swiping my card over this? And so just asking yourself that, like when you're looking for things, you know, having that wish list in mind, it's kind of like grocery shopping. When you go to the grocery store, you should have a list of what you need, what's missing in the pantry. And if you don't have that list and you show up hungry, you wind up buying so many more things that you don't need. Yeah, so it's kind of the same way with thrifting. You have that list in mind and then you show up not hungry for anything, just hungry for the things that you need. And you ask yourself, do I need this? Do I want this? Would I want this if it wasn't trendy right now? Is it something that will last the test of time? And most of the time when you are shopping like second-hand, you are getting those brands that last the test of time.
You know, fast fashion now is not for sustainability. You guys mentioned that it's it's like wear it once and then, you know, it gets a hole and you want to toss it. But at the thrift store you can truly find those items that will last much longer. So I think that's like a really helpful tool. And then two other things. One, I use Google Lens a lot. It's an app, the Google app, and you open it up, you take a picture of something you see and then it will tell you like what it's selling for online, the reviews of that item. So if I do see something and it's a brand I've never seen before, I can take a picture and be like, oh, okay, this is worth the price. This is quality. And then the other thing is simply the built in measuring tool on your phone. You can actually take a picture of something and scan it, and it will tell you like how big it is. And so I use that a lot when we're like trying to find a rug. Will it fit our space like I have in my phone a note of like, okay, I want a rug for this room and this is the size I need, or I want a mirror for our bathroom and this is the size I need. So when I'm in the thrift store, I pull out my phone, take that picture, scan it, and I'm like, okay, this isn't the size, then it's not worth it.
Addison Follows Up: That makes sense because if you're out thrifting looking for a couch and you already have the measurements you need, you know, right away.
Alexis: So I'll also say to like keep in mind a lot of thrift stores have deals on top of deals. So like there are some thrift stores that are a little bit more expensive. I will say City thrift is one that I find to be more expensive, but just the other day they had a memorial day sale and it was 50% off everything. So that's the one thing to keep in mind. The same thing with like Goodwill. They'll do color of the week sales. And so if an item is tagged with that color it goes on rotation. And then it would be on sale. And a few weeks ago I wanted a backpack for an upcoming trip. And I was like, well, it's only $10, which isn't that expensive. I've wanted this anyways, but if it's still here when it's the color of the week, then it's meant to be. That's right. And so a few weeks later, I showed up and it was still there and it was 50% off. And I said, okay, nice.
13:35
Cristina Asks Question 4: That's awesome. I feel like that's also like you could make some impulse buys when you're thrifting because you never know. Like it's one of a kind. It's not like there's like ten on the rack or maybe some in the back like that is the only one. So how do you like I think that's a great tip for for like, how do you stop yourself from impulse buying?
Alexis: That is a struggle too. There's sometimes people have buyer's remorse and sometimes the opposite - like not buying it and then going home and being like, oh my goodness, thinking about that item. And if I'm still thinking about it a couple days, a week later, I will go back. And if it's there, I'm like, okay, it's meant to be, but in the moment it's it's can you picture this clothing item on you? Or can you picture this piece of furniture in your space, or do you have to make space for it? And if you have to make space for it, then you probably have too much stuff. So we like to do closet clean-outs and all of that. And I think is great for repurposing selling items. I think we're going to talk about that in a bit. But yeah. So those are a few of the tips on just like okay, budget, know what you want. Have that list in mind. Don't go shopping hungry metaphorically.
15:19
Addison Asks Question 5: So speaking of how you were talking about the Google Lens and how you can take a picture and see what the price of what it's going for. That leads me to the resellers, you know, because that's another big market. And so if you're seeing something that's, say, at Goodwill, that's a $20 shirt or even a $10 shirt, and then you look and see it's going for say, you know, a couple hundred. It's like, well, I could wear this, or I could, you know, turn that profit. So how do you get into that?
Alexis: Yeah, reselling is super cool. I say start with what you have in your closet. First, don't go out and try and, like, buy an item and then flip it. Unless it's like a really good deal that you just can't. But, like, just what's the harm in going to do a closet clean out anyway. So let me list a few of these items online and see how they sell. And so Poshmark is a great app for that. They have so many AI features now. So you just take a picture of your item and then it will auto-generate a description. You take a picture of the tag and it kind of, you know, you can fine tune it and tweak it and edit it and all of that, but it's kind of like a passive thing, you know, you you take your pictures, you post it, and if it sells, you get a notification. I made $65 in profit last week, selling two items that were sitting in my closet collecting dust. So it's $65 more dollars in my pocket, and I kind of just let the money collect in Poshmark. And if there's something that I really want and want to splurge on. I might buy it in Poshmark using my credit, and it feels free because I'm not spending new money, I'm just spending the money that's there. And so there's other apps too. There's Mercari, there is Depop. Depop is really cool because that one is a little bit more about aesthetics and stuff, and so you can even purchase mystery bundles on there. I don't recommend that too much, because you're getting a lot of things that you may or may not like. But it is cool for the resellers who have are known for certain aesthetics, you know? But I say start with what's in your closet and then start with what you know. So if you're a sneaker head, then go ahead and you already know that market. You know what you like. You know what other sneaker buyers like. So then start there. If you're into books, start with books and kind of expand from there.
Cristina Follows Up: That's great. Okay, so what are you into? What are you looking for when you're going out, Addison?
Addison: Ooh, I think right now what I've been going for recently has been books actually. Because I'm like I said, my closet's too full. So I'm like, I gotta go to a different part of the store now I need to focus there. So I think books is what I've been looking into. And I'm actually surprised you had said that because I'm like, I didn't think the market would be like that for books, but I actually saw a lot of good books out there. I was like, wow, like these. And it's not like, you know, broken down, but like, these are good hardback.
Alexis: Yeah. And you can always tell when someone just cleaned out their book collection because there will be 20 books of the same one. And I will gladly take them for 99 cents! But there's other ways to, you know, even your local community, wherever you're at, like here in Orlando, I went to a book swap the other day. Everyone brought a book. Everyone got a book, and it was no cost to anyone. It was just like, okay, I'm done with this one. There's Avalon Exchange here in Orlando, but all over there's Plato's Closets and they're kind of consignment, but they give you that cash on the spot.
Cristina Asks Question 6: Oh, gosh, I didn't even think about that. Okay. So let's round out this section with some great advice. So what are your other tips that you would like to share about your experiences with thrifting and the impact that you think it's having right now?
Alexis: Yeah, that is a great question. A couple thrifting tips in general I would say thrift off season. So a lot of times jackets and winter wear, you'll find great ones in the summer way cheaper because people are just like, well, I don't want to wear this right now. They'll donate it. And then the thrift stores aren't upselling them as much because they're like, well, we just want to get rid of this. But in the winter time, it's much more scarce. Everybody's looking for jackets...not here in Florida, but everywhere else. So that's one for sure. Thrift off season. So another tip I have is thrifting in January. I love this one because new year, new goal. A lot of people are cleaning out their closets. They just got a bunch of gifts from Christmas, which means out with the old, in with the new. Or they may have got something they didn't like. And so I have actually thrifted some really great items right around the new year. Some of my favorite stuff brand new. I got just like a $200 perfume wrapped up from Paris for like $30 recently.
Cristina Asks Question 7: All right, I'm gonna go first. So the first question is, what is your favorite thrift store find?
Alexis: Find my favorite thrift store find ever? Oh, I've had some good ones. I got a really cool neon sign that says "you're like, really pretty," which is a quote from Mean Girls. And it was $6. And that was one I got in January. So someone probably was getting rid of it. But it's like, you know pretty big and it makes a statement on my wall.
Addison Asks Question 8: And so when thrifting, do you go with the list or you just go with the flow?
Alexis: I definitely more recently have gone with a list. And if I don't see something like I go in, I'm like, okay, this is exactly what I'm looking for. And if I don't see it, I leave within ten minutes. Because if I stay and linger longer, I will see something else that I do not need.
Cristina Asks Question 9: All right. Is there some kind of item that you will never buy new?
Alexis: I don’t know. Yeah, I mean, most of the time I do buy my clothes used. But I can't say I would never buy them new. I love a good deal and if I can find it cheaper, I will for sure.
Addison Asks Question 10: So what is your tip for someone who's trying to get into thrifting?
Alexis: If you're trying to get into thrifting, go with an open mind. Go with a friend or put a podcast in your ear. Search through the racks. It's truly fun. And then when I say go with an open mind, I mean, like, it's okay to have that list and that vision board, but also be open to dupes or the same item with a different brand. I always think about this scene from Lizzie McGuire back in the day.
She wanted the coolest pair of hip huggers, these jeans. And they were really expensive at the mall. And her mom was like, no, I found some at this thrift store. So she bought her those for picture day. But Lizzie, you know, secretly went and bought the more expensive ones, switched into them at school, wore them but spilt something all over them. So she had to switch back into the thrifted hip huggers. And when she did, she got so many compliments on it that she went home and ended up thanking her mom. And I say all that to say that you don't always have to have the name brand. You don't have to have the most expensive item, because oftentimes the ones you find at the thrift store are going to be more unique, more sustainable.
Alexis: You guys can follow me on Instagram. It's @AlexisJaneStuart or my photography account is LexTakesPix.com. But I love to post thrifting content and a lot of photography and stuff too. But mostly just having fun finding cool finds. And a lot of times I'll post stuff that I don't even buy. I just like to share it on my story and be like, look at this item! That's so cool that I found today.
The hosts share a resource from Addition Financial’s blog, “How Consumer Debt Rising Impacts Household Finances.”