Adulting 101: The Art of Thrifting
Bulldog for sale. NOT Grandmother!
With the world going on its second year of a global pandemic, it is rare to find anyone who has not been affected by COVID-19 in some way, shape, or form. Businesses were closing at an alarming rate, and people were being laid off in droves—all while facing a global emergency that brought with it unexpected costs in housing, insurance, and medical care. To counter these financial burdens, many individuals (especially families) found it necessary to cut down on their household and everyday expenses. An excellent way to accomplish this is through transitioning to thrifting!
The most common way to shop at a discount is through an art form best practiced in the 90s—spending a Saturday hitting up garage and estate sales! Without a doubt, the best place to find a bargain is at your local garage sale. People wanting simply to clean out the clutter (your neighbors that are finally cleaning out the garage) are often willing to sell things at rock bottom prices to get rid of them. These sales are typically advertised in local areas: Facebook Marketplace and neighborhood groups, Craigslist, Thrifty Nickel, your local newspaper, and the classic poster on a telephone pole. The trick to getting good deals at these sales? Getting up early, so you are the first person there and not being afraid to negotiate.
While estate sales are another avenue to explore, similar to garage sales, you have to keep in mind the enhanced prices of these sales. Most often, estate sales are run by a third party, hired by the family, who will get a negotiated percentage of everything sold during the sale. This percentage can range from as low as 10% to a percentage as high as 50%. To make the most of their profit margins, the people running the sale typically hike up the price of each item so that you end up paying a significantly higher price than (used) market value. However, estate sales most often take place over a 3-day-period; prices are lowered after the first day and are often down to 50% off by the last day. Though you may have to wait a few days for the best bargain, unlike garage sales, estate sales often feature antiques or other valuable collectibles such as vintage jewelry, pottery, or crystal.
Items for sale at Junk G!
By and large, the resource that provides the most variety for those shopping on a budget is thrift stores! Parents with growing children can outfit their entire family at a reasonable cost. Individuals that are just starting out can furnish a new apartment on a shoestring budget. Seniors who live on a very fixed income often find thrift stores a way of saving money on household goods, clothes, housewares, or even books. In the past ten years, thrift stores have experienced a renewed popularity due to the explosion of DIY shows on television (thank you, HGTV). People visit stores to find hidden treasures that they can restore to their former beauty (or, at least, functionality), and it is a great hobby to exercise creativity and—sometimes—to earn a little bit of extra pocket money. Regardless, of your age (if you are 8, 18, or 80) thrift stores are a great way to find the necessities (or simply a cute find!) on a budget.
Thrift stores are an abundant commodity in the Shreveport-Bossier area. Some are more akin to traditional department stores (with similar pricing), some carry more clothing items, and some carry a little bit of everything. In our area, Goodwill Industries operates three different facilities. All Goodwill merchandise is donated free of charge. The donations are sorted by employees (and volunteers) and placed out on the floor for sale at a reduced rate; their stores carry an assortment of clothing, furniture, housewares, books, and knickknacks. Some Goodwill facilities are more functional than others, with items oftentimes haphazardly arranged. This can make shopping a bit harder but by no means impossible. You may just spend a bit more time searching for the correct clothing size.
Some of the best thrift shops in the area are those run by charitable organizations and churches. The people and organizations running these shops do not make huge profits or pay their employees exorbitant salaries—they are doing what they do to help the local community. The Salvation Army is one of the most popular examples in Shreveport; their storefront located on East Stoner Avenue brings in sales that fund their community outreach programs that help families with food, clothing, and housing.
One of the best thrift stores in the city is the Summer Grove thrift store, located off of Jewella Avenue in the old South Park Mall. It is owned and operated by the Summer Grove Baptist Church; the store itself is huge and filled with everything you could imagine, and the staff is all volunteers who belong to the church. What sets Summer Grove apart from other shops is its organization and cleanliness. Every nook and cranny is arranged to perfection; shoppers will see clothes, jewelry, furniture, housewares, art, books, games, albums, baby items, and electronics that are all sorted and arranged for easy access. Everything for sale has been tested, cleaned, and determined to be in excellent condition before being sold. Summer Grove operates on donated items from the community. Their shop is open for drop-off Monday through Wednesday and for shopping on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month; like the Salvation Army, all profits go to their community outreach programs that help families with food, clothing, and utility bills.
As mentioned before, thrifting (and thrift stores!) have experienced an influx of people due to the recent popularity of DIY television shows. People who have taken up the hobby of refurbishing furniture as a way of exercising their creativity (or as a form of supplemental income) have been able to fill their homes with their one-of-a-kind designs. Some go the route of reselling their creations at flea markets around the United States. In our area, you can find flea markets in Greenwood, Louisiana, and Waskom, Texas, filled with entrepreneurs who have gone to the trouble of seeking out hidden treasures at garage or estate sales, storage locker sales, or perusing the aisles of thrift shops.
Whether you thrift out of necessity or just for the pure joy of unearthing a hidden treasure, thrift shops, flea markets, garage, and estate sales are a great way to spend a Saturday while supporting the local community and scoring some great buys!
A few locations to check out the next time you have a free Saturday! Follow the links below to learn more about mission statements and hours of operation:
Goodwill Industries: 1291 Shreveport Barksdale Highway, Shreveport, LA 71105. (318) 861-1003.
Christ Fit: 1040 Chinaberry Drive, Bossier City, LA 71111. (318) 423-9495.
Summer Grove: 8924 Jewella Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71118. (318) 686-1470.
Salvation Army: 147 E. Stoner Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71101. (318) 226-1110.
Junk Gypzees: 130 W. Front Street, Shreveport, LA 71107. (318) 286-1335.
Fab Finds: 109 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71104. (318) 606-4986.
Rolling Hills Ministries: 517 Benton Road, Bossier City, LA 71111. (318) 562-3880.
Howe’s Thrift: 140 W. Louisiana Avenue, Vivian, LA 71082. (318) 375-2522.
Greenwood Flea Market: 9249 Jefferson Paige Road, Greenwood, LA 71033. (318) 938-7201.
Waskom Flea Market: 200 N. Lake Street, Waskom, TX 75692. (318) 294-5163.