1. Do your research
If you've never been, do a little online research to find out where the better thrift stores in your area are. Not all are created equal and for a first trip, the last thing you want to do is go to some super dirty, dusty, place in the middle of no where, that doesn't have good stock anyway. Look for reviews where they state the store was clean, organized, and people have found a lot of good things for good prices.
2. Bring wet wipes/hand sanitizer
It cannot be avoided that you will be pawing through tons of old clothing or other items. Have no shame in wiping down your hands afterwards.
3. Best time to shop...during the week
If you can, go on a non-weekend day. The weekends are often really packed with people and it can make it difficult or even overwhelming to really get in there and look and find some treasures. Also make note of whatever day some stores put out their best merch, usually a Wednesday or a Friday in preparation for the weekend.
4. Sign up for sales/alerts
Yes, thrift stores do in fact have sales. Often they have reduced pricing on certain items, or some stores offer 50% off the entire store days, or online alerts to when sales are happening.
5. Bring a friend
Two heads are better than one when it comes to finding that one prized item.
6. Wear simple clothing
You may need to try something on to see if it really fits well, and you don't want to go wearing a jacket with 9,000 buttons or a big bulky skirt. Some thrift stores do have dressing rooms, but for the ones that don't, you want to be able to quickly try on that shirt or slip a skirt over your leggings to check the fit.
7. Always put it in your cart
The best way to shop is to grab a cart and fill her up. If you think you like it, put it in the basket. There is literally usually only ever one of what you like, so if you're indecisive and you come back 20 minutes later, it could be gone forever. At the end of your shopping thrift, go through each item and really decide what you want and put the rest back.
8. REALLY check for quality
You need to go through each item with a fine tooth comb. You need to check for damage, stains, rips, holes, discoloration, quality issues, check to see if it has all it's parts, check the battery decks for corrosion...you name it. EVEN if it's beautiful and you love it, if you cannot repair it or it's ruined, you will be wasting your money if you buy it.
9. Buy what you love, leave the rest
Just because that purse is $6 and it's red, your favorite color, if you don't love the style, don't just buy it to buy it. That's no better than buying something and a year later it's still in your closet with the tags on it. Buy what you love first and foremost and you'll never end up with a closet full of useless junk.
10. Don't give up on an item just yet
If something is too big, it has minor scratches on it, or it isn't the color you want, don't just pass it up. It's already a bargain, and putting a little tailoring, refinishing, or a new fresh coat of paint on it, can turn some junk into a real treasure for you.
11. Bring cash
It's rare these days, but some stores don't take card or they have a minimum you must buy on a card, usually $5, which normally would be fine, except if you only want that vase that's $4.50.
12. Know a great deal when you see one
People who toss their items don't necessarily know or care about their real value, they just want to get rid of the items. In doing so, some people toss some really expensive or easily re-sellable items that can become cash in your pocket. Know a thing or two about brands, designers, and artisans who can help turn that 1.99 watch into hundreds of dollars for you. If you don't know about the item, google it on your phone to find out how much it's worth.
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