Second-hand Shopping is all the Craze!

There used to be a time when a person was looked down upon as either cheap, neglectful of priorities, or just down right poor.  However, now, thrift is the way to go. In recent years, awareness of waste and environmental issues has been raised.  Everyone wants to be ecofriendly and "green." Others that are more financially alert understand the rate of depreciation for most new items and are more apt to purchase used items than new.

Purchasing "used" is not really a big deal in terms of big ticket items such as homes and vehicles.  It may not even have a lot of hoopla surrounding it when specialty items are sought; but for everyday items such as housewares and clothing, purchasing used is not as commonplace as buying new, although it is gaining popularity.

Hardly a weekend can go by without a person seeing at least two signs for yard/garage sales.  Thrift stores are springing up in various locations, making sure nearby residents have the opportunity to patronize them before heading out to find other bargains.

The popularity of television shows that helped people transform their homes by decluttering, selling usable items, and donating the remainders has awakened many people whose homes are filled with items that are not being used to the fact that they are actually living with additional income potential.  The money made from the selling of their unused items often financed household renovations.

Whether a person has a particular goal in mind when setting up a yard/garage sale, thrift store, or flea market, the fact remains that bargain hunters are never far away and rarely is it a concern if the item is not brand new, as long as it's usable. So, stop getting upset when you see a person that owes you money wearing a shirt that cost more than your entire outfit when the shirt was brand new. They've just caught on to thrifty spending. Why raid a rich person's closet when you can have their clothes for a fraction of the cost the next year?