17 Reasons You Should Shop Second-Hand At Charity Shops

Do you like the thrill of the hunt? Finding unique and vintage treasures for cheap? You can help the environment and contribute to your community while saving money on your home decor or clothing. There are many benefits of shopping second-hand charity shops and today we are going to explore all the reasons shopping resale is good for everyone.

Resale shopping has exploded since Covid-19, and there are no signs of slowing down. While major retailers are lowering prices to remain competitive, many higher-end retailers are experiencing a decline in sales. Resale shops are expected to reach $53 Billion in 2023 according to this article.

Due to this increase in ethical shopping for second-hand merchandise, several retail companies are jumping on the bandwagon.

LuluLemon has introduced a “Like New” program on an experimental basis. Also, IKEA is trying a “Buy Back & Resale Program”.

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Thrifting with the Gals – Shopping Second-Hand

Today’s, post in part of our monthly series, Thrifting with the Gals.

Each month, we share our thrifting and resale shopping adventures with you on our Instagram Stories.

On the third Thursday of each month, we share a blog post with tips on using your thrifted goods, places to shop and more. You can see last month’s Thrifting In Vintage Thrift Shops Wilmington, NC here.

This month our guest thrifting friend is Cindy from County Road 407. Cindy is also the host of a monthly Pinterest Challenge which I love to participate in.

In addition, our regular crew will be sharing their fun thrifting adventures from this past month.

• Kristin – White Arrows Home
• Ann – Dabbling and Decorating
• Robyn – Robyn’s French Nest

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What are the benefits to You When Shopping Second-Hand?

First, you save money on your clothing and home decor budget.

In most second-hand shops, the prices are a fraction of the original retail price.

This haul from a thrift store in Wilmington was less $40.00 and the brass sailboat was only $7.00. I recently saw the same boat for $179.00 here online.

In addition, the copper pitcher was only $8.00, and most I’ve seen begin around 60.00. This copper pitcher isn’t nearly as unique.

Second, if you are a vintage lover, you can find many vintage decor items at resale shops.

These 24 pieces of vintage SPODE dishes were only $12.50 at our local Christian United Outreach Center thrift store, compared to a set of 4 dessert plates for $59.00 on Etsy.

You can see more about thrift store shopping for tableware on my Utlimate Guide to Creative Tablescapes.

Third, if you love a unique and curated decor style, many one-of-a-kind items can be found at second-hand stores and vintage shops.

This unique basket was only $5.00 at a second-hand shop.

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What are the overall benefits of Shopping Second-Hand?

• Helps to reduce landfill waste
• Environmentally beneficial by reducing the need for new production
• Helps to Support Charities
• Ethical Shopping

Why Support Charity Second-Hand Shops?

Today I’m going to focus on the benefits of shopping non-profit charitable resale stores. I frequent many thrift stores, consignment, and vintage shops that I love, and more are popping up all the time.

However, today, I’m talking more about shopping for a cause.

Most charity non-profit second-hand shops use proceeds to benefit those in need. Here is a break-down of a few national Charity Resale Shops that you will find throughout the US and beyond.

The majority of this vignette are thrifted second hand items

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National Charity Resale Shopping

Habitat for Humanity Restore for Furniture, Home Goods, Building Materials, and Appliance Second Hand Shopping

This is one of my favorite second-hand shops due to the quality of merchandise, as well as their cause. I find their prices to be exceptionally low in most areas where I’ve shopped.

Each ReStore is independently owned, and sales help Habitat for Humanity Partner with local families to build, rehabilitate, and repair safe & affordable homes in your community and around the world.

You can read more about the history and on-going contributions to our communities attributed to this non-profit organization here.

Here are a few of my ReStore purchases.

For only $35.00 and a little chalk paint, this piece looks brand new. See more about the updating vintage furniture with Chalk Paint here.

I picked up these cute botanical dishes for just 50 Cents each, and they were perfect on this Galentine’s Brunch Table Setting

One of my favorite recent ReStore finds was this lamp for $1.00 which I transformed for pennies with this napkin decoupage technique.

And this cute FREE chandelier that I use in the DIY Greenhouse came from our local ReStore.

The Conclusion:

Habitat for Humanity is great for finding second-hand furniture, tableware, and lamps. They have great prices in my area, and their goal is to move the donated item instead of waiting for a buyer who will pay the higher prices. There isn’t much negative publicity surrounding this non-profit organization. They keep their paid staff to a minimum.

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Salvation Army Family Thrift Stores Disaster Relief, Homeless Shelters, Veteran Services

“95% of the time, all proceeds from Salvation Army Thrift Stores go to support local Salvation Army addiction rehabilitation programs, after-school programs, or food pantries”.

However, the organization as a whole serves 131 countries that help people in need without discrimination.

To learn more about your local Family Thrift Stores and their proceed allocations, visit here and search your city and state.

Our local store has many great second-hand items at very reasonable prices.

All of these vintage dishes were purchased at the Salvation Army Family Thrift Store for 25 to 50 cents each.

The Conclusion:

Great prices, but rarely find larger pieces here. My local store is always busy, and you have to be there at the right time to get the best merchandise.

No one can dispute their help to communities in need once disaster strikes. However, some do question where all the proceeds are used.

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Goodwill Non-Profit for Job Training and Placement Services

Did you know that all Goodwill Stores are locally controlled within regions? The money goes toward skill training, career counseling, and classes for disabled individuals who are challenged in the traditional job market.

Prices are also controlled within the regions, and I find a wide range of prices when shopping.

However, I have found some great deals, including some of these favorites.

The folding bench was from several years ago, but it’s still a favorite find for only $10.00.

In addition, this great $7.00 lamp. You can see the before here.

The one that almost got away is this great ironstone planter. I walked right past it and didn’t see it. Thankfully, I made another sweep of the store and grabbed this $5.00 treasure.

See the DIY Greenhouse Summer Tour here.

The Conclusion:

Prices are all over the place at my local Goodwill stores, and I rarely find furniture anymore.

Although I’ve found great deals, I feel great deals are harder to find.

Goodwill is a huge organization bringing in a lot of money. Therefore, it’s easy to find negative publicity surrounding the allocation of proceeds.

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Benefits of Local Non-Profit Charity Second-Hand Shopping

I’m going to share some local charity second-hand shops that I love. You probably have similar resale shops in your area. To locate them, you can easily google search for those in your city or county.

From my experience, the donations received in many of these local charities will be of better quality and you will find more vintage merchandise.

When someone donates, they like to see where their contributions are being used, and when the charity is local, that is much easier to do.

Christian United Outreach Center – Short-term Crisis Intervention for Citizens of Randolph Country in Need.

Their services include:

• Food Pantry
• Financial assistance
• Medical Assistance
• Home repairs
• Homeless Assistance

We have all read and seen articles about misappropriation of funds in national organizations, and whether true or not, the citizens of our county can see the money from their donated items being put to good use everyday.

One of my favorite shops because of the wonderful vintage merchandise you can find.

I shared the Spode dishes I found at the beginning of this post.

This sweet vintage tea set is the one I used for our Supper Clubs Vintage Tea Party last month.

This great wooden bowl and the milk glass vase are both CUOC finds. See the full table decorated with more thrifted finds here on table settings for Spring Ideas.

One of the best deals was these vintage copper pieces that found on one recent trip. All these pieces were less than $25.00 total.

In addition, these brass shell sconces and the lobster mold only cost $5.00 for both.

If you were to purchase the shell sconces at retail, it would be at least $50.00.

This selection of vintage milk glass, baskets, and cross-stitch art was all found at CUOC in one haul. The prices for all these wonderful pieces were hard to beat.

If you like using milk glass in your decor, check out these great articles.

• 15 Stunning Ways To Use Vintage Milk Glass In Your Home
• 10 Stunning Milk Glass Centerpiece Ideas for Spring and Summer
• 10 Amazing Milk Glass Decorating Ideas For Christmas
• Easy Hobnail Christmas Ornaments with Dollar Tree Supplies

Conclusion:

These are great causes to contribute to. You’ll find excellent quality merchandise at reasonable prices. The longer items remain in the shop, the better the discount level.

More local non-profits

• Legacy Salvage in Wilmington, NC – Benefits Wilmington’s Historical Preservation
• Dogwill-Catwill Store, Asheboro, NC – Major source of funding for SCPA of Randolph County.
• Live to Give Ministries Thrift Store, Asheboro, NC – Founded to Help Others through Christian Scholarships.

In addition, I know there are so many other non-profits that you can contribute to when you shop second-hand in your area. Please be encouraged to seek them out in your area.

I hope this gives you some insight into the importance and the benefits of second-hand shopping.

Be sure to check out the other Thrifting posts today. Next up is our guest blogger this month Cindy from County Road 407, with her Fun Ideas for Summer Decor Using Vintage Finds.

Be sure to Click each link below for more Thrifting and Vintage Ideas.

Cindy – Fun Summer Decor using Vintage Finds / Ann – Vintage Vibe Aesthetics to Treasure

Robyn – 5 Ways to Decorate with Thrifted Baskets / Kristin – Shopping at Junk Bonanza Vintage Market

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I look forward to sharing my next adventure with you.