Secondhand Shopping 101: 4 Items That Have Saved Me Over $800 Total
A few years ago, right around the time I became low-level obsessed with learning about the human andenvironmental cost of fast fashion, I decided to do a personal experiment to see how long I could make it only buying clothing and accessories secondhand. I figured in addition to pumping the brakes on my own personal complicity in the issue of fast fashion, it would also probably help my budget. After about a year of this self-imposed challenge, though, I noticed that rather than using the money I saved from buying better-made (thus pricier) new pieces from ethical slow fashion brands, which was my initial intention, I only wanted to focus on how to shop second hand. I couldn’t bring myself to pay more than about $5 for a shirt or $20 for a pair of pants.
It turns out that, as a hidden bonus of mysecondhand shopping experiment, I had essentially reset in my brain the amount I was willing to pay for these items because I knew I could get them for far cheaper if I just shopped secondhand first. While I’m all about brands like Everlane and Made Trade, which aim to sell products that are sustainable, ethical, and transparent, the fact of the matter is that the world is drowning in secondhand clothing.一项基于英国的研究found that the number of times we wear an item before getting rid of it has dropped 36% in the last 15 years, and estimates that in the United States that number is even lower. After their short stints in our closets, 75% of the clothing we get toss ends up incinerated or in a landfill somewhere.
在一定程度上要感谢这种巨大的不必要的衣服，我了解到我几乎可以找到我想要的任何东西，而且经常以巨大的折扣。To wit, here are four examples where shopping secondhand has saved me hundreds:
How to shop second hand and save hundreds:
1.宝藏和债券牛仔裤
- Retailed for $80
- 以7美元的价格购买了二手车
- 以20美元的价格买了另一对二手
- Savings of $133
On a very successful Goodwill trip a few years ago, I found the best pair of jeans. They fit me like a glove, are super comfortable, and cost a whopping $7. Some googling informed me that they retailed for around $80 at Nordstrom, which is far beyond what I want to spend on denim, especially considering I only wear jeans on the weekend. I love this particular fit, though, so I hunted around on Poshmark to find another pair in the same size but a different wash, and snatched those up for $20.
2. Banana Republic Black Leather Flats
- Retailed for $98
- Bought secondhand new with tags for $25
- 节省$ 73
I’ve worn various iterations of black Banana Republic leather flats as my go-to office shoes for years, and when it was time to replace a much-beloved pair that was almost worn through at the heel, I again took to Poshmark to see what was on offer. I already know my exact size in the brand and found a pair of super cute 100% leather laser cut flats for $25. They were new with tags, so I splurged and shelled out $25. Two years later I still wear them weekly and am so glad I didn’t pay anywhere near full price for these work staples.
3. Longchamp Le Pliage Crossbody Bag
- 零售价215美元
- Bought secondhand “like new” condition for $115
- 节省$ 100
I love a good crossbody bag, and I had been eyeing Longchamp for a while because of the appeal of a washable, lightweight bag, especially for commuting and travel. However, I didn’t want to buy a brand new one or pay anywhere near full price. I figured there would be a big secondhand selection because I see these bags on women’s arms everywhere. I knew the exact one I wanted, in the exact color, so I did a Boolean google search until I found what I wanted listed on eBay. I was able to get the perfect purse for 50% off the full retail price, and in “like new” condition.
4. North Face Expedition Parka
- Retailed for $800
- Bought secondhand for $300
- Savings of $500
几个月前，我搬到了波士顿，不断变化的叶子提醒我，我凝视着我第一个东北冬天。我需要长时间更换当前的羽绒服，但是最近我们将搜索速度高高的速度。我想要一个防水的派克大衣，至少有700个填充电源。底部的填充功率越高，夹克越温暖。当然，这也意味着夹克越昂贵。我会读到关于北面探险大衣的好评论，该评论具有800个填充电源，防水壳以及我想要的所有其他功能。我不想在夹克上拨款800-1,000美元，所以我搜索了Thredup，eBay和Poshmark等网站几周，直到我发现夹克的尺寸为400美元。我以300美元的价格取得了反击，认为我们可以开始谈判，卖方接受并在那天给我的邮件中寄给我。说我对第一次大雪几乎很兴奋，以便我可以测试它，这很奇怪吗？我敢肯定，当四月仍在下雪时，我会唱不同的曲调。
In total, I’ve saved $806 on these four items独自的.
不要误会我的意思 - 学习如何购物二手是很棒的。但是，如果购买服装和配件二手不是您的果酱，我认为道德和透明的品牌是一个不错的选择。即使您不购买二手物品，也要考虑出售壁橱中不穿或使用的东西，然后将它们送回流通而不是垃圾填埋场。我们所有人都会感谢您。我喜欢找到完美的钱包，夹克或牛仔裤二手的快感，这是他们花费的一小部分。在我的预算上很容易，并且在地球上很容易。
A grant writer by day and personal finance fanatic by night, Marisa is an avid traveler who now lives in Boston. When she’s not reading or writing for work or play, she enjoys running, thrifting, and searching for the most authentic Mexican food in the city.
Image viaUnsplash
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