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50 Times People Hit Jackpot While Thrifting And Just Had To Brag About It Online (New Pics)
It’s said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. And it only takes a visit to a secondhand store to see just how true this really is. I remember once going to a book tent at a carnival and picking up loads of great reads. It was only when I got home and started paging through them that I realized one of the books (a collection of Madiba quotes) had been autographed by none other than the man himself, South Africa's late president Nelson Mandela. It cost me the equivalent of 11 cents. Yes, Really.
Thrifting is literally a cheap thrill. It can even get a bit addictive rummaging through someone else’s “junk” to hit the jackpot. But it isn’t just good for your pocket, it helps save the planet, too, by reducing waste and cutting back on your carbon footprint.
There's a hugely popular online community called Thrift Store Hauls. It has an incredible 4 million members. They love garage sales, flea markets, pawn shops, thrift stores, and more. They've been sharing their best secondhand finds, and we must admit, we’re just a little jealous. Bored Panda has put together an inspiring list of the top times people won gold in the thrifting Olympics. From a $6 red velvet kitty couch to a $10 SMEG toaster, some of these treasures might make you want to drop what you're doing and run to the nearest secondhand store.
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#2
Story Time - Few Years I Lost My Grandma, I Couldn’t Take Her Furniture Because I Didn’t Have Room. I Now Have A House, And For The 1st Time Looked Up If This Table Would Be Listed Anywhere (Knowing It Wouldn’t Be). Marketplace For $20. I Got Her Table 3 Years Later 🥹
#3
Goodwill Strikes Again
Couldn’t believe my eyes! They’re in great condition, looks like never used. Thrilled every time we use them.
Thrifting has become wildly popular in recent years, especially among the younger generations. People are buying more consciously, and secondhand stores are the place to be when it comes to sustainable fashion.
There might have been a stigma attached to buying second-hand clothes a few decades ago. It was seen as "less-than." But nowadays, thrifters are considered cool, socially conscious, and fashion-forward. For some, it’s more than just shopping… It’s a lifestyle.
#4
I Found The Striped One Three Years Ago. Today I Found Him A Friend :’)
Sarah McManus 4 weeks ago
I have a few of these, some duplicates. I collected most of them from holidays in Greece.
#5
My Turtle Lamp
#6
Bought A Used Couch On Saturday. Just Found This Stashed Inside. I Think I'm In Shock Right Now
Thrifting goes hand-in-hand with sustainable living, say the environmentalists at the University of Colorado Boulder. And there are several reasons why buying secondhand goods is good for the planet.
“Most clothes are made from synthetic materials, which take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills,” reads the university’s site. “When you thrift, you help extend the life of clothes, which can reduce the volume of clothing sent to landfills each year.”
According to the activist group Greenpeace, 1.92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced every year. And a staggering 92 million tonnes of discarded garments find their way into dumps around the world—out of the 100 billion produced annually.
#7
Just Brought Home The Prettiest Lamp I’ve Ever Seen!
#8
Found This Adorable Lil Cow Ottoman For $12 At Goodwill Today. He'll Be In Good Company With The Other Cute/Weird Animal Things In My Living Room 🥰
JK 4 weeks ago
We have estate sales here and it is amazing what you can get from them. Found a chair with a cow hide seat and hand carved hooves. Nice chair, but uncomfortable. Still had its tag under the chair. Turns out it was made by a high end designer in Los Angeles in the 1960s. I'm using it as a tv stand. Also got some cute little rock sculptures made by kindergartners for $1.50. Figured they were made for grandpa and they should be carried on.
#9
I… I Think I Just Won
The clothing industry—especially fast fashion—and its consumers also contribute to wasted resources. Making clothes takes a whole lot of water. Like, a lot of water. According to the University of Colorado, one pair of jeans is estimated to consume about 1,800 gallons of water during the manufacturing process and the cotton growth stage. Greenpeace adds that 2 billion pairs of jeans are produced every year.
Meanwhile, that t-shirt you're wearing probably took around 700 gallons of water to produce. To put it into perspective, that's the amount of water an average person drinks over the course of 900 days.
#10
My Husband Brought Home A Bag Full Of Brass Animals From An Estate Sale
#11
My Daughter Paid $13 For This Sweatshirt Two Months Ago. Tonight My Wife Discovered It’s Worth Hundreds
#12
Thrifted This Less Than Three Hours Ago!
Studies have shown that many people don't keep the same clothes in the cupboard for more than a year. And one study found that a lot of garments are chucked out after no more than 10 wearings.
“Thrifting keeps clothing in use for longer, which can help limit wasted resources through decreased demand for new products,” say the university's experts. The Geneva Environment Network adds that the fashion industry is the second-biggest consumer of water and is responsible for 2-8% of global carbon emissions.
#13
Got This Sectional For $100 At The Thrift Store, Had It Professionally Steam Cleaned
#14
70s Vintage Suede Coat Found At A Garage Sale
#15
Found The Perfect Item To Complete My Gallery Wall
'Waste not, want not' is a good rule to live by. "In today’s society of consumerism, people often buy things without realizing they don’t really need them, and with items that are cheap and accessible people tend to throw them away," notes Goodwill International.
"To help lessen the impact that this has on the environment, you can choose to donate things instead of tossing them and consider looking for an item secondhand next time you need something."
#16
Found My Old Favorite Sweater In My Current Size!
#17
Two Hundred Bucks For A Toaster? Crazy But For 10 Bucks I'm In
#18
Thrifted My Best Friend’s White Whale
Huddo's sister 4 weeks ago (edited)
That's even cooler than my book shaped handbag I got at an op shop for $10 in brand new condition!
#20
This, My Friends, Is Why I Drive 45 Minutes To The Rich People Goodwill
The thrift gods smiled upon me. I found a Dyson V8 Animal stick vacuum in a bin waiting to be unloaded at Goodwill…for 20 bucks. I feel like I’ve gotten away with a crime!
Got home and tested it, and it works great. There was some debris stuck in the vacuum head, mainly pine needles, which makes me think someone vacuumed up their Christmas tree debris, clogged up the head, and then assumed the vacuum was no longer working, so they took it to Goodwill and got a new one. Welp, my cat and I are endlessly grateful!
#22
Found This Unmarked 18k Gold Ruby Sapphire Pearl Pin For $6
#23
2 Years Ago I Posted Here About Finding My Holy Grail Lotus Floor Lamp For $100 Among The Craze…today I Present To You Her Younger (Shorter) Twin Sisters, For $100 Total
Nice Beast Ludo 4 weeks ago
I love the room style ("aesthetic" is the more proper word i suppose)
#24
The Thrift Gods Smiled Down At Me Today! A Dyson Blow Dryer For $7.99
#25
My Wife And I Just Bought This Broyhill Dining Set For $35 At Our Local Goodwill. We Looked It Up And It Retails For $4k 😭
Beth Wheeler 4 weeks ago
Broyhill is a very good brand. I can't believe you got it for $35, the people in that store had no idea of what they had.
#26
Facebook Marketplace Find- Stained Glass Cottage Lamp
#27
Can’t Believe I Almost Passed On This. 😳
#28
Thrifted Ornaments For My Sister And She Made This…
#29
Go Married Yesterday And Found This Le Cruset Dish Today At Savers For $20
#30
Scored This Awesome Mushroom Cardigan For $6.97!!! 🍄
#31
Opalin Glass Egg For 1$. Weird And At The Same Time So Pretty
#32
Anyone Who Said Money Can't Buy Happiness Has Never Found A Lifesized Danny Devito Cutout At Their Local Charity Shop
#33
I Couldn’t Leave The Thrift Without This Alabaster Phone That I Will Never Use, It’s Simply For The Vibes
kitten levels tokyo 4 weeks ago
Judging by the shape, it looks like one of Apple's earliest phones.
#34
Found A Piece Of My Childhood At The Goodwill Bins!
Nice Beast Ludo 4 weeks ago
Damn you are talented. I remember those things always seemed super cool but my designs never came out looking remotely like a person or clothes
#35
Someone Donated A Gorgeous Collection Of Dog Paintings To My Local Humane Society Thrift Store
#36
Baby, You Like This Nintendo Stuff Right? - My Wife (Thriftstore Haul!)
#37
Got This 70s Marmet Stroller In Perfect Condition For Free Today!
I’m so excited! These are hard to come by in my area, and I think it looks absolutely lovely. It was free off Facebook marketplace! My sister said they sell for quite a bit online, but I’m planning on keeping this bad boy in the family.
#38
Found This Unhinged Sweatshirt At Goodwill Today
#39
Told My Coworker Who Thrifts To Keep An Eye Out For Taylor Swifts 1st Album For My Fiancé. Dude Comes In With This Today: $1.99 Price Tag
Once I told him that was an $800 plus CD he kept it of course lol. Incredible luck on his end.
#40
White Whale Level Unlocked! Marimekko X Uniqlo Down Coat That I Longed For But Could Not Afford A Few Years Ago! $20 And I Needed A New Coat Too! 😍
#41
Had To Have This Chips And Dip Bowl For $3
#42
Always Check The Pockets Of Expensive Coats At The Thrift Store :)
Auntriarch 4 weeks ago
Our charity shop started checking pockets and handbag pockets, after finding out that people would come in and go through pockets and leave with the money and not buy anything
#43
Yeah I Bought It, Be Jealous. Look At That Cats Face!
LakotaWolf (she/her) 4 weeks ago
It looks like the painting is titled "Kitty Darling". XD The kitten does not agree with this sentiment.
#44
My Best Find Yet! Frog Fone 🐸
#45
Found This Fish Bag Today While Wearing A Fish Fleece I Thrifted A Few Years Ago
#46
Best Thrifting Catch Of My Life! 😍
I may or may not have cried actual tears upon purchasing. Paid $115 out the door while it’s commonly selling for almost $1k online right now, I cannot believe my luck. This piece will be treasured forever!!
#47
Picked Up This Mint Condition Beauty For $231
#48
Got Dis Rug At The Local Recycle Center For Fiiiive Whole Doll Hairs
Auntriarch 4 weeks ago
Took me far too long to translate doll hairs. Haven't had my second coffee yet though
#49
After Several Hours At The Goodwill Outlet Bins, Picked Up Only One Thing, But It Made The Time Spent Worth It!
Poll Question
What do you think is the best part about thrifting?
Finding unexpected treasures
Saving money
Helping the environment
The thrill of the hunt
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Gingersnap In Iowa 4 weeks ago
I got an Oliveve purse for $5.99 yesterday. I looked it up when I got home, sells for $437!
Mari 4 weeks ago
Last week I wanted to take a few items to the charity shop. My son said he could still wear that jeans. He found in the pocket almost 400euros!!! I didn't tell my husband, he would have killed me for taking his jeans to the charity shop without checking the pockets. I was lucky and i will always check the pockets!
EDM 4 weeks ago
Bored Panada: you legit can't read your site anymore with the top and bottom ads. So, as fun as it's been...I'm out.
Gingersnap In Iowa 4 weeks ago
I got an Oliveve purse for $5.99 yesterday. I looked it up when I got home, sells for $437!
Mari 4 weeks ago
Last week I wanted to take a few items to the charity shop. My son said he could still wear that jeans. He found in the pocket almost 400euros!!! I didn't tell my husband, he would have killed me for taking his jeans to the charity shop without checking the pockets. I was lucky and i will always check the pockets!
EDM 4 weeks ago
Bored Panada: you legit can't read your site anymore with the top and bottom ads. So, as fun as it's been...I'm out.
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