Sometimes, you're searching for the Cinderella who fits your shoe perfectly. Other times, you're searching for the shoe to fit your Cinderella.
And when you're thrifting, it's not actually that hard to find.
A Redditor lucked out recently while on the hunt for some Hoka sneakers — a unique athletic shoe usually sold for around $150.
He was looking for them on behalf of his wife, who was on maternity leave. Before he went out thrifting, she asked him to keep an eye out for the shoe in size 6.5. She wanted them to wear on the job — she works as a nurse and would require a comfortable and practical shoe to stay on her feet.
"I told her it would probably take a few months but I'd be on the lookout," the Redditor wrote in a post about the find in the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit. "Third store of the day. Exactly her size. Couldn't believe it. $12."
The post features a photo of a pair of spotless light blue Hoka sneakers, perfect for an active day on the job.
Whether it's a famously expensive vintage sweater for only $13, a perfect wedding dress for a shockingly low price, or a pair of high-quality shoes for a fraction of their original going rate, the thrift world is full of serendipitous finds like these.
And people are catching on — thrifting is incredibly popular. According to OnlineDasher, the U.S. thrift store market grew 4.7% annually in the last five years.
Additionally, thrifting allows consumers to shop without participating in some of the harmful environmental impacts that come with overproduction. Every year, 100 billion garments are made. Of that, over 100 million tons end up in landfills, according to Earth.org.
🗣️ Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics?
🔘 Giving me money back 💰
🔘 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕
🔘 Making it as easy as possible ⚡
🔘 Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Earth.org also notes that most items of clothing are thrown out after being worn only seven to 10 times. So not only are thrifters saving money — around $1,700 per year — but they are also extending the life of a garment and delaying its trip to the landfill.
The comments on the Redditor's post were full of other thrift enthusiasts congratulating him on his find.
"All you gotta do is ask the thrift gods and they will provide," one commenter said. "It may take some time, but it could also happen right away."
"That's a big W," another commenter pointed out. "Saved $100+."
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