You never know what treasures you'll find in a thrift store. One excited Reddit user shared their joy in discovering a KitchenAid mixer.
"Found it on the bottom shelf backwards," they said in the r/ThriftStoreHauls community. The poster added they'd never owned one before and seemed grateful for the man who showed them how to use it. A price tag reveals the mixer was sold for $19.99. New mixers generally go for hundreds of dollars.
"Can't wait for Christmas cookies!" they exclaimed.
Thrifting, an increasingly popular activity, has many benefits for the environment and your wallet. For example, the fashion and apparel industry alone generate 8 to 10% of planet-warming pollution annually. In 2021, the sector emitted more than 980 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, per Statista, which experts expect to increase to 1.4 billion by 2030 without changes.
Secondhand items — from textiles to home goods — also help divert waste from overflowing landfills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 292.4 million tons of landfill waste was generated in 2018 — 23.7 million more than in 2017. Considering the average person discards nearly five pounds of trash daily, thrift stores make a significant difference.
A stand mixer, clothes, and decor aren't the only things you can find. One secondhand hauler found a Herman Miller Aeron office chair, which typically retails for $1,800, for $18.
Add the sum of half the items you buy new every year, and you can save about $100 by purchasing them at a thrift store instead.
Of course, a working KitchenAid mixer is worth celebrating, and other Reddit users showed just as much enthusiasm for the unique discovery.
"Great find at a great price," someone commented.
"I'm still waiting for this day to happen to me. Thanks for sharing — gives me hope," another Redditor said.
One commenter wrote, "It might be worth taking to a shop to get it cleaned and regressed inside" — especially if it's older.
Finally, after the original poster shared how they'd named the new mixer Brenda, a Redditor affectionately called it "Blenda," sparking more joy from the OP.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
