Finding something exciting at the thrift store is what keeps us going back. One antique shopper found a mid-century modern seat for an incredible discount.
In a post shared to r/ThriftStoreHauls, one Redditor showed off a beautiful bench they found while antique shopping. The photo shows off the cane back seat featuring dark wood and burnt orange cushions. "Found this lovely chair in a super random antique shop and absolutely had to have it," the poster wrote. "Only $200! I found similar ones online for $1,500-2k!"
As they stated, a similar seat can be bought on Etsy for $1,600. While the Redditor didn't post multiple photos, it looks like their find is in better shape than the expensive one. The $200 price tag gives our lucky shopper more than an 80% discount from similar benches.
Thrifting is a great way to save money on furniture, clothing, and home goods. Check out our guide to learn more about the benefits, including how to save nearly $100 a year. When it comes to furniture, buying secondhand is also a way to get more bang for your buck.
"A lot of high-quality furniture is available at secondhand marketplaces. … In most cases, these pieces are of better craftsmanship and a high intrinsic value compared to what you'll find at a big box store," online furniture reseller Kaiyo writes. "... Furniture makers from years ago usually used the best materials for their pieces, knowing they will be put to heavy use."
Secondhand shopping is also one way you can be a bit more eco-friendly. "The furniture industry contributes 2% to global CO2-equivalent emissions, which is at least as much as the aviation industry," according to the Office of Sustainability at MIT. This means that buying fewer new pieces of furniture could have a significant impact on lowering your carbon footprint.
This post also has a bit of a bonus: The beautiful antique bench seems to have been claimed as a favorite spot by the poster's parents' cat. The second photo shows a cute tabby cat with a not-so-friendly look on its face, seemingly warding off would-be sitters.
Commenters were impressed with this find and its new cat owner. "One cannot blame the fine gentleman for having good taste, can one?" one person wrote.
Someone else said, "That is a great chair that you will never be able to sit on."
"That's a gorgeous chair!" another person commented. "One day I want something like that in a walk in closet."
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.