Thrifty shopper saves hundreds of dollars on a 'gorgeous' rattan furniture piece: 'This would be $500 in my city'

There's no better feeling than bagging a bargain, so it's no surprise that many shoppers have turned to thrift stores, yard sales, and online selling platforms to find their latest deals. 

One thrifty shopper recently took to Reddit to show off one purchase from Facebook Marketplace, where users can buy or sell new and used items. Sharing photos of a rattan vanity on the thread r/ThriftStoreHauls, the Redditor boasted about purchasing the item for just $30.

But that's not all. The buyer then found the same item listed on another resale site for $300. 

According to PayPal, the resale market is growing 11 times faster than traditional retail habits, with secondhand trading predicted to be worth $84 million by 2030. What started out in charity shops, thrift stores, and yard sales has spread to luxury and high-street retailers like Levi's and North Face, which have created either buy-back programs or online platforms for shoppers to sell their pre-loved items. 

The popularity of these thrifty shopping methods is not only because shoppers want to save money, but it's also because consumers are becoming more conscious about the impact that the retail industry has on the environment.

Using a preloved item compared to a newly-purchased one reduces its negative environmental impact by 82% since fewer materials, energy, and resources are needed to produce brand-new products. 

Shopping around for different secondhand items helps consumers make more mindful purchases, which includes considering whether they really need the item, as well as the environmental impact. 

Conversely, shoppers who impulse buy spend money on unnecessary products they don't really need, increasing the number of items that are wasted and end up in a landfill.

In the original post, Redditors shared their admiration for the beautiful rattan vanity.

One said, "Omg I'm so jelly!! It's gorgeous."

Another shared their frustrations over the differing prices of resale items in different areas. 

"This would be like $500 in my city. Reselling prices are actually ridiculous here," said the user. 

Further down the post, the original Redditor shared their tips for shopping on Marketplace, which include using very specific key terms, colorings, or specific decades. 

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.

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