Many Redditors would have happily walked a mile in the shoes of one lucky thrifter who stumbled upon an inventory of brand-new shoes still in their boxes at their local second-hand shop.
"Brand new, in box, tag on Dr. Martens. There just happened to be a whole shoe store inventory at my local thrift store, *heavily* discounted," the poster wrote above a picture of the iconic pair they snagged for themselves in a post to r/ThriftStoreHauls.
While finding unused items is not why most people shop at thrift stores, it can happen and is certainly a welcome surprise. Other thrifters have found cult favorites in mint condition, like Stanley cups and Nest thermostats.
Whether you score new or used items, which is the goal of most thrifters, shopping second-hand does wonders for bank accounts and the planet. A CouponFollow report found that thrifting was saving savvy shoppers $1,760 per year, or about $150 a month.
So whether it's Doc Martens, sought-after cookware, or a vintage Persian rug, you can richly style your life for a fraction of the cost. One expert thrifter furnished their entire home for less than $2,000.
If you don't want to shop at thrift stores in person, companies like Goodwill and thredUP allow you to shop second-hand online.
Aside from keeping more money in your wallet, buying preloved items keeps them out of the landfill. Earth.org reports that over 100 million tons of textile waste are sent to landfills annually. Once there, it contributes to the pollution overheating our planet.
Aside from the thrifter being rewarded with a fantastic find for choosing to shop sustainably, whichever company donated the shoes is also worthy of admiration, as stories of trashing perfectly good products make the rounds.
Commenters were quick to celebrate with the OP as well as share some justifiable envy.
"Congrats!" said one, spotting a job well done.
"I've been eyeing doc Martens but I can't commit to spending the money," one user wrote. "So jealous!"
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