Why buy a high-end item at retail value when you could buy it for a fraction of the cost?
That's exactly what happened to one thrifter at a Goodwill who posted a photo of their great find on r/ThriftStoreHauls.
A manicured hand holds a Zojirushi rice cooker with the jaw-dropping price tag of $24.99. It usually retails for more than five times as much.
"Scoring this was just what I needed!" the OP exclaimed, then added later in the comments, "It's so amazing and I've been trying recipes like crazy."
Thrifting is the new way to shop. Not only is there always the chance of finding something truly incredible, but you are able to make discounted purchases on everyday items while giving them a second life.
According to Capital One Shopping Research, updated earlier this year, thrift store shoppers save an average of $1,760 each year. The report also said that in 2023, the thrifting market generated an estimated $53 billion and is expected to be worth $70 billion by 2027.
A lot of people steer clear of thrifting because of the sifting that comes along with it, but now there are online secondhand shopping stores like GoodwillFinds and ThredUp that make it easier than ever to find what you're looking for. Although it should be noted that you aren't as likely to find steals like the rice cooker above, a $19 vintage Coach bag, or a 14-piece Le Creuset cookware set for $200 on the online platforms.
Most importantly, this circular style of shopping reduces the waste building in our landfills, which release toxic gases, such as methane — a heat-trapping gas responsible for 20-30% of our climate warming since the Industrial Revolution, according to NASA. So, being trendy is cool — pun intended.
You can make money from old clothes and electronics instead of tossing them. Keeping what we can out of these landfills through secondhand shopping, donating, and recycling will help minimize waste and circulate our resources instead of burning through them.
The thrifted rice cooker caused comments from other rice cooker enthusiasts. One even shared a recipe.
"I have that exact model, it's so great," a Redditor wrote.
"Sick find! I thrifted a brand new one a couple years ago, still might be my best thrift find yet. Paid $13!" another raved.
"Jealous!!!!!!" said a third.
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