Have you ever found a great deal at a thrift store? How much do you think you might have saved? $10? $20? How about over $500 on a single item? That's exactly what one Reddit user experienced and shared in a recent post about a thrifted espresso machine.
In the original post on r/ThriftStoreHauls, the Reddit user posted a photo of a Breville espresso machine purchased at Goodwill for only $25.
One commenter said: "We have this machine … and we absolutely LOVE IT! What a great deal you got."
Another Reddit user took a stab at valuing the machine writing: "Nice! That's a $600 machine."
One environmental benefit of thrifting is to divert unwanted items from ending up in the landfill. We throw out 40 million tons of electronic waste globally every year, according to The World Counts.
For electronic items, the damage doesn't stop just by filling up the landfill. These items contain precious metals and often batteries. Both of these components can release noxious chemicals when incinerated or left out to face the elements.
Thrifting not only helps limit waste ending up in landfills — it also lowers the demand for new items to be produced and distributed. This means less mining for precious metals, less greenhouse gas pollution from cargo shipping, and less production of plastic materials, which are mostly made from natural gas and oil.
But the benefits of thrifting don't stop at just electronics. All consumer waste that avoids ending up in landfills and incinerators is a win. Plus the more we recycle unwanted items, the more likely you are to find hidden gems at your local thrift store, such as Tiffany & Co crystal or a $700 cashmere cardigan.
The thrifting business is showing no signs of slowing, either, with thredUP projecting the global secondhand market to reach $350 billion by 2027.
Thrift stores are a consistent sight in most cities and towns across the U.S. Some are run by large-scale organizations such as Goodwill, and others might be locally owned-and-operated thrift markets. However they come, the benefits of shopping for items secondhand are the same.
On the Reddit post, other users shared the OP's joy at their find, with one commenting: "That's an amazing pickup!"
Another commenter pointed out a crucial consideration when buying thrifted items, posting: "Really awesome machine. Even if it's broken, $25 for spare parts is a steal."
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