Thrift Sales: Colored Dots, Slashes and Such

Thrift store prices have been on the rise; many items are marked double what they used to be.  But, thrift stores have also started offering more deals, so it's still possible to make a steal worth bragging about. I'm going to share with you some thrift store sales that will benefit any budget:

1) Daily Colored Dot Sales:  Most thrift stores have colored dot sales, Saint Vincent DePaul, Arc's Value Village, and Savers immediately come to mind.  Everyday these stores feature a color (there will be signs scattered throughout the store, usually on the clothing racks, advertising the days color), and any tags that have that color are 50% off.  This is my favorite deal, because it is a guaranteed constant.  Nothing beats falling in love with an item, followed by the realization that it carries the colored dot of day -- it's my miniature Vegas moment.


 2) Coupons: This one is new to me.  Just last week, I found in Clipper Magazine four coupons to the local Slinger Saint Vinnies.  One coupon proclaimed: buy one book get the second book free, and being the bookworm that I am I was pretty excited. It's strange now that thrift stores suddenly have commercials and are featuring coupons; a few years ago it seemed like only a small handful of people were thrifters, and that has seemingly changed over night. Being able to clip coupons for secondhand goods is pretty nifty. I know I want to use them!

3) Student Discount Days: College friends of mine, did you know that one day a week you can get 40% off your thrifted total if you flash your school ID.  I know that at Savers in MN this day is Wednesday. Goodwill in WI also does the student discount on Saturdays.  This discount is ideal if the items you've found that day do not have a colored dot or grander sale.  If any items you are buying already have a higher percentage off, you cannot additionally use your ID; you've won a good enough deal already, champ!

4) 75% Off Storewide Sale: You cannot beat this sale.  You'll feel like you're stealing everything you find. These are the days I go thrift crazy. I'll come home with a bag full of clothes and a wallet (still) full of money.

5) Fill a Bag for $5:  I don't see this sale as much as I used to.  Filling a bag for five bucks now seems reserved for places going out of business.  The last fill a bag spree I went on was amazing, but it was quite a few years ago.  I remember coming home with several books that I couldn't wait to read.  The best part about this sale is that there is no standing around debating, "Should I get this?" You just like it and bag it!

6) Holiday Sales:  Holiday sales vary in greatness. Some are huge, while others aren't worth writing home about.  One thing holiday sales have the potential to bring about is pure, memorable fun.  In Hartford, WI a few weeks before Christmas, the town shops have Midnight Madness.  On this night, all the shops in town stay open till midnight and offer different deals and entertainment.  My favorite places to stop on this night are Perc Place, for an energizing mocha drink, and then I travel over a few steps "next door" to Saint Vincent DePaul and do some late-night, coffee enhanced thrifting with friends. Last year, Saint Vinnies was packed and offered a variety of worthwhile discounts.  Even if you don't find a got-to-have thrift item or gift, these holiday shopping nights are still wonderful. What thrifter doesn't dream of wandering a thrift shop till midnight? I dream of thrifting past the stroke of midnight...

7) Slashed Tag Sales:  This deal is common at Saint Vincent DePaul. The slashed red tag deals seem to be offered when the seasons are changing. So, right now, Vinnies is holding a slashed tag sale (at least here in WI they are). It's time to rid of the sweaters and bring out the shorts, and a lot of tags are getting slashed.  Currently at the Slinger Saint Vinnies, there is also a purple dot sale: anything with a purple dot is 50 cents, and there's a whole section of purple dots! Since they're organized in one spot, it's less of a scavenger hunt than usual. Like I said, slashed tag deals can always be had when the season starts to change, luckily we have four!

8) Thrift Store Card/ Membership:  At home in WI, the Saint Vincent DePaul now has a store card that will get you a 10% discount off your total purchase, any day, any time.  It is a key chain card, much like what grocery stores give out, and it is good for all the SVDPs in the area. So my WI card is good for the Slinger, Hartford and West Bend locations.  Goodwill also has a member card. Their card follows a point system where you receive a point for every dollar you spend, and then after so many points you receive a discount on your next purchase. The best part is, these membership cards are free; Saint Vinnies gives you your 10% discount right at registering, while Goodwill gives a 25% discount right at the get go.  The discounts may seem small, but for frequent thrifters the savings add up!

9) The Haggle: The skill of haggling is meant more for yard sales, but there are times when it's worth a shot inside secondhand shops.  If you find an item that you love but, there is a defect,  you can and should haggle, as long as the tag DOES NOT SAY, as is.  Many flaws are caught at pricing and will have the as is tagging, but there's a good handful of flaws that miss inspection.  When at the register simply point out the defect and offer what price you're willing to pay, the cashier will usually give a 20-40% off discount, depending on the damage. Crafters, artists and repurposers everywhere should develop this skill. Haggling is definitely worth shoving aside shyness; there's no reason to pay full price for something broken.

10) The Good Eye: The best deal can be found without dots or slashes or sales.  It takes a bit of digging, dedicated searching, and a small dose of knowing, but a steal can definitely be had without a sale. Knowing what things are worth at retail helps a ton, you'll better gadge if an item is really worth the green or not. Items can be overpriced, sometimes to the point of being pricier than retail. But, right behind that overpriced item could be a treasure for cheap.  A good thrift-eye will always find these no-sale-steals, they're the items of pride we thrifters can't help but brag about. 

If you want to get a better grip on the sales at your local thrift stores, simply ask the cashier. They are always more than happy to answer sales questions. One question I often ask cashiers is: When will a particular colored dot sale be happening?  Because on any given day, I might find several orange dot items and be in dire need of an orange dot sale.  The colored dot sales do follow a rotation, and the cashier can tell you the next date for each color by simply glancing at a chart near their register.  I've even called stores before dashing out the door to inquire if any sales were going on; then I can plan my stops accordingly (especially with gas prices going up).  It makes my thrifting thriftier; I've definitely gotten more bang for my buck by learning the various thrift store sales, and so will you!


Any other thrift sales you know of?