Experienced thrifters love the thrill of finding a great deal and know how to shop smart. But scoring a gem usually means sifting through a lot of junk first.

In the subreddit r/ThriftGrift, a Reddit user posted a photo of a thrift store shelf full of empty glass jars. Upon closer inspection, they realized the jars were from the Classico pasta sauce brand and that they were being sold for a jaw-dropping $10 apiece.

"At first I was thinking maybe they meant for all of them. But each jar has a sticker for $10," the original poster commented.

As many people quickly pointed out, buying the jars new and filled with pasta sauce would cost less than $5 at a grocery store.

"Ridiculous!!!" one commenter said.

"They regularly sell used items higher than brand new. I frequently used to see dollar store items at $5+ at Goodwill. I stopped going, I was tired of them trying to rip me off," another user commented.

One Reddit user said: "I sometimes wonder if the staff are out the back having a bet on who can sell the most ridiculously priced items."

Even though these instances of wild overpricing are outliers, more and more people are calling out thrift stores for taking advantage of shoppers in the name of corporate greed.

It's unfortunate that these negative experiences can potentially scare off novice thrifters, because shopping secondhand is a great way to save money on everyday necessities and help the environment by keeping items out of the landfill.

From digging through the racks at your local thrift store, you can also potentially discover rare and valuable items at steep discounts. Many stores offer mystery grab bags full of things such as jewelry and tech accessories that may be worth much more than they're sold for.

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back 💰 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕 Making it as easy as possible ⚡ Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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