One shopper's recent visit to a Savers in Fair Oaks, Virginia, left them feeling more frustrated than lucky.

In a Reddit post titled "Savers Thrift Prices WTF," the user shared four different photos of old items with prices that were pretty similar to what you would pay for new ones. "Savers Thrift in Fair Oaks has had some wacky prices for awhile, but in the past few months I've noticed the prices starting to get more and more absurd," the original poster wrote.

They added that they were excited when a thrift store opened nearby, especially since they love browsing electronics. But that excitement faded fast: "Consistently I get disappointed seeing something I thought might be great only to look at it and see that it's 100–300 dollars. This was donated to you?!"

And the kicker? Most of the electronics haven't even been tested, so there's no way to know if they actually work. "I am not spending 100 dollars on an electronic I have not fully tested, at the very minimum, all core functionality. And guess what, no exchange. You just spent 100 dollars on a receiver that barely functions! Tough luck!" the OP continued.

This type of story isn't super common, but they do highlight an ongoing concern in the thrifting world (especially with big-name stores). These prices can deter new thrifters who hope to save money or shop more sustainably, leading them to believe that the whole endeavor is no longer viable.

And the truth is that not trusting thrifting is a shame, because it is one of the best ways to stretch your budget while also keeping perfectly acceptable items out of landfills. And yes, sometimes people come across disappointing prices, yet there's also a lot of opportunity to find hidden gems like designer goods or vintage furniture for pennies on the dollar.

As for the Reddit community, the responses were just as fired up.

One user said, "The prices discourage you from shopping there which means you saved that much money. Brilliant."

Another chimed in with an important piece of information: "Yeah, not many know that Savers is a [for-profit] company."

Bottom line? Keep thrifting, but be sure to double-check those price tags and only go for deals that are actually worth it.

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.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.