A thrifting expert recently shared an astonishing find on social media, inspiring others about the potential gains of secondhand shopping.
Thrift finds have a unique niche on the internet. As prices rise and the planet warms, folks are finding treasure in the trash of others in order to save money and lessen their carbon impact.
This trend extends from statement pieces like clothes and art to practical appliances or things to use around the house.
In this Reddit post from r/ThriftStoreHauls, a user shows the community a vintage KitchenAid stand mixer that they found for only $29.99.
"It works perfectly," they write, "and came with attachments."
The image shows the mixer in mint condition, although the shade of green is better described as "avocado." Three attachments for different functions are splayed out in front of the mixer, displaying the full set the buyer was able to procure.
Buying items secondhand is directly beneficial to consumers because lightly used, high-quality items can be had for a fraction of their retail price. The mixer featured cost less than $30, while a new appliance from the same brand retails for $279.99 on the KitchenAid website.
In addition, consider that everything that is thrifted must first be given away. The secondhand market encourages reselling and decluttering.
The environmental impact of thrifting is significant as well. Thrifting an item as opposed to buying a new one eliminates the pollution and raw material use associated with production, shipping, and packaging of new items in addition to saving shoppers money.
And the trend of shopping secondhand isn't going away. According to Capital One Shopping, the secondhand market in the U.S. was responsible for generating $53 billion in revenue in 2023.
Items that are thrifted also find new life for themselves and avoid landfills for the time being; the practice eliminates waste as a byproduct.
The comments on the Redditor's post sounded off with admiration and envy.
"For what it's worth, I'm jealous!" read one comment. "Pristine condition as well!"
Another told of a similar experience: "I thrifted almost the same one about 15 years ago… Best $12.50 I've spent in a long time. You scored!"
Others recognized the value beyond the thrift, with one writing, "How wonderful! The color is perfect."
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