Somewhere along the turbulent line of the last decade or so, “thrifting” or “second-hand shopping” became cool again, and we are all for it. More and more people are rebelling against generic, cookie-cutter styles and wanting their homes to look more personalized, more unique, and more one-of-a-kind.

Individualism is the more sought-after decor style now, and we couldn’t love it more.  One of the most obvious and well-known benefits of buying secondhand is the cost savings. You can often find secondhand goods up to 50% cheaper than you could if you were buying new. When you consider that Americans spend over a trillion dollars annually on nonessential goods, those savings can add up.

Whether you’re shopping for clothes, furniture, musical instruments, or most anything, you’ll be able to find quality items at lower prices than if you bought them brand new. As an added bonus, by spending less, your dollar goes further. When you buy used, you’re giving those items a second life and saving them from being thrown out. Too often people think of waste reduction and recycling in terms of bottles, cans, and plastics when the reality is household items are big contributors to what ends up in the trash.

 

Remember when your neighbor posts secondhand goods on Paper Shop, the dollars you spend purchasing those items, stays in the neighborhood rather than off to the nearest big-box store’s headquarters.