Whether you’re scrolling Facebook Marketplace or trawling through charity shops, thrifting can be a great way to uncover hidden treasures.
But some items are more worth your money than others, a thrifting expert has revealed to The Sun.
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Caroline Butler has been a pro at bagging bargains for years and knows exactly what to look for and what to avoid spending cash on.
The social media manager shares her thrifting finds and tips with her 17.7K followers on TikTok as CarolineShops.
The 46-year-old from Norfolk thrifts at several places to increase her chances of finding hidden treasures for cheap.
That includes Vinted, Facebook Marketplace, the Nextdoor App, Gumtree, car boot sales and her personal favourite, charity shops,
Although charity shops are one of her favourite places to find hidden treasure.
She said: “You go into each one never knowing what you’re going to find – each is an Aladdin’s cave of gems and bargains – and things you never knew you needed!
“I’ve found some cracking bargains in them over the years and have saved so much money in the process.”
It’s important not to get swept up in the the bargain hunting excitement though – remember it’s only a good deal if you were going to buy an item in the first place.
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Don’t just pick something up for the sake of it, and always remember to have a look at prices elsewhere beforehand to get an idea if it’s the best deal.
Plus, if you’re using an app like Vinted make sure you factor in delivery or service charges too.
Caroline has shared the five items that she always looks for and those to leave on the rail – plus how she’s managed to save thousands of pounds over the years.
Items you should thrift
1. Clothing
One of the best things you can spend your cash on when second-hand shopping is clothes.
Caroline said: “Around 80-90% of my wardrobe is second-hand, the majority of which is from charity shops.
“Since I’ve been thrifting, I’ve never had so many designer brands in my wardrobe!”
An example of one of her best charity shop finds is a Ted Baker coat that was originally online for £209, and it only cost £3.
She also found a Nike running jacket that she says would have cost over £150 new, but she picked it up for £4.
“I’ve bought a raft of cocktail dresses and wedding outfits over time for a snip of the price of their RRP!” Caroline said.
Caroline also spends a lot of time scrolling through Vinted and says you can “pick up some steals” on the app.
She said: “It’s commonplace to find brand new shoes/boots on the app for less than £5.
“With the app’s filters, you can easily select your shoe size, the style you’re looking for and the condition – ‘new with tags’ or ‘like new’ – and within a particular price range. It’s incredibly simple.”
2. Jewellery and accessories
“Head to charity shops for jewellery too, in charity shops it costs peanuts,” Caroline says.
Because charity shops often get their stock from all over the local area, there is a lot of variety to choose from.
Although she did warn to make sure any clasps work, and that there aren’t any jewels missing before you buy.
Caroline also recommends car boot sales for picking up some some great quality bits.
She said: “I have also bought fascinators and hats from car boot sales – most less than £3, all of which were unworn!”
3. Homeware
Keeping an eye out for home accessories, furniture and kitchen equipment is also a worthwhile task.
Facebook Marketplace is Caroline’s “go-to place” for this.
She said: “I’ve bought so many things for my home from here including tables, sideboards, cooking equipment, soft furnishings and artwork.
“I bought a Swan retro-design bin for my kitchen that is on their website for £79.99 for just £10 from a family round the corner from me.”
Items can even be listed for free too, Caroline managed to bag a huge 7ft x 7ft rug for her sitting room because the seller was having a new carpet laid and needed it gone.
“I happily took it off his hands, it would have been over £500 when it was bought originally,” she explained.
One of the reasons Caroline recommends Marketplace is that there are no selling/buying fees involved.
Plus, you can select things in your local area, you don’t need to travel far to get a bargain.
Make sure to ask for more photos of items if you’re unsure of its quality and want to make sure it’s in good condition.
It’s also worth changing the location to nearby towns and cities to see what else is on offer and compare prices.
Be aware though, it’s best not to transfer money directly to the seller’s bank account before you’ve seen the item.
4. Bags
Another item to always look out for according to Caroline is handbags.
She has wracked up quite the collection, the majority of which are from charity shops with brand names including Osprey, Kipling, Dr Marten, Dune, Cath Kidston and Carvela – none of which she says she paid more than £10 for.
“As an example, I bought an Osprey leather bag recently, it was £10 but would have been over £150 originally. It looks new, ” she said.
Another great find was a leather Ameribag for £3, that would have been over £200 originally.
Caroline said: “Recently I’ve bought two Jack Wills leather bags from the Facebook Marketplace.
“A brown leather shoulder bag, that would have been over £70 when new. I bought it from a lady for just £5.”
If you go to view a bag or even an item of clothing and it’s a big designer brand, make sure to keep an eye out for any signs that it might be a fake.
This might be a spelling error or a different pattern to a legitimate one – it could be a good idea to view the item on the official webpage and compare it to the one in front of you.
If you are worried about the authenticity you could take it to an expert too.
5. Kids toys
Charity shops are “fantastic” places to pick up games and toys too, Caroline explained.
She said: “Why pay silly money for a toy or game that your child will only play with for a couple of months, when you can get ones for pennies in charity shops?”
You can also pick up some steals for bigger kids too, she’s come across collectable comic books, Marvel toys, board games and vintage toys.
“I picked up a brand new copy of Codenames – a game currently selling on Amazon for £27 – for just £2.50,” Caroline said.
“Car boot sales are fantastic sources for games and toys too. Often people are keen to sell them asap to free space at home.”
Things to avoid
1. Sofas
“Be wary of sofas,” Caroline warned.
She said sofas will be listed for pennies on selling sites – or even for free but there’s a reason for that.
They can also be a pain to pick up if you don’t have a car, plus some might be well past their best.
“If you do decide to buy one via Marketplace, be sure to check it out thoroughly first before agreeing to buy it,” Caroline said.
“Check for dodgy springs and worn sections.”
Also, don’t forget to measure the available space you have at home first.
2. Electrical equipment
Caroline explained that she is usually hesitant about buying electrical items second-hand.
She said: “Whilst these need to be checked before being sold in charity shops, you can’t be sure that items being sold in other ways have been.
“So, be cautious if you’re considering buying electrical items from the likes of Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, the Nextdoor App or at car boot sales.”
3. Games
Another item to be cautious about thrifting are some games and toys.
Caroline said: “I’m a big advocate of buying second-hand games and toys.
“However, one item I tend to avoid is jigsaw puzzles – unless they are brand new or sealed.
“Whilst people donate them with good intention, sometimes pieces go missing during play or during transportation.”
This can also apply to other toys and games that require several parts.
4. Pre-worn shoes
“Whilst charity shops will usually disinfect shoes before selling them, previously worn shoes can give some people the ‘ick’!” Caroline said.
While there are always ways of disinfecting shoes at home, it still might not be an appealing option to many people.
She added: “Also, bear in mind that we all walk differently and have different gaits.
“This means pre-worn shoes could have been worn down more on one side than the other. It’s therefore best to try them on before you buy.”
Meanwhile, we spoke to an expert for the five things you should be eyeing up at a car boot sale as well as those to leave in the boot.
Plus, four things to pick up on Facebook Marketplace too.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
