I’ve a love/hate relationship with Goodwill. I really like the offers I can discover, however I hate having to rummage via different individuals’s junk to search out the hidden gems. So once I got down to write this text, and discover some insider methods to save lots of at Goodwill, I truthfully wasn’t positive what I used to be going to find. However I used to be VERY fortunately stunned with the purchasing hacks that Goodwill workers gave me, a few of which you received’t discover anyplace else. Completely happy financial savings.
1. Search for Pupil, Navy, and Senior Reductions
Positive, Goodwill is fairly low cost, however strive to not pay full-price in case you can keep away from it by utilizing certainly one of these reductions.
The unusual factor about these reductions is that I not often see them posted within the retailer.
As an alternative, they make you ask about them and possibly hope you received’t inquire and simply pay the total asking worth.
Pupil Reductions
One worker informed me to ALWAYS ask a few scholar low cost.
She stated it does differ a bit bit by Goodwill retailer as some areas have a 15% scholar low cost good for day by day whereas some supply a 25% low cost solely on Sundays.
She stated all you want to do is flash a highschool, school, or perhaps a commerce college I.D. card.
Navy Reductions
One other low cost that the overwhelming majority of Goodwill shops supply is a navy low cost.
Some shops supply 25% off all donated gadgets on Tuesdays and a few supply the low cost on Wednesdays.
I used to be informed by Jenny at my native Goodwill that they’ll give the low cost for each energetic navy and veterans. All they ask for is a driver’s license or legitimate I.D. with the Veteran or Navy designation on it.
Senior Reductions
These 55 or older may even get 25% off senior low cost at Goodwill.
The low cost is usually early within the week, on both a Monday or a Tuesday, simply ask about it.
You’ll simply have to indicate your I.D. displaying your age, kinda like getting carded on the bar when shopping for a beer.
Not all supply 25%, my native retailer solely affords 10% to seniors, however they provide it day by day of the week.
BONUS: Different reductions at Goodwill to ask about embody these for academics, nurses, and first responders.
2. Look For Mismarked Gadgets and Negotiate
So full disclosure right here…I promote stuff on eBay that I discover at a reduction at thrift shops like Goodwill, Salvation Military, storage gross sales, and stuff round the home that we don’t want anymore.
One in every of my favourite ideas is to search for gadgets which have the flawed worth on them and ask an worker to reprice it.
So, for instance, if Goodwill has 3 equivalent Pyrex bowls and two of them are priced at $9.99, and one is at $14.99, politely ask an worker if they will mark the costlier bowl right down to $9.99 and also you’ll purchase all 3.
I’ve had a number of thrift retailer workers fortunately do that for me they usually normally inform me it’s not an enormous deal in any respect.
Additionally, if the worth tag is totally lacking, ask an worker to place a tag on it and seize the most affordable related product because the “instance worth”.
Present the cheaper price to the worker and there’s a fantastic probability they are going to put that worth on the unmarked merchandise so you should purchase it on a budget.
See Additionally: Tricks to Study The best way to Negotiate at Large-Field Shops and Not Really feel Low cost
3. Look For a Coupon BUT Don’t At all times Use It
You’ll want to do a Google seek for “Goodwill in YOUR TOWN” and hit up their web site and sign-up for his or her emails they usually’ll ship you a month-to-month 20% off coupon in your $20+ buy.
Performing some fast math, the coupon principally will get you a minimal $4 low cost. So in case you’re solely shopping for $15 or $16 price of stuff, it’s price it to seize one other merchandise to place you over $20 because it’ll be free.
BUT with all of that stated…needless to say you can not stack coupons or affords at Goodwill so solely use it whenever you CAN’T reap the benefits of a 25% off low cost like the scholar, navy, or senior low cost talked about above.
4. Ask About Value Tag “Coloration Days”
Virtually each Goodwill has a day of the week the place they select a sure coloured price ticket and promote it for 50% off the unique worth.
My Goodwill does it each Sunday.
They’ll decide a price ticket shade and let customers rating even higher offers on these gadgets.
Ask about it at your native retailer as a result of they normally don’t promote it anyplace within the retailer, YOU GOTTA ASK.
At my retailer, the black tags are the costlier gadgets so at any time when they provide “Black” low cost Sunday I’m there EARLY to search out the offers.
5. Store in Prosperous Neighborhoods or Smaller Cities
The most effective deal I ever received was at a Goodwill in Lake Tahoe, one of many richest areas within the nation identified for his or her winter sports activities.
About 10 years in the past, I walked away with an almost-new Burton snowboard and boots for less than $50. They’d have price me over $300 new on the time.
Prosperous areas will at all times have higher manufacturers, usually in higher situation, as a result of many of us will simply donate stuff relatively than attempting to promote it at a storage sale or on Fb Market.
These Goodwill areas are nice for golf golf equipment, ski/snowboard stuff, name-brand purses, designer denims, and like-new sneakers.
I actually might go on and on however I feel you get the purpose.
Tip: When on trip in an prosperous space, at all times hit up the native Goodwill, you’re assured to discover some gems.
Additionally, in case you have the selection between a Goodwill downtown in a metropolis, or in a smaller city, ALWAYS go for the smaller city location.
The costs in cities will nearly at all times be costlier than at your Goodwill shops in smaller cities.
6. Don’t Ignore the Goodwill Return Coverage
I used to be testing just lately at Goodwill and requested what their return coverage was, figuring the whole lot was in all probability ultimate sale.
Tonya informed me, “NO, positively not ultimate sale. Simply deliver it again and get a refund or retailer credit score. Simply be sure you have the worth tag nonetheless on it and it hasn’t been like 2 years.”
So that you may be questioning so what? It’s all used stuff, what’s the large deal.
Nicely, many of us, myself included, don’t need to try-on used clothes in-store. So deliver it dwelling, wash it, strive it on, then reattach the worth tag and return it in case you don’t prefer it.
You possibly can both put the worth tag again on with a security pin, or purchase the software that reattaches them for you for $10.
7. Know the High quality Manufacturers If You’re a Reseller
When you’re a flipper, or contemplating reselling stuff on eBay, Goodwill gives some nice alternatives, BUT ONLY if you already know the manufacturers and merchandise which might be straightforward to resell for a LARGE revenue.
As somebody who has dabbled on this, listed here are the BEST manufacturers to search for, particularly relating to clothes manufacturers, housewares, and even electronics.
– Males’s Clothes Manufacturers: Polo Ralph Lauren (Made within the USA), Howler Bros, Pendleton, Patagonia (particularly classic), Levi’s, Rock Revival denims, True Faith denims, Ariat denims, Carhartt jackets, Rhoback, Arcteryx, CC Filson, Faherty, and Ben Silver.
– Girls’s Clothes Manufacturers: Alemais, Dale of Norway, Frank & Eileen, Nili Lotan, Veronica Beard, Doen, Rails, Love Shack Fancy, Moussy Classic, Retrofete, St. John, AYR, Margaret Howell, and Issey Miyake.
– Kitchen and Home Stuff: Pyrex, Lodge, All Clad, Le Creuset, Corelle, Duralex, Libby, classic RevereWare, Tupperware, Heritage Rock, Pampered Chef, and Reidel crystal.
– Electronics: Something basic Nintendo, PlayStation console, some Wii video games, previous controllers in good situation, Bose, Bose energy cords, VCRs in good working situation.
Ask the Reader: Do you store commonly at Goodwill? What’s your favourite tip to maximise your financial savings? Let me know within the feedback.
By Kyle James
I began Reasonably-Be-Procuring.com in 2000 and have grow to be a client professional and advocate writing about out-of-the-box methods to save lots of at shops like Amazon, Walmart, Goal and Costco to call just a few. I’ve been featured on FOX Information, Good Morning America, and the NY Occasions speaking about my financial savings ideas. (Study extra)