This Is The Best Time And Day Of The Week To Shop At Thrift Stores

Every thrift store shopper knows that sublime feeling of entering a thrift store and hoping for the best. The hum of the neon lights, the scent of cleaner and a faint hint of must, plus the promise of treasures tucked into racks and shelves full of donations: There's nothing like it.

No matter how much money really exists in the world, you only need a little bit of it to snag the perfect new-to-you work outfit or home décor piece at a thrift shop. To paraphrase hip-hop chanteuse Macklemore, poppin' tags with only $20 in your pocket is freaking awesome. But when is the best day and time to do it?

Oh, sweet thrift shopper. There's no such thing as a "best" time and day of the week to shop at all thrift stores, even Goodwill says there isn't a "perfect" day for second-hand shopping. Still, there are some ways to have almost-perfect days of thrift shopping, and some patterns to pay attention to if you want the most bang for your buck.

Many thrift stores have sale days that correspond with various colored tags stapled to garments or assigned to objects like books and furniture. Savvy shoppers on a budget know that shopping these color-tag sales can be the difference between paying top dollar for certain items or, say, $2.

For example, Goodwill alternates color-tag sale days throughout the week. The store shows which color tag is 50% off with a sign in the front of stores, as well as announces it over a store PA system throughout the sale day. Salvation Army stores, meanwhile, do the same with their color-tag sales, as well as many independent thrift stores and smaller second-hand chains. Of course, some shoppers suspect that the color tags on sale get marked up by stores, as some critical Redditors attest.

Goodwill, Salvation Army, and other shops also tend to do 50% off sales on major holidays, like Memorial Day and Labor Day. Additionally, stores and chains offer other seemingly random sale days, and discounts shoppers will only know if they regularly visit their friendly neighborhood thrift shop. Further, with appropriate ID, Goodwill provides extra savings to students, seniors, teachers, and members of the military, so inquire about this, too. (On that note, here are some things you should never buy used.)

There are message boards dedicated to finding the best day to hit thrift shops for sales, but there's simply no way to know what new goodies will end up on the racks — or when. Learning the patterns of when your local store puts out fresh stock may help you time your visit, however. Alternatively, you can simply submit yourself to the whimsy of a chance encounter with a dream jacket.

For those who don't have patience for the thrill of the hunt, Goodwill advises shoppers to hit the racks early in the workweek, like on Monday, after the weekend when racks get picked over. The chain also notes spring cleaning means new donations, and specifically says that the week following Memorial Day weekend is a good bet to see what's new from anyone who's delayed their spring cleaning ritual. (Speaking of which, see what frugal people do to make big money moves.)

Every store is different, of course, even if it's part of a national chain. One Redditor who claims they're a Goodwill manager admits there's no rhyme or reason to when they stock the floor, while other thrift store shoppers in the same r/thrifting thread swear shopping first thing in the morning means they get to see new stock first. Goodwill's advice in the end is that patience can pay off, as well as shopping savviness. Of course, those who are a little less patient can always be sure to ask their local stores for sale details, or scroll through thrift shop websites or social media for a sale calendar.