Everyone has heard the phrase, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and in our 21st century world there are dozens of options for finding whatever it is you call treasure. No longer are thrift stores limited to dirty, dusty, secondhand junk. OK… some of them still are, but the point is, the art of thrifting has become widely available and has also been revolutionized by modern technology.

Stores like Maj-R-Thrift, Goodwill, Salvation Army, Branded, Plato’s Closet and even eBay.com and Craigslist.com have been warmly welcomed by patrons wishing to find used, vintage and sometimes even rare items. Not only does the practice of buying secondhand items usually cost less, it keeps a lot of unwanted materials out of landfills.

In today’s society, when something breaks it often becomes trash. But buying used items to refurbish instead of buying new ones can actually save you a lot of money. A wide variety of items are available, such as clothes, furniture, electronics, books, toys and jewelry. Keep these following tips in mind when thrifting.

Clothes from thrift stores seem to have a common stigma: eww. Maybe it’s just the idea that someone else had it before you, but isn’t it the same thing as trying something on in a department store? After all, countless people may have tried that top on before you. If you’re willing to sift through the racks, there are actually a lot of good clothes in thrift stores. Just beware of defects, stains or tears.

When looking for furniture, examine the structure of it, not the dings and blemishes. Most furniture can be stripped and re-stained, and it will look as good as new at a fraction of the cost.

Most electronic items have stickers on them saying something similar to “as is,” which means no refund, and they might be broken! If you’re looking to buy anything electric, ask a sales associate where a plug-in outlet can be found and test it out. For lamps, bring a light bulb, and for other small electronics bring some AA batteries.

Some stores like Goodwill donate portions of proceeds toward philanthropy.

According to Goodwill.org, “the proceeds from your donation directly impact Helping Hands of Goodwill Industries’ endeavors to provide opportunities for persons with barriers to employment to work and live more independently in the community.”

So the next time you’re out shopping, don’t forget to check out the abovementioned thrift and secondhand stores of Topeka to save money, save resources and even benefit the needy.