• The Psychology of Thrifting
• 10 Best Thrift-Shop Finds

The Psychology of Thrifting

When I visit thrift shops, I am still amazed by the wide array of shoppers scanning racks and browsing the aisles. There are well-dressed women, looking like they just breezed in from a high-fashion photo shoot. Other times, there are avid antique collectors looking through home wares for special collectibles.

Most often we may think of thrift-store frequenters as people who are extremely frugal with low incomes. However, avid environmentalists may prefer buying secondhand goods over new items since it takes fewer natural resources for an already-produced item and is another way to recycle. Those who are opposed to the practices of clothing "sweatshops" purchase secondhand clothing as an alternative to financially supporting clothing companies with questionable manufacturing practices.

As it turns out, however, the vast majority of us who thrift do so for the pure thrill of the hunt. The excitement of discovering a designer label for less than a discount-store purchase makes us giddy with glee and can even be relaxing.