There you are in a thrift store, looking through the clothing racks for the expensive labels, when you spot someone you know across the way.
Your first thought is, 鈥淲hy are they in here?鈥�
Then your second thought is, 鈥淒id they see me, and if they come over to talk, why am I in here?鈥�
We tend to get defensive about why we are shopping in a second-hand store and our excuses range from, 鈥淚鈥檓 looking for a costume鈥� to 鈥淚鈥檓 going camping,鈥� or 鈥淚鈥檓 doing some painting.鈥�
Very few of us blurt out, 鈥淚 shop here a lot.
I find some great deals on some quality items.鈥�
I鈥檓 reminded of the old Vaudeville routine where she says, 鈥淓very time I鈥檓 down in the dumps, I get a new dress.鈥�
He replies, 鈥淪o, that鈥檚 where you find all your clothes!鈥�
But, as our economy wobbles and falters, statistics show that more and more people are shopping at thrift stores.
A recent survey reveals that 85 per cent of Canadians bought, sold or exchanged used items in the past year creating an estimated $36 billion in economic activity.
According to the nearly 6,000 people surveyed, they saved an average of $500 and earned an average of $900 buying or selling used items.
In 91原创, new thrift stores have popped up all over town in the last couple of years.
Some are large, main street department store operations while others are tucked away in side streets or malls.
Most of them support a non-profit charity 鈥� either locally or overseas 鈥� and all of them are always busy places as the treasure hunters dig through boxes and scour shelves like urban archeologists.
Some shoppers are inspired by environmental concerns supporting the process of recycle, re-use rather than just throw stuff away.
For other second-hand aficionados, it can be a social outing, a chance to meet other 鈥榯hrifters鈥� and compare bargains and brag about the 鈥榮teal鈥� they found.
Some shoppers are on the hunt for a specific item, a piece of furniture or a lamp shade or maybe a jacket to complete an outfit.
Even if they don鈥檛 find it, the hunt can be as exciting as the find.
But you have to know what you鈥檙e doing.
When you鈥檙e looking through the clothing racks, be aware of the labels. Finding a shirt that is $70 retail and getting it for $7.99 with another 30 per cent off on seniors鈥� day, is truly a great score.
Even if it鈥檚 not the right colour for you, a deal like that is pretty hard to pass up.
Buying electrical items can be tricky.
Most places have someone checking the items before they put them out on the shelf.
But remember, somebody got rid of it for a reason.
Maybe only one side of the toaster heats up. Maybe the alarm works but doesn鈥檛 shut off unless you pull the plug.
I have a secret place where I buy my books.
Hard cover books for 50 cents will provide you a summer of reading for $5.
Unless of course I am selling my books 鈥� then I expect you to pay full price, but I will sign it for you.
Most folks don鈥檛 leave empty handed.
Even if they don鈥檛 find what they went in for, they might see a purse, a painting, a trinket of some sort.
It鈥檚 sort of like walking through your Grandma鈥檚 house, and the memories are free.
At least that鈥檚 what McGregor says.
