It’s mid-August and hints of fall are in the air. Here in Wisconsin, morning temps around 60F are pretty typical (and in my opinion, *perfect*). I love this time of year, but it’s also the time when I start to feel the heft of the holiday season weighing on me.
While our family’s traditions have simplified over the years, it doesn’t change the face that it’s a costly time of year. Between a tree, lights & decor, food, and gifts you can easily spend a month’s mortgage payment (or more!) on celebrating.
And if you have to travel? Forget it.
And that is part of the reason why I’ve become more keen to shop secondhand for gifts.
This post contains affiliate links.
I’m crazy frugal to begin with. I regularly shop secondhand for myself and my family. When I see a sign for a garage sale, I struggle to restrain myself. It’s no secret that I love a bargain. However, traditionally I’ve purchased gifts new. But this is changing.
No one in my family needs anything. I mean, everyone would love to have a little extra cash in our pockets (who wouldn’t?), but we all have closets full of clothes, overflowing bookshelves, and extra furniture to sell in the next garage sale.
WE. NEED. NOTHING.
A few individuals have started requesting donations to their favorite organization in lieu of gifts, but for the rest, they continue to mindlessly participate in exchanging for entertainment.
I get the hesitation. I’ve seen my fair share of snubs at the idea of secondhand. But it SHOULD BE readily accepted… and for MANY reasons.
1. Budget
Yes, I just stated that we need nothing, but I have a budget and my friends and family should respect that. Those you love shouldn’t expect you to stress over undue debt to participate in exchanging gifts. If they do, I highly encourage you to reassess your relationship/question their priorities.
2. One-of-a-kind pieces
Anyone can go to Amazon or a major department store to find a new crockpot or a trendy, mass-produced piece of art, but chances are good that you can find a much nicer (and budget-friendly) kitchen gadget or more funky piece of art for a fraction of the cost at a thrift store or garage sale.
3. Who’s gonna know?
Unless a piece is slightly worn or rusted, no one will know the difference.
No box? Maybe it was the store’s floor model.
No gift receipt? Totally forgot to get one and lost the original.
Unless you’re offering this data, mum’s the word!
4. Mother Earth
Our consumerist habits have wreaked havoc on our planet, so the least we can do is try to limit our demand for more stuff. By buying secondhand, you’re not only reducing demand for greater production of miscellaneous stuff, you’re also keeping something in the cycle a little longer. ‘Cause let’s face it, ultimately everything will land at the dump sooner or later, no matter how much you spend.
Additionally — and this is especially true for children’s gifts — buying secondhand demonstrates that you care about their future and the future health of our planet.
5. It’s no big deal if they don’t care for it
Let’s face it, we’ve all received gifts that we haven’t cared for. While most of us would love to say, “That’s really thoughtful, but it’s just not me,” we won’t. And no one wants to deal with gift receipts, returning, etc.
But wouldn’t you be heartbroken if the wool in that overpriced sweater was too itchy, or a fancy vase broke in transport, or a kid already bored with the same game a year ago? It definitely softens the blow if you never see the sweater in their wardrobe or the vase in their living space or the game on their shelf if you only spent a fraction of the cost.
Do It, But Don’t Do This!
Truly, I believe that secondhand gifts should be the norm. I’ve found so many wonderful items over the years that have not only saved me a ton of money, but have LASTED and been LOVED.
But there are definitely some secondhand traps:
Overspending:
If your budget for an exchange is set, estimate the cost of said item as new or at a slight discount. If you show up with three times the set amount worth of stuff, you’ll blow your cover or just be irritating. Seriously, no one wants a bunch of stuff for the sake of stuff.
Cleaning:
There are some stellar items out there, but if the item isn’t clean, either put in the work or pass it by. The last thing you want to do is gift a dirty item. Even if the receiver is secondhand savvy, make sure it’s clean. Pay for drycleaning, dust, disassemble and scrub. Put in some elbow grease, just don’t give a dirty gift.
Not Giving Yourself Adequate Time to Shop:
I’m totally guilty of last minute shopping, but secondhand gifting needs to be a year round process or you’ll miss the opportunity for the perfect piece for the perfect person at the perfect price. Shopping secondhand really doesn’t lend itself to last minute finds, so always keep your eyes peeled and don’t limit your shopping to the last quarter of the year.
A Personal Anecdote
To wrap up, I’m going to tell you about the first time I gifted secondhand.
I was in college and was working as a barista for minimum wage, so needless to say, I was always strapped for cash. I had gone to a garage sale where they had an adorable tabletop nightlight for $0.75. (It was a Precious Moments rhinoceros and the light glowed through.) I had a couple of pregnant co-workers, so I bought it and gifted it to one of them.
A couple of years later, I was at a cookout at their house and she asked where I had purchased it because she liked it so much and wanted to buy something similar for her expecting friends.
I was so nervous! I made her promise not to be mad and ‘fessed up.
She didn’t care, she just really liked it! I was glad to know that it was loved. (It really was adorable.)
And that was the day that I learned that it doesn’t matter if you gift secondhand, as long as you gift the right item.
So how about you? Have you gifted secondhand items? Would you? What would be your biggest motivator? Tell me in the comments below!
One thought on “5 Reasons to Gift Secondhand this Season”