Let’s face it: with the cost of tuition, food, housing, and general existence, college students are what the cool kids call ‘broke.’ Another fact about college students: they need clothes. Okay, maybe that one isn’t really exclusive to college students. Now, there are many ways to save money on clothes. These can include shopping during sales or at Walmart, but none are quite as economical as thrifting, or thrift shopping. As the expression goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
If you’re into vintage fashion, thrift stores are a great place to find some great pieces at a low cost. Luckily, thrift stores don’t exactly discriminate against donations, so they offer a wide range of fashions. Due to the locality of thrift stores, they are also bursting with culture, containing one of a kind pieces that may only be found in Houston. On my last thrift shopping excursion, I was able to find a security guard jacket from last year’s Super Bowl held at Reliant Stadium. Some of the larger thrift stores even sell items besides clothing and accessories.
My personal favorite in Houston is the Family Thrift Center Outlet. Depending on the day of the week, every single item in the store is the one standard price. Starting with $2 on Thursday and going down 25 cents a day until Wednesday, when everything costs a quarter. For obvious reasons, Wednesdays are the busiest days. Its low price is a result of the store’s policy of completely replacing its entire stock once a week. Thursdays are busy as well, because everything in the store is “brand-new”. My recommendation, the best days to go to the Family Thrift Center Outlet is on a Saturday or a Sunday. On these days the cost is still extremely low at $1.50 and $1.25, and the stock is relatively “new”. 
Another great thrift store is Value Village, located not far from the Family Thrift Center Outlet. Value Village carries not only clothing but other miscellaneous items: books, vinyls, household appliances, toys, and home decor. The store itself is organized with hanging signs, labeling the different sections of racks and shelves for customer convenience. Prices in Value Village vary based on the condition of the item and the item itself. Value Village is the least busy on weekdays and busiest on weekends.
As far as second hand stores go, Buffalo Exchange is on the pricier side but some would consider it worth the clothing items they keep in stock. All clothes and accessories at Buffalo Exchange are definitely on the trendier side, with vintage fashions in near perfect condition. The store also acts on an exchange policy (hence the name), allowing you to sell your clothing or exchange it for something in stock at the same value.
So if you ever find yourself in desperate need of a shopping trip that your wallet is just as desperately protesting, try thrifting instead. Give your bank account some much needed time to breathe and to find itself.
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