Save Money: Combining Gift Shopping With Thrift Shopping This Holiday Season
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Posted: 11:44 AM Dec 8, 2008
Save Money: Combining Gift Shopping With Thrift Shopping This Holiday Season
While the holiday season is a time for both charitable giving and giving gifts to friends and family, it's the rare shopper that combines the two.
Reporter: Stacy Johnson--Money Reporter
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While the holiday season is a time for both charitable giving and giving gifts to friends and family, it's the rare shopper that combines the two.

But maybe it's something to consider this year.

Money Reporter Stacy Johnson explains how you might kill two birds with one stone this year by combining gift shopping with thrift shopping.

By all estimates, this holiday season will be a tough one for pretty much everyone: with the economy in dire straights, charitable donations are down. And holiday shoppers are pinching their pennies.

But here's an idea that could benefit both charities and consumers: doing some of your holiday shopping at Charity thrift shops, like Goodwill. The benefit to Goodwill is obvious: they can use the money for their good works.

But you can benefit too. Because you can find prices here way below what you'd find in any other kind of store...and on better stuff than you might think.

"I've got these Georgio Armani pants. Retail price is $725. But at Goodwill, they're $15. I have these Dolce Gabbana pants. Never been worn. They retail at $300. But at Goodwill, they're $15. I've got these Kaki pants. They retail in the store at $40. But at Goodwill, they're $15."

Of course, one disadvantage of shopping at thrift stores is that you never know for sure if the trip will be worth it. But that's part of the fun.

Bottom line?

When the going gets tough the tough do go shopping…but they use their imagination instead of their cash. They make their own gifts. They go to yard sales. And yes, sometimes they go to thrift stores.

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