Secrets of secondhand shopping in St. Louis

By Kasey Joyce

KSDK -- Economic times have been tough, and some families have cut back in some areas or bought items secondhand so they could afford the everyday essentials.

October was the busiest month on record for many St. Louis thrift shops.

The new customer may not be who you expect: middle to upper-class shoppers, looking to find bargains. But perspective consumers should know some things before they start shopping secondhand, because there are some items one should never buy used.

Her friends and family might said she's cheap, but Jennifer Bobo said she prefers to call it "thrifty."

"I would say 80 percent of the things in my home are secondhand," Bobo said.

Bobo has an eye for a bargain and a hunger for the hunt. Her goal has been to find almost everything she needs on the racks of thrift stores and secondhand shops.

"It's like my big adrenaline rush. It's like my drug," Bobo said.

Bobo lives in a two-story home near Tower Grove with her husband and two children. She's one of the growing numbers of middle-class Americans who have started shopping secondhand to save cash.

"In general, people feel like their income is not keeping up with inflation, so there is definitely a bigger push to buy used," said UMSL financial expert Suzanne Zemelman.

Jack Wyland, assistant manager at the Salvation Army, said he's seen a 25 percent increase in the past year.

"Over the last two months we've probably had about a 45 percent increase in customers," he said. "It's just incredible."

Bobo said she got some of her very best finds at Ivey Selkirk auctions and estate sales. She's purchased fur coats, jewelry, antiques and furniture, all for less than $100.

"If you're only spending four dollars for a new shirt, then why not?" Bobo said.

Bobo will even take discarded furniture from city alleys, fix it up, and put it in her home; but there's some things she refuses to buy used.

"I'm not one to buy undergarments secondhand," she said. "That's where I draw the line."

And she's careful when it comes to her kids' safety.

"I wouldn't buy a used car seat of any kind," Bobo said. "You can't tell by looking at it if it's ever been in an accident, and if it has, it's only designed to take one kind of accident."

And the experts said she's right. They recommend buying all children's safety items, like car seats and bike helmets, brand new. Also on the list are bedding items, mattresses and electronics for which you may want a warranty, like plasma TVs, DVD players and laptops.

But some things you're almost always better off buying secondhand. Consumers can save by buying used musical instruments for your kids, as well as cars, books, CDs, DVDs and sporting equipment.

The rest is a matter of preference. Bobo said, for her, it's a no-brainer.

"Those little amounts can add up quickly over time," Zemelman said. "It's not just a dollar or five dollars here."

Sometimes, the best bargains take a little extra work.

"You need to spend more time here to find what you want. But in doing so, that's where you find the great bargains and deals," Wyland said.

You can do some of the best bargain shopping from home on websites like Craigslist and eBay. NewsChannel 5 has put together a list on the right side of the page. And below we have a list of some of Jennifer Bobo's bargain shopping spots in the St. Louis area.

Bargain Shopping Spots:
-Value Village, 7435 Watson Rd, Shrewsbury, MO, 314-968-9768
-Ivey Selkirk Auctions, 7447 Forsyth Blvd, St Louis, MO, 314-726-5515
-Rag-O-Rama, 6388 Delmar Blvd, St Louis, MO, 314-725-2760
-Salvation Army, 3949 Forest Park Ave, St Louis, MO, 314-535-0057
-Goodwill, 4140 Forest Park Ave, St Louis, MO, 314-371-1296
-Big Lots, 8563 Watson Rd, Webster Groves, MO, 314-918-9403