If you are into second hand store shopping (if you aren’t because you don’t think anything decent would be there and you haven’t been to one in awhile, you may want to take a trip again. The local one by my house in the US is quite nice - nothing like the image I has when I was in high school. Then again, not all stores are like this. I remember visiting a friend and taking a trip to his local thrift-shop last year and saying to myself, “yep, this is the image that keeps most people away” - so they do vary quite a bit), now is the time to head down there to get the deals.

With the end of the year almost here, a lot of people will be cleaning out closets and attics to get rid of stuff to deduct on their taxes. You can get some great stuff this time of year and the selection is usually quite extensive.

You’ll have to find out how long it takes your local store to get things out on the display floor. I know from experience the best time is the second week in January for my local store, but I have a friend that says everything has been picked over by then at her local GoodWill and she gets there the first week in January. It pays to find out exactly and you can usually do so by asking one of the floor workers.

Some of my past scores: a beautiful leather jacket , an antique night stand and a set of Wedgwood display dishes. I’ve been surprised at the number of brand name articles that show up these days. That’s not to mention all the items I’ve picked up to resell (that’s the real reason I go - too search for those hidden gems and if I find something that I like in the process, it’s an added bonus).

So if you are clearing out some of your stuff to give away for the tax break, ask when all the current items coming in will start showing up on the main floor. It may be well worth your while to come back and take a look when they are available.