Thrifting is a popular activity among many Corona del Mar High school students. “Finding unique items ranging from clothes to old cameras is so much fun,” said Senior Eliot Richards. Eliot loves to thrift, especially with her friends. They have gone from Huntington Beach all the way up to Los Angeles to search for rare finds. Last weekend they went to the Silver Lake Flea market in Los Angeles. “It’s a flea market with vintage clothes and unique jewelry,” said Eliot. She mentioned she really enjoyed thrifting at Silverlake, but most of the items were too expensive. Senior Alice Iacone went thrifting in San Clemente with friends earlier in the month. Alice said, “I found so many cute things.” Alice’s friend found a vintage authentic Levi’s jacket from the 1990s. “Saver’s” is another popular stop for thrifters at Corona del Mar, “it’s similar to Goodwill,” said Eliot. She said “I love to go thrifting there; you can always find something really unique for a good price.” Eliot said the last time she was there she found a pair of jeans and a few shirts. She also mentioned one of her friends found a digital camera from the 2000s for only six dollars. Senior Megan Morris also enjoys thrifting, especially for old records. She mentioned she enjoys looking for old records by her favorite artists for herself and her parents. Megan bought her Mom an old record by her favorite band for Mother’s Day.

Thrifting is a pass time that requires a lot of digging and patience. Here are some tips to follow to become a thrift store expert.

1. Know when your thrift store restocks items; going on the day that a store restocks increases your chances of finding something good before other people have the chance to buy it first.

2. Know what days are discount days; oftentimes, many thrift stores have days when some items are marked down. This way, you can pay even less for an already discounted item.

3. Use a label resource to make sure your item is truly vintage; sometimes, stores may be overcharging for an item they claim is vintage, but sometimes it isn’t an authentic vintage item.

4. Make sure you really inspect an item before buying it; some pieces of clothing might be stained or ripped, which gives you the chance to negotiate for a lower price. Additionally, things like old cameras are often broken or missing pieces, so make sure you are willing to get them repaired.