Thrift stores, Consignment and re-sale shops are all the rage in the current economy, and with good reason. Wages have not kept pace with expenses and many people are struggling to make ends meet. Thrift stores offer the opportunity for people to purchase gently used high quality items at bargain prices and, if run by a nonprofit, help support programs that benefit the community. Donating and purchasing items at thrift stores and resale shops is recycling at its best. You are keeping items out of landfills that are perfectly usable and helping to extend their useful life in a throw-away society. Your money is also recycled back into the community in the form of programs (if run by a nonprofit) and income, helping to contribute to the economy as a whole.