The secondhand industry is booming. The Council for Textile Recycling estimates that the used clothing industry creates 100,000 jobs, with wages from those jobs adding up to $1 billion annually! To put it mildly, that is awesome!

To help newcomers get started on their thrifting journey, or to aid veteran thrifters, we’ve compiled a few tips to help you get the best deals on used clothing, paired shoes, or any other secondhand goods you might want:

1. Know your store: In order to keep merchandise moving and to make room for new donations, thrift stores often run regular promotions and sales. Some have colored tag sales (all pink tags $1.50, or green tags 50% off all week, that kind of thing), some have sales by sections (furniture half off every Thursday, All clothing half off on the last day of the month, for example). Many stores print or post a calendar of their promotional sales. Know your store. Learn when the sales are going to happen. This is the number one tip for saving money while thrifting.

2. Sign up for the rewards program: Some stores have stamp cards, some have rewards memberships, and some will give you a coupon for a certain percentage off your purchase if you have donated goods that day! It’s worthwhile to take a few minutes and learn what the rewards programs are at each different store.

3. Go often, and go alone: Leave your spouse, your kids, and your friends at home while you shop (if and/or when you can). They can be distracting and/or pressure you to purchase thing you don’t necessarily want, or pressure you to put back something that you really did want! While of course there are appropriate times to shop with your spouse, your kids, or your friends, if you are looking to score some seriously fabulous pieces, you should probably go alone. And go often! One of the funnest things about thrift stores is that their inventory is constantly changing.

4. Take your time: It will take some time to search out that diamond in the rough. Shopping at a thrift store is generally not a fifteen-minute activity. Sometimes it will take hours to sift through each item until you find the gem you’ve been looking for.

5. Trust your instincts, but practice mindfulness: Without others in your shopping party to distract and/or influence you, your mind is free to focus on the task at hand. If you find a piece you absolutely love, trust your instinct–but at the same time, practice mindfulness: “Is this a piece of used clothing that I will actually wear? Do I need this? Will I use it? How long do I anticipate keeping and wearing this item?” Each of these questions will help you decide whether purchasing a particular item is in your best interest or not.

6. Set a budget–and stick to it: Like any type of shopping, thrifting can become expensive if it’s not kept in check. Yes, “the hunt” is fun; yes you can buy a whole outfit under $20, but is there somewhere else that money could or should be going? Set a budget for thrifting or make a list of items you need, then stick to it. This, too, is a way to practice mindfulness when making purchases and is good advice for any type of shopping you may do.

Most of all, have fun! And thank you for buying secondhand. Your purchases really do matter. Not only are you helping support institutions that provide job training and other rehabilitative or humanitarian initiatives, but you’re helping keep millions of tons of otherwise-unwanted items out of our nation’s landfills.