Shopper stunned after noticing problematic trend at local thrift store: 'It's outrageous'

With the elimination of the de minimis exemption and prices rising across many essential household categories, many of us are looking to cut corners where we can. One of those corners is clothes, as eco-friendly clothing prices can be quite steep.

One of the best ways to shop in an eco-friendly way is to thrift and shop at secondhand stores. However, some thrift shops owned by Goodwill and The Salvation Army aren't as affordable as they used to be.

One thrifter shared a recent sticker shock they came across at their local thrift shop. They posted their find in the r/ThriftGrift subreddit.

"The Salvation Army has lost its mind," the OP wrote. "For this?"

The pictures show a like-new pair of green suede boots with a price tag of $39.99. One reseller noted that the shoes used to retail for close to $150, so the price is 70% off. However, the OP noted that regardless of the starting retail price, items at charity stores should never be this steep.

"The people shopping in this store are in need. The Salvation Army had these donated. Pricing should be consistent and affordable for everyone in the store. $40 was [my family's] entire budget for back to school for the year."

Offering boots for 70% off retail is a great bargain, but that is suited more for a vintage store, consignment store, or independent online reseller. Charity stores are to help those who are lower income, and regardless of what is donated, price tags should reflect the income of the shoppers, not the original price tags.

When thrift shops are priced appropriately, shoppers can save thousands of dollars a year simply by switching from buying new to secondhand, according to CNBC. You can find items like Hunter rain boots for $10, a vintage 70s Whiting & Davis top for $20, and a vintage Coach bag for $15.

Thrifting is an immense help for the environment, as fast fashion has increased Americans' disposal of clothing to 82 pounds of clothing every year, according to Earth.org. Just by thrifting a cotton tee instead of buying new, you are saving 3,000 liters of water.

One commenter posted that they found the shoes elsewhere: "$23 on Ebay!"