Shopper thrilled after scoring premium item for cheap at Goodwill: 'Good as new'

The best things in life are free — and sometimes found at the thrift store.

A lucky shopper intercepted a kitchen appliance before it could hit a thrift store's shelves and shared a photo of their score to the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit.

"Haul of a lifetime!" they excitedly wrote. "… I walked by just as a little old man was pulling this out of his car. I said 'I'll take that!' and he handed me the mixer! It needs servicing, but starting at $0 I don't mind at all."

They received a vintage heavy-duty KitchenAid stand mixer. They also bought a pair of men's Sanük shoes and gloves. The Redditor continued the story for the mixer in the comments, calling it "crazy perfect timing to be walking behind his car right as he was taking it out."

Shopping at thrift stores is a great way to find unique items for low prices — or in this Redditor's case, $0. Free is a hard price to beat, but similar savings are common when shopping secondhand. 

Whether you're looking for clothing and accessories or furniture and appliances, shopping secondhand — garage sales, thrift stores, and estate sales — can save you around $1,700 each year. 

Along with saving money, thrifting and donating your old stuff helps save the planet, too. 

Thrifting gives "waste" a second life, keeping items out of landfills for longer. By extending an item's lifespan, you're reducing waste and harmful carbon pollution.

Thrifting regularly also lowers demand for new goods, conserving valuable, finite resources. 

Fellow thrifters in the comments expressed their envy.

What's your primary motivation in shopping at thrift stores? Cheaper clothes 🤑 Trendier items 😎 Reduced environmental impact 🌎 I don't thrift 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"So awesome he gave it to you! Let us know how the condition is," one Redditor wrote.

"Hopefully it's just something simple like the brushes for the motor," another user said. "I got a secondhand one that needed service too. Easy fix and a good cleaning later, good as new!"

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