Shopper stunned by discovery after looking inside pocket of bag purchased from thrift store: 'Always double-check all the pockets'

A shopper got more than they bargained for in the best way when they found a pair of earrings hidden in a thrifted purse pocket.

In the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit, the original poster shared a photo of what appeared to be a pair of diamond stud earrings.

"Be sure to always double check all the pockets of your thrifted items. I just found these lovely earrings in a used purse that I purchased," they wrote in the caption.

Comments noted that the earrings were likely worth a lot of money. "They don't do twist-lock backs on costume or even cheap diamonds. These have to be real and very good quality," one Redditor said, urging the OP to go to a jeweler for an appraisal.

Other thrifters have made surprising discoveries while shopping. For example, one person found $60 in cash in a purse they bought. Another found a gold bangle and earrings in a cosmetics bag at a flea market. 

While these lucky finds could be incentive enough to give thrifting a try, there are plenty of other reasons. Shopping secondhand is a great way to save money on everyday items or high-end products such as cookware, clothing, and furniture. Replacing half of new purchases with thrifted gems could save you $100 per year, and if you uncover a fun surprise, all the better!

You also reduce the number of products that end up in landfills by giving usable items a second life. According to Earth.org, of the 100 billion garments produced annually, over 101 million tons end up in landfills, wasting valuable resources in their production only for them to go unused. The number of times people wear items has also dropped by 35% over the past 15 years.

With thrifting, you can have positive environmental and financial impacts — and maybe even score a major find. 

Redditors in the comments were stunned by the OP's discovery and wanted an update.

"They ended up being real!!!!" the OP declared.

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.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.