My favorite places to shop--not only for items for myself but also for resale on eBay--are thrift stores. For many years now I’ve bought just about everything I need at them since they have such a wide variety of goods at very low prices.

Plus, they can carry anywhere from no name to brand name to designer name items so there’s something for just about everyone. In addition, they’re a great place to find truly unique gifts for an unbelievably small price.

You’re also helping a worthy cause when you buy things at stores associated with charities. An added bonus of shopping at nonprofits is you often don’t have to pay any sales tax. Plus, shopping at thrifts allows you to be involved with recycling items.

Contrary to popular belief, not all items found in thrift stores are used. Some are new with the tags still on since “regular” stores sometimes donate their unsold items to thrifts. Even if there’re no tags on items, many of them look brand new and unused.

Thrift stores have become much more competitive over the years with some upgrading their appearance quite a bit. A number even have “boutique” sections. Although some are found in the “low rent” parts of town, many are located in shopping malls. Most have dressing rooms with some even having public restrooms.

To find thrifts, first look under “thrift stores” in the yellow pages of the phone book. To locate thrifts in other cities, you can often find phone books for them at your local library. Then check online. Some places with information on lots of thrift stores are AOL Yellow Pages, SuperPages.com, Local.com, and Switchboard.

A Web site that lists only charity-driven thrift stores is TheThriftShopper.Com. It also features forums where thrift shoppers as well as those in the industry can post information and share their views.

Goodwill, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and The Salvation Army are some of the better-known charitable organizations with thrift stores. You can find store locations on their Web sites.

Savers is a chain of thrift stores concentrated in the Pacific Northwest--where they started and are called “Value Village.” However, they’re spreading to other states.

Since the listings you find in your searches may not be up-to-date, it’s a good idea to call to be sure they’re still around plus confirm their location and days/hours open.

Before heading out, be sure to wear comfortable clothes, especially comfortable shoes. Dress in layers, if possible, as sometimes the heating/cooling systems in the stores aren’t set at ideal temperatures for the weather.

Bring at least $20 in cash if you plan to use an ATM or credit card. Some thrifts require a minimum purchase of $5 to $10 to use them plus some don’t take checks.

Plan your route so you’ll go directly from one store to the next. Once you’ve checked out the thrift stores in your area, you’ll get a feel for if they offer the kinds of items you’re generally looking for. That’ll help you decide if you want to return.

It’s possible to save even more money in addition to the already low prices at many thrifts. This requires asking questions as well as looking closely for signs advertising sales and/or specials.

Many thrifts give senior discounts. I’ve even found one that gives a discount to teachers. Some stores don’t automatically ask if you’re eligible for their discounts and won’t give them unless you mention them before you buy. Some stores give discounts on items with certain color tags or tags marked a certain way.

Sometimes thrifts have special sales for that day only (or just for an hour or so). Often the only notice they give is to announce it over their public address system. Thus, it’s a good idea to ask if they’re having any sales when you enter a store.

Some stores have “frequent buyer” programs where they’ll mark on a card when you buy a certain minimum amount. After you’ve made a certain number of purchases for at least that amount and your card is filled up, you can use it to receive money off on a future purchase.

Other thrift stores mark down their things if they haven’t sold after a certain time period. In addition, others offer coupons which can be found in local newspapers, especially in freebies such as the “PennySaver.”

Coupons can also be found in the coupon section of phonebooks. You can even find them online--just use a search engine such as Google to look for them at stores you plan to visit. One thrift I shop at accepts coupons for other thrift stores.

Take your time going through a store so you’ll be sure not to miss anything. Unless you’re very familiar with a store, it’s helpful to check out every section as things can be scattered all throughout it, even in areas where you wouldn’t expect to find them.

While many things you find in thrift stores are in great shape, some do have “problems.” Inspect the items you want for any damage such as tears, stains, zippers that don’t work, missing parts, worn or faded areas, chips, cracks, etc. under the best lighting you can find.

Be aware most thrift stores have a no return or exchange policy with all items being sold “as is” and all sales final. However, a few do allow you to return items in exchange for store credit. If their policy isn’t posted, be sure to ask about this.

It's helpful to remember some thrifts may not be well staffed. Or their staff may be mainly volunteers with varying degrees of training and/or knowledge. Thus, it's important to be patient and understanding if you have to wait a bit for help. Keep in mind the savings you'll be obtaining and that any minor inconveniences you may encounter will be worthwhile. Happy shopping and saving!