Alberta’s tough economic times have some Calgarians trying a new way to cut costs this holiday season.
Some people combine gifts and frugality.
That was evident Monday at a Goodwill Thrift Store in northwest Calgary, where many shoppers were looking for Christmas gifts.
“The economy, where it is with inflation (and) where it’s going, savings was no. 1 on my holiday priority list,” said Mel Matheson. “And I’m sure many Albertans feel the same way.”
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Many shoppers feel a thrift store is a great place to find gifts without punishing price tags.
“You’ve got jewelry, you’ve got toys, you’ve got books, games,” Chris Hopps said. “It’s almost a one-stop shop.”
People have been turning to thrift stores for artificial Christmas trees and decorations for years.
Goodwill said this year, more shoppers are moving past holiday favorites to find second-hand items for gifts.
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“We love being a part of people’s Christmas,” said Goodwill’s Megan Powell. “And the way the economy is right now, any way you can save a dollar is a good thing.
“People will go above and beyond to save as much as they can.”
Shoppers are eager to save money at a time of year when they traditionally experience higher spending.
“The (COVID-19) pandemic has taught everyone to save – you don’t know what tomorrow will bring, so you just have to save,” said Faith Isoa. “Especially if you have kids (and) you have a family — you have to be careful.”
Shopping at a thrift store often means helping others while you’re at it.
“Ninety percent of everything we earn in our thrift stores goes to help Albertans with disabilities find meaningful work, so you’re saving money while shopping and being sustainable by buying a gift second-hand rather than buying something new and keeping it out of the landfill,” Powell said.
“You’re also putting money back into a really good cause, so you can feel good about how you’re shopping.”
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