Many of us a couple times a year go through our closets and clean out all of the old clothes that we can't or don't want to wear anymore and donate them to charities or take them to a thrift store.

For the most part, the clothes that we donate are in good shape and certainly have quite a bit of life left in them. Most of the thrift stores will inspect the clothes to make sure that the items are in reasonable shape and can be worn.

Although you might be thinking that these thrift stores only buy outdated and really old sets of clothing, this is not as common as you might think. If you've had kids then you certainly know that they will outgrow their clothes long before the useful lifespan of the garment has been reached. And other than that, the types of clothes that aren't 'trendy' such as simple items like jeans and t-shirts will always have a certain amount of popularity.

If you look around at your local thrift store, you may not find a specific style that you may be hoping for, but you'll certainly find a lot of items that peak your interest... especially for the price. Thrift stores a great place to pick up things like jackets, pullovers, windbreakers and such; and you'll never beat the price versus what these same or similar items would cost you at a mall or any retail store.

It's not as though each time you stop by your local thrift store you'll be able to find exactly want you want. But with a little patience and persistence you can find some real nuggets.

If your thrift store has a larger facility, you can also find household items such as second hand furniture, appliances, books and such which may still be in pretty decent condition.

Thrift stores carry with them the impression that they are cheap... and they are. But this doesn't mean at all that you cannot find some great items in them. So don't let your ego get in the way of finding great deals... especially if you have growing kids that need some good play clothes to wear and you don't want to pay a premium price for something that will soon be out grown.

Consignment shops are another great avenue for saving money on items that you buy.