When my daughter’s were young, I could go to any thrift shop in the area and buy a bag of clothing for $8. I’m talking about garbage sized bags, not grocery sized bags. My girls are now 10 and 12, and this is no longer the case.

Single moms like me need to be able to purchase necessities at the lowest price possible. Imagine my surprise when I began to notice that the thrift shops were raising their prices, despite the fact that the economy in my area was bad. One thrift shop use to have a bag sale at the end of the winter and summer seasons. One bag of clothing sold for $3. Today, six years later, the bags are $10 a piece.

I begin to spend more time at department stores, shopping their clearance racks. I would find 2 pair of pajama packs for $3, making each set only $1.50. This past summer I scored a pair of jeans for myself for $3. Keep in mind that these items are brand new. The thrift shops are charging similar prices, sometimes even more, for the same items in used condition.

Thrift shops are suppose to exist to help the poor, but they are no longer doing that. Why would I continue to go there and spend my hard earned money on used clothing when I can now get it for less at a Walmart or Kmart clearance sale. It is not worth it to me.

I will close with my concern for those who are even worse off than I am. Those who need to be able to get clothing for $.50 to $1.00 a piece like they could just a few short years ago. I sure hope the thrift shops get a wake-up call in their hearts and remember why they were established in the first place.