WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — The art of thrifting has been around for ages, but have you ever considered it as a way to knock out your holiday shopping?
With the help of thrift content creator Dina Younis, 3News' Kierra Cotton visited Volunteers of America Thrift in Willoughby for tips on how to make the holiday season special without breaking the bank.
Younis, who's been thrifting her entire life, says the number one rule when it comes to thrifting is to visit your local stores as often as possible.
"If you go one time and you don’t find anything, you can’t give up. You have to be persistent because you never know what you’re going to find," explains Younis.
With the holiday season fast approaching, if you're looking to thrift the perfect gifts, Younis recommends being intentional -- create a list of who your shopping for and brainstorm ideas on what they may like and what's in your budget.
Younis took Cotton on a shopping journey, helping her find gifts for kids, teens and adults. They started in the kids section, which Younis says is the easiest group to shop for.
"There are hundreds of toys, games, puzzles at the thrift store that you can find," says Younis.
The pair found brand-name toys and activities, some even brand new, for a fraction of the retail cost.
If you have little ones who may not understand exactly what thrift shopping is or older kids who may look down on the stores, Younis says second-hand shopping is a great opportunity to teach your children core values.
"It's a great value to instill in them," Younis says. "Young kids might not know the difference, but, you know, I like to tell my kids, 'We’re gonna get this second-hand, we’re gonna get this from the thrift store, we're gonna get this on Facebook Marketplace.'"
And if thrifting a gift is too intimidating for you, don’t worry, most stores have gifting accessories like wrapping paper and gift bags. They also have a selection of holiday decorations, too.
For more information on Dina Younis' thrifting you can find her on social media @DinaDays!
Volunteers of America Thrift is located at 35101 Euclid Ave., in Willoughby.