Thrifting can be considered an art. Arianne Segerman over at Simple Mom shares her top tips for a successful thrifting experience.

Keep a list and go often. Whether it’s children’s clothing or items you collect, there are probably a few things that you are in the market for. Keep that list written down and update it with specific things you may be looking for that week. The second part of this tip is to go frequently, in the end this will help save you time because you will quickly be able to spot new items and glance past the items that are always there.

Like it? Love it? When it is time to approach the checkout stand, really scrutinize over the items in your cart. Do you love these items and have specific plans for them? Or is your house just going to end up looking like a thrift shop itself?

Branch out. If you only frequent shops in your community and you never feel like you are finding anything of value to your life then it might be time to branch out to a neighboring town or to shops that seem to appeal to another group such as the elderly.

For the rest of the tips check out Simple Mom’s 5 Must Know Tips on Thrifting.