BootsnAll Travel Community

This may be a silly question, but I thought it was still worth asking.

I do most of my personal shopping at second hand shops and I know here in Canada they're everywhere and rather easy to track down, but what about other parts of the world? are they as previlent everywhere as they are here? Or am I doomed to pay new prices when I need jeans on my RTW ventures?

I used to love second hand shopping in Berlin. That was over 10 years ago, but I still dream of the day I find second hand stores.

I think second hand shopping is limited to western countries where we consume far more than we need. In most places people actually use all of the things they have until they just can't any more. The bonus is, a lot of those countries are far cheaper than the western ones and you'll be able to buy new clothes for cheaper than a lot of the second hand stores here in Portland (I mean, really, $10 for a used t-shirt!!??).

Lol, I hate how expensive some of the second hand stores have become over the past couple years, it's very sad.

And thanks! I didn't really think about things being cheaper to begin with in many places. :P

I was surprised by how many second-hand stores I came across without even looking for them, in New Zealand and Australia (or maybe it was just one or the other--can't remember). They were all St. Vincent de Pauls...so look for those.

I went to a second hand clothing shop in Berlin where you payed by the kilo. That was fun, and I actually bought two shirts and a skirt. Once a week they have "happy hour" when you pay only 7€/kg instead of 14, but we just missed that.

Wow, that buying by the kilo thing sounds really neat! Anyway, I'm glad the oppertunities are out there.

Buy the kilo makes sense. That's how I buy my pot.

In Istanbul, there is a great 'first-hand' clearance store in Taksim, along with a flea market with a lot of the same goods. They have a massive pile of shirts and pants that you are expected to dig into and get a bargain or two.

Yes, I do enjoy getting a t-shirt for a dollar. I also buy all my wool hats in the streets, for about 5 dollars.

Costa Rica:

filled with clothes selling "Ropa Americana" (used us clothing) I bought my favorite pants there. us army pants that somehow made it into such a shop which was actually run by Italians.

Scotland:

I didn't relaly like the sweater I had packed so when i found a brown wool v-neck in a 'Charity Shop' I pounced upon it, gave them my sweater. It remains my favorite.