Death of the fun budget: Americans say their discretionary spending has dropped by 42% in the last year, according to a recent survey.
The poll of 2,000 American adults found that many are looking for ways to save in the current economic environment, as over half of those surveyed (52%) revealed that they’re worried about the state of their finances.
According to the findings, two-thirds (66%) of Americans are turning to thrifting on a regular basis to balance their budgets these days.
In fact, nearly one in six (17%) are even thrifting as often as once per week, with Gen Z secondhand shopping more each week (28%) than other generations.
And thrifting in 2025 isn’t just a brick-and-mortar shopping experience, since the study found that almost one in four thrift shoppers (22%) like to do so online.
Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by Mercari, an online marketplace, for National Thrifting Day on August 17th, the survey found that more than a quarter of thrifters (26%) have picked up secondhand shopping in the last year.
Looking at the “why” behind this uptick, nearly three-quarters (72%) said they shop secondhand to save money.
However, many respondents have additional motivations for thrift shopping, with half of thrifters (51%) saying they hit the thrift stores because they enjoy the thrill of finding a good deal.
Forty-two percent relish searching for unique, one-of-a-kind things, and 28% are on the lookout for collectible items.
And for 30%, they simply enjoy the vibe of thrift stores.
Clothing (71%) is the most popular commodity people are thrifting this year, followed by home decor (45%), books (40%), home goods (39%), shoes (31%), collectibles (30%), and furniture (26%).
And respondents estimated that 34% of their belongings have been purchased secondhand, on average.
“As the data shows, thrifting is multidimensional,” said Jeff LeBeau, vice president of growth at Mercari. “It’s something people are doing to spend responsibility these days, but it’s also a hobby for many. Not only is it an affordable option for shoppers due to financial constraints, but thrifters also just thrift for the fun of it, and to find unique deals. From clothes to video games to books to furniture, most everyone has something they enjoy browsing for when thrifting.”
Thrift shopping is also something most secondhand shoppers (57%) consider to be self-care, and Gen Z (70%) is the most likely out of all generations to label thrifting as part of their self-care routine.
Zooming in to investigate the quintessential thrifting excursion, many thrifters (37%) like to make it more of an experience than an errand by hitting up multiple stores in one day.
Twenty-nine percent also like to meet up with a friend to thrift together, and a quarter (25%) said that treating themselves to a coffee or beverage to sip on while shopping is a must.
And from inexpensive but dearly cherished items, to once-in-a-lifetime designer deals, thrifters have really scored big in the past.
The survey asked respondents to share their best secondhand deals to date and uncovered that many have walked away with hidden gems, including vintage and designer clothing, retro video games, collectibles, antique furniture, and nearly-new tech.
“It’s not unusual to walk away from thrifting with a killer deal,” said LeBeau. “That’s part of the joy of thrifting — searching for and finding something that’s perfect for you, at a price you can afford. And with the rise of online thrifting, American consumers now have more opportunities than ever to discover incredible bargains.”
America’s Best Thrift Wins:
● “One of my favorite things I’ve thrifted is a vintage leather jacket that looks timeless and high-quality. I estimate it originally cost around $300 new, but I found it for just $40. It’s become a staple piece I love wearing!”
● “It was a copy of my favorite book that I then gave to a friend. [It] wasn’t valuable, but I wanted her to have a copy.”
● “Probably a video game that was rare. I gave $25 for it.”
● “My most recent favorite find was a 1974 Expo ’74 decorative plate. It went well with my collection.”
● “One thing I found was an old Schwinn bicycle that was the exact same as [the one] I rode when I was a kid, and I bought it for $10. Restored, it’s worth a decent amount of money.”
● “I bought a designer jacket for $34 that would have cost over $200 brand new. It was in perfect condition.”
● “Sets of tools that I bought for $40 that would normally cost over $200 brand new.”
Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Mercari and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between July 24 and July 29, 2025.
Read the full article here
