The questionable ethics of thrift shopping

I've haunted thrift shops for as long as I can remember. Most of what I wear comes from garage sales and thrift shops, with an occasional new thing thrown in to bring it all together.

I always thought I was doing the right thing -- for all kinds of reasons -- when I bought my stuff second hand. I could justify it. After all: I'm not rich. Plus, when I buy my clothes, I give cash to charities, etc. etc...

But now I'm not so sure. Hear me out:

We have toddlers. Two of 'em. Recently, J and I pounced when we saw a new box of diapers at a local thrift shop. We threw it on our cart along with all the kiddie clothes we were about to buy... We paid, and left.

Then I started to feel bad. Really bad. Shame.

J and I both have decent, full-time jobs. We do okay. Unlike a lot of the people shopping in that thrift shop, we can certainly afford to spend $30 on a new box of huggies.

So what the hell were we doing, snapping up essentials for our kids in a thrift shop, right in front of people who regularly struggle to feed, house and clothe their kids?

I'm no longer sure how I feel about this. Of course, I'm not going to run out and start buying all new clothes for my kids. It's second hand all the way, baby.

But I'm going to thrift shop more selectively. Next time, I'm going to think about whether I'm buying something that someone else will truly need.

Usually there's enough to go around. But when there isn't, I'm asking all of you to stop, look around, and ask yourself if you belong in that thrift shop. Maybe you do. And maybe you don't.

For our part, J and I resolved to donate a bunch of diapers and formula to a food bank over the holidays. Because as parents we know how much this stuff costs...