Hi and welcome to Thrifty Thursday, where I will show you my most recent puzzle haul from one of the thrift stores near me and let you in on some of my tips and strategies for finding good deals on used puzzles.

While, I (and I’m sure many of you) love getting a brand new puzzle that I know is complete and isn’t damaged, I also love finding good deals on puzzles. I enjoy going to the thrift stores near me and seeing what their puzzle selection is like and comparing prices to brand new puzzles, to see if I am getting a good deal or not. Most of the time ( or at least so far) the puzzles I get are complete, but there’s always that chance you could purchase a used puzzle that doesn’t have all the pieces. I know that this takes the fun out of putting that puzzle together, but it’s always nice when the previous owner writes a note on the box to let you know if it’s complete or not.

When i go thrifting for puzzles, I have several thrift stores I love to go back to again and again and some that I know I’m not getting a good deal at, so I do my best to avoid those stores. My favorite thrift stores to go back to are local, mom and pop stores and those that support local organizations and hire those with disabilities and those in need. I like to see that the thrift stores I frequently go to are helping the community and giving back/paying it forward, we need more of this in the world today.

Here’s a list of the four puzzles I purchased recently at a thrift store and how much I paid for each puzzle compared to the original price:

1. Springbok Lord of the Rings 1,000 Piece Puzzle Original Price: $19.95 I paid: $2.00
2. Buffalo Games North Country 1,000 Piece Puzzle Original Price: $14.99 I paid: $2.00
3. Buffalo Games Tiny Bubbles 1,000 Piece Puzzle Original Price: $17.99 I paid: $3.00
4. Buffalo Games Life’s Reward 1,000 pieces original price: $19.99 I paid: $3.00

When I am looking for a good deal on used puzzles, I like to see if the puzzle/s I am going to purchase are random cut pieces versus ribbon cut (I find random cut easier to work with), who the artist is (if there is one listed) that created the puzzle image and whether the puzzle image is cartoon style or more of a photograph, as that can make all the difference in how much you enjoy doing the puzzle. The above mentioned features I look for in a puzzle, can really make all the difference in whether or not you’re going to love doing that puzzle, because if you don’t enjoy doing the puzzle, then did you really get a good deal?.

What are your thoughts on buying used versus new puzzles? Do you enjoy the thrill of being surprised at what you find at thrift stores in the puzzle area? Let me know what your thoughts are about buying thrifted puzzles.