I used to associate thrift stores with poverty. My daughters-in-law taught me to see abundance instead.

The author started to thrift with her daughters in law.

Courtesy of the author I first bonded with my daughters-in-law over Facebook Marketplace.

They helped me feel comfortable wanting beautiful things without spending much money.

Our secondhand shopping trips have become a treasured family tradition.

I did not go to thrift stores when I was raising four sons on my own.

I like to pretend I simply wasn't aware of the local thrift stores but this is a lie.

The truth was, I was too ashamed of my poverty to shop at thrift stores.

Too desperate to keep up pretenses , to show the rest of the world and especially my sons that we were doing fine.

We went without a lot of the time.

We were careful with hand-me-downs and Christmas gift cards from family members.

We shopped in January in the discount bin .

Every once in a while I'd splurge on new shoes or winter coats we couldn't afford and we suffered for it.

The rent money gone, my tiny savings account depleted.

Wasted on my need, my longing for stuff.