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Thrift stores are a great source of bargain buys. Items sold in thrift stores are priced very competitively. You can find some fabulous buys at thrift stores if you take the time and effort to choose from their selections. Thrift stores are fast becoming popular destinations for the budget shopper. Times are tough and every dollar has to be stretched to the maximum. Your dollars can go quite a long way with some creative shopping at your local thrift store. While thrift stores do check their items before placing them on the shelves, sometimes a few potentially hazardous items can pass inspection due to human error most of the time. A lot of these items are children's toys. Not only should thrift stores check their items for safety issues. You, the buyer, should also check the items you are buying. A bargain you find at a thrift store may turn out to be a big mistake if you don't practice due diligence in checking whether or not the product is safe or working well. What are some items to watch out for? Here are a few things you should always check before buying at thrift stores. Check clothing for drawstrings. Avoid using drawstrings for young children. Your children's clothes should not have drawstrings around the head and neck area. The reason is simple. Children are very active. Drawstrings have the potential of posing as a possible strangulation risk. Velcro, snaps and zips are much better alternatives to drawstrings. Drawstrings at the waist should not be more than 3 inches long. However, avoiding them may be the best route for your young child until they grow older. Everyone loves bean bag chairs. They're fun, colorful and functional. Make sure when you buy bean bag chairs that there are no zippers or ways to open them up. Children are naturally inquisitive. If there's a zipper or way to open the bean bag, your child will play with the zipper or find a way to open up the chair. Avoid the risk of your child choking or suffocating on the foam filling pellets. Buy only bean bags that are completely closed with no rips or tears. Cribs can be quite expensive. Finding a cheap but lovely crib at the thrift store is as much a treat for a couple who is just starting out as it is for a family who needs to get creative with the arrival of a new baby. Your crib should meet safety standards though. Mattress must fit snugly inside the crib. Otherwise, baby might get trapped and suffocate. The slats should also be properly spaced. Too wide slats can cause baby to fall out or strangle in the process. Playpens and play yards are also items that must be checked properly. Make sure that the playpen or play yard you are purchasing is not recalled stock. Recalls of playpens and play yards are often done when these items do not meet safety standards. This may be due to protruding hardware or unsafe construction. Your child may either strangle if clothing gets caught in a protrusion, wounded if the protrusion is sharp, or entrapped if the structure collapses. These are but a few child items that you should check. You should also check other toys, safety gates, anything that uses electricity. Bear in mind that thrift store stocks are donations and second hand goods. Always check for defects and possible safety hazards. You check new items, you should for used ones too. David Stack is a web developer and an expert in saving money by using coupon codes. He runs a website listing thousands of promo deals and discounts from the most popular online stores in the U.S. An example is CheapOair promo discounts.
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