My granddaughter is getting married in a few months, which means I needed to find a pair of dress shoes. This may not sound like breaking news, but for me, it ranked somewhere between preparing taxes and breaking off another tooth.

I dread shoe shopping. Dress shoes are expensive, and many seem designed for young people who haven’t spent 70 years chasing life. Sure enough, I tried on a pair of Clarks that cost more than $100 and were highly rated for comfort. My feet immediately cried out in agony.

I tried four more pairs. Some pinched, some wobbled, and one pair made me walk like I was once again navigating an icy Wisconsin sidewalk in January. If I wore any of them to the wedding, I wouldn’t be focused on the vows, the dancing, or the joy of the occasion. I’d be wondering how discreetly I could make my fall.

Then I found the perfect pair.

I slipped them on, and it felt like coming home. Soft. Stable. Kind. The cost? Eight dollars.

The store? St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store.

Not only did I get great-looking shoes, but someone far more dedicated to discomfort than I am has already broken them in. Even better, my money helped local families in need. That is what I call a triple win.

This wasn’t an isolated miracle.

The last time we hosted a huge family gathering, I realized I needed another roasting pan. Instead of racing to a big box store, I hurried to St. Vinny’s—it’s only about a mile from my house—and found a brand-new pan for under ten dollars.

When our hot tub no longer worked and left a space on our deck, I stopped at St. Vinny’s. I found a round table and yellow paint to jazz it up, all for under $25. Now I’m on the lookout for whimsical chairs and yellow flowerpots so the old hot tub area can become a cheerful little gathering spot. I just may find the perfect ones secondhand.

When we picked up our new puppy in January, she needed a coat. I found one secondhand. She didn’t care that it wasn’t new. In fact, she enjoyed its many scents.

I also wanted a wireless fence. Thrift stores rarely carry them, so I checked Facebook Marketplace. It came through. I found a brand-new one for $50, about a third of the retail price.

Some of my favorite finds have been my husband’s and my e-bikes. We were all set to shop for new ones when I explored Marketplace. It had exactly what we wanted. Mine originally sold for over $3,000, but I bought it for $750. My husband found a great deal too. We now pedal around town feeling thrifty and doing our tiny part for the planet.

Recently, I’ve explored eBay for dog items, Freecycle for giveaways, and ThredUp, Poshmark, and The RealReal for clothing.

There was a time when “used” made people crinkle their noses. But many of us have changed our thinking. Used can mean comfortable. Used can mean economical. Used can mean giving something a second life instead of sending it to the landfill.

And if that second life includes comfortable wedding shoes for eight dollars, all the better.

Before you buy new, I recommend looking around first. Check a thrift store. Browse Marketplace. Explore online sites. Who knows—you might come away with an item that saves you money, reduces waste, helps your neighbor, and saves your aching feet.