SANDY, Utah — Shopping for clothes and other essentials can get expensive, especially when you're shopping for growing kids. That's why more families are turning to secondhand stores to save money, and in some cases, even make money from things they no longer need.
At Kid-to-Kid in Sandy, Misty Frischknecht has been shopping secondhand for more than three decades.
"I was walking my baby and stumbled into this amazing store and quickly realized how much money I could save shopping used," Frischknecht said.
What started as a way to save money as a mom 34 years ago has now turned into a way for Frischknecht to shop for her grandkids.
"I can find name brands," she said. "Once it was for my kids; now it's for my grandkids, that maybe I wouldn't be able to afford otherwise."
Frischknecht started as just a Kid-to-Kid customer. Now she's one of the employees, and she says another benefit of shopping at a resale store is the ability to sell items her family has outgrown.
"I can go in, sell my used items, get a store credit, or cash on the spot — 20% more for store credit — and then I can shop and just keep recycling that process," she said.
Kid-to-Kid carries everything from children's clothing and shoes to toys and baby equipment, with brands ranging from Walmart to higher-end names like Janie and Jack. Store owner Holly Aguero says the goal is to give families options at a variety of price points.
"It is absolutely the best part of the job knowing they can come in and find a super cute outfit that their kid is going to feel great wearing to school when they normally wouldn't have otherwise," Aguero said.
Across the street, Desert Industries in Sandy is another option for shoppers looking for deals. DI stores carry clothing, accessories, home goods, collectibles and more, with new items regularly rotated onto the sales floor — all at a low price.
Product manager Courtney Stevens says that variety is part of what makes thrifting so appealing.
"You can really mix and match and find your own unique style," Stevens said. "You're going to find things at DI you can't find anywhere else."
Shopping secondhand doesn't just help your wallet. Deseret Industries says it kept nearly 83 million pounds of goods out of landfills in 2025.
Purchases at DI also support its job training program, which provides people experiencing barriers to employment with on-the-job training, coaching and access to education opportunities.
For shoppers looking to find the best deals, both Stevens and Frischknecht have similar advice.
"Going in with an idea of what you want in mind really helps," Stevens said.
"I say go to the size of your child, have in mind what they first need, because you can get overwhelmed by finding the things that you want, so first start with the need," Frischknecht added.
