As soon as someone mentions a thrift store, certain unpleasant things may come to mind. Thrift stores sometimes smell funny. The stuff, especially the clothes, has been used, and that bothers some people.

But hear me out: Goodwill is awesome.

Now, let me preface my opinions with the simple fact that I am an old soul. I buy used vinyls, my 2000 Ford Taurus has a cassette deck that I frequently use, and I know more classic rock music than most of the people my age. I have a record player, my favorite articles of clothing are probably t shirts and flannels, my favorite films include Mel Brooks movies… You can see where I’m going with this.

I love shopping at Goodwill for many reasons. Goodwill has a ton of cheap music. You can buy CDs for two dollars and cassettes for forty-nine cents. Being the music lover that I am, this is great. If you’re more of a vinyl shopper, it takes persistence at Goodwill, I will admit. You’ll encounter too much Barbra Streisand and gospel records, but occasionally you will be able to find good stuff. I have found Led Zeppelin and Van Halen, among others. The LPs, CDs, and tapes can vary in condition, but chances are it’ll be in good enough shape to be playable, and it’ll cost several dollars less than would comparable, new items.

Goodwill can also help you find really awesome clothes. Sure, you may find a lot of tattered t-shirts that look bad, or too many NASCAR shirts, but you can find so many other things. I have found football jerseys in good condition, pairs of shoes that were basically new, music t-shirts, and nice dress clothes. Most of my flannels are Goodwill buys, and they’re both inexpensive and comfortable. A good number of my band t-shirts (I have two dozen or more) are from my Goodwill shopping sprees, and nobody would ever know unless I told them so. Comparable new shirts can be $12 or $15 dollars, and we know how expensive jeans are. Jeans at Goodwill cost far less than $10 a pair, versus around $30 for a new pair. It just goes to show how even if you feel insecure about what you buy and where you buy it, the chances are slim that somebody will immediately notice it’s from Goodwill.

Finally, but most importantly, Goodwill is great because it does good. They give jobs to displaced people, veterans, and disabled people. In addition, their prices allow people who cannot afford lots of necessities to buy such things for reasonable prices. At the registers you can often round up your total to support a specific cause they are helping, such as education. Goodwill funds places for people to get an education, build resumes, and find jobs.

So, the next time you shop, give Goodwill a try. You can buy lots of cool stuff while also helping good causes.