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Back to school thrifting in Monroe County

Families are always looking for a good deal. Newswatch 16's Emily Kress found people in the Poconos who aren't breaking the bank for a new wardrobe.

MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — The shelves are filled with everything from backpacks, clothes and shoes at the East Stroudsburg Goodwill.

Tanya Beers from Stroudsburg took her grandson shopping to get ready for his first day of kindergarten.

"We were able to get him a few polos. We were hoping to find some of the required pants, shorts, that kind of thing, maybe even a sweater that can take him into the fall," said Beers. 

Store managers say thrifting has become a popular trend for back-to-school shopping... 

Karina Alt is a second-grade teacher in the Pocono Mountain School District. She says she's on the hunt for some good deals for her classroom. 

"Being a teacher you have to buy a lot of stuff for your classroom, which is part of the job, you get to come see what you can get for your kids," said Alt. 

Shoppers tell Newswatch 16 that browsing the racks at thrift stores helps them save on their back-to-school budgets.

"It can get expensive if you're putting a lot into your classroom, and I like to have a lot. So coming here, I can get a lot of games and a lot of toys for much less of a cost than if I would have had to buy them on Amazon or Target," explained Alt. 

"It's really beneficial for families, especially families who have multiple children, this is our grandson, but for families who have multiple children, it's tough," said Beers. 

For some East Stroudsburg University students, an afternoon of thrifting means a couple of new shirts for their back-to-school wardrobe while also giving these pieces new life. 

"I got this nice button-up flannel. I'm gonna wear it over a hoodie, and I only got it for 99 cents," said Joseph Walker from Philadelphia. 

"It's way better to reuse clothes than to just throw them out or get more and more when people can get it for a cheap price who need it or just want to go out and thrift and have fun," said Lucas Thaler from Lancaster.

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