What to Bring to a Bin Store
Bring cash in small bills, your own bag or basket, work gloves, hand sanitizer, and a charged phone. Most stores provide none of the usual shopping conveniences, and each of these solves a specific, common problem once you're inside.
What Should You Actually Pack?
Six items cover almost everything a bin store trip throws at you:
- Cash, in small bills. Plenty of bin stores are cash-only, card readers can drop out in a warehouse unit, and staff often can't break a large bill. See do bin stores take credit cards for more on this.
- Your own bag or laundry basket. Most stores provide neither carts nor bags, and a bin-store trip usually yields more than a single handful of items.
- Work gloves. You're digging through bins that mix everything together, sometimes with sharp edges or broken packaging. Gloves make the actual searching a lot more comfortable.
- Hand sanitizer. For the same reason: bins are handled by a lot of people and aren't cleaned between digs.
- A charged phone. Useful for checking a retail price on the spot before you decide something's a good deal, for research on an unfamiliar item, and as a flashlight in dimly lit warehouse-style units.
- Comfortable, closed-toe shoes. You'll likely be on your feet and bent over bins for a while.
Once you're set up, the next step is knowing how to actually maximize savings once you're in the store, or checking which stores are near you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do bin stores provide carts or bags?
Often not. Many stores provide neither, so bringing your own bag or basket is worth doing rather than assuming one will be available.
Should I bring cash?
Yes, in small bills. A meaningful number of bin stores are cash-only, and even ones that take cards can have unreliable card readers or add a convenience fee.
Find a Bin Store Near You
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