Keep It Local, Keep It Thrifty: 5+ Ways to Save in Minnesota

Discover some of the best ways to save money while supporting your local Minnesota community! From thrift stores and garage sales to Buy Nothing groups and Fix-It Clinics, find great deals and freebies close to home.

While we often share special deals, coupons and discounts happening around Minnesota, there are ways you can save EVERY DAY while still keeping it local to support both local businesses and the community at large. These are just a few of our favorites.

Thrift Stores

We have some great thrift stores throughout the state of Minnesota! Some of my favorites are the Family Pathways stores with 10 locations running from Forest Lake up to Hinckley. On our Facebook page I recently asked our readers to share their favorite Minnesota thrift stores and we’ve gotten over 100 responses already! See the stores here and add your own favorite!

We’re hoping to create a few features here at Thrifty Minnesota about various thrift stores (particularly those that benefit charity) around the state. If you manage one or have another connection and want to collaborate, let us know.

Garage Sales

Once we hit April, garage sales, yard sales and rummage sales will bring lots of deals! Right now we have have over 100 locations on the 2025 Minnesota City Wide Garage Sale list and I hope to get it over 200 in the coming weeks/months.

You can find great stuff at a garage sales all over during the spring and summer, but when a town, city or neighborhood holds a city wide sale and dozens of homes participate you can cover a lot of ground in a short time and you have a pretty good shot at finding what you’re looking for. You’ll probably also find something you never even realized you needed!

Buy Nothing Groups

I LOVE this next one – local Buy Nothing groups. They’re an excellent way to both get items totally free and to share the things you no longer need with your neighbors. My local neighborhood group is awesome. People offer up everything from clothing to furniture to toys to garden veggies to extra cupcakes from an office party.

Just this week I wanted a patch to fix my torn winter jacket and didn’t want to buy a whole pack of them for one little tear and YEP, I asked a neighbor offered me one about an hour later. No money changes hands and trades are done in the group – everything is given freely. You can find your city, town or neighborhood group here. If there isn’t one in your area yet, then YOU could be the one to start it!

Fix-It Clinics

Another great option that’s a big savings over buying things is to get them repaired! You can do this for free at County Fix-It Clinics. At these events you can bring in your broken items – everything from old clocks to lamps, bikes, clothing, vacuums, electronics and more – and a skilled volunteer will help you to fix it. We have a list of 6 counties in the metro area with Fix-It clinics, but someone who volunteers at the clinics let me know there will be more in greater Minnesota coming up due to a MPCA grant to ReUseMN. We’ll add that info once we get it.

Free Seed Libraries

Just in time for spring, free seed libraries are a great way to get seeds to start your garden and learn more about gardening in the process. Often located at regular city and county libraries, they’re a place to get free seeds to plant and often share your own seeds with others. Here is our list of free seed libraries throughout Minnesota!

If these ideas make you think of things we might be missing and that we should add to Thrifty Minnesota, let me know! I love this topic and am always happy to share more.