They believe the rising cost of living has prompted the trend to grow exponentially as lower-income earners and families struggle to keep up with the price of essentials.

Pauline Roberts has volunteered at the RDA Op-Shop for 24 years and said the store is busier now than she has ever seen it.

"It's grown ... our takings are the highest they've ever been," she said.

"[The cost of living] is having more of an impact now because grocery shopping's just gone way up."

Betty Pearce, who has also volunteered at RDA Op-Shop for 10 years and previously at St Vincent de Paul's for many more, agreed.

"I think people with a young family are finding it really hard to clothe and feed their young ones," she said.

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The charity store has been operating for at least 25 years and recently moved to its new home at 41-43 Baylis Street.

Throughout COVID-19, Wagga Riding for the Disabled, which is completely independent of government funding, has relied on the income of the charity store to stay afloat.

Those thinking of shopping second-hand can do so at many of the charity stores in Wagga knowing that most, if not all, of the proceeds will be reinvested back into the community with the aim of helping others.

"People see little trinkets that they wouldn't normally have been able to afford and they can get them for not much money," Ms Roberts said.

"They're happy and we're happy."

Ms Roberts said that while discounts stores continue to rise in both popularity and prominence across the city, nothing beats the craftsmanship of some of the second-hand items on their shelves.

"A lot of the stuff you buy [from discount stores] might be cheap, but it's also nasty," she said.

"But ... people just can come here and get something very nice even though it might have been worn by somebody else."

Opportunity shops can be discovered throughout the city and if one is without a particular item, volunteers will more than likely point customers in the direction of a charity store that does.

Pauline Roberts said the thing that has kept her wanting to volunteer year after year is the strong relationships she's built among her peers and the smiling faces of the community she serves.

Ms Roberts said the thing that has kept her wanting to volunteer year after year is the strong relationships she's built among her peers and the smiling faces of the community she serves.

"[My favourite thing about the store] is the people I work with actually ... and the customers because some of them are like our friends," she said.

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