08/22/2008 8:10 PM ET

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del - Back to school shopping is usually a time for bargain hunting. But this year, moreso than recent years. It is not just bargain hunters who are turning to thrift stores, second hand shops and discount stores to stock up on clothes and supplies.  

Mother of two, Sonya Christman and her husband are self-employed in the construction industry. This year, they are watching their expenses.

"We don't get a regular paycheck every week so we really need to look for the best prices.  You have to save a penny when you can," she says.

Second hand stores' sales reflect those feelings. Both Goodwill and the Salvation Army say their sales are up from last year and they are expecting an increase in shoppers for back-to-school.

"I'm a single parent so any little bit helps," she says. She and her daughter shopped at a thrift store Friday. She says she is still buying a lot of her duaghter's back-to-school gear at regular stores, but she is seriously curbing her spending.

"Last year it was more like a free for all. This year it was more like I really had to watch how much money I was spending," she says.