What is your charity shop bargain of the week?

serious_saver · 20 March 2012 at 5:46PM

shandyclover wrote: »

This week our Sal*vation Army shop had a sale on all knit wear.

Bought a White Tommy Hilfinger jumper, and a vibrant green H&M cardigan for DD15
A black Next jumper for OH
A brown H&M cardigan, and a gray M&S woolen dress for me!

All for £5!

I love our local Salvation Army shop. They are my favourite local charity shop by far. You get some great bargains and if you give them a donation that is useful to someone they are helping it doesn't even get to the shop, it goes straight to the people who need it.

This is closely Followed by Tenovus because there's a lovely old lady who volunteers in the shop. She offered to teach me to knit if I bought some of their wool

building_with_lego · 20 March 2012 at 5:52PM

I got a money bag full of cream and white buttons for £1 one day last week, and used it to make something like this for my mum for Mothering Sunday in an IKEA £9 box frame. She loved it. And I still have a load of buttons left.

Edit: I've just noticed that this is my thousandth post :j:j

BitterAndTwisted · 20 March 2012 at 6:41PM

serious_saver wrote: »

I bought a curtain sample from a charity shop for £2.50 on Saturday. It doesn't sound that exciting but I did manage to turn it into 3 large (and rather lovely) tote shopping bags! I’m looking at one of them right now and I'm feeling rather proud of my sewing skills!

I would be, too. Very clever. I need to get my thinking cap on and see what I can make. There's a really good Islamic Relief CS near me that sells the most beautiful fabric remnants both plain and embroidered and/or jewelled. I very nearly bought a really gorgeous sari there to use as a window treatment. I think they wanted three pounds for it. I only have one window to treat and that's the width of a whole wall, so about 13 feet, so just the one sari wouldn't do it but I thought about buying that particular one just for the sheer hell of it. I might pop back later in the week and see if it's still there

Nicepeach · 20 March 2012 at 8:47PM

building_with_lego wrote: »

Nicepeach- have a look at your council's recycling bit of the website. Ours has recently done a 'bring and take' event which sounds like the swapshop mentioned above, and it was so successful they're doing another two this year.

Thanks building with lego, I will do.

The hunt began in earnest today for the china tea set I want for my Mum's birthday tea party. So... I visited a grand total of 5 CS in my quest to acquire pretty china tea set. Sadly, to no avail. There were lots but not quite what I'm looking for, although some have gone on the back-up list (i.e. if haven't found exactly what I want by a week before I'll make do with one of them I saw today!).

However, in the last shop I went to I bought the following:

1 x Red Herring dress, green jersey @ £2.25 (half price in blue cross sale!!!)
1 x George dress, splodgy purple/fawn/multi colour jersey @ £3.50
1 x Wallis Petite black thick jersey dress @ £4.50
1 x Peter Storm baby blue fleece jumper @ £3.00 (looks brand new, will be great for walking in winter)
1 x Damart lacy thermal vest, pretty enough to wear as a cami - £1 - that's my favourite.

So, 5 items - 3 frocks (I do love a nice frock), 1 fleece & 1 thermal vest for the Grand Total of £14.25. I'm really pleased with that.

I had looked at everything else in the other shops I'd been to but nothing I had to have in those. But I'm very grateful to the small lady who originally owned these garments, had a clear-out & took them to our local Hospice shop (suppose could have been more than one lady but they are all the same size!).

I will now send 3 frocks back to said Hospice shop (all too small now - I'm growing at last, it's taken over forty years but I'm nearly grown up!).

Thanks to all who have posted, really enjoying reading about your acquisitions. Also thanks again to koolkatsaffi for starting us off.

Greenqueen_2 · 20 March 2012 at 9:31PM

I was quite taken aback this week when I went into one of our local CS to find a young man standing at the door to meet and greet whilst shaking a collection tin. I`ve often seen the tins at the till and will pop some change in now and again but this seemed quite intimidating. Is it becoming the norm? I wonder how many people turned and went straight back out again.

lmp0507 · 20 March 2012 at 9:40PM

I have an interview tommorrow and bought a smart black blouse for a quid!

koolkatsaffi · 20 March 2012 at 10:44PM

building_with_lego wrote: »

I got a money bag full of cream and white buttons for £1 one day last week, and used it to make something like this for my mum for Mothering Sunday in an IKEA £9 box frame. She loved it. And I still have a load of buttons left.

That's FAB - A lovely hand made gift to treasure! :T

Nicepeach wrote: »

I'm very grateful to the small lady who originally owned these garments, had a clear-out & took them to our local Hospice shop (suppose could have been more than one lady but they are all the same size!).

At my hospice shop it must have been a Plus Size lady that had had a clearout - All waaay too big for me!

Nicepeach wrote: »

I will now send 3 frocks back to said Hospice shop (all too small now - I'm growing at last, it's taken over forty years but I'm nearly grown up!).

:rotfl::rotfl:

Nicepeach wrote: »

Thanks to all who have posted, really enjoying reading about your acquisitions. Also thanks again to koolkatsaffi for starting us off.

Ditto & It was a kinda 'joint' collaboration!...;)

Greenqueen wrote: »

I was quite taken aback this week when I went into one of our local CS to find a young man standing at the door to meet and greet whilst shaking a collection tin. I`ve often seen the tins at the till and will pop some change in now and again but this seemed quite intimidating. Is it becoming the norm? I wonder how many people turned and went straight back out again.

I saw this outside a CS a few weeks ago - I didn't go in! - It wasn't one of the cheapest CS to start with TBH never mind 'paying' to go in...:undecided

You all seem to get some great finds in your Salvation Army CS's... Ours is sadly lacking and basically full of jumble sale items The older ladies that volunteer there are LOVELY but the stock is overpriced and very outdated... It is tiny, dark and smells odd - Shame cos it could be a belter, especially on market days!

I nipped in Scope today as I had to go into town to the bank...I had 10 mins before parking was up...I picked up a purple and black vintage River Island ra-ra skirt for £3

Still no preserving pan tho!

Loving this thread!...THANK YOU all for posting! :T

tiff · 20 March 2012 at 10:48PM

In our charity shop the manager wouldnt put out a jam pan in the shop, she would put it with the rest of the pots and pans earmarked for metal recycling so it might be worth asking the shops if they have one out the back.

mummybearx · 20 March 2012 at 10:58PM

building_with_lego wrote: »

I got a money bag full of cream and white buttons for £1 one day last week, and used it to make something like this for my mum for Mothering Sunday in an IKEA £9 box frame. She loved it. And I still have a load of buttons left.

That is gorgeous!! I will add it to my list of 'things I want to be able to make but will probably never bother doing' :rotfl:

koolkatsaffi · 20 March 2012 at 11:13PM

tiff wrote: »

In our charity shop the manager wouldnt put out a jam pan in the shop, she would put it with the rest of the pots and pans earmarked for metal recycling so it might be worth asking the shops if they have one out the back.

Thanks for the advice :beer:

I have been asking for a suitable large pan in a few of my usual CS...They tell me that they do get them in from time to time but they fly out as soon as they come in...If I pop in any more frequently I will be moving in...:rotfl:

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

What is your charity shop bargain of the week?

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free