Charity shops:whats been your best bargain?

nuttywoman

Anyone else charity shop addicts? we have a load in our town and i pop in most days to look for a bargain.Over the years i`ve bought:
Clothes for all the family specially school coats.
A Dinghy
Wine making stuff ie demi johns
Fabric
Books
Army cadet uniform
A Rumtopf
and loads of stuff what my family call Tatt!
val

shammyjack

£200 + Trickers boots, £250 + Church's heavy brogues both as new for £5 a pair !


shammy

grimelda

I never had a lot of patience for charity shops, as I never seem to find anything good. However, yesterday I found a book on sale for £2.50 which I then sold on Amazon for £12 (in less than five hours), so I have decided it's probably because I'm not looking properly when I am charity shopping.

SnowyOwl_2

Got a brand new handbag the other day, it was £3. Had been considering a similar one in the Christmas sales - not the exact same but similar and they were £60 or so. (Must have been on the Christmas spirits...who in their right mind would pay £60 for a flipping handbag!?)

I got one of Delia Smith's books for £3 - hardback and in new condition.

I have been finding recently that charity shop books are over-priced - £3 for a 2nd hand ancient paperback is silly! Specially when the library is directly across the road.

Haggy_3

The best I ever did was the first two Lord of the Rings 1st edition (9th printings) Fellowship of the Ring and the Two Towers that I bought in a charity shop for £1.50 each. I then sold them on ebay for £450.

And because I did feel it was a little unethical to make quite so much I went back in and made a big donation aftwerwards....

amosworks

I am extremely picky and specific when it comes to what I wear, I have a unique style and wear mostly brand items but I've hardly ever paid full price for them since becoming a moneysaver. Nearly all my brand stuff, D&G, River Island, FCUK, Versaci, Lambretta, Kangol, & many more, all come from charity shops and most of my friends are totally stunned when I point to a branded item and give them a single digit number

I've even got a route plan of the most efficient way to walk round each of the charity shops in my home town and I'm quite friendly with most the staff there who are helpful in pointing out things they've seen that they think I'll like which saves loads of time rummaging It also helps to know when they replenish the stock in each shop so you can get first pickings!

I think charity shops, for the general populas, have some kind of stigma attached to them I don't understand how so something so fantastic that allows people to recycle perfectly usable things, get them at discounted price AND help charity all at the same time can possible have any stigma?! Stupid people, but a lot of my friends now also shop at charity shops and have found some great bargains so they're converts now hehe

Lydia_2

Look in charity shops in well to do areas. They have much better things for sale often with price tags still on them. :rolleyes: Some people have money to burn.

amosworks

Lydia wrote:

Look in charity shops in well to do areas. They have much better things for sale often with price tags still on them. :rolleyes: Some people have money to burn.

Heh, more money than sense

liz_uk

Was in a charity shop in cheltenham over the weekend and my daughter had picked up a barbie (which had no clothes on).

She wouldn`t put the bloomin thing down so i said I`d get it for her, took it to the till and asked the lady how much it was as there was no price on it. She phoned the manager to come down and the manager said £4 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

£4 for a naked tatty barbie !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I told her that was discusting as there was a nearly new Early learning centre tape player for £3.50.

She wasn`t having any of it and was obviously taking advantage of the fact that my daughter wasn`t going to put it down.

The woman behind the till was shocked too. I said there is no way I`m paying that and she can have it back - so we went to Woolworths and bought a brand new barbie for £3.99 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will NOT be going back to that charity shop - discusting !

pickle

Loads of things!!!! I've become an addict. I last bought 2 x 2 seater lounge (looks new). I've found so many things, I prefer it to shopping in the retail shops as there's so much more variety and it's not all the same, now I don't even walk in the other shops as it's a waste of time. Besides I feel better because it's for charity plus it's recycling rather than adding to landfill and cheap. Also if you buy second hand clothes they don't shrink in the wash as they've been put through all that. Every time in the past I've paid for a new item it has shrunk or falls apart after one wash so I much prefer buying a used item I know will last. Baby clothes are the best bargain. I've also picked up some really great CDs, clothes and kitchen objects. When I went on the weekend there were many more customers in the charity shops and barely any in the retail shops. Last weekend I picked up a face steamer and electric desk fan (both virtually brand new) for £5 each.

freyaluck

my best recnt bargains are a GAP denim jacket as new for A fiver for me and a next winter coat as new £1.95 for my daughter. :j The thing is before xmas I spent £25 on a coat for her which has compleately refused to wear, yet Spend £1.95 and she wont take it off I'm off to the charity shops again today for some hopeful bargains.