Charity shops - do you or don't you?

violetta

A couple of times I have seen something lovely in the shops but felt I could not justify the expense, only to see the exact same thing in my size in a charity shop some weeks later - that I feel is karma, and the item meant for me!

The last time I was in our local charity shop, I saw a Primark vest that I had bought new for £2, on their rail at £2.50, and that did make me smile rather!

Nordictat2

Well...I have seen some of the S. Army shops sell their stuff on online auctions so maybe they are holding back what they consider the good stuff to sell on ebay for example?

Pennylane

Nordictat - most of the charity shops do this. I helped in a charity shop for many years and they were doing it back then.

Lets say it was something antique, which our Manager had been told might be worth a bit. She used to say that if she put it in the window priced at say £30 people would get all sniffy about it being a charity shop. If she put it on an auction site, far more people would see it and if it was something they collected, they would keep bidding until they got it.

Savvy_Sue

~*Plushroom*~ wrote: »

and a lovely fushcia silk dress that still had the tags on for £5 (It was originally £55).

I WANT ONE! :rotfl: I love silk, went to a wedding last year in a silk charity shop number but it was shades of grey and purple rather than my favourite pink.

Wearing a silk charity shop shirt as I type (although I should stop now and go to bed!)

goanmad

violetta wrote: »

A couple of times I have seen something lovely in the shops but felt I could not justify the expense, only to see the exact same thing in my size in a charity shop some weeks later - that I feel is karma, and the item meant for me!

The last time I was in our local charity shop, I saw a Primark vest that I had bought new for £2, on their rail at £2.50, and that did make me smile rather!

That's so true, Violetta. I also occasionally get a strong feeling to go into certain local charity shops which I don't usually bother with (the ones where everything is really sorted, neat and tidy and mostly fuddy-duddy stuff) and pick up a really unique item. :j

Bitsy_Beans

I don't have time to rummage too much with 2 small kids in tow but I'd like to do more. Having said that when I have gone in the clothes don't appear to be the bargains they once were. And it would appear that the stock is a bit hit and miss in my area.

~*Plushroom*~

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I WANT ONE! :rotfl: I love silk, went to a wedding last year in a silk charity shop number but it was shades of grey and purple rather than my favourite pink.

Wearing a silk charity shop shirt as I type (although I should stop now and go to bed!)

I was so chuffed when I found it, my charity shop is about 80% older women's clothes and 20% younger so to find something like that in a small town with one charity shop was amazing Never had anything made of silk before that, feel so posh in it!

FairyShazza

I go into charity shops and occasionally look at the clothes they have on offer however I very rarely find anything that I like in there. Unfortunately most of the charity shops in Milton Keynes are in the shall we say less posh areas of the town and therefore the quality of items isn’t that great. I am more likely to buy books or accessories from a charity shop than clothes.

I do however buy items from the local car boot sales as I seem to find a lot more suitable items there and I buy a lot of clothes from Ebay too.

Every six months I have a big clear out of stuff and what I don’t Ebay but is of good enough quality I do send to my local charity shop as I would never just chuck something away – not unless it was in such a state that I absolutely had to. The stuff that isn’t up to going to the charity shop goes in the textiles bank at the council household waste/recycling centre instead.

I should really stop being so honest about my bargains. When people ask me “where did you get that?” I always fess up and tell them I bought it from the car boot or from Ebay then afterwards I think damn I should’ve just said I got it from a little shop out of town or something

newlywed

Floss wrote: »

Do you feel the urge to rummage when you spot a charity shop?
Do you admit to your bargains or keep the info to yourself?
Do you run a mile when anyone says the words?
Or are you a self-confessed, charity-shopaholic?

Yes.
Admit it always - it either makes them green or makes them suddenly go quiet
No
Definitely a charity-shopaholic!!

Can't remember the last thing I paid full price for clothes wise. In fact probably 80% of my wardrobe comes from charity shops, including the ball gown, evening skirt, shoes etc. Most of the rest is from ebay

I just feel sick at how much I used to waste on clothes pre-mse. In fact me and my sis decided we missed the whole going shopping and coming back with bags of stuff... so we blitzed the charity shops in a nearby town and came back with tons - and I only spent £20

I like BHF and Scope as well as Help the Aged.

tara747

Bronnie, well done you!!!!!!!!! Where is this CS?

newlywed, totally agree with this: "I just feel sick at how much I used to waste on clothes pre-mse." Me too! :eek: But now we have been enlightened and will never go back to the dark side.