Charity shops

lizimuffin

I love charity shops, I rarely buy anything brand new (apart from underwear!) I always have an idea about what I want and then go for root in my local ones. Near me they have about 10 all on one stretch of road, so is brilliant! I recently purchased a brand new pair of Levis for hubby and a brand new Wallis dress both items cam in under a fiver! Bargain!

moemum

I'm a bit of a book worm ( when I have peace and quiet to do a little reading!) and love spending time in charity shops going through their book collections! There is quite a lot of elderly folk where I live and so I have a wide range of authors to choose from:), funnily books don't seem to cost very much either..and when I have read them I return them so someone else can buy them for a few pence and the charity gets more funds, although when I come across a favourite I do tend to keep it.

countrymusicfan

Even with charity shops it pays to look around. The charity shop I work in sells only books that are clean and not damages, ie colored in, for 4 for a pound, while in the city, they are going for up to £4 a book. I don't begrudge paying extra for a book I really really want but find working in a charity shop very tempting.

mancbird

I love charity shops :j I live in a village that is about 6 miles either way from two towns, both of which have some really good charity shops. I've got loads of things from there, some of my recent bargains have included:

• curtains for our house. When we moved not many of our curtains fitted the windows at our new house so we hit the charity shops and got 3 really heavy pairs for less than a tenner. I've also bought curtains to fit the doors to the conservatory in the front room - £4
• 2 boden long sleeved tops for a pound each
• trousers for work, from m&s and next - £3 a pair
• brand new with tags on smart skirt from m&s, £3
• wrap knit top from zara - £2
• knitted wraparound top from Wallis - 30p
• khaki cord jacket from Wallis - £3
• fancy t-shirt type top from George - 30p
• metal pan stand - £1 (I've seen identical ones for about £20 in the shops)
• chunky knitted cardigan from Hennes - £3
• black cord jacket from Dorothy Perkins - £4
• lovely embroidered linen skirt - £2
• serving dishes for our Christmas Day dinner - between 50p and £2 each and they're all really lovely cut glass
• books - I'm such a bookaholic and get most of my books from charity shops. One of the shops by me does 3 or 5 books for a pound

As you can see, I'm a bit addicted, but at least the money I'm spending goes to charity and I like the recycling aspect of buying from charity shops. I've just added up the cost of all the things I've listed above and it comes to less than £40; you couldn't buy one pair of decent curtains for that never mind the 4 pairs that I did :money: We also bought a solid wood 6 seater dining set from a furniture recyling centre for £120 (it's beautiful, excellent quality) and a welsh dresser for £40. Both of these have now been sanded down and look great

My mam has always enjoyed a good rummage through charity shops and although I was a bit iffy about it as a kid, I soon became a convert when it was my student loan that I was spending! My sister refuses to set foot in charity shops (she will stand outside if we go in one when we're shopping) but many times she has complimented me on something I'm wearing without knowing it was a charity shop find

When me and my OH first moved in together he wasn't keen on charity shops, but he has been converted and will now quite happily have a rummage through the books whilst I'm looking at the clothes :T

I have noticed a huge variation in the prices the different charity shops charge and like many others on here, it's Oxfam that is by far the most expensive near me.

Pitlanepiglet

I found full length lined curtains for my Dad's patio doors for £12.99 in a charity shop yesterday, they are really nice, fab quality and fit perfectly!

I love charity shops!

BitterAndTwisted

mancbird wrote: »

My sister refuses to set foot in charity shops (she will stand outside if we go in one when we're shopping) but many times she has complimented me on something I'm wearing without knowing it was a charity shop find

Haha, I know what you mean. I went to stay with my sister over the Christmas break and she lives in a much more propserous area than I do so I decided to hit the charity shops in her town before I returned home. She categorically refused to be seen in them with me in case someone she knew recognised her! More fool her because amongst other things I found an absolutely beautiful mint-condition Planet trouser suit for £13.75 which I am just delighted with. Freshly dry-cleaned too

foxgloves

When I was at school in the 70s & 80s, the term 'Oxfam reject' was used as a term of abuse.............i.e as in 'you are so rubbish that even Oxfam wouldn't take you'. None of us would be seen dead in a charity shop. How I've changed as an adult. I love going in them....I see it as 'treasure hunting'....a bit like beachcombing...you probably won't find anything but you never know! I can't say I've had as many great finds as some of the people on here, but I have still found some good things. I like vintage cookware & utensils as often better made & they often have this sort of stuff from people clearing out older relative's houses. It's like they say, one person's old rubbish is another person's treasure!

tiff

I absolutely love old Pyrex, reminds me of growing up and I like some of the old retro/vintagey patterns. I would rather pay a pound or two for these in a charity shop than buy a modern ceramic version.

I see it as treasure hunting too and I also treasure my items more than new ones. I bought a dresser for £85 in a charity furniture store, had it painted cream leaving the knobs and top of the base pine and everyone always comments on my lovely furniture! My mother in law was about to pay over £2000 for something similar in Ireland at her other house and now cant bring herself to pay it!

squelchy69

I recently popped into Scope on my way to a work do. My wedge heeled boots were killing me and I couldn't walk any more. I vowed to stop at the first shop that sold shoes that I saw. Ended up with a fab pair of pointy studdy shoes with a smaller heel for £3.50! Even my colleagues commented on how nice they were. They looked like new. Might even wear them out tonight!
Jo x

hart44

foxgloves wrote: »

When I was at school in the 70s & 80s, the term 'Oxfam reject' was used as a term of abuse.............i.e as in 'you are so rubbish that even Oxfam wouldn't take you'. None of us would be seen dead in a charity shop. How I've changed as an adult. I love going in them....I see it as 'treasure hunting'....a bit like beachcombing...you probably won't find anything but you never know! I can't say I've had as many great finds as some of the people on here, but I have still found some good things. I like vintage cookware & utensils as often better made & they often have this sort of stuff from people clearing out older relative's houses. It's like they say, one person's old rubbish is another person's treasure!

Hehe, I remember that saying too and just like you only discovered how fab charity shops are when I got older.

I became a single mum for the second time (I know how to pick um lol) 8 years ago and went into the British Heart Foundation shop to dump reminders of my ex and decided to have a quick look around, I was thrilled to find a mint condition M&S dress for my then 7yr old daughter for 99p, well that was it then and I have not stoped yet lol.

My daughter is now 15 and the look of horror on her face if we are out together and I ask her to come in to a shop with me is priceless :rotfl:she wont even stand outside the door in case her friends see her :rotfl:

I have now got the sewing bug again and the duvet covers, and bits I have found realy cheap to make my patchwork is great, far better than buying fabric as I LOVE a bargain

I too have noticed since my 1st time in a charity shop how the prices have now gone silly and some clothes are cheaper to buy new