What is your charity-shop weakness?

Nicepeach

Hi Koolkatsaffi :wave:. We have a lot in common!

koolkatsaffi wrote: »

Shoes...Shoes....Shoes...And vintage underwear!...

I LOOOOOOOVE shoes too & always check them out in CS - I know some peeps don't like the thought of second hand shoes but to be honest, after seeing people coming out of public loos in supermarkets, still fastening their zips up (mainly men, sorry, not a man hater but it's true, & then going around said supermarket sorting through loose fruit & veg etc. I think there are more risky things we do every day than wearing second hand shoes.

I also got a fabulous vintage petticoat recently for £2.99 (see my earlier post on this thread).

I have been a very keen CS shopper for years...Its the best form of recycling in my opinion!...Everyone wins!:D

Me too!

I buy clothing & home furnishings & transform them into unique one off items...But then I am quite alternative in my style and likes...

I'd like to do this ^^^ but not a very good sewer or crafter.

My fave charity shop is the local hospice one as all the others are big names Age Uk, Cancer Research, Heart Foundation etc and the prices are just silly sometimes...£4.49 for a Primark top that I recall buying 4/5 years ago for £1.50 and the like...

Me too! & yes I absolutely agree about pricing.

This last season I have been buying my shoes and boots from everything£5.com as they have been cheaper than the charity shops even with delivery costs...Having said that, I got some lush, brand new, black suede thigh boots for £7 the other day in hospice shop with price tag of £90 still attached! :j

Never heard of this site ^^^ - will be checking it out immediately after posting!

Books are getting overpriced so I'm loaning more from the library nowadays...;)

Snap! Just got Sue Townsend's latest from my local. Only came out on 1st March. I ordered it for 75p & I'm the first person to get it, yay!

I have had some good bargains of unopened Body Shop gift sets, Boots gift sets and even an new sealed 100ml Armarni aftershave in the jan/feb months from charity shops - obviously unwanted Xmas gifts...:)...I put them away in my present box for birthdays etc...

Well done!

I'm currently on the hunt for a jam pan or large pan suitable for preserving...I am trying to be good and ONLY look for a pan and come out again but I just have to have a look around.....:o

Yes, it's easy to get distracted isn't it?

I think I am addicted! :eek:

Snap!

lally666young

LOL.................. I broke my fiscal fast today, got 2 laura ashley blouses, an east blouse, a MandCo top and a leather Jacket for a QUID EACH WOW!!!! I also got a pair of mens brogues as I am going to a gig tomorrow hardly worn for £4.50 and ornaments and books for £2.00 and watch that needs a battery for free so I am well chuffed!!!! We will all be charity shop sisters lol.

koolkatsaffi

Yo Nicepeach! :wave: Good to 'meet' you!

:rotfl: at your post!...I agree chick - we do have a lot in common!

I always spray & wipe out shoes with antibacterial spray when I get home but who hasn't hired ice skates or bowling shoes?...I agree with you about some male species not washing their hands! :eek: :rotfl:

Congrats on the vintage petticoat! :T...Sugar starching is another way of stiffening up these gorgeous items of underwear! ...Google it for more instructions!

I love vintage corsets in particular and often wear them as outerwear - Way too nice to hide!...But like I said - I am quite alternative!

As for transforming bought items into other items - I am self taught - I have an old put-put Singer manual sewing machine that I LOVE to use and it is great when you are starting out as you can control the speed better than electric machines...Plus I use a lot of leather and thickish fabrics - sometimes in layers and an electric will not cope with this as well as a manual machine...I got mine handed down to me by my OH's Gran but you can pick them up cheapish on fleabay especially using a local search & pick it up ...Or try Freecycle or even see them in charity shops!...As for how to do stuff the internet is a wealth of information and guides to how to etc - YouTube is good for video guides!

http://www.everything5pounds.com/

That is the direct link...You have to be very quick if you see something you want as they sell out VERY FAST

The way I see it chick is there are far worse addictions eh?...:p

Happy bargain hunting! :beer:

Nicepeach

Wow lally666young -great bargains, good for you!

Yea, CSS (Charity Shopping Sisters) Unite:rotfl:

Had a quick look on everything£5 koolkatsaffi - very interesting & as you said sometimes CS prices are a bit steep. It's not that I begrudge the money at all, just find it really puzzling/annoying that Primani & Tatalan things which were no more than a couple of £s brand new can be priced up at over £5. I understand different organisations have different structures/remits to follow but it still doesn't make sense to me.

Regarding the vintage lingerie - yes I really like the whole corset worn as top style but have never been lucky enough to find anything like that yet very cheaply. Our CS shops (we have lots!) just seem to be full of waist slips & extra large bras all in a jumble in large plastic containers (but I still have a rummage in the vain hope of finding something lovely).

Had my eye on an eletric "brother" sewing machine in a second hand shop for a couple of weeks now but it's £49 & can't afford that at the mo. I did toy with a manual one & our local RSPCA shop had a lovely one in but I think I'd need both hands to contend with whatever I was trying to sew

Maybe we should start our own "What was your CS bargain today?" thread?

BitterAndTwisted

I had friends over to visit the other day and while her husband was left putting up my new CS bargain curtains we went charity-shop shopping. I had a bit of a splurge.

Two shaggy white bath-mats which I'd seen in @sda for £7 or £8 each
Two matching lamp-shades for the bedroom
A little Agnes B make-up bag.
Four plain white soup plates
Six brand-new Ikea high-ball glasses
A sweet little white milk-jug
A pair of black linen trousers

I spent less than a tenner in total.

The local Oxfam shop sells all skirts and trousers for £2.99 and coats for £7.99 regardless of quality or label. Fantastic! That's where I bought a beautiful black cotton and linen Edina Ronay spring-coat a few months ago. They could have sold it for an awful lot more than that, really. But the best CS round here, mentioned by another poster, which I'd passed on the bus but not actually visited is the Salvation Army Thrift Shop where nearly everything other than clothing and bed-linen seems to be 50 pence each.

Nicepeach

Wow, good for you BitterAndTwisted. That's what I call a good shopping spree :T

My friend & I like to make a day of it sometimes & only visit CS. We have even been known to go to nearby towns to go CS shopping. We set ourselves a budget for the day, usually £5 (if we are both flush it has been known to go up to £10!) & neither of us can spend more than this amount . We like to pretend it's a game but really it's 'cos we don't have much spare cash to splash!

Another vote for Salvation Army CS from me too. Ours is only tiny & only opens for a couple of hours a day whilst the tea bar/snack shop place is open but always worth a look. Prices in ours aren't as cheap as yours but very reasonable, don't think I've ever seen anything over £3/£4.

Lots of positive comments about the dress I wore to work yesterday which was £1 from CS. Really fell lucky with that one, went into local hospice shop to donate some things & saw it hanging up. It's a lovely Red Herring wrap around dress. Funnily enough I had bought the same dress at full price in "the bad old days". Loved it & wore it a lot but sadly outgrew it (middle-age spread crept up on me when I wasn't looking!). So I bought it again in the next size up from the CS! It was marked up at £3 but when I got to the till I was informed that all dressed were £1 that day :j. Paid my £1 & put another £1 in the collection box too as I was so pleased.

Happy CS everyone. Keep posting & updating with your bargains. I love hearing about them. Note to self - Get out more..!

koolkatsaffi

Nicepeach wrote: »

Maybe we should start our own "What was your CS bargain today?" thread?

Great idea Nicepeach :T

I have started a new thread...:)

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/51892303#Comment_51892303

Look forward to reading all the posts and finding out about the latest treasures!