What is your charity shop bargain of the week?

fattybumble85

Did my usual Saturday rounds today, came home with some goodies -

Black M&S wrap style dress, £1
Gorgeous printed green skirt, £1
The White Company blue polka dot swimming cossie £2.99, really wanted an identical Boden version so thrilled with this
Old drop leaf table with beautiful carved details £20 - exactly what I was after for using in the spare room for sewing machine and overlocker

Car boot tomorrow - hopefully for more bargains!

beautiful_ravens

3 white bowls with shabby blue decoration [originally Habitat] 10p each
Another blue&white bowl and plate of same design, 10p each
Pink bag for DD2 20p
Black bag for DD3 75p
Handbag for DD1 1.50
£2.95 lol - This was in a particularly cheap charity shop tucked away in a backstreet of town

Car boot tomorrow, rug hunting!!

Nicepeach

beautiful_ravens wrote: »

3 white bowls with shabby blue decoration [originally Habitat] 10p each
Another blue&white bowl and plate of same design, 10p each
Pink bag for DD2 20p
Black bag for DD3 75p
Handbag for DD1 1.50
£2.95 lol - This was in a particularly cheap charity shop tucked away in a backstreet of town

Car boot tomorrow, rug hunting!!

This did make me chuckle... my Nan always used to call wigs "rugs". Have a mental image of you stalking car boot pitches, weapon slung over your shoulder, pith helmet on your head, searching for lots of wild hairpieces!

Great bargains everyone, hope you all enjoy them. Thanks for posting, I love reading. x

Nannieoftwo

I work in a charity shop as a volunteer. We have many lovely customers, but also have our share of price swappers, hagglers and those who just pinch things! We don't do haggling, do reduce if item is genuinely marked or damaged and we have missed it and try to provide service with a smile. I thought I had seen it all until I worked in a charity shop but people never cease to amaze me. Now I dont hesitate to ask rude and abusive people to leave and not come back as I don'g give my time to be insulted. Happy shopping to all you nice genuine customers.

Bogof_Babe

I've had to become strict with myself and very selective as I was filling the place up with more bargains than I have room for, but this week I found three things that were all on my "wants" list, so I'm well pleased:

A Bush clock radio, perfect condition doesn't look used at all - £3. Will replace the useless one in the spare room that the volume control has gone on.

A George black quilted jacket also £3. Been wanting one for ages. Ironically the day before I'd finally bought a similar one for £36 in a "proper" shop, but couldn't resist the c/shop one for everyday wear, so I can keep the pricey one for best.

A small black leather M&S bag, the sort with shoulder straps so I can wear it on my back, leaving my hands free. It's neat and compact, looks hardly used if at all, and has plenty of compartments. Perfect for my forthcoming trip to Ireland with cabin baggage only as it will pack into my small case for the flights. That was the princely sum of £2.

I've been charity shopping for about four years now. Have bought some horrors and complete junk when it was all new and exciting, but the trick now is to decide if I really need (and have room for) what I find. These days I get excited if I decided I do need something (e.g. the clock radio) as it gives me a challenge to find it. I can walk away from something that I would once have bought just because it was too good a bargain to miss.

In my fave shop there's a pine-framed print of a flower that would set off our bedroom wall - it's only £1 and I've picked it up three times last week, but I'm still waiting for that little "buy it" voice. I know I won't regret it if it's gone because I'll find something else sooner or later and there's no rush. Charity shopping has become a way of life now, I do think it is possible to be addicted but it's fairly harmless so what the heck.

beautiful_ravens

de1amo wrote: »

the best CS in the bournemouth area is in lower parkstone poole--the neighbourhood is very rich and it keeps it's goodies!--the best group of shops is in winton which is 4 miles out of the centre of bournemouth--there is another good indivdual shop in lower charminster---i would like info on shops within striking distance of bournemouth area to have away days for the shop hungry girls--whats shaftesbury like?

Shaftesbury is OK on the right day [ie if I havent been there first lol], Blandford has loads of CShops, some tucked away down the alleys, some too expensive, some VERY cheap. Recommend Dorchester too, bit of a trek for me so I dont get to do Dorchester that much!

Nicepeach

Nannieoftwo As an avid fan of CS, please accept my thanks for the work you do. I always make a point of thanking the volunteers for their time when I make a purchase & have a great laugh with them.

Sadly, I agree with you & people never cease to amaze me either & good for you asking rude people to leave & not come back. I have noticed a marked increase of people haggling & asking for reductions in CS recently & I think this was discussed a little way back in this thread. To be honest, I think a large proportion of the "hagglers" are buying to sell on for a profit & had this confirmed at our local Hospice shop by the Manager who has instructed some of her staff that certain regulars are NOT to receive any requested discounts under ANY circumstances.

I think it's very low haggling in CS & even lower to steal. Sadly, in our seemingly idyllic little town there are areas where this happens frequently as we have quite a transient population & a lot of these people with many addiction problems who sometimes steal to fund their habits & sometimes steal because they are intoxicated or under the influence of other substances. Very sad state of affairs indeed.

beautiful_ravens

Nicepeach wrote: »

This did make me chuckle... my Nan always used to call wigs "rugs". Have a mental image of you stalking car boot pitches, weapon slung over your shoulder, pith helmet on your head, searching for lots of wild hairpieces!

Great bargains everyone, hope you all enjoy them. Thanks for posting, I love reading. x

:rotfl: Well, I will be wearing army boots, so not too far off! No wigs though

fattybumble85

My local charity shops are always heaving now. I remember when I first started to venture in, they were often empty but now it's all elbows at the ready as people jostle for a bargain! I'm lucky as my OH loves a good rummage in a CS as much as I do. I think CS's are definitely losing the stigma they once had as people are becoming more savvy. Takemy purchases today - why spend over a hundred pounds for an Ikea mass produced table when you can pick up a solid wood version, with oodles of character for £20?
And the same goes for clothes. I used to spend £30 in Primark without even registering what I was buying. Now instead of paying £5 for some cheapie Primarni black trousers, I'll have a root around the CS and more often than not come away with a well made, manufactured to last pair for about £2.
I love my local charity shops!

Nannieoftwo

I quite agree with the person who posted that they think CS bargain are down to timing. A lot of bargain hunters think if they are first in the door at opening time they can snap up the bargains. However, in my shop we are constanly refreshing stock during the course of the day and if you are lucky enough to be there when a new batch comes out you are more likely to get a bargain if what comes out is an item you are looking for. Another thing I have learned is not to hesitate and go away and think about it as the item is sure to have been sold by the time you get back and he/she who hesitates loses the bargain. I thoroughly enjoy working there, meeting people and for the most part customers are lovely. Its just those aforementioned people who spoil it but you get those sort of people in all walks of life and am please to say most of ouor bargain hunters are lovely people.