What is your charity shop bargain of the week?

VfM4meplse

I've just caught up in this week's episode of Supershoppers (C4, Monday evenings). The last article was about clothes donated to charity shops.

Apparently many aren't actually sold in the stores, but sold onto other companies that make a profit from selling them onto African nations! :eek:

Need to sleep on this and digest the wider impact. It won't stop me from shopping, but it might make me think twice about donating....

Floss

VfM, was that any particular charities, or across the sector? I think I would donate to my local hospice shops as usual as I know they DO sell donations in their shops.

luvchocolate

Clothing of a saleable condition are sold in our shops..others are collected by a recycling company and some will end up abroad.
Please be aware some of the donations received are very dirty or torn etc about 80% as a rough guide.

Pollycat

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I've just caught up in this week's episode of Supershoppers (C4, Monday evenings). The last article was about clothes donated to charity shops.

Apparently many aren't actually sold in the stores, but sold onto other companies that make a profit from selling them onto African nations! :eek:

Need to sleep on this and digest the wider impact. It won't stop me from shopping, but it might make me think twice about donating....

I only donate to my local hospice shop.
I know for a fact that a lot of my stuff gets put on sale there because I've seen it - the shop is in our local village so I probably pop in 3 or 4 times a week.
I've even seen some of my stuff in the hospice shop in another village so personally I'm not too concerned about continuing donating.

Georgiegirl256

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I've just caught up in this week's episode of Supershoppers (C4, Monday evenings). The last article was about clothes donated to charity shops.

Apparently many aren't actually sold in the stores, but sold onto other companies that make a profit from selling them onto African nations! :eek:

Need to sleep on this and digest the wider impact. It won't stop me from shopping, but it might make me think twice about donating....

I caught the end of that show and will probably watch it today. I know when I volunteered in the BHF, anything that wasn't quite suitable to put out got put aside for the 'rag man', and I'm assuming it's some of that that gets sold abroad?

I always try and donate to our local Hospice shop as they helped us out so much when my Dad was ill. If I don't get to that one then it's usually AgeUK as it's easy for parking, but also because I think they're a good charity.

Pollycat

Our local Air Ambulance shop had a one day 'everything £1' sale yesterday.

I bought a lovely Mantaray short-sleeved blouse and a Blue Harbour (M&S) short-sleved shirt for OH.

Tried on a full length J Taylor 50% wool cardigan that looked fab but it was about 3 inches too long for me, it would have dragged on the floor.

From Arthritis Research, a pair of black suede sandals with midheels perfect for my sister's birthday party. Still with the M&S tag £49, paid £12. The right one is a tad tight but I can take them back for a full refund if I decide they're not right.
I have until Friday evening to decide.
They go really well with my Julian McDonald dress that I bought from Debenhams reduced from £65 to £19.50 (70% off).

Georgiegirl256

Pollycat wrote: »

From Arthritis Research, a pair of black suede sandals with midheels perfect for my sister's birthday party. Still with the M&S tag £49, paid £12. The right one is a tad tight but I can take them back for a full refund if I decide they're not right.
I have until Friday evening to decide.
).

Can you put some newspaper in and try and stretch it abit? Apparently that's meant to work?

silvasava

Pollycat can you wear them indoors for a while? Suede usually stretches much easier than leather as its thinner.

Pollycat

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Can you put some newspaper in and try and stretch it abit? Apparently that's meant to work?

silvasava wrote: »

Pollycat can you wear them indoors for a while? Suede usually stretches much easier than leather as its thinner.

Thanks both.

I've got them on at the moment (sat at my desk in the study with my scruffy old T-shirt and 'past-their-best' Primarni leggings on. :eek: Not a pretty sight! :rotfl:)

Hope to keep them as they are open toe but have a closed heel with a zip up the back and are asymetrical with the inside of the foot being mainly covered in but the outside of the sandal is cut out - IYSWIM - so they'd be OK for dressy winter outings. They're from the Autograph range.

A bargain, do you reckon?

Pollycat

They're a bit like this, but with the inside more closed in and a smaller heel: