What is your charity shop bargain of the week?

theoretica

I picked up a very nice uncut sewing pattern for 99p that seems to usually be about £20 - only problem is it needs about 8 yards of different fabrics and there is no point putting all that time and effort in without nice cloth, so may not turn out cheap in the end.

Suzexxx

Hello all


Another good day in Droitwich on Tuesday. Got lots of clothes for my DD, lovely brands like Joules and JoJo Maman Bebe, Blue Zoo and M&S all for 50p or £1 each. I also picked up a long sleeved Fat Face t-shirt for me for £1.50 and my Mum a big bottle of NO.7 moisturising cleanser for £1.50.


Thursday I also picked up a brand new Cath Kidston make-up bag and mirror for £4.25!


Suze

clickerty-click

I have been having some great bargains in the last few weeks but I am also so frustrated by shops that overprice. Primark tops that are priced at more than they were when they were on sale in the shop in the first place!!

GreenBitterfly

To be honest, I've wondering what I'd do with my Primark clothes if I want to get rid of them, and I thought maybe the best solution would be to put them for recycling, rather than donating them to a charity shop, which would only overprice them anyway?

VfM4meplse

VfM4meplse wrote: »

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 wrote: »

VfM, was that any particular charities, or across the sector?

I have no idea, I guess the answer is to pick your favourite chazzer and ask directly.

What are the disposal options?
- bin = landfill
- upcycling = not always possible
- recycling to local authorities: probably sold onwards. Profit goes where?
- filling the plastic sacs that get stuck through the letterbox to help "those in need" yet don't have registered charity status
- selling on to a company that openly pays per weight and then sells to the third wor.d for a profit and undermines local economies in the process
- giving to charity knowing that if it is a poor quality item, they may sell it onwards to a company that profits as above

luvchocolate wrote: »

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.

I get this, and on balance would prefer that the chaz profits but I'm not happy that this is at the expense of those in poor nations. So my compromise is to shop at all - hence support all - but donate only to Oxfam, which is dedicated to fighting poverty. If Oxfam creates collateral damage through its business practices, none of us have any hope

Georgiegirl256

Got one of these in a local Hospice shop for £4 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rayware-Mason-Cash-Original-Flour/dp/B002TJHJ7M

Got DH some Ted Baker shorts for £5.99 in AgeUK. Wouldn't usually pay that much but they were the kind he wears and good quality too and as he wears shorts virtually all the time I thought they were a good buy....unfortunately they don't fit him.

Was very tempted by an Anthropologie dress which was BNWT and the price on the tag was £128.99! :eek: They were selling it for £29.99 and it was more than I wanted to pay and I was 100% sold on it anyhow.

luvchocolate

To be honest Oxfam would be the last charity I would donate to, I had an interview with them and was told they would keep a loss making branch to see their name on the high street.
This would never happen with the hospice movement

silvasava

I only donate to local charities now and the Salvation Army shop. My local Sue Ryder shop will take rags too. I do think the big charities have an obligation to dispose of donations ethically. Still getting bags through the door but most of them seem to be a variation on the cash for clothes where they donate a percentage to charity

mavvymoo

I will now only donate to local independants. As I know everything goes out on the shop foor if they cant it is ragged.

In my area there is much less good quality items around now and I have no idea why. I know some sell on ebay and the like as they earn more money that way.But if you look at the feedback for some of the big players they are not checking the items carefully.

I saw an ad a while ago for one of the big charity shops (cant remember which one) to run their Ebay shop :eek: I did think to myself I couldnt have thought of a worse job.

I do think a lot of good items find their way out the back door somehow :mad:


Mav x

charlies-aunt

A happy morning CS-ing here in not very sunny Scunny!


Age Concern - a smart black ipad shoulder bag £1 (perfect for work) and a pretty "Guess" muted pink scarf (looks unused as it still has tags on!) £1 ...... extra bonus of unopened packs of Ibuprofen and Paracetamol tablets in the internal pockets of the bag :rotfl:


Hospice Shop - Thrilled to get two pretty vintage etched port glasses - 50p and a (also brand new with tags on) Kangol hooded quilted gilet for £4.50 - a bit over budget but it looks really nice quality & I know that I will get an awful lot of wear out of it.


Still hoping to get a Pyrex measuring jug sometime soon as I am fed up with not being able to read the measurements on my plastic ones but really pleased with this mornings purchases!