What is your charity shop bargain of the week?

lally666young · 23 March 2012 at 1:25PM

Hiya girls. I am quite lucky as in our town we have that many charity shops that are in competion with each other! So we have a couple that offer clothes for a pound and bric a brac for 50p! I got a lovely leather backpack for £1. Plus I have had a 50's retro magazine rack for £1.99. But we are quite lucky were we live, if I could only get my husband to thinking that charity shops are good.

PinkTiger · 23 March 2012 at 1:26PM

Nicepeach, you could have borrowed some of my collection of tea-sets if you lived closer.

the most i've found with matching pieces is 5 of each, never found 6, but even 5 is unusual, its usually odd numbers.2 cups, 4 saucers, 2 plates etc.

i'm collecting them for my wedding reception (we're having Afternoon Tea), so i knew there was no way i would find 60 matching ones. i have stuck with pinks & blues with flowers, mainly roses, & they look really nice mis-matched.

just wanted to suggest maybe sticking with a 'theme', so they complement each other rather than match.

i'm sure you would have more success doing it that way & best of all they are usually cheaper as they are odd pieces.
(there will be lots of listings on ebay for mis-matched ones just to give you an idea of how they look, or i can pm you some pics of mine).

i'm struggling to find enough milk jugs, sugar bowls are also quite hard to come by too.

PinkTiger · 23 March 2012 at 1:51PM

serious_saver wrote: »

PinkTiger - £8.99 is a bargain if it's something you've been looking for and it's much cheaper than the shops

definately serious_saver, i wanted a picnic basket since i fell in love with one in Cath Kidston, but i didn't fall in love with the £199 price tag:eek:.
now i need to figure out how to replace the checked fabric in it for something more me (chintzy / vintage). the bottom bit will be straightforward (i hope!), but not sure on the top bit that holds the plates etc as i'll have to remove the strap things that holds them in place.
if anyone can point me in the right direction on how to do it i would be grateful:D

allybee101 · 23 March 2012 at 2:29PM

Loving this thread and the CS treasures! I have a bag of clothes and books to take in next week. I don't need any thing at the moment so will try to avoid any bargains to fill up the de-cluttered space!

Dundee Doll, you can get White Vinegar at A*da. A bottle is about 44p for 500ml?
I use it for cleaning and the laundry!

Byatt · 23 March 2012 at 3:04PM

Really excited, just came back from a local CS I recently discovered and came away with loads of bargain clothes in my size!! Most still have the original labels on and include a Ralph Lauren, brand new striped polo neck jersey top for £12, (originally £59.95)...£12 is more than I would normally pay but I have a thing about blue and white stripes and the quality is amazing. Also 2 pairs of trousers, M&$, brand new, and a gap top, plus 2 M&$ Autograph jackets, one nearly new for £3 and the other brand new and labelled at £65 and I got it for £10. Oh and a Ja$per Con£an top brand new for £7.50. I know some of these prices may seem high compared to some places but for here, they are amazing. I've never been better dressed.

I also picked up a heavy silver (coloured) dish with 2 compartments for £2. On the bottom the original label says £20!

tiff · 23 March 2012 at 3:07PM

In the CS I work in we have the Falcon blue and white enamel baking dishes that are trendy now, they are brand new. I think one of my sisters in law would like these as a gift but just not sure which ones to get! Each item is £2.

lally666young · 23 March 2012 at 3:19PM

DundeeDoll wrote: »

Fab idea re button picture. Have friend's 60th next saturday. Any advice on type of glue?

Hiya hun I made two picutres for my mum on mothers day and I used PVA, but DH told me to use a hot fix glue gun. But good luck!!

Gettingtherequickly · 23 March 2012 at 4:28PM

Off topic a bit, I need to take a trip to CS with clothes. Thanks to my new w/m I can, and will, do a 15 min freshen up wash of everything beforehand. This led me to think, do buyers wash their bargains on the assumption that they were not cleaned beforehand?

carlislelass · 23 March 2012 at 5:04PM

whenever I`ve bought clothes etc I`ve always washed them. same from carboot sales

prepareathome · 23 March 2012 at 5:31PM

I wash everything I buy in CS as they always have a smell to them, not bad but to me says cs even brand new items I wash, I have the 15 wash on my machine and use that.