Charity Shop Shopping

choccyface2006

I'm sure they can, there are probably other volunteers that have the same issues with work committments! Just pop in and have a word, I am really pleased that I am a volunteer, I meet new and interesting people, I feel good about it, get some bargains and its saves me the bus fare as I combine it with other shopping!

needmoney

I used to do this once a week for about 4 or 5 hours a time, mainly steaming, they said I was great and the things I'd done always sold quickly. I enjoyed it but gave up because I thought they were overpricing things.

ms_london

I cant believe people have problems shopping in charity shops or buying clothes second hand!! Are these the same people that visit MONEYSAVINGexpert?? Strange!!

Apart from some jeans I bought recently in a charity shop & the odd book - I havent seen anything that's caught my eye - however in the past I have got so many bargains!!

People at my old work always used to comment me on what I was wearing - a lot of the clothes I got from the charity shops were Next/Topshop/Warehouse etc etc.

Obviously there are some items that are a bit worse for wear & could probably do with being binned, but there are probably some people that will buy items like that - and at the end of the day it's money going to a good cause!! A lot of items are brand new and still have the tags on them.

It's sad also that some parents will only put their children in brand new clothes and wouldnt consider anything "second hand" - especially when they are newborn and grow so fast!!

Oh well, more bargains for the rest of us :0) xx

Aril

This year I've spent £11 on clothes so far. I've bought a packet of cotton bras from Wilko for £2.99 which are v. comfy and don't have that dratted underwiring that I find chafes. I bought two hippy summer skirts and a hippy top [which I saw in Tesco last summer] for 30p from a jumble sale [where I was helping] although I have to say I saw the bag they came out of and they were freshly laundered. I've also spent £3.25 on a gorgeous knitted Next cardy and I bought a brown lacy cardy on Saturday for £4 which goes well with the Per Uno tshirt I got at Christmas for £3.99. I'm lucky because I do have a good eye for detail and am quite good at putting colours together. People are always complimenting me on my clothes because I like anything unusual and then they laugh when I tell them where I get them!Accessories are the key to finishing an outfit I think [also charity shop finds]. Have also been given a gorgeous beaded velvet top by a friend which I swapped with her for a top I liked but never wore.
Aril

needmoney

I LOVE threads like this! Gives renewed enthusiasm.

Austin_Allegro

Mrs Dacyzyn has a section in the Tightwad Gazette about second hand shoes and whether they are bad for your feet or not, there seems to be mixed opinion in the medical profession about it. Shoes are the only item from charity shops I wouldn't buy, unless they were clearly unworn, as I know how manky my own shoes get, and you can't really clean the inside of a pair of shoes.

I do think, however, that there do not seem to be as many bargains in charity shops as there used to be - prices seem quite high compared to shops like Primark, and the big chains often seem to have very few items.

I prefer to use the smaller, local shops for independent charities which still have that slightly chaotic feel and one old lady behind the till. They still have the feeling of real bargains waiting to be found.

choccyface2006

I'm behind the till at my local charity shop and at 33 I'm not that old! :rotfl: LOL I'm always smiley and happy to help :j

Sarah x

inkie

In the inkie household we swear by charity shops/jumble sales/car boots - i'm dead excited now that the clocks have been put forward as the boot fair will be starting up again!!

We only go to ordinary shops for undies etc...I cannot believe the prices that they charge in there for stuff can you can pick up for 50p or less at my usual suppliers!

Even my 9yr old dd is catching on and scours the rails - I am amazed at what people send for recycling!

needmoney

Austin_Allegro wrote:

I do think, however, that there do not seem to be as many bargains in charity shops as there used to be - prices seem quite high compared to shops like Primark, and the big chains often seem to have very few items.

I prefer to use the smaller, local shops for independent charities which still have that slightly chaotic feel and one old lady behind the till. They still have the feeling of real bargains waiting to be found.

Yes I agree it is one of the big names I worked for they are trying to be like the ordinary retailers and they're not, they're used goods. I became very dissillusioned with the pricing game.

FZwanab

Ok I am going to bite the bullet and next time I need something will definitely check out charity shops, I won't tell Mum and see if she admires my finds!!