Chazzers - do you budget?

VfM4meplse

I know many of OSers have to watch the pennies and budget carefully. I'm usually restrained in shops as I don't need more stuff to ...unless it's the chazzer.

At which point all bets are off! I still look at the price of individual items and assess whether they are worth it to me, but I don't watch my overall expenditure as I consider it charity rather than retail therapy. Is it just me?

[Deleted User]

I enjoy mooching around the Chazzer shops and am always on the look out for a bargain.I have a seperate amount in my purse apart from my food budget which I call my Happy Cash Stash and this is for treats or bargains that I spot I usually have around a 'float ' of about £20.00 per month and sometimes whats left over goes into my holiday account at the end of the month or if I have seen something I like I can treat myself to it.

Often I get small gifts which go into my 'Christmas present box for giving to friends and family.usually if its a decent cook/travel book or sometimes a soap set.Good way to collect small stuff for presents throughout the year.

Last week i spotted a virtually brand new Delia Frugal Food hard back cook book for £1.75 That's gone on my book shelf though . I sometimes find all sorts of odds and ends.DGS Ben is at Uni and I am always on the lookout for decent tee shirts or jeans for him as he hasn't got a great deal of spare cash from his grant.I found a Bill Bryson travel book that he was after for 50p and he was chuffed to bits with that.
Good place to find replacements for pots and pans for him at his student house as well, and the price doesn't break the bank.

Ilona

I treat charity shop shopping the same as any other shopping, it's a shop that wants my money. Charities waste such a lot of the money they collect on admin, I don't feel that I am donating to a good cause.

I also consider if the item I find is something I need, or something I just want. I tend to stick to the Age Uk shop because everything is £1. I treat them as recycling centre's or a swap shop, donate as well as buy. I will always buy second hand where I can. A lot of items in charity shops are over priced, so I pass them by.

Ilona

lessonlearned

Like you VFM4. When it comes to chazzers all bets are off.

The thing is if you spot something you really want you do have to pounce.

I have at least a dozen chazzers within a two mile radius - all on different routes so I just go In for a browse if I'm passing. If I spot something then great, if not then maybe another time.

Generally I don't worry too much about the money because it's usually only a small amount - usually around the equivalent of a latte in a cafe.

It's about the thrill of the chase isn't it.:rotfl:

Last week I spent the most on one item that I have spent so far. It was a lovely squishy leather overnight/flight bag, brand new with tags - just £13. Bargain. So much posher than my current canvas one.

I would say I average between £10 to £20 a month.

Spendless

I only really buy for my DD usually for costumes for her drama performances, so I go to the £1 section of one of the shops and the Sue Ryder shop where the clothing is £2. Basically if I can buy something that will do in Primark, I won't spend more than I would there.

The only other thing I've bought DD which wasn't a costume is a t-shirt which was a Zara one, it was £4.49 in a design I knew she'd love.

Lynplatinum

HIya

I always have a mental list of stuff I am 'on the look out' for either for me or for friends and actually carry a 'present' list and put a dot by those for whom I have already aquired a bday or c pressy. New list each year! (person Jan 4th sometimes gets a late pressy I'm afraid!!)

Also have a budget which I wont go over for an item. Have also adopted Jackie O's excellent Happy Stash idea.

Currently my friend and I are trying to loose weight and the prize is that the first one to loose 7 pounds is taken by the other to lunch and a£10 Charity Shop Spree at which the 'winner' can buy anything they like as either of us would go down a dress size in certain brands if we lost this weight!! wish us luck!! :rotfl:

So lots of ways to treat myself without feeling guilty!! Yet being frugal!
Nite all

Potternerd

I don't buy clothes from new shops at all any more (except undies that is!!) I spellingget nearly all my crockery and jewellery there too and most of DS's clothes too.

I do tend to have a list of things I'm looking for in my head, but can often be side tracked by something nice. My view is its all in a good cause so I feel less guilty about spending and if I make a mistake I can just re- donate. If I'm feeling really skint I have to ban myself from Charity shops completely until I have money again. DH's view is that it's still compulsive shopping even if it's a CS, however I am getting him round to my POV.

PasturesNew

I'm mostly priced out. The stuff's become expensive since it became "trendy" to buy there .... If I stumble across a £1 rail I'll have a look, but there's rarely anything in my size anyway ... never mind that I actually like/would want.

I go in every shop I can, whenever I can, every single one of them... I probably spend under £10/year in total.

VfM4meplse

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'm mostly priced out. The stuff's become expensive since it became "trendy" to buy there .... If I stumble across a £1 rail I'll have a look, but there's rarely anything in my size anyway ... never mind that I actually like/would want.

I go in every shop I can, whenever I can, every single one of them... I probably spend under £10/year in total.

Either your wants are few or you're not looking hard enough. The thrill from locating something obscure or at a fraction of RRP is priceless, as long as it is useful to you. Until then it's just another person's junk.

PasturesNew

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Either your wants are few or you're not looking hard enough. The thrill from locating something obscure or at a fraction of RRP is priceless, as long as it is useful to you. Until then it's just another person's junk.

I'm a funny size.... petite, size 8-10 hip, top heavy. Patterns don't suit me and most stuff doesn't fit me.



As for "obscure" I don't know one label from another.... I can't tell if a dress in my hand is £5 from Primark or £5k from harrods.

pigpen

I've not been in one to shop for years other than to drop off bags and bags and bags of stuff... I used to allow myself £50 a month and fully kitted out the children until about 13/14 years ago when I decided we don't need clothes.. haha.. the stuff in the M&S/Next sales is the same price or cheaper than the CS and the stuff is new so I bought that instead, it then was worn by several children and my 2 y/o is wearing stuff I bought for my 22 y/o years ago. then will go to my grand-daughter then back for my littlest.

TBH, I've not seen a thing worth buying in a CS for years when I have been dragged in by my mother.