More Charity Shop Bargains for 2018 & beyond!

Caterina

Pollycat wrote: »

.....

I don't 'deal with seeing a bargain whilst on a no spend challenge' because I don't do 'no spend challenges'.
Sorry - I know that's not helpful to you.

I am on a cut-down on buying things ....

Pollycat this describes my attitude to spending to a T! Every time I've started a no-spend challenge I've found it difficult and frustrating in the face of unpredictable events that forced me to spend. Now I'm just sensible (for want of a better word).

This January we are on a really tight budget but yesterday in a CS I stumbled on an object that I have wanted for a long time, a little oil burner for essential oils, the one you use with a tealight, for £1. The cheapest I've seen new is £3.50 so I bought the CS one. Very pleased!

Miró

Pollycat wrote: »

I don't 'deal with seeing a bargain whilst on a no spend challenge' because I don't do 'no spend challenges'.

Me neither! My charity shop shopping is funded by me doing online surveys for various survey companies. I make about £30 per month on average doing this and the money goes into my 'charity shop purse'. As it seems like 'free' money I feel I can splurge away merrily as I rarely spend more than I have coming in via surveys.

Lucy5781

Nice pair of NEXT lightweight chinos for DsS in age 16 ( He's 12 and fitting small men's sizes now) and a lovely plum coloured velvety party dress in 9-12mths for DD from Morrison's Nutmeg range, both £1 each in the local hospice outlet branch. She's nine months in less than two weeks!!

DigForVictory

Miro& Pollycat, both of you known & admired aficionados of the handbag, I saw this & thought if you've ever known a bag that has this freight?

HANDBAG

My mother’s old handbag,
crowded with letters she carried
all through the war. The smell
of my mother’s handbag: mints
and lipstick and Coty powder.
The look of those letters, softened
and worn at the edges, opened,
read, and refolded so often.
Letters from my father. Odor
of leather and powder, which
ever since then has meant womanliness,
and love, and anguish, and war.

~ Ruth Fainlight, born 1931, American poet

Which triggered another thought, what do you do with odds and bits of paper 'found' in a cs thing? (We're documenting & photographing a great uncle's kit and the ephemera in his pockets - a bus ticket, a NAAFI receipt & so forth is enchanting and technically valueless, but they add to our feeling of who wore this suit.)

tessie_bear

lovely to read the bargains :j I'm having a drought not through want of looking....got to say I'm no fan of no spend challenges never grasped the point of kicking my spending down the road if I need summat I get it if I don't need it I don't buy it....I will keep looking xx

DD265

SophieLoui23 wrote: »

How do you all deal with seeing a bargain whilst on a no spend challenge?

I partake in the no spend days type of challenge, and Saturdays are almost always a spend day as I do the food shop, fill up with fuel etc. So Sunday-Friday, I'm steering clear, but on a Saturday it feels like fair game.

That said, I'm adopting a one-in-one-out rule when it comes to clothes purchases this year. I was originally thinking none at all, because I really don't need any, but then if I actually get rid of this excess weight I'll need smaller sizes, plus some of my jeans are wearing out at the thighs and probably won't last 12 months.

Lastly, I do have a 'fun money' pot each month. If I want to spend some of that in the charity shop, it just means I can't spend it on a meal out.

Today I donated and as we were walking in I saw a lovely men's shirt, red, from Next. 'Luckily' too small for OH, and as he was with me I wasn't allowed to stop and browse. I'll go back next weekend. :rotfl:

Pollycat

DD265 wrote: »

Today I donated and as we were walking in I saw a lovely men's shirt, red, from Next. 'Luckily' too small for OH, and as he was with me I wasn't allowed to stop and browse. I'll go back next weekend. :rotfl:

Will he have lost weight by then...?

lessonlearned

My intended no spend on new clothes for 6 months doesn't include chazzer shop purchases. :rotfl: cheating?? Yes, of course. :rotfl:

But I think I will perhaps be very selective and buy only really special things rather than "it will do" type purchases.

If you really like the coat and you are happy with the price then why not.

Miró

DigForVictory wrote: »

Miro& Pollycat, both of you known & admired aficionados of the handbag, I saw this & thought if you've ever known a bag that has this freight?

HANDBAG

My mother’s old handbag,
crowded with letters she carried
all through the war. The smell
of my mother’s handbag: mints
and lipstick and Coty powder.
The look of those letters, softened
and worn at the edges, opened,
read, and refolded so often.
Letters from my father. Odor
of leather and powder, which
ever since then has meant womanliness,
and love, and anguish, and war.

~ Ruth Fainlight, born 1931, American poet

Which triggered another thought, what do you do with odds and bits of paper 'found' in a cs thing? (We're documenting & photographing a great uncle's kit and the ephemera in his pockets - a bus ticket, a NAAFI receipt & so forth is enchanting and technically valueless, but they add to our feeling of who wore this suit.)

Oh crumbs...that poem has brought back memories! My mother was not a 'handbag person' but my grandmother was. Her handbag went everywhere with her and always contained, amongst other things....Shalimar perfume, Ponds Vanishing Creme, Max Factor bright red lipstick which she could apply perfectly without the aid of a mirror, (wish I could!), a proper powder compact in a little felt case and a fine lawn hankie with a lace edging. As a small child I was allowed to have a rummage in said bag as a treat and I can still remember the smell of leather & perfume from said bag .

As for the odds & ends found in c/s buys....several years ago I bought a nice handbag from a c/s and used it very occasionally for a couple of years. Then, one day, I saw a little slip pocket at the front of the bag that I had never noticed before. Looking inside I was stunned to find an 18ct gold, man's wedding ring - very thin, worn and battered. It obviously had meant a great deal to someone but the independant charity shop that I bought the bag from had long closed down so I was at a loss as to what to do. I would have dearly loved to unite the ring with the family....I did try a 'found' post on a local Facebook site but had no joy, (the ring had initials engraved inside it). So I still have the ring and have often wondered about the story that goes with it

Laredouter

I have just been catching up with your bargains today for the first time since October (the assignments started piling up so I have been quite busy)! I am so envious of some of your amazing bargains, especially the vintage Bayswater from a while ago.

I haven't really had much time to head into Norwich to look at the shops, but since I've been on the Christmas break I have had a chance to rummage around the charity shops in Essex. I haven't had much luck with my previously beloved Wickford Banardo's so I have decided to cut my losses. However, a few charity shops in Maldon, Burnham and Rayleigh (can't remember their names, sorry!) have been quite kind to me in their winter clothing sales. I got quite a few cheap books too but most of them were set texts/history books so hardly a treat to myself.

So my recent purchases have been:
A BNWT Fatface Cheshire jacket in chocolate- £15
An NW3 loose-knit pink jumper- £3
A Joules fine-knit striped jumper with a bluetit on it - £3
A Seasalt chunky striped jumper- £2
A pair of Next tassel loafers in a nice cognac brown (match a Concka bag I bought on eBay)- £2
A Fatface fine cable-knit jumper in a nice rust colour -£2

I don't think I would have paid the 'full-price' on any of these but I'm quite happy with what I did pay. I'm heading into Chelmsford tomorrow with my mum so may come back with a few more bits. I can't buy anymore books though until I have donated some .

It has been nice catching up with you guys. Hopefully I won't leave it so long next time!