More Charity Shop Bargains for 2018 & beyond!

Rosa_Damascena

Dropped by a chazzer this lunchtime and bought a smart Per Una knit for £2.50, and pretty Per Una summer blouse for £1.

Miró

Walked into the town yesterday to visit the BHF and St Gemma's Hospice shops after reading on their respective websites that they are now open again.  They were not!!!  To make the journey worthwhile I had a walk around M & S which was practically empty - even the 90% off sale rail was in pristine condition with no interest from the few shoppers.  Today it was a walk around closer to home...Oxfam opened up again today and was very well organised with one  'in' door and one 'out' door, hand sanitiser and wipes and a clearly marked one way system through the shop.  Then on to the BHF shop but nothing of interest there either.  Then to the community chazza where on the half price rail I found a Phase Eight, cream jersey, long sleeved top, BNWT and originally priced at £39.95....mine for £2.50.  Next door in the books & bric a brac section, in a basket of make up I found a b/n & sealed little eye shadow palette in shades of 'sludge' colours, (khaki, brown & grey) for 25p.  Thinking I would pick it up on the way out....ha...a woman was buying it at the till.   I never learn!!!!!

DigForVictory

Ah, Miro - formidable huntress, you will put things down. Then some other lesser hunter pounces. It's very frustrating. Reassure me an eye shadow palette escape stings less than a dress that calls you & then dances off with some other person? Hoping St G opens up for your delectation soon. BHF claim to plan to "gradually reopen throughout July" - aye. Someday!

MrsStepford

More books.. Diet Did It by Gayelord Hauser, Eating Your Way to Health by Ruth Bircher (as in the muesli) from Oxfam plus a book of traditional recipes. First time secondhand buy from Etsy, is a low carb diet book by Frances de Salle, an American dietician I haven't heard of. 

baggins11

I can't help feel a bit jealous listening to all these charity shop finds.  I have decided that this is the year that I will start shopping in charity shops.  Up until now I am ashamed to say I have spent far too much clothing our family.  Finances (and more eco awareness) dictate a change.  Also I am getting to an age where I am realising that the less I spend now the less I will need to work in the future.  

So help me out with tips on finding these gems.  Is it better to go to bigger towns/cities or are certain shops better than others?  We have a couple in our nice market town but on the few occasions I have gone in the clothes look dated and very worn out.  Maybe I am not looking hard enough/regularly enough?

missychrissy

I find that CSs often put their really good stuff in the windows so I always look there first. 

It does depend on what you are looking for but it helps if you visit regularly. Bargains don’t hang around for long.
I’ve bought some good books especially gardening and cookery, as well as fiction. I like glass pedestal bowls, usually about £1 each, for doing Christmas decorations in with candles, sprayed pine cones, flowers etc. I think CSs are particularly good for glass: fruit or trifle bowls; glasses etc. I often buy a jigsaw and 2 of my granddaughters like to have a rummage in the toys. I’ve bought the occasional piece of jewellery and clothes.
I babysit in Harrogate and whilst I have had good buys in other places, Harrogate is a cut above. I suppose it makes sense that there would be better quality buys in more affluent places.

Miró

baggins11 said:

So help me out with tips on finding these gems.  Is it better to go to bigger towns/cities or are certain shops better than others?  We have a couple in our nice market town but on the few occasions I have gone in the clothes look dated and very worn out.  Maybe I am not looking hard enough/regularly enough?

Regular visits are a must!  Once you get to know the layout of a charity shop you can whizz round in no time.  I would recommend preferencing the independents, (community or local hospice charity shops or any independent of any kind), over the big national chains, (*cough* Oxfam for eg),  prices are much better.  I make an exception for the Cancer Research UK clearance stores though....they can be a treasure trove.  I believe they actually call them 'Superstores' as they are supposed to be 4 x the size of a normal shop and everything is priced at either £3 or under or £5 or under depending on the store.  I mostly avoid the charity shops in the centre of big cities - the smaller 'satellite' towns around the bigger cities can be good and some market towns can be brilliant for quality stuff.  Also areas near to universities can be interesting if you like quirky stuff - especially after the academic year ends.

Good luck on your search for bargains....do report back any finds!  I'm sure others will be along with more thoughts/hints/tips.

MrsStepford

baggins11 said:

I can't help feel a bit jealous listening to all these charity shop finds.  I have decided that this is the year that I will start shopping in charity shops.  Up until now I am ashamed to say I have spent far too much clothing our family.  Finances (and more eco awareness) dictate a change.  Also I am getting to an age where I am realising that the less I spend now the less I will need to work in the future.  

So help me out with tips on finding these gems.  Is it better to go to bigger towns/cities or are certain shops better than others?  We have a couple in our nice market town but on the few occasions I have gone in the clothes look dated and very worn out.  Maybe I am not looking hard enough/regularly enough?

I do the majority of my charity shop hunting online now. It makes it easier to find the things I want. Last year I paid £70 each (not simultaneously) for Barbours for myself and husband. Barbour is doing reproofing again now, so £35 each and as good as new. Some things are really overpriced eg Per Una and M&S shirts. If the volonteers haven't heard of the label you can get amazing bargains. 

baggins11

Wow I didn't even know charity shopping online was a thing!

Skibunny40

Made my first trip to a charity shop since lockdown today - so exciting! Got a Wallis top for £3 and a pair of George jeans for £3. Not amazing bargains but I desperately needed some clothes in a larger size to get me through until I lose the lockdown weight. Shop was immaculate and lots of staff on hand to keep everyone right so felt very safe.