More Charity Shop Bargains for 2018 & beyond!

dolly84

I am booked in to make a donation tomorrow.  The ritual I had to go through just to do that was mental, I had to be booked in, the slots were every half hour, I had to leave my name and address, donations have to be taken to the back door., anyway I hope I remember to go tomorrow.  When I called in to ask if they were taking donations I didn't bother looking around, I feel too uncomfortable in the current retail environment, I'm expecting to be told I'm doing something wrong, I don't know whether I can go in with my family so I'm just not bothering going anywhere I don't have to plus I am very, very resistant to wearing a mask.  I think the government expected everyone to be so desperate to shop we would all flock there regardless and now they think it is that people are too scared buy imo it is because it is not a sociable and fun thing to do anymore.  They do seem to have a very low opinion of the public, as I do of them.

Living_proof

My favourite CS has opened a new branch, much bigger one and it's full of some really nice clothing, furniture and the usual bric a brac. This week I bought 7 pairs of new socks for £2 and they are the ones with the loose tops usually £7.99 for 3. I was quite pleased with that for the first purchase and look forward to visiting a couple of times a week in future.

Pollycat

dolly84 said:

I am booked in to make a donation tomorrow.  The ritual I had to go through just to do that was mental, I had to be booked in, the slots were every half hour, I had to leave my name and address, donations have to be taken to the back door., anyway I hope I remember to go tomorrow.  When I called in to ask if they were taking donations I didn't bother looking around, I feel too uncomfortable in the current retail environment, I'm expecting to be told I'm doing something wrong, I don't know whether I can go in with my family so I'm just not bothering going anywhere I don't have to plus I am very, very resistant to wearing a mask.  I think the government expected everyone to be so desperate to shop we would all flock there regardless and now they think it is that people are too scared buy imo it is because it is not a sociable and fun thing to do anymore.  They do seem to have a very low opinion of the public, as I do of them.

Me too.

I must look like a rabbit in headlights.

I studied a tray of beef tomatoes for (what seemed like) ages before picking up the one I wanted. Pre-covid, I'd have moved the top tray to see what the tray underneath looked like.

For context, yesterday was the first time I'd been in a food shop for 6 months. It felt very strange.

I feel the same about masks but I guess we have little zero choice.

Last week I went into TKMaxx to return some items and pick up 2 more that arrived in store the day they closed.

That was the first time I'd been in an enclosed shop, before then I'd just been to a garden centre a couple of times.

I picked up a couple of beach towels on the way to the tills and when I got there I said 'I want to return these shoes'. That done, I said 'I have this order to collect'.

Then I said I want these towels.

He said 'how do you want to pay?'

He could have been speaking in Arabic for all the sense that made to me.

I hadn't paid for anything anywhere for 6 months (except online) and was completely lost.

I finally managed to say 'Errmm - contactless?'

He must have thought I was bonkers.

It's been really hard.

Sayschezza

I am very pleased to say my little local CS is opening next week and I am back on my Wednesday shifts.

MrsStepford

Bought an American book called The Cake Bible from an online chazzer and had it sent to my mother. I hit eBay too and to my surprise, got a few buy one get 5% off another books and found I had a £5 eBay voucher, so I got 6 books for £10. All food-related. 

Footpather

I went  to a local small town with my daughter to donate two bags of clothes. Went into Oxfam, no problems, left the bags and browsed (heard the lady telling someone else that all donations were being left for 72 hours before being touched). Age Concern was closed.  Hospice shop were only allowing 4 people in the entire shop (it is quite large and has an upstairs and a downstairs) so we chatted to the lady on the door until we could go in.  We went to Forget Me Not - only two allowed in and one already in so only one of could enter, we didn't bother.  RSPCA, no restrictions mentioned.  

Rosa_Damascena

Pollycat said:

dolly84 said:

I am booked in to make a donation tomorrow.  The ritual I had to go through just to do that was mental, I had to be booked in, the slots were every half hour, I had to leave my name and address, donations have to be taken to the back door., anyway I hope I remember to go tomorrow.  When I called in to ask if they were taking donations I didn't bother looking around, I feel too uncomfortable in the current retail environment, I'm expecting to be told I'm doing something wrong, I don't know whether I can go in with my family so I'm just not bothering going anywhere I don't have to plus I am very, very resistant to wearing a mask.  I think the government expected everyone to be so desperate to shop we would all flock there regardless and now they think it is that people are too scared buy imo it is because it is not a sociable and fun thing to do anymore.  They do seem to have a very low opinion of the public, as I do of them.

Me too.

I must look like a rabbit in headlights.

I studied a tray of beef tomatoes for (what seemed like) ages before picking up the one I wanted. Pre-covid, I'd have moved the top tray to see what the tray underneath looked like.

For context, yesterday was the first time I'd been in a food shop for 6 months. It felt very strange.

I feel the same about masks but I guess we have little zero choice.

Last week I went into TKMaxx to return some items and pick up 2 more that arrived in store the day they closed.

That was the first time I'd been in an enclosed shop, before then I'd just been to a garden centre a couple of times.

I picked up a couple of beach towels on the way to the tills and when I got there I said 'I want to return these shoes'. That done, I said 'I have this order to collect'.

Then I said I want these towels.

He said 'how do you want to pay?'

He could have been speaking in Arabic for all the sense that made to me.

I hadn't paid for anything anywhere for 6 months (except online) and was completely lost.

I finally managed to say 'Errmm - contactless?'

He must have thought I was bonkers.

It's been really hard.

I feel for you! Weirdness starts to feel normal after a point in time, but the normality by Christmas that has been spoken of today - I don't think so. Visit the chazzer whilst the sun shines, because this winter is going to be a very tough one.

Miró

dolly84 said:

 I feel too uncomfortable in the current retail environment, I'm expecting to be told I'm doing something wrong, I don't know whether I can go in with my family so I'm just not bothering going anywhere I don't have to plus I am very, very resistant to wearing a mask.  I think the government expected everyone to be so desperate to shop we would all flock there regardless and now they think it is that people are too scared buy imo it is because it is not a sociable and fun thing to do anymore.  

So pleased to hear it's not just me who feels this way.  I'm having problems coping with all the rules and procedures that seem to change every 5 mins....queue, sanitise, follow the arrows, clockwise round the shop, anti-clockwise, stand here, stand there, pay by card...no cards - cash only - contactless only, sanitise on way out.  Some shops here have already brought in the mask rule and on the buses you are expected to wear a mask and carry hand sanitiser and use it before you get on.  It's not that I don't want to comply with the rules I just find it all so overwhelming!!  Anyhoo.....another chazza fail this week, went to the big CRUK clearance shop and spotted a cute table lamp - it was in brushed gold metal and the bulb bit was enclosed in a sort of dandelion clock type frosted glass shade on a stalk and with two leafy things on stalks - priced at £5.  I walked about thinking where I could use it and decided I couldn't so left it.  Of course when I got home inspiration struck! 

DigForVictory

Of course - even without a virus lurking, Fate has this little amusements.
I've decided that I shall treat shopping in shops (that are not the two supermarkets whose ways I have been trained in) as approximately like shopping on holiday where I don't speak the language. I will go in properly covered, yes, (indeed even gloved) but after that if they want me to look but not touch or pay contactless or try to understand what some word means (I mean I recognise "antimacassar" as a word and concept but I don't think I've seen one other than the fancy bits on first class train seats - if there were a heap of them & they weren't embroidered with a rail logo I might well struggle,) - they will have to explain. Since the ratio of staff to customers is so much in my favour, I may as well increase the quota of light entertainment & of course use please & thank you (I always learn those along with yes, no & excuse me, when travelling)  I shall play uncomfortable (& my own familiar but pointy anxiety) at it's own game.

For those who can smell, I am told the antibac with aloe vera Asda are currently selling has a very pungent niff. I watched wondering what the heck was going on as husband recoiled from his own hands. The other bottle I bought at the pharmacist, it cost less for the same volume at a higher % alcohol, & I could taste it working..  

DigForVictory

Now Princess Beatrice has led the way, if you are going to donate a posh frock or a wedding dress, it may add resale value to include a snap of it in action with an event & date, so the bride can both make it her own but flaunt her fugal and fashionable credentials. Awed that she managed a small family wedding & wish her a long & happy marriage.