More Charity Shop Bargains for 2018 & beyond!

Miró

Well I never....today I found just what I have been looking for :j A pair of stone coloured leather ermmm shoe thingies. Are they called sneakers now or trainers? Used to be called 'pumps' yonks ago or 'plimsolls' if you were pawsh. Anyhoo, Office brand and priced at £4 in the community chazza and as new. £34 on their website Have Febrezed the insides, scrubbed the soles with a nailbrush and polished the leather. Come up a treat. Didn't really need it but I always do that.

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

Latest finds:

Hardback collection of James Herriott cat anecdotes with lovely colour illustrations 50p

Pollycat wrote: »

I want one of those!

*Useless info alert*

I used to live directly opposite the original practice in Thirsk, (now a museum called 'The World of James Herriot'. Some nice chazza shops in Thirsk but a bit pricey!

silvasava

Miro - I used to put dustbin powder into any CS shoes but now I use kitchen wipes!
Had a Hotter leaflet with the Sunday paper - I bought a pair of their posh plimsolls in a CS last year that looked unworn - apparently they are £70!!

foxyloxy11

Dork diaries book , grey hoodie and a mint green lacy party top for my DD PLUS a brand new nerffy gun in box all for £5 will give the gun as a pressie to one of my nephews

bobsa1

Exactly, Bobsa1, CS shopping is cheaper than most hobbies, saves money, helps a good cause and is more interesting than normal shops as there is a real thrill about not knowing what you might come across. I think it is very psychologically satisfying as it is a link with our earliest hunter-gatherer ancestors.


I think you may have something with the hunter gatherer point our eldest daughter said she thought spotting a bargain gave her a "rush" like she imagines drug users get! Whilst being marginally horrified I secretly agree.

Today I took two bags of items to the cs and whilst there bought a hot water bottle and cover. They still had their label and where in a plastic bag. I paid £3.50 on getting home I discover it is an upmarket chadmere company and the hot water bottle covers are currently on sale in Liberty for £77. The company is called rowpinto. I love the fact you can get premium items you would never usually buy for less money than you would get the none branded item at the supermarket. I'm just sorting out a 3rd bag for the cs so I don't just buy but donate as well. (I'm obviously feeling guilty at my frequent shopping lol)

Pollycat

bobsa1 wrote: »

Today I took two bags of items to the cs and whilst there bought a hot water bottle and cover. They still had their label and where in a plastic bag. I paid £3.50 on getting home I discover it is an upmarket chadmere company and the hot water bottle covers are currently on sale in Liberty for £77. The company is called rowpinto. I love the fact you can get premium items you would never usually buy for less money than you would get the none branded item at the supermarket. I'm just sorting out a 3rd bag for the cs so I don't just buy but donate as well. (I'm obviously feeling guilty at my frequent shopping lol)

:eek: Very privileged feet.

Gem-gem

Took a bag of books to a charity shop this morning. Looked in to four different cs but didn't see anything that took my fancy.

GreyQueen

Fulfilled a need which has been pending for some time; a waterproof lightweight rain jacket suitable for gardening/ outdoorsy type stuff of the scruffy nature. £10.

It is very very difficult, in my experience, to buy a waterproof jacket in decent nick from a chazzer. This is the same brand as its aged predecessor, which has been a good and faithful servant and worn to pieces for the past seven years. One in, one out!

bobsa1

Pollycat wrote: »

:eek: Very privileged feet.

Very hahaha. So far this evening I've had to show my "upmarket" hot water bottle to two of my dds and insist they play guess the retail price. Both have actually laughed at the very idea of paying £77 but then we are from Yorkshire!

DigForVictory

GreyQueen wrote: »

It is very very difficult, in my experience, to buy a waterproof jacket in decent nick from a chazzer.

Sadly "hear, hear" unless the original donor bought or was given the wrong thing & rather than try to get the right one, donates it. My husband & I being persons of average-to-somewhat-plump size find sock all in coats etc. The lads, being fast-growing young monsters with waist measurements that used to be indicative of tight lacing, step into unloved Rohans, high end fleeces & exotic goretex garments (husband has a very discerning eye &/or blinking expensive tastes) near routinely....

It is for *us* that we hunt ebay & haunt carboots, hoping someone is too ashamed of Great Uncle Fred's girth to donate his stuff to a cs & doesn't appreciate just what it was GUF shrewdly opened his wallet for. Mind, recently-out squaddies also have stuff to get rid of for cash & while they can be a tad pricey, (knowing what ebay has sold stuff at) they are negotiable for treasury notes & anonymity.

Above all, the right chemistry can turn a somewhat battered jacket into if not a waterproof then more shower resistant article - we just let rip with Nikwax TX Direct Wash In Waterproofer (amazon has it here) which is fiendish cunning stuff. Many a goretex that was loosing its miraculous power (but still had its seams taped) has been brought back from the back of a heap to the in-use-daily with that. Says one very happy user. We cheat & tumble dry it but it really does do fine on the line on a summers day (best time to buy winter coats anyway.)

Pollycat

Is it me...?

We have 3 (same) hospice shops, 1 in my village which is reasonably priced, 1 in town with OK prices and one in Mum's village which (imho) is very expensive.

In the latter shop, I saw a Joules top priced at £6, then luckily noticed a stain that might or might not have been oil/fat.
I took it to the counter and the assistant (begrudgingly - after pointing out to me that 'it was an expensive make') offered to knock 50p off.
I said if it was reduced to £3 and the stain came out I'd bring the extra £3 in next week.
'oh no' she said, 'we'll wash it'.
My reply was 'I'll leave it with you'.
And I will - literally.
I wouldn't buy it at any price now.

Am I being a grouch?

This same shop has a BNWT feather & down jacket by Crew Clothing priced at £40. Seems expensive to me but I've not checked the website yet.

ETA:
they have the identical jacket on the website for £99.
Am I mean to think £40 in a charity shop is too expensive?
Today is the 3rd week the jacket has been there.