Charity Shopping - New to You in '22!

goldfinches

Miró said:

P.S.  Soz...forgot about this......I also picked up a cute little watering can for the indoor plants.  Twas £1.99 in Oxfam and I thought it couldn't have cost much more new but I really liked it and knew it would be useful.  Apparently it's from Ikea and I'm a bit shocked at the proper price.....!!

Miró - my eyebrows have just shot skyward at the original price of that, especially as it looks so trendily unwieldy to me. One good thing about buying Ikea stuff secondhand is that one doesn't have to wrestle with their peculiar naming system or the one-way route around the hangar. Much better to be able to look at things in daylight without getting lost and then pay a reasonable price for the bits you like.

QueenJess

That’s someone price gouging on the bay of e. They are £10 right now in IKEA per the website, although I bought one in December and I thought it was half that price..

Laurasiamos

Hello! Long time lurker that has finally gotten herself an account!

I love a charity shop rummage. There's five of us at home (me, husband and 3 young children) and I buy around 95% of our clothes from charity shops. Honestly don't know why anyone buys new anymore when there are so many gems to find in the charity shops. 

Bought a huge single curtain for our back door yesterday. Will help with draughts now our energy bills have increased by £95 a month. This was £2 and its lovely striped pattern (love a stripe). 
Also bought myself a dress that I can breastfeed baby in for £2.50. 

Has anyone else's local charity shops started increasing prices? Our local Cancer Research has scrapped its £1,£2,£3 system and now charges far more. Saw a dress in there the other day for £8. All dresses used to be £3 max. Not sure how well they'll shift their stock as we are in what could be described as a deprived area. Whereas our local Ty Hafan store keeps prices low and they're constantly turning over new stock. They've never had to turn down donations as they're constantly selling. 

Brie

Laurasiamos said:

Honestly don't know why anyone buys new anymore when there are so many gems to find in the charity shops. 

Has anyone else's local charity shops started increasing prices? 

Unfortunately when you're the size of a whale as I am charity shop finds for clothing are incredibly rare.  Then again finding something nice in a regular shop is rare too.  I keep looking....and then go and buy a scarf as those are one size fits all!!!   Thank dog for small mercies!!!!

I wonder if some shops have more willing volunteers that will work hard at keeping things turning over?  So they're working hard and understand what their local market can bear.  I think some others think people should be grateful for getting a bargain and don't understand the economics that some of us mere mortals are restrained by.  You know what I mean - the sort that would snort at you and say "but it's only £8!!" as if every single one of us has that in our pocket.  Their "only £8" is often another's shocked "omg it's £8!"

janb5

Hi Brie..never undermine yourself!  It's also a problem when manufacturers differ so much in sizing anyway. I've learnt over the years to choose certain labels which are cut better and more forgiving!

goldfinches

@Miro - look what I spotted in yesterday's The New Yorker Daily Humor e-newsletter.

CAFCGirl

No more books (as yet), and not my spends BUT darling Mum managed to find the elusive denim jacket for me £3.99 in Oxfam, New Look so not top tier brand but not Primark either and its heavy denim too, hits nicely on the waist, fitted/shaped nicely, but with room to move.

Also gave me a very gift llama pencil/make up brush bag in a lovely blue/purple colour so I'll be adding some extra 'spice' to that with some upcyling & vinyl I think

Miró

goldfinches said:

@Miro - look what I spotted in yesterday's The New Yorker Daily Humor e-newsletter.

Pfffft!!!  They must be as common as muck then....tee hee.  Actually I saw a very similar one in our pawsh new garden centre (Crimple nr Harrogate) a few weeks ago and their's was £30 odd squids. 

C_J

I think that's a really pretty indoor watering can!  I had been on the lookout for one in a charity shop for ages but in the end gave up and bought one in the Boots 50% off post-Christmas sale using points (so it felt like it was sort-of free). It's not as lovely as that one though.

I've been searching charity shops lately for a few little toys to keep at home for the grandchildren (aged 3 and 5) to play with when they visit. I found a pair of matching hand-luggage sized little suitcases which are perfect to stash behind the sofa filled with their toys, and have filled them with lots of hot wheels and monster trucks for grandson (he is obsessed with them) plus a stunt motorbike kit with track pieces and some lego. I bought an assortment of dolls, a medical set, toy animals and duplo for tiny granddaughter. I also bought a Tiny Tears soft bodied doll in perfect condition with four complete changes of outfit and several other accessories for just £3, which I think she will love.  That should keep them both occupied!

I also bought a few little musical items - a xylophone, some bells and a brightly coloured "rain stick" for new baby granddaughter. She's not quite three months old, but is showing a real interest in sounds and seems to really enjoy musical noises - she gets very excited and smiles a lot at the new sounds, it's lovely to watch

I don't know if it is just in my local area, but I am noticing charity shops stocking less and less in the way of children's toys these days.

Brie

janb5 said:

Hi Brie..never undermine yourself!  It's also a probkem when nanufacturers differ so much in sizing anyway. I've learnt over the gears to choose certain labels which are cut better and more forgiving!

@janb5
I know.  One of the few places I buy stuff in the UK is Land's End as normally it's good quality cotton and generally I can get something to fit.  Otherwise I wait until I'm visiting Canada where I guess I'm more the normal profile. 

I gave up on M&S a number of years ago - cheap quality and all polyester for larger sizes it seemed.  Not helped by a saleswoman being rude about a skirt I wanted.  It was exactly what I was after and fit but they only had the medium length on the rail, not the longer one.  When I asked the lovely woman said something like "no we don't make that in long because fat people are generally quite short."  Might have been on of those times I dropped an item of clothing on the floor and walked over it on my way to the exit.