Charity shops rule!

[gyzmo]

I've used charity shops for quite some time now, both buying and donating, and though it time to share a few views.

 

1. Stigma

No, you're not ****, unemployed, a "cheapo" just because you go into a charity shop. In fact, I would rather buy from charity shops than high street stores really. Not only are you getting stuff cheaply, but you are helping others as well. What high street shop can say that? Sure, they may have a corporate responsibility statement, but I believe those as much as I believe in a political party manifesto. And I do also doubt some charity stores - Oxfam for example has become more of a high street store than some high street stores, but see 2.

 

But do you feel embarrassed going into a charity shop? Do you feel that other people will think "less" of you for doing it, or feel that there is some shame in going into one? Well don't - see why later

 

2. Prices.

It's amazing how much prices vary. Some charity shops charge almost as much, if not more, than high street shops. Oxfam I think is the worst offender, but I think they get more "quality" stuff than other charity shops do and is seen as a more "cool" charity shop to go into. But I have got some real bargains. I go in mostly for books, CDs and DVDs, and they are in the vast majority of cases far better than what you will get from a high street store.

 

3. Quality.

Yeah, it's been used. For what I buy, it's not a problem, but I don't think it is either for clothes. Ages ago I went to a flea market with a mate and picked out a brill coat - even my mate was jealous. And I tool it back when I realised it was second hand (I was nieve then). Baaad decision - I regret it since! And I still get ribbed over it, only because I was too stupid not to keep it. A few mates of mine "confessed" that some of their "clubbing" stuff has been bought from charity shops. At the end of the day, the don't accept torn tat. They style may not be what you appreciate, but if you do see some bit of cloth you like, you can be sure it's wearable.

 

And why am I saying all of this? Well I've been on a pub crawl cum charity shop expidition, courtesy of a fellow real ale fan. I promised him I'd go on a mad distance pub crawl (he was paying) so long as he went into some charity shops with me. He was really reluctant at first, but I held him to it.

 

The result:

 

Me.

3 CDs (classical) all by the academy of ancient music. Total retail value is app. £50. Cost in charity shops - £4.00.

Books (I'm a crossword fan). 3 Schotts Almanacs, 2 crossword finishers, 1 Holy Blood and Holy Grail (or whatever the hell it's called) and a Roget's thesaurus. Total cost - £3.97

 

My mate

6 CDs (pop music, therefore I could not elaborate further, but total on high street app. £40), 2 shirts (bench ermine?), bag (some city bloke thing), jacket (that goes with jeans) and some religious belt. He says about £150 of stuff for just over a tenner. And he only went in because I made him.

 

So there you go.

 

Charity shops rule! Go into one. Have a good mooch around, get a bargain and help a good cause in the process.

[SOD'EM]

Yeah, they are cool. In fact, here's a top tip:-

 

Save money on laundry bills by simply donating your dirty clothes to the nearest charity shop. They will then, gladly wash and iron them. You can then pop back to the shop the next day, and buy them all back for 50p..

[empowered]

I find them brill for books. I gave up on the library cos I was always forgetting to take them back and incurring large fees which really meant I could have bought the book in the first place:eek: Daughter then takes the books when I've finished with them and then they go back so the charity shop can resell them - winners all round:D Got a fab Jigsaw trouser suit a couple of years ago from them for £10 - everybody admired it and I got great pleasure in saying that a £200 suit had only cost £10:D Hunt carefully, look at the labels and you can pick up some absolute bargains. The other upside is that the staff are pleasant unlike some of the high street salespeople who cannot be bothered to stop their personal conversations:(

[Bookworm]

Yeah, they rule!

 

My one had a clearance "all books for 50p" sale last week. Came back having spent the price of 1 new paperback and I had 2 bags full of books, woo-hoo!

 

The great thing is that some of them are stuff I wouldn't necessarily bought in a shop at full price in case they're rubbish, but at 50 p, who cares? If they're crap, they can go abck to the charity shop, if they're good, they'll go on the shelf! What better way to find new authors?

 

I bought my DD M&S PJs when she was a toddler, one green, one red, for 10p each. They saw her through the next 3 years, and went on to then go on my son for the next 3. (To be fair, they were pale blue and pale pink by that time, lol)

 

I love charity shops. They're like a modern day treasure hunt, you never know what you are going to find at a ridiculous price.

[lateralus]

i agree - and books are the best. i never pay more than £1 - often much less and the book sales are the best. i stopped going to the library because i read in the bath, fall asleep and drop the book - apparently libraries frown on this for some reason and ask you to pay for the book - paying £16.50 for a Barbara Taylor Bradford was the last straw. It wasn't even a good book - so now I only get books from charity shops and most are slightly puffed up from having been a bit wet once or twice - who cares! can't go by without looking at the puzzles either - but it never fails to make me laugh when i see them with a "2 missing pieces" written on the box - like THROW IT AWAY!

[Bookworm]

paying £16.50 for a Barbara Taylor Bradford was the last straw. It wasn't even a good book

Well, duh, if you'll forgive the expression, lol.

 

I bought a box with about 12 big jigsaws recently for about £3. I don't have time (or space) to do jigsaws at the moment, but I know I will sooner or later and they'll be there waiting for me.

[SOD'EM]

Well, duh, if you'll forgive the expression, lol.

 

I bought a box with about 12 big jigsaws recently for about £3. I don't have time (or space) to do jigsaws at the moment, but I know I will sooner or later and they'll be there waiting for me.

 

 

In the attic with your bandage bookie?

[The GodMother]

I so agree with you. I have donated so much stuff to charity shops and even picked up stuff. Just dont tell the family some of there presents came from them as they wont be pleased they dont do charity shops. No owner they manage to spend all there money.

[Big Nick]

Whenever I go to a new town or city I look out for charity shops with the hope finding some great reading matter. Sometimes it doesn't work cos all they have are Jack Higgins, Andy McNab and BTB but I have found some rare and interesting stuff over the years!

 

Best for me are the specialised charity bookshops like Oxfam and surprisingly, the Amnesty International shop in Great Malvern. When you're looking for an out of print work or odd subject matters* these places can have just what you want.

 

In recent years I've given dozens of books to St Clares Hospice in Harlow along with other household items (after I've chucked the rubbish my mum puts in). These are all books I have read and decided not to hang on to but I somehow seem to come home with a few new purchases anyway!

 

*Alternate histories, 'Britain Invaded', Cold War, old maps and road atlases. Said it was a odd collection of interests!

[The GodMother]

when having a house clear out the other week i had 3 bags on the go. One for clothes suitable for the local nursery, always handly for when u want them to have ur daughter for a few hours a week, One for the local charity shop full of clothes, shoes and other house hold stuff we do not need. One for the bin. The charity bag ended up into about 3 which had to be wheeled up to the shop. Iam glad of the clear out.