Best charity shop finds

Ok I know the trainers alone themselves could have gone, sold by weight (along with other un-sellable textiles) to the rag & bone man.  (The shop still makes money on rags & items unsuitable for resale - by selling these on.)  But dog kibble?! 

Glad to see my 'donations of the day' getting a giggle!  I had a great time two weeks ago when nearly a big black bin bag full of rubber and plastic animals, sea creatures, and dinosaurs was donated.  I priced 'em all up and put them in a big basket at the front of the shop.  Some were little and some were really big, so all different prices.

I also enjoy saving Halloween stuff that gets donated all year round for my Halloween window.  We're 5 months in and sadly all I have so far is:  A big plastic bone (femur?), some of that stuff you pull apart to make spider webs out of, a fake tombstone, a kid's vampire costume and a curly wig.  I should have loads more than that by now.  

Recent stuff I've scored is a navy blue print Fat Face dress and cool Fat Face jeans with wide legs similar to jeans I had in the 90's which I loved at the time.

I also got a Blondie t-shirt today with Debbie Harry on it (of course) and 'Rip Her to Shreds' written across it--you know, from the song.

I've gotten several pair of Converse (high tops and low) over the years for both me and hubby, the most recent ones in burgundy and in almost new condition.

Another recent find were Clarks high heels with a t-strap so they look sort of vintage 30s and they are comfy.

Glad to see my 'donations of the day' getting a giggle!

Mine is the purse Andee found for me with flames on it! Go, Andee! 

Mine is the purse Andee found for me with flames on it! Go, Andee! 

Oh yeah!  That was cool, almost forgot about it!

The town I lived in, in Indiana was filled with a lot of rich people, and even more who tried to keep up with the rich. The three thrift shops are generally full of great deals, in all departments. I've found an $80 (or was it $70? can't remember) dress with the tags still on for $3. I also found a brand new pair of $65 Skechers for $2. JOY! A lot of my clothes have come from thrift shops, in new or like new condition. I've also bought a lot of my decorative stuff for the house from them too, over the years. It never ceases to amaze me what people will get rid of when it is still new.

When I was on the till yesterday a super cute little boy about 6 years old held out the last of the creatures from the huge bin bag and asked, "How many pennies is this?"  I told him 49p and he asked me, "What kind of shark is it?"  It's so cute how little kids assume adults know everything.  I wasn't even convinced it was a shark at all and I said, "I don't know to be honest, but he sure is cool-looking!"

This same kid pointed to a vintage dress on the mannequin and said, "That's a nice dress!"  His grandma asked him if he liked it for himself (?!) and he replied, "Nooo!  I like it for mummy!"  What a cute kid with good taste. 

Mine is the purse Andee found for me with flames on it! Go, Andee! 

*I* want a purse with flames on it!!
I am actually looking for a purse at the mo, and charity shops seem to have loads, although I haven't found what I am wanting yet and am currently using a pencil case as a purse!

I saw a purse in a charity shop last week that was brown and furry and had 'souvenir of Australia' printed on a smooth leather bit, with a drawing of a kangaroo.  It suddenly struck me that this lovely furry thing I was stroking was probably part of a dead kangaroo!

I thought of another favourite charity shop find: a cotton Monsoon shirt in turquoise, purple, green print. It must have had some wear when it got sent to the shop but it wasn't the least bit faded or raggedy. And I still wear it 15 years later!

Another fave is a men's thermal henley I bought in 2003 for $1.50. It is medium blue, a couple sizes too big on me and super comfy. Hubby calls it my raggedy jumper, but I tell him it is just well loved. It really isn't raggedy but it is so sloppy on me it looks a mess when I wear it.

*I* want a purse with flames on it!!

It *does* rock! 

Hope you find something soon!!! 

Although I regularly donate to charity shops, I almost never shop in them (I always just assume there will be nothing in my size, etc) but was killing time while waiting for a key to be cut, so popped into one.  I scored a really nice Kipling handbag for only £6.00.

So now I'm thinking I could be missing a trick here, and intend to visit charity shops more often!

Tell me about some of your best ever charity shop purchases... 

Mine are too many to list as I buy nearly all my clothes from charity shops and have done for the past 30 years. It's the only way I can afford to dress well. I think my best buy at present has been a Jaeger suit for £10 and a silk suit (blouse and skirt) that I bought in Melbourne a few years ago from the Treetops Hospice shop at Melbourne Hall. In London the best charity shops are in Kensington, Golders Green and St. John's Wood. Hampstead and Ruislip aren't bad, either.

Oooh... I love charity shops. I try to hit up my local ones once a week but sometimes I go twice!

I've never had an amazing find but I have learned to be picky otherwise I buy stuff just because it's cute and it's cheap and then end up dropping a bag of all my charity shop buys back off a charity shop!

Right now it's been great for clothes. I've been losing weight and don't want to spend full price on clothes that I'm not going to be in for long. I've picked up some really nice tops lately.

I'm hoping there are some good charity shops in Glasgow when I move there next month. May try to find out where the rich neighborhoods are a frequent their charity shops!