Tips For Charity Shopping

This post has been a long time coming - I think it was one of the first posts I ever decided on doing. But I didn't know how to photograph for it, plus I had a million other ideas so it was pushed aside until now.


Charity shopping is one of my favourite past times. There's just nothing better than bagging yourself a good bargain, and, strangely, it's something that's usually overlooked. A lot of people I know don't like charity shopping, as they either 'never find anything' or they think it's 'cheap'. I used to work in a charity shop, and I spend a lot of time rummaging around in them, so I thought I'd type up some tips for all of you savvy shoppers out there!
Know What You're Looking For, But Keep An Open Mind. This is kind of a contradictory point, but hear me out. It's always worth keeping in mind what it is that you're actually looking for, whether that's shoes, clothes or bags. If it's books you're interested in, you could also consider writing a list of all of the titles you're after and keeping that with you. But more often than not, you'll walk out with something you weren't looking for. That's just the way this shopping system works.
 
Be Patient. Following on from the point above, more often than not, you'll probably walk out empty-handed, too. My ratio of purchases to no-purchases from charity shops is probably 1:5 or 1:6. But whenever I do find something, it is so worth the wait. I've gotten River Island jeans, Aldo Heels and Topshop jumpers before, and they'll be the only purchases I'll have made for a long time.
 
Don't Limit Yourself To One Size. The trick to finding amazing clothes is to rummage through every size - within reason. If you're a size 8, then consider searching through sizes 10 & 12 too. Don't discount the men's section, either. I've found a lot of nice clothes that's a bigger size than I am, and if they're cardigans or jumpers they're usually perfect as I prefer them slouchy. In fact, one of my favourite purchases I've made is a H&M black lace skater dress (pictured above) which is a size 10, whilst I'm a size 8. (Also, check out the children's book section when looking for books, as most YA books are put there!)
 
Communicate. Talk to the staff. Find out what days are their stock rotation days. At the charity shop I used to work in, they put out 200 new items every day, which meant that there was always something new to look at on my lunch break. If you're lucky, and become acquainted with the staff, they might even keep an eye out for some of the things you're after, especially books. Don't be afraid to ask them to check out the back of the store, too. I've been incredibly lucky through this, and have managed to nab books that haven't even been put out on the shop floor yet.
 
Don't Be Tempted By The Price. I have made this mistake many times. That jumper may be £3, but are you actually going to wear it? Does it really fit in with your personal style? I think that books are my downfall with this - most shops price books up between 50p and £2, meaning I'm ever so tempted. But put your practical shopping head on - is it decent quality? Are any pages ripped? Are you going to read it?
 
I hope this post helped! Charity shopping is so much fun, especially if you make a day of it. My mum and I will have charity shopping days sometimes, and stop for coffee between stores. Have you ever made a holy grail purchase from a charity shop? xx
 

16 comments

  1. This is such a good post! Charity shops are my Godsend for books! I always have a list on my phone of books I need for my course, and check the same charity shops every couple of weeks for them! I wish I was better at looking for clothes in them, I don't have anything against it, I just rarely find anything that I like so much I would buy it in a real shop, if that makes sense. I'll take your tips on board though and be more patient! And try and find out the stock rotation days! Great tips :D x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I get a lot of my books from charity shops too, and especially at the moment it's a good time to go because of all of the unwanted Christmas gifts!

      I totally know what you mean with the clothes thing - I have to ask myself 'would I actually buy this in a full price store?' It's a good way to reduce spending, I think! x

      Delete
  2. I love charity shopping! The idea of it itself is so brilliant. I usually find lovely, subtle clothes for good prices. I do probably need to limit myself though (regarding the last post). Great post!

    http://thoughtsintiffanyblue.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love charity shopping too, it's so much fun. Thank you! x

      Delete
  3. I haven't been charity shopping in ages but I do love it when I find a bargain!
    Reinventing Neesha ♥

    ReplyDelete
  4. Really great post! :)
    Practically all of the books I own have come from charity shops - you never know what beautiful editions you may find,
    I am also SO guilty of being tempted by the price - you wouldn't believe the number of items I own from charity/vintage shops which have not been worn again *sigh* X

    www.farawaylucy.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! A lot of my books are from charity shops, too. & I'm also so so guilty of buying things just because they're cheap! I'm such a nightmare for it. This year I'm definitely trying to cut back. x

      Delete
  5. i love this post! charity shopping is great, there's hidden gems in there sometimes! x

    // The Dress Diaries

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! & it's so true! Sometimes I almost feel guilty for it haha! :) x

      Delete
  6. Such a great post! My best find has been a genuine vintage Dorothy Perkins pencil skirt that fits perfectly! x

    NINEGRANDSTUDENT: A Student Lifestyle Blog

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! Oohh, that sounds lovely! I think mine would have to be my Aldo heels - I looked for them on the website and they were SO expensive! And I bought them for like, £4 it's crazy. x

      Delete
  7. Thanks for sharing these, I love browsing through charity shops, it's even better when I find little gems. A lot of people I know turn their nose up to charity shops, which is ridiculous.
    It'sMyLife

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I know what you mean, a lot of people I know are like that too, but I've never really understood why x

      Delete
  8. I picked up some books from various charity shops yesterday for about £1 each and I was surprised by just how good the quality was- and the fact that people were willing to give away such amazing books (but hey, I'm not complaining haha). Of the four that I picked up, I had The Casual Vacancy and Philomena, both of which i can't wait to read :) You've put together some great tips, I've struggled to find clothes I like in charity shops, but I'll try to be more patient and have a hunt and see what I can find! :)

    Sarah xxx
    www.imaginedreamwrite.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, those are some good finds! I think finding clothes is a real hit-and-miss experience, it does take a while but whenever I've found something after a while it's been so worth it! Thank you! x

      Delete

Thank you for commenting! Please feel free to leave your links - I'm always on the look out for new blogs to read xo