Should rich people buy from charity shops?

[CricutKeeno]

I saw a post from a well known celeb mum on Instagram, she had bought a pram from a charity shop for her baby. My first thought was wow! That’s surprising and great that she’d buy from a charity shop. But then I thought that it could be stopping someone who couldn’t afford a new one from being able to get it.

This mum has a silly amount of money at her disposal, should people like that not buy new, and leave the cheaper options for those who don’t have a choice? If so, then where do you draw the line? Maybe her buying a second hand buggy won’t make a difference to anyone else, or perhaps it could encourage others to shop from charity shops who might not think to, maybe that’s a good thing?

This is a bit silly. Facebook marketplace, NextDoor etc all have adverts for free or cheap secondhand buggies. I think it’s great that this woman is reusing things rather than buying new regardless of her wealth and status.

I think she should do what she wants with her own money really. There's rarely a shortage of secondhand prams, especially with FB Market Place and other online places to buy from.

Well isn't the point of charity shops so money goes to charity? In which case, it's good and the charity has benefitted. I never really thought of them as just for people struggling financially!
Hopefully she will also encourage others to both buy and donate to charity shops now.

Reuse, recycle, reduce

Good on her, it might encourage more people to use charity shops, both donating stock and buying, therefore encouraging people to use existing goods not buy new, recycle etc...

Regardless of how much money anyone has, buying second hand is the better option for the environment. If she might then be influencing others to buy second hand then great!

The charity shop is here to raise money for the charity. Barnardos or Cancer Research or whatever. Its not there primarily for poor people. You are being unreasonable, yes.

Plus environmentally it's the right thing to do.

This isn’t AIBU @Phormiumjester2, it’s chat, for a discussion. I wasn’t quite sure what I thought about it, that’s why I opened up discussion about it.

EVERYONE should re use and recycle (and of course reduce)

She will likely spend her money on other things that all go into the economy

I'm trying to get my courage up to buy those left over foods from the app to reduce food waste - but I'm so uncomfortable doing it when people with even less money than me could go and get the 'magic bags'

@Phormiumjester2

The charity shop is here to raise money for the charity. Barnardos or Cancer Research or whatever. Its not there primarily for poor people. You are being unreasonable, yes.

This. And if removes the [imo ridiculous] stigma around buying from a charity shop, good for her.

Exactly @LaurieFairyCake that’s sort of what I was wondering about it. About leaving the ‘bargains’ for those who need them rather than it being a nice thing for them. I don’t know. I’m still in 2 minds. But then you do see buggy’s on second hand selling pages a lot. Maybe it doesn’t matter.

I love charity shops, I live in an affluent area and our charity shops are usually good. I completely understand what you mean OP, I shop in charity shops a lot and I don't remember the last time I saw a pram.

If this influencer wanted to highlight charity shopping then maybe she could have bought a vase or something equally as pretty but not a necessity.

Although yes, marketplace, gum tree, ebay etc all good for prams as well.

YABU. Everyone should be doing their bit regardless of wealth or income.

I think it's commendable that she adopted the reuse, reduce and recycle approach and that she's willing to promote that on social media. As a wealthy celeb, she could, one would assume, have easily purchased the latest and greatest version. She chose not to. As another poster mentioned, the charity benefits.

I think I'll literally give up if we 'means' test charity shoppers. There's an abundance of underused, preloved, perfectly suitable baby equipment online for all budgets.

I think dhe was wrong to buy the pram. But I think books and ornaments are fine. It was selfish of her to buy the pram.

My first thought was to agree that she should leave it for someone else.
But if she has stopped one person buying a cheap buggy, but influenced several others to shop second hand, I think that's a good thing on balance.

So what would you say is the cut off for income for charity shopping? I think more people should be donating to, and shopping in, charity shops. I love a good thrifting day, and often find things I prefer, to the high end stores I could easily shop in, but don't want to.

If celebrities and 'rich' people use charity shops it reduces the stigma of buying preloved. So many people go into debt to buy the latest pram.

There is no shortage whatsoever of second hand prams in good condition. Far too many people buy them new and then don't bother to rehome them when no longer needed. Normalising reducing consumption and reusing pre-loved items is a really important part if living ethically.

Agree it's great she is reusing. I see what you're getting at though op. I'm not wealthy but I always give things away rather than sell them. Especially when reading on here how much some people struggle.

I have bought clothes in charity shops that cost more than from Primark and ASDA. £20-30 for a dress, albeit from a French brand. So I guess unless you are saying rich people shouldn't shop at Primark...

Should we show our wage slips at the door before entering a charity shop?

Charity shops send most their 2nd hand clothing to be ragged, there's no shortage of items to sell in charity shops.

I think it is good for everyone to buy second hand. Good for the environment, good for charities (if from charity shops), good for de-stigmatizing second hand purchases. There seems to be a plentiful supply! Different perhaps if she was aware that someone else worse off than her particularly wanted that pram and there wasn't another, but that is unlikely. There should not be any disapproval here.