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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think it's ok to buy stuff in charity shops?

115 replies

leweekend · 17/03/2008 08:11

I think it's fine, but a couple of people I know really sneer at this.

We're ok financially, but would rather spend money on holidays, going out etc than on everday clothes. And sometimes you can get really great stuff secondhand, which can be better than new stuff.

We do buy new things as well!

Have changed name because a few people/family members know me on here...

OP posts:
eidsvold · 17/03/2008 08:13

i check them out and have managed to find some fab clothes for the dds.

IdrisTheDragon · 17/03/2008 08:14

Charity shops are great .

And good in terms of the environment.

StripeyMama · 17/03/2008 08:14

If you feel the need to name change to post this then you obviously don't really think its ok!

Pretty much everything me and dd wear (own, in fact) is second hand. I don't see any shame in that, in fact I'm proud that we are not materialistic and obsessed by shiny new stuff.

Megglevache · 17/03/2008 08:14

Message withdrawn

ChocolateSquonkyEggs · 17/03/2008 08:14

YANBU

Love 'em.

SheherazadetheGoat · 17/03/2008 08:15

i love charity shops. i regularily gloat over purchases with fellow devotees. sometimes i even visit smarter parts of town to check out their superior cast offs.

our local charity shops are fantastic for old toys.

i think my mil is embarrassed by my cheapskatery.

TrinityfeelslikeahopelessRhino · 17/03/2008 08:16

I think it is a little sill that you can't admit to everyone that you shop in charity shops
There is nothing wrong with it
Sensible and everyone should do it

chocolateteapot · 17/03/2008 08:16

Of course it's OK to buy stuff in charity shops, regardless of how much money you have.

And anyone who thinks otherwise & sneers are clearly deranged and a sad specimen of the human race.

Original poster
leweekend · 17/03/2008 08:36

Well, i'm not ashamed , but sil scoffs and mil is really rude. They both come on here, and if they've recognised me- neah!

Mil always says something if any of the kids have something new, in front of people and I admit it does embarrass me. Partly because once she did it when we'd just come back from a really nice holiday in france, implying we were cheapscates.
I just think I'd rather spend the money on the holiday than the Boden catalogue.....

OP posts:
Original poster
leweekend · 17/03/2008 08:37

Do you buy things for yourself and kids? O r just kids?
Do you get stuff for parteners?
My partner is funny about it...

OP posts:
ibelieveindreaming · 17/03/2008 08:39

My dd's wear loads of second hand clothes, some are clothes friends children have outgrown, some I buy from ebay and some from charity shops. I agree that spending money on other things like holidays and days out is much more important. I also hate shopping for clothes.

EasterBunnylicious · 17/03/2008 08:40

There are so many good reasons to buy in charity shops

  1. recycling - better for the environment
  2. money goes to charity
  3. promotes a non-materialistic attitude
  4. less unnecessary money going to big conglomerates
  5. it's cheap!

I'm am very impressed with myself that I bought my little bro' Simpson's Cluedo from a charity shop for his birthday. He's well chuffed, and doesn't care where it comes from.

So no I don't think YABU but you are being a bit silly worrying about it, have the courage of your convictions and don't give a toss what other people think!

ibelieveindreaming · 17/03/2008 08:41

My MIL doesn't like it though and thinks as we can afford new clothes there is no reason for us to buy second hand one's.

TotalChaos · 17/03/2008 08:44

YANBU. I love looking for books for me and books and toys for DS in charity shops.

bogie · 17/03/2008 08:47

I always shop in charity shops you find great things in them

TheAntiFlounce · 17/03/2008 08:47

I have a friend who regularly boggles that my children are often dressed in second hand and hand me downs.

Then she boggles that I take my children to the seaside every year or two when she herself can't afford to. her catch line is "Everyone's got more money than us, we should just go of bloody benefits, then we'd be loaded!"

Or maybe, lovey, you should just throw away the Next catalogue and accept that you are on a low budget.

Prat.

Miaou · 17/03/2008 08:53

We very, very rarely buy new clothes in our house - most stuff comes from charity shops! The only exception is dh - he is (ahem) short and fat so it's difficult to find things in his size. That said, he will happily go and look there first before going to a shop!

Easterbunnylicious - you have cited all the reasons (in order of importance) why I use them. I bought a new skirt from a shop in the sale the other week and although I got it v. cheap because the zip was broken, I still felt guilty about buying new stuff!

I really don't understand this "money" attitude (that the OP's MIL has). Money is at the root of why this planet is in such a state. If people were more used to reusing and repairing stuff rather than chucking it and buying new, then we wouldn't be in the state we are now, environmentally speaking.

EasterBunnylicious · 17/03/2008 08:53

DH and I actually made a pact before Christmas to try and go 6 months with buying anything new (apart from food and toiletries).

We've mostly stuck to it, presents I've either made or bought from charity shops. I make it a point to wait till the NCT nearly new sales to buy things for DD (I do fall off the wagon every no and again) but I take great pride in that fact that at the last NCT clothing sale I spent £30 and kitted DD out for 9-12 months.

You should join us on this thread for inspiration and support in the fight against consumerism

I was listening to a woman in mothercare yesterday (I was buying a cot mattress, the only thing I condone getting new - the cot is 10 years old and some lovely friends have loaned it to us) and a woman was saying she never ever puts her baby in anything but new stuff. Well in my opinion that's pretty much a sin, think of all the wastage and all the money that would be better spend when the child is older and appreciates it. My dd doens't care what she wears. Sometimes I feel sad that she is wearing really beautiful posh clothes but then I give myself a kick up the arse and remind myself she is 9 months and she is neither an extension of me nor a doll and people aren't going to judge me on whether she is wearing the latest fashions, and if they do they aren't worth bothering about.

OverMyDeadBody · 17/03/2008 08:57

Why would anyone not buy something in a charity shop if they liked it?

Second hand stuff is great, whether from charity shops, ebay, hand-me-downs, skips, the dump (my lovely working vax came from the dump, the only thing wrong with it was that the plastic was cracked and chipped away at the top, superficial only)

marmadukescarlet · 17/03/2008 08:58

We are on a very good income, but I still go in them for bits for the children.

Mostly I get 'play' clothes and board games/puzzles etc, I sometimes get real bargains - a lovely oshkosh dress and DKNY trews for DD. An unworn Muddy Puddles dungarees and coat (waterproofs) for DS - £1.50!!!

It is great for book day/dressing up too.

I also get lots of furniture for painting from a charity furniture shop, inc a rank old telephone bench which I removed the door, funny shelf and tapesty cushion, gave it a couple of coats of matt white and shoved 3 seagrass baskets under VOILA a fab hall seat with storage for DCs book bags etc.

A V posh freind said, "oh is that The White Co"

BUT my DH hates me buying 2nd hand, I normally tell him they are hand me downs from a certain friend.

Miaou · 17/03/2008 08:58

Easterbunny - I started off on that thread but RL got in the way (plus the arts and crafts challenges ) - but we are trying to stick to that principle as much as possible. However I am going to have to bite the bullet and buy a new ironing board (I don't iron one and am fed up of ironing on the table!) because there aren't any in the charity shops

casbie · 17/03/2008 08:58

we survive on hand-outs and charity-shops - though they are more expensive than car-boots (£4.95 for a man's shirt - what utter boll*cks!!).

i think if someone who went in there and said 'look, i can't afford a new shirt... i live on the streets and have got a job interview tommorrow'. i bet the people behind the counter still wouldn't lower the price!

beansprout · 17/03/2008 09:00

Charity shops are fab for all the reasons listed. Also, I work for a big charity that raises a million pounds a year (net) from its shops and see where the money goes. Nowt wrong with that!

Miaou · 17/03/2008 09:01

I agree casbie, some of the prices are shocking now. I used to love making skirts out of old shirts (patchwork stylee) but I can't afford the shirts now - would cost me £25 before I've even started!

belgo · 17/03/2008 09:02

Everytime I go back to England I raid the charity shops for books, children's clothes, dressing up cloths, clothes for me, and sometimes toys.

Recently bought the Fanstasia double CD for just 2 pounds.

We've got loads of second hand duplo, lego and playmobil that not only would cost a fortune to buy new, much of it isn't even made anymore.