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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:
cheesesarnie · 17/03/2008 10:10

i cant understand why people wouldnt use charity shops!
my children are excited about getting new things and couldnt care less if its new,second hand or handdowns.in fact i can only remember one thing in atleast a year i brought new for myself and that was a dress in the xmas sales!i get bags of stuff from my sisters,my dd gets stuff from her friend,ds1 gets things from ebay and ds2 gets things from ds1-and we all get stuff from charity shops!except dh as hes a snobby bum.

DumbledoresGirl · 17/03/2008 10:10

Annoyingly, I have just this weekend gone out and bought both of them new clothes as the charity shops yielded nothing and we need summer stuff quickly as we are going to Australia in 2 weeks.

davidtennantsmistress · 17/03/2008 10:11

my brother has issues with it actually - no ideas why. so how we get around it is to buy stuff for him there, give it a wash (I always wash things first) leave it for a few days then dad will give it to him saying 'oh I found these and they don't fit me anymore do you want them!. lol. always works - he's had several fantastic pairs of levi's as a result as well.

donna123 · 17/03/2008 10:13

Leweekend, I think that your MIL and SIL are wonderful people. After all, if their ilk didn't pay shop prices for brand-new stuff then there would be no charity shop bargains for the likes of me! Give them my love and best wishes.

CrackerOfNuts · 17/03/2008 10:15

Dd1 (10) last week informed that she'd no longer wear clothes from a charity shop, or 2nd hand clothes from Ebay.

I informed her that in that case she'd be naked then

cupsoftea · 17/03/2008 10:17

charity shops are super - loads of great things with money going to help others & ecological as well.

OrmIrian · 17/03/2008 10:19

Of course it is.

Original poster
leweekend · 17/03/2008 10:26

marmadukes- my partener is like that.
Why are parteners and mil's like this?
Thety don't like the fact that it looks as if you can't afford new stuff.
All for show-I like Easter bunnie's point that her daughter isn't a doll.

One of my dd's doesn't like it any more, she wants new stuff now, even if the second hand is really good.
Something to do with feeling worth the new stuff, which I completely understand.

OP posts:
MarmiteMe · 17/03/2008 10:33

I love Charity shops and go in them all in town each week. I've had some fab bargains, pretty much brand new stuff at a fraction of the price but I don't care if it's old, so long as I'll use it.
I can't believe anyone wouldn't shop in them really

berolina · 17/03/2008 10:37

yes I am DG! Eyes are peeled as from now

lottiejenkins · 17/03/2008 10:38

I am a charity shop officianado!!! lol i love em............. i got my ds some brand new cords 3 pairs all his size in a charity shop all primark which is where i was going to buy them new, they were £1.50 a pair instead of £4 and one pair still had the labels on them so i saved including the bus fare nearly £12!!! One happy Mum !!!

fedupwasherwoman · 17/03/2008 10:53

Charity shops are GREAT.

We've had some lovely jigsaw puzzles and loads of books for the ds's plus some bargain clothes. (baby gap dungarees, good as new, £1.75)

Over the past few years the prices have gone up substantially though and things aren't such a bargain any more but there's always ebay.

We have an Oxfam bookshop in my nearest town and it's great, ds1 loves choosing a "new" book at 49p a time and is proud of his fab book collection. If he doesn't want to keep the book later on we pop it in the "recycling" bag and he understands that someone else can buy it to read.

I think the key is to describe/think of it as a recycling shop rather than charity shop. People forget that in buying stuff from the charity shop they themselves are not the recipients of charity, they are the donors. What is the difference between dressing you child in their same sex siblings hand me downs or buying them in a recycling shop ? It's all second hand at the end of the day.

TheHedgeWitch · 17/03/2008 11:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

tjacksonpfc · 17/03/2008 11:38

a friend of mine has just been in with a bag full of suff from our local thrift shop that they were sorting out last night a pair or school trousers and pinafor dress and a top and a ladybird pink furry coat for dd and a thomas fleece sleep suit and an underground earnie t-shirt for ds all for £1 bring on the second hand shops i say

dillinger · 17/03/2008 11:45

I flippin love shopping in charity shops, have found loads of fab stuff over the years and always find a book or 2 that interests me. Havent been charity shop shopping for a while but once Ive popped this baby out I'll be back on it

Flibbertyjibbet · 17/03/2008 11:47

Blimey, this thread has made me realise the one thing that my MIL likes about me!!! I don't waste money on new clothes and toys for the kiddies like SIL and BIL's GF do, I get them from charity shops, our local dress agency which does childrens stuff, or ebay. The charity shops are amazing for books if you pop in often enough.
IL's have a holiday home in a posh place and the lovely things she gets us from the village fetes! She's told me that she stopped buying such bargains for the the other two as they are shocked that she dares to assume that their children will wear 2nd hand!

pagwatch · 17/03/2008 11:52

Agree
I am minted but still love charity shops. The kids love packing up their stuff to take and we all like a good nosey around. You get great stuff in there.
I bought a beautiful glass rose bowl that was exactly like one that my mum had on the table in the sitting room when I was growing up. I am currently on the look out for champagne bowls. My DS2 is obsessed with videos and DVD's and the charity shops are brilliant for that.
Love them.
Anyone who doesn't like them is a social climber

Chequers · 17/03/2008 11:53

Message withdrawn

purpleduck · 17/03/2008 12:04

LOVE Charity shops!!!

I used to be funny about them, then when I was at uni (in Canada) I worked in a Charity shop sorting warehouse. I got the coolest stuff.
Love em.

Now I can add "recycling" to the list of reasons why they are goooood

DrNortherner · 17/03/2008 12:05

I love charity shops too. Most folk I know enjoy grabbing a bargain from them. In fact it is often when I am wearing a charity shop purchase I get the most compliments!

DrNortherner · 17/03/2008 12:06

In fact we should start a charity shop chllenge. £10 budget to find an outfit. Post pic's and descriptions and we can choose a winner.

Who'd be up for it?

tinylady · 17/03/2008 12:07

If you are minted maybe you should leave the bargains for people that need them.

DrNortherner · 17/03/2008 12:09

Why should they?

So rich folk can not shop in charity shops now? Blimey......

pagwatch · 17/03/2008 12:12

Oh do sod off !
I take in far more than I ever buy. And if people don't buy things then they don't make any money.

Chippy.

fedupwasherwoman · 17/03/2008 12:17

tinylady,

Unfortunately some of the people who could do with bargain shopping think that their kids are being deprived if they don't have brand new clothes and they wouldn't shop in charity shops on principle.

Perhaps pagwatch is minted because she shops in charity shops.

My mum does charity shop work and she would welcome any customer, regardless of background, who puts money in the till for her chosen charity.

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