High prices at FARA kids charity shop

[tiredofwetsheets]

I was in FARA on the Northcote Road today and was amazed at the prices.

I was looking at a little lego star wars mini set which was clearly used but had a higher price than it would have been new. Lots of other things seemed pretty much priced at RRP or very close to it despite being used.

I'm sure they weren't always so expensive, were they?

It's such a shame as it is a good cause and a good way to recycle our baby and child things and cut down on waste.

Anyone know of any alternative places for donating/buying used baby items instead?

Yes the Balham one is the same - complete rip off these days.

Not that many charity shops have dedicated childrens sections, many have only a very small selection of clothes/toys compared to the FARA kids shops.
There's a Wandsworth Oasis charity shop on Mitcham Lane that now has a large childrens section. Have only donated there, not bought, so not sure how the prices compare.

tired: Have you tried buying online (Annabel's Arcade for Wandsworth and the SW16 Buying/Selling group on FB)?

if you want to donate good items then cut out the middle man like I do & leave a box outside your house :-)

There are a number of local groups on Facebook

The Balham one is just as bad.... they had a very used Bumbo chair for £18!!! I went to the mum2mum market instead and got one for a fiver. I get most of my stuff from mum2mum market now- really good stuff and sensible prices. There is one in Wiimbledon next week at the big girls school on Leopold rd

Here's the link for the mum2mum market www.mum2mummarket.co.uk

Mylifestory do you live on my road? On the walk back from school today we went past a mid-sleeper bed with slide, little tikes ride-in toy car, bag of duplo and two hobby horses - all with signs on saying please take me.

Every time we leave the house we come home with more than we left with - there's no saying no to my 2 year old ;-)

I've passed on kids stuff to other mums more often than I've donated to the charity shops and whilst I'm glad it's all gone to a good home, it isn't necessarily going to the most needy.

Does anyone know of childrens centres or womens sheltered housing groups or the like that might benefit from donations of kids toys/clothes etc? It would be good if there were donations boxes (similar to the food banks, which do take donations of nappies/formula I think).

The neonatal unit at St George's is always in need of tiny baby clothes and blankets. The children's wards there also need toys to try and cheer the kids up (but not soft toys as there is a hygiene risk). You just drop them into the hospital.

For slightly bigger baby clothes there is a fab charity that you can donate them to that then send them to needy families all around the world (and here in London) - you do have to post the clothes to them though here's their site www.mumsthewordcharity.co.uk/

For toys, I tend to donate mine to the playgroups I used to take my kids to. They are always in need of more as theirs get so much use and that way they are enjoyed by lots of children rather than just one.

I must check these guys out