I went shopping today and I bought.......

My weight is ok ,but am waiting for a growth spurt of about 4/5 inches upwards

It ain't gonna happen Downto Earth.

Yes, Phoenix, amazing what you can pick up from Charity shops if you're lucky. Today I bought six books for my DGS, they are a bit more expensive here than in Bideford( charity shops) thin books for children are a pound each in one shop and 50 pence each in another.Still, a good haul that he will be pleased with and far cheaper than a book shop,with the bonus that the money goes to a charity.My fave charity shop in Bideford was just off Mill Street, for some reason they used to have lots of ceramic plant holders there, and I once bought four of them, which I still use today all M&S ones.

Charity shops are called op shops here and absentdaughter and I have haunted them together. The three-year-old grandson asked if we could go to the op shop, where we had previously bought some toys, after we had been to the library. Apart from a few more wooden blocks, wheels and bridges to go with the big bag of wooden blocks we already have, the toy choice was uninspiring, but we bought a huge heap of books – all for $10 (about £5). He is thrilled to pieces. So am I.

Close by our local hospice has a children's shop only. It's great. I found a set of 'fairy books' for £12.50 - originally priced at over £140 and in great condition. For me it's a great way to save money and contribute to a local charity. We also have two furniture and household goods only charity shops and I reckon I could furnish a house (if I had one) for very little. I really like to support local charities

DH is a charity shop addict! Loves them and buys lots of things. He often gets really good bargains in branded casual wear like Rohan. I like a rummage for bits of costume near pantomime and just bought a very nice framed modern print last week. My friend has recently been doing up her house to sell and has bought a settee, chair, little tables, conservatory chairs and a bed frame all for under £200 delivered!!

My daughter and her new husband have partly furnished their house that way.
And fully intend to do the same if a baby comes along.
Shame they cant do that with their mortgage!

Yesterday I bought two tops in the Hospice shop from their clearance rail. A Basler silk/cotton knitted sleeveless top and a Kaliko sleeveless top. £1 each and in perfect condition.

Last week we painted and completely changed our downstairs colour scheme throughout. Needing 'sage- ish green' , off I went. Came back with an Ikea vase, some jugs to use as vases but also to hold kitchen utensils, and a fabric offcut to reupholster a kitchen stool. All for £6.

We buy a lot of books from the charity shops, once read they are either returned or passed on for others to read and then take to another shop.

Every month I send some abroad to my Aunt, who struggles to get English books from the authors she likes . It's a pity the postage is so much!

x

I would have thought there was a strong case for your Aunt to buy a Kindle, J52. No more problems, just buy all the English books you want from Amazon.

I also popped in to my local charity shop yesterday and came out with a small over the body grey leather bag for £1.99 and 2 books in excellent condition for £1.49.

The one thing I like about that shop is that somebody has taken the time to store the books alphabetically obviously by author so it is so much easier to look at the not inconsiderable stock that they have. Also they do not appear to gave any dog eared books- all look as though they were read once or twice and then donated.

Charity shops are brilliant. Since my involuntary financial downsizing I honestly don't know how I would manage without them. I buy loads of books and then return them once read. And clothes... recently found a pair of almost new Dash jeans for £4.99,
I've had so many bargains over the years. They might clutter up our high streets these days, but it's better than empty shops, and they are good for the charities and a godsend for those of us who can't afford posh shops.

I have never bought clothes from a charity shop but have bought books, games etc for DGD when she was small etc. I do like a bargain though. Last week I popped into Primark and got a summer top, a tee shirt for DH, a packet of Velcro rollers, a necklace and 6 pretty rings all for £19. I was extremely pleased with myself

When we take things to our local charity shops DH buys 'stuff' he has also signed up to the local Freegle and is always off collecting stuff which 'might be useful'. Recently DS2 was here and said we have far too much 'stuff'. It isn't as though he is even tidy or ever clears his cupboards out!

Charity shops are a mixed blessing IMO.

Hi, back from a book look at the charity shop! Indinana. I know, she has a kindle, but loves to read real books.

As do I! It just doesn't feel the same reading on the IPad.

Each to his/her own. .

x

A good online company is Book Depository, I order them online as I live in the Netherlands and the delivery is free.

Completely off post but eliza we are coming to your lovely country in a couple of week and really looking forward to it.

Don't mention 'stuff' to me....dh is a hoarder and I'm very surprised our ceilings haven't come down with the weight of 'stuff' in the loft. The garage is a no-go zone as far as I'm concerned, you take your life in your hands trying to get through it. If he sees a space he has to fill it, he currently has a traffic cone in the boot of his car to make bases for concrete garden mushrooms. Why??

It's wires here. My DH has bags and bags full of wires.

Ah the books, the dreaded yet beloved books! We both go into the charity shops and come out with a bagful.

We always mean to read and return (after making some sort of mark on the inside cover to show that we have read them, as we have been known to buy the same book twice ) but somehow we still buy more than we take back, I could open a library here!

We don't buy "stuff" as mentioned by Nonnie and Katek , although a while back I did sort of "acquire" a very nice little glass fronted pine cupboard, which with the off cuts of lace curtains glued to the inside, and mounted on the wall, has made rather a neat medicine cupboard in the downstairs loo.

However, looking through my wardrobe there are some real treasures. The Jaegar suit, with the dry cleaning labels still attached when I bought it, a Biba scarf, the most delicious pair of Italian red suede, peep toe, kitten heeled sling backs, all leather, right down to the soles and the lining, the belt of unknown provenance but whenever I wear it is always admired and commented on........

When did they garage evolve in to a dumping/ storage area that hasn't got enough room to park a corgi car never mind a mini?

Ours even has a small trailer in it.......the car doesn't have a tow hitch. It may come in useful apparently.

Think we are keeping up with the tech age, not only do we have boxes of wires in our dumping ground- sorry I mean garage. But we have scart leads , computer leads + mobile phone leads etc etc. I did buy some duplo from our local hospice shop for our 3 DGS all of which are still a bit too young for it yet. Now I'm thinking that we prob have a loft full of it from our DD + DS childhood days. Oh well ...

Hubby and I were hard up when we got married , mainly due to putting every penny into a 15.25% mortgage to buy a home.

I sold our wedding presents and 'anything' I could get hold of on a stall at Leicester Market. I had a stall selling good, washed/clean, priced clothing and bric-a-brac for 8 years until my daughter was 8 years old, I then returned to work as a part-time receptionist (originally a GPO telephonist) , 30 years ago.

Charity shops are the replacement for the good old jumble sale and I love them. A lot of furniture in our home has been found by jumbles, auctions and charity shop hunting. . Jumble Sales are now replaced by Charity Shops and I am still addicted to them.

If anybody says it costs a fortune to clothe your kids these days I just think you are a fool if you don't buy from a charity shop or you feel you are too good for them. Never been my thought!

It's good to support the charity anyway.