What's the best bargain you've ever found in a charity shop?

Not charity shop but my DD gets lots of lovely things second hand via a friend of hers. Friend has a friend with a wealthy husband and she seems to spend all her days shopping for clothes she doesn't need. Every so often a couple of bin bags appear full of designer stuff some still with labels. Unfortunately all far too small for me but DD gets some good items out of it. Bit sad really that this young lady only seems to shop and not do much else.

Open doors ,even when freezing, are supposed to be welcoming!!

I haven't had much luck with clothing, but my best buys have been books, a fraction of their original price and in excellent condition. And it's not in the least painful to give them back once I've read them.

tara and Elegran - I rang Cancer Research UK this morning and told them I would not be donating or shopping there as they clearly had enough money to burn. The person I spoke to said it was not an order from above and he was going to contact the shop and ask them why it happened. He is going to let me know the outcome. We shall see !

tara Don't just take out the wedge - contact the charity and tell them! The staff at individual shops are under orders from above.

My list is endless .... A 1920s Moorcroft vase, a Hermes cashmere shawl, several Hermes silk scarves, several genuine Chanel Handbags, several vintage Dior handbags, mink coats & jackets (always secreted in the stock room), beautiful old china and glass items .... Including a beautiful Lalique bowl ....

Shall I stop now. My list is endless. These were the creme de la creme but I was an antiques dealer in a former life. And it was always the thrill of the hunt that gave the buzz as opposed to the value of the 'find'

I still love charity shops ....

I too get annoyed when I see charity shops, door wide open with heat blasting down at the door. What a waste of our donations. I have often taken out the wedge myself, and have observed them replacing it. Don't shop or donate where this occurs.

Like Angela1961, I found a brand new pair of fur-lined winter boots a couple of years ago for £5, and wear them daily every winter. Also a lovely floaty outfit for 3 euros while on holiday in Tenerife. Wore it to a summer wedding and had quite a few complements!

Kids' DVDs for when the grandkids are over. 50p usually.

My best buy wasn't something to wear but a beautiful painting. It was love at first sight and cost me £50. On researching the artist and paintings on his website I learned that some of his work is in university and council collections. I e-mailed him with a photo of my painting and he told me a bit about the region in France which was the subject of the painting. He still paints and sells similar painting for around £1,800!

I work in my local hospice shop. Everything what is donated to us is sold in that area and the money is used for our local hospice. We do have a lady that comes in and will let us know if something is of value and we put that price on less a % to entice anyone to buy. You get to know the dealers that come in regularly for a lookabout and often they will buy quite a few bits of bric a brace and you just know they will turn up in their antique shops down the road. I only work one afternoon a week but always come in ten minutes early so I can have a look around. In a charity shop is easy to discount a ' find ' but when you see a customer try it on you often wish you'd tried it ! Where I volunteer we don't get any thing cheaper, but I was once lucky ( thanks to my size 4 feet ) to get a brand new pair of Hotter sheepskin boots in the box complete with waterproof spray for £15.00 .

sorry, forgot to say that the dishes cost me £1 each - on dartington's website they're something like £50!!
we've also had bargains like a tele for £20 - came just at the right time as the one we had just decided not to work.

two dartington glass "daisy" dishes to match a couple smaller ones i've already got.
but my daughter works in that particular charity shop and comes home with lots of bargains - after they've been out on the shop floor and not sold of course, she'd never just take advantage and buy anything until after it's been on the shop floor.
my daisy dishes will be holding salted peanuts and cashew nuts at christmas .............. and they dishwash afterwards.

Elizabeth Emanuel (not sure of spelling, princess D wedding dress maker) jacket and a Vivian Westward long white cotton top and I got a disvount because I help out one day a week. Buy loads from the charity shops, even the gc ring me and say can you look out for xxx in your favourite shop nan. Also bought quite a bit of good quality furniture that is still in fashion. Love the shops

Last year I bought a lovely 80% wool coat from my local hospice shop. Brand new (the pockets were still stitched up) and so, so cosy - £7.50

And have JUST got two beautiful clean almost new high chairs from mencap £5 each!!! For our two latest munchkins?

Most recent was an unworn Hello Kitty apron and toque set for 2 year old GD. Everyone wants one! On my way into town to buy a warm dressing gown I popped into a charity shop and found a cherry red Disney one with Winnie the Pooh on the back. Over 10 years ago I hesitated to spend £10 on a long black wool and cashmere coat. Still my main winter coat, still warm, still smart!
Worked in a charity shop for a few years, the open door policy was introduced but has now gone, ridiculous and wasteful. The 'only one item in the window' has also gone. We really wondered who these people at the top were and what planet they were from!

Gucci sling backs £15. Exquisite 50s strapless beaded ball gown, can't remember the price as it was over 30 years ago but can't have been much as I was a student at the time. Hermes silk scarf £15. Two practically brand new Monsoon dresses, still in the shops at £99 for £6.99 each. I love mooching round charity shops!

On a day out to an affluent town on the coast, I was walking past a charity with a sign in the window, saying "All coats £4". I got a brand new wool coat, labels still attached for that price. Even better it was in a lovely mustard shade, which is so on trend this year.

I was thinking, we should start another thread, "Best Outlet buy"

Finds not fines!!! Arthritic fingers.

My friend volunteers in a big charity shop... They get lots of "high end" donations but they're not allowed to put them In the shop. Anything "worthy" now goes on their internet shop - they get more money there. If it's unsold after a while they have a "dealer" that takes labels for a good price and resells them privately on EBay. So her charity is devoid of fines these days. Her shop also has Sales targets set by HO and the volunteers are reviewed against their targets... Proper little business these days.

Yesterday I found a pair of new Ecco shoes. They were marked £10 but they had a half price sale on. I've found so many bargains in charity shops, coats, sweaters, handbags, toys, books, knitting yarn, patterns, and baby equipment. I go into a charity shop every time I leave the house. I buy "good" labels every time.

my DH found a lovely wool/cashmere, gents overcoat for £10, and i often find per una tops for around about £3,also a m/s parka for £10, My daughter used to turn her nose up at charity shop stuff, but has since changed her mind when she found a beautiful lace dress for £8, when i "dragged" her in there on a recent shopping trip.

I took a print to a couple of outlets to have it framed. £180/£200. Went to my local charity shop and found the exact size for £5. Not exactly the finish I wanted nut the finished article, which I'm looking at right now, is giving me masses of pleasure.

Two years ago I bought a lovely beech dining table and unit at a fraction of what it would have cost new. This week, in another charity shop I found the matching corner unit!!! Well chuffed ?