Charity Shops.

kneemos

In one earlier to buy a book or two.
Some of the clothes that I had a quick look at appeared fairly decent,a lot of it looked well worn but presentable.
There's something odd about wearing somebody else's clothes.Would you or would you not wear recently deceased uncle Fred's best blazer?

The_Valeyard

Half the country grew up on hand me downs.

Wearing my other halfs panties could be crossing a line though.

gozunda

kneemos wrote: »

In one earlier to buy a book or two.
Some of the clothes that I had a quick look at appeared fairly decent,a lot of it looked well worn but presentable.
There's something odd about wearing somebody else's clothes.Would you or would you not wear recently deceased uncle Fred's best blazer?

I would be more bothered by the number of second hand copies of the book 50 Shades of Grey for sale in charity shops (including religious run ones!).

Not bothered?

Read this ...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2509288/50-Shades-Grey-library-book-tests-positive-HERPES-COCAINE.html

Sheep Lover

I wear my sisters panties all the time, done me no harm.

corner of hells

Sheep Lover wrote: »

I wear my sisters panties all the time, done me no harm.

Crabs cleared up so.

harry Bailey esq

I've had great finds in them over the years but I'd stop short at buying clothing, even if its in great nick.
Maybe its because i wore exclusively hand me downs up until the age of 11
I know more than than a handful of folks who wouldn't be seen dead inside a charity shop but have no qualms about going into some boutique in town and dropping a couple of hundred sheets on some 'vintage' jeans or some such.

Santa Cruz

Sheep Lover wrote: »

I wear my sisters panties all the time, done me no harm.

Were they moist when you took them out of her laundry basket?

MarkAnthony

Buy it in a boutique for €100 it's vintage, buy it in a charity shop for €1 it's weird. Just sayin...

MarkAnthony

Santa Cruz wrote: »

Were they moist when you took them out of her laundry basket?

How has this thread sunk to this level so quickly?

Desolation Of Smug

A country is officially in recession when charity shops are feckin everywhere. Then there's a recovery, and they recede. Only to bloom once more ten years later...

dr.bollocko

People died in those clothes.

circadian

I spotted the best of Thatchers speeches on vinyl in one. Can't believe someone bought that at all.

Dexter Bip

Sheep Lover wrote: »

I wear my sisters panties all the time, done me no harm.

Is her name BaaaBra?

lazeedaisy

I used to shop in a particular one all the time,

The clothes came from the brigade of women who buy clothes every season, and don't wear them twice.

I don't get fashion seasons, I buy clothes I like, end of,

But i did well out of it for a few years,

SuperSean11

The_Valeyard wrote: »

Half the country grew up on hand me downs.

Wearing my other halfs panties could be crossing a line though.

Why I wear your other halfs panties all the time

corner of hells

dr.bollocko wrote: »

People died in those clothes.

I bought a car privately cause the family couldnt stand looking at it in the driveway after its owner died , found his glasses in it too .

The glasses look nice on me too.

Sir Osis of Liver.

Great place to shop if you're going to a Bob Geldof fancy dress party.

Kiwi in IE

I would rather buy decent quality second hand clothes than cheap, nasty, ****e from penneys etc. Ironically those I know who would have 'issues' with being seen in a charity shop are happy enough to talk about the latest 'bargain' they got in penneys. Basically penneys are 'disposable' clothes. They cannot cope with washing machines and inevitably come out wider and shorter than they were when they went in. If you spend a lot of time looking you can get great second hand clothes that have hardly or never been worn. Especially charity shops in posh areas. I don't have time for rooting through charity shops in posh areas now but used to do it a lot when I was a teenager/student.

Day Lewin

Charity shops are cool as ice-cream and officially brilliant.
Just think...it counts as recycling:
The unwanted gift or good garment gets sent to the charity shop instead of being binned. Then you buy it - bargain! And a good cause gets the money!

NB I hear that they steam the clothes which kills all germs, takes out creases and leaves them smelling fresh.

Win win win win win!

Tearin It Up

Got a pair of brand new Tommy Hilfiger jeans with tags on for €10 in a charity shop once.

To think I spent €120 on a pair when I had the money and the job. Never again.

osarusan

I got a Hugo Boss suit for 17 euro in Oxfam in Limerick. Excellent condition too.

Lots of books and DVDs available too.

I've sometimes bought one for 50cents, read it, and handed it back to them a week later.

Stheno

I've gotten some serious bargains in charity shops like a Furla bag for €3 and some fantastic quality clothes too

Usually go in for books, as I'm a big reader and go through about six books a week, at 2e for six books I'm happy

darkpagandeath

We don't have charity shops anymore they are more like some kind of vintage store. Prices around the ones here People in need could not afford to shop in.

yellowlabrador

I bought a never worn brand new duffle coat in a vincent de paul today. They are 300 pound sterling online, I got it for 15 euro. I normally don't buy clothes but this still had the labels and had never been worn. Great walk the dogs coat and I'll most probably have it for 20 years if my daughter doesn't swipe it.
http://www.gloverall.com/gloverall-classics.html

LETHAL LADY

There's a couple of good ones near to where I live. If you have the patience to look you can get almost new books for only a euro. I do find it hard though to rid my mind of the image of the books having been previously thumbed by some ****ty fingered hairy arsed bastard sitting on the loo, so I'll always give them a good auld clean with some antibacterial wipes.

fryup

question:

do charity shops have to pay the same level of rent as a regular retail outlet??

kneemos

fryup wrote: »

question:

do charity shops have to pay the same level of rent as a regular retail outlet??

You can be sure they do,staff however are voluntary.

fryup

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

but surely after they pay the rent they'd be F A (or very little) left for the charity??

Pumpkinseeds

fryup wrote: »

question:

do charity shops have to pay the same level of rent as a regular retail outlet??

Yes, they do. I used to manage a charity shop and it's astonishing how great a lot of the donations are. We were very picky about what we put out for sale and everything was washed and ironed before being displayed. People from all walks of life shop in charity shops and the money is a God send for small independent charities. It gives a much needed infusion of cash.

kneemos

fryup wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

but surely after they pay the rent they'd be F A (or very little) left for the charity??

Same with most charities.

Stheno

fryup wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

but surely after they pay the rent they'd be F A (or very little) left for the charity??

They get stuff in for nothing and sell it off for whatever price?

I've paid up to 20 quid for stuff in charity shops that's a fair profit tbh

Pumpkinseeds

Stheno wrote: »

They get stuff in for nothing and sell it off for whatever price?

I've paid up to 20 quid for stuff in charity shops that's a fair profit tbh

Yeah, but a lot of charity shops are small independents who have no fall back if they don't make a profit. There's no guarantee of a steady supply of good stock. The rent and rates still have to be paid, as well as utilities. Most items will sell for a lot less than 20 quid and it's in a charities interests to sell stock cheaply rather than be left with it. People compare prices between the various charity shops and word gets around. We got a lot of business from people choosing us instead of their usual charity outlets. It's no use charging the same price for something second hand that someone could buy new in Dunnes or Tesco. Unless of course it's designer stuff.

AnonoBoy

dr.bollocko wrote: »

People died in those clothes.

Hey man - it ain't a delicious meal unless something died for it and it ain't a groovy outfit unless some schlob died in it.

maringo

Great places to buy books. Beats Eason's prices every time!

Desolation Of Smug

fryup wrote: »

question:

do charity shops have to pay the same level of rent as a regular retail outlet??

Answer: No. Hence the proliferation. Rent is the biggie. Getting a huge rebate makes it viable.

ROAAAR

I buy some clothes in charity shops, you can get some really nice stuff once in a while. Luck of the draw really. It's like walking into a lucky bag. XD

RayCon

I think they're great ... there are like permanent jumble sales. I got the complete Deadwood boxset for €3 on Tues ...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41LzTGiNUXL.jpg

Pumpkinseeds

Desolation Of Smug wrote: »

Answer: No. Hence the proliferation. Rent is the biggie. Getting a huge rebate makes it viable.

Which charities are you referring to? The one I managed had to pay the full rent and rates of any other unit.

fleet_admiral

Bought a t shirt with the tag still on it for 25c a while ago. The same t shirt was €18.99 in lifestyle

martinedwards

charity shops are great!

books and DVDs all the time, clothes pretty often too.

My daughter got a good as new abercrombie & fitch hoodie for £3 last week.

Up north charity shops get free rates

Rosy Posy

Most of my clothes and furniture and kids stuff is second hand, either passed on from friends, from charity shops or off the NZ version of ebay. My engagement ring is 'vintage' too. IMO it's more ethical than buying new stuff that's most likely made by child slaves anyway. In particular with kids stuff, if it's going to break or fall apart it's probably going to do so in its first incarnation. If it survives one kid it's probably going to go the distance. Both my husband and I grew up in privileged households which is why I think we don't have a stigma around hand-me-downs. In comparison both my dad and granny, who grew up in households where money was tight, have an aversion to second hand stuff.

Steppenwolfe

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Buy it in a boutique for €100 it's vintage, buy it in a charity shop for €1 it's weird. Just sayin...

...and the boutique probably bought it in a charity shop for a few euro anyway. Promote it as vintage and make a killing off the mugs.

kneemos

kneemos wrote: »

You can be sure they do,staff however are voluntary.

Some are run by CE schemes.

Have bought loads of stuff, from books, jeans, boots, pictures, ornaments etc, etc

lorweld

kneemos wrote: »

You can be sure they do,staff however are voluntary.

Managers get paid a wage.

Woshy

I do enjoy a good search around a charity shop. A few months ago I bought a dress for €6 that I'd seen and wanted in the shop new a few months before, but couldn't afford. That is a serious bargain!

Wang King

lorweld wrote: »

Managers get paid a wage.

Minimum wage to €10 per hour, not exactly huge money for being responsible for the day to day running of a store

Wang King

Wang King wrote: »

Minimum wage to €10 per hour, not exactly huge money for being responsible for the day to day running of a store

Judging from some job sites, that's on par with what other shop managers would get.

Wang King

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Judging from some job sites, that's on par with what other shop managers would get.

store workers in aldi get paid more than that

Wang King

Wang King wrote: »

store workers in aldi get paid more than that

As do some long serving staff in Dunnes, Tesco etc. However they very rarely get a full DAYs work, let alone a full WEEKS.

Pumpkinseeds

lorweld wrote: »

Managers get paid a wage.

Not all Managers get paid. I was unemployed at the time so I had the time on my hands and I chose not to be paid. Something to remember is that running a charity shop is running a business and means working long hours and is exactly like running any other shop, with the exception being that since staff are volunteers they aren't depending on a wage so will often let you down by not showing up, meaning that the manager is often tied to the shop. I don't really understand why so many people get their knickers in a twist about managers in charity shops getting paid. Why shouldn't they?

kneemos

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Not all Managers get paid. I was unemployed at the time so I had the time on my hands and I chose not to be paid. Something to remember is that running a charity shop is running a business and means working long hours and is exactly like running any other shop, with the exception being that since staff are volunteers they aren't depending on a wage so will often let you down by not showing up, meaning that the manager is often tied to the shop. I don't really understand why so many people get their knickers in a twist about managers in charity shops getting paid. Why shouldn't they?

It's not really like any other shop.
You don't order stock,have to meet sales targets or deal with suppliers.
In fact I'm struggling to figure out what you do actually do.