In these times of austerity we could all do with finding ways to save money and tighten our purse strings. There is very little we can do about our utility bills, rent and mortgages. But what about everything else? We still need to buy things on a day to day basis and what we spend has a major effect on the bottom line of our bank balance every month. The future surely is in thrift shopping? Here are just a few of the many ways you can save money by spending a little more time in the charity shops:
Home Furnishings
You never know what you might stumble across in an op shop! That’s the beauty of it – you will come across many things that would look lovely in your home. Kitchen appliances, rugs, pictures, crockery, cutlery, lampshades…you name it, you’ll find it in the charity shops. Of course not everything will be to your style but that doesn’t matter – just keep looking. You’ll find one-off pieces that nobody else will have in their home, and you’ll find things so unique that you’d never have found in the high street shops. Op shops are the place to pick up quirky and original pieces that your friends will think you have paid a lot of money for!
Clothing
Cast off all of your preconceived ideas about buying clothes in charity shops. A lot of people wouldn’t even consider it, but they are missing out. You never know what you might find – from everyday basics to designer labels, it’s all there. You just have to rely a little on chance! The organised shops have their stock displayed in sizes so that it’s easy for you to flick through everything that might fit you. You’ll pay a fraction of the price you’d pay for new clothing, and you’ll more than likely find something that you’d never even find in the shops in the first place! If you think style and individuality is important then you’ll thrive in the thrift shops.
Children’s Toys
We all know how long the novelty factor of children’s toys lasts for – approximately three minutes! Where’s the sense in paying loads of money for brand new toys that will be cast aside in no time at all? Take your children to the local charity shop and get them to pick toys that they like. It’s a good lesson to them if you allow them each to pick one thing they really want. It’ll cost you next to nothing, they will be thrilled, and when they are done with them you can just take them back instead of them just causing more clutter around the house.
Charity shops are amazing places! Once you’re in the swing of thrift shopping you’ll love the suspense of walking into a shop not knowing what treasures you might find once you start digging in. Check out which charity shops are in your town and spend a day getting to know them all – you never know what you might come home with!
Attached Images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
Today’s guest author, Jenny Wadlow, is a freelance blogger. She is a humanitarian and a regular visitor and of various op shops in Melbourne to donate whatever she can.