Fear not, there's bargains galore to be found if you search hard
According to recent news, charity shops are low on stock as people save cash by not buying new clothes and continue to wear what they would normally donate.
At the same time, more of us are rifling the rails to bag a bargain, leaving stock levels depleted.
I love a good rootle in charity shops and second-hand sales.
Some of my most prized possessions have come from such sources and include a glorious duffle coat, a classic Frank Sinatra record and a beautiful old bakelite radio.
The second-hand route has also saved me a small fortune over the years, especially since becoming a parent. Thank God for the NCT nearly-new sales and people who are good enough to offer hand-me-downs!
It's curious, though, how some people are sniffy about recycled items.
One colleague refuses to buy second-hand, claiming 'you never know where it's been'.
Personally, I think the mystery of, say, my duffle's provenance adds to its appeal.
A chum of Mrs B once bought a book for her kids from a charity shop that she remembered fondly from her own childhood.
Imagine her surprise when she opened it to discover her name, written
in her own eight-year-old scrawl, on the flyleaf.
But apart from being fabulous bargain-hunting territory, charities that have high-street outlets or hold sales provide much-needed funds for their causes.
Without such support these often-crucial resources – hospices, for example – would either have to lobby for government funding (which inevitably would be funded by taxation) or face having to reduce services or scale back their work.
At Barkes Towers, we have a simple rule: For every item we buy second-hand, be it a book, yet ANOTHER chintzy cup and saucer (God love her, Mrs B has an obsession with dinky tea cups and the like) or a teddy that Lily has insisted on 'rescuing', we try to give them an item back; we get a bargain without adding to clutter, they get cash and a replacement article, and the recycling element saves adding to landfill. Everyone's a winner.
Now, does anyone know of a charity shop flogging a paisley dressing gown to fit my ample frame?
Simply splendiferous
Since we're on the subject of second-hand bargains, here are details of two splendiferous nearly-new sales of baby and children's clothes, toys and equipment to chalk in your diary.
On Saturday, Donnington Playgroup and Chichester and Bognor Twins club are holding a free-entry tabletop sale of such paraphernalia at Donnington Village Hall from 9am to 11am.
And on Saturday, March 28, the National Childbirth Trust hosts its spring nearly-new sale at Chichester College Sports Centre from 11.30am to 1pm (11am for those with a valid NCT membership card) and admission is just 1.
Bargains galore and with good causes benefiting, be a savvy shopper and go along.
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Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: North west
