Magpie Monday - my week in charity shops

Shopping at charity shops is one of the highlights of my week. I like looking at such a diversity of clothing, books, bric a brac, furniture and toys. I enjoy going round and marking all the "possible" purchases in my mind and then going back and snapping up the things I really want or need.

Usually, I go on Saturdays but my first foray this week was on Friday when my Dad took me to a local town as he was collecting a pair of glasses so I went along for the ride. There are two ideal towns to charity shop in. Posh towns have lot of expensive, worn-once designer gear from the ladies who lunch. Poor towns give their stuff away for ridiculously low prices. Friday's town was in the latter category.

Dad went off to the opticians telling me to "take as long as you like". It is a shame my Dad is my Dad as he would make the most perfect partner. Mind you, he was exceedingly well-trained by my late mother!

I looked around the charity shops such as Scope, Care and Repair and the Hospice Shop enjoying not having children pulling me towards the toy area. I identified possible purchases of paintings of beachhuts and lighthouses. I have a bit of a thing about both. There were just 75 pence each and framed too. I toyed with the idea of trying on some obviously expensive when new walking boots for £3 but in the end, could not be bothered.

I did not want to keep Dad waiting too long so wondered if I should try Age UK or not. In the end, I decided I would do Age UK but sacrifice Cancer Research and the British Heart Foundation.

Now something I have never seen in a charity shop before is the sign "Free glass of bubbly with every transaction". I went in and there was a merry riot going on with the staff clearly what my mum used to call "market merry". They were celebrating the shop becoming a pound shop where everything will be a pound or less from now on. I chose a pink cardigan for the inevitable £1, one of those wrap around ones, lovely.

I picked a Hans Christian Anderson book for my children. It was marked as both 49 pence and 99 pence. The inebriated woman behind the counter said I could have it for 49 pence or could have 3 books for 99 pence. A no-brainer so I chose a lovely picture book hardback too and also "The Girl's Guide of how to be the best at everything".

I am claiming the award of being the best charity shopper I know. Having said that, I think I am under threat from the other participants in Magpie Monday. Read their stories too.

Why not link up with Magpie Monday and tell the world about your finds?