‘Any charity that aids or supports trying to find a cure for cancer is very close to my heart’ – Jennette McCurdy
My name’s Helen and I have an addiction to buying clothes.
One thing my mum always used to say to me even as a teenager and way before social media was ‘you’re allowed to wear something more than once you know’. Perhaps it’s part of my ADD personality but once I wear something, it’s old. it’s done with and I’m bored with it, I want something new. Problem is of course I don’t have a job that pays me enough to fund my addiction. I’ve always been a massive fan of shopping on Ebay and have had some real bargains (my All Saints dress which I got for 99p is a particular favourite of mine) however you can’t try anything on on Ebay so are taking a risk, and there has been many an item I’ve had to give away or bin because it hasn’t fit when it’s arrived. So that’s why I love charity shops. If you’re wiling to have a bit of a rummage you can find some real bargains, and of course, it’s ecologically friendly and helps out a great cause.
I was planning on doing another £20 Charity Shop Challenge in the hope of getting some new long sleeved tops for work when Steph told me about this new shop on Clayton Street called Buy the Bag. We were in town anyway wedding dress shopping (for her) and decided to see what it was all about.
I’m so glad we did now because I had my mind well and truly blown away! The concept is one that has worked for a few years over in America and is simple. You buy a bag and fill it for £10. It’s not quite as easy to navigate inside that shop as regular charity shops. Things are sorted into mens/womens/kids and then down into tops/skirts/dresses etc but aren’t sorted by size or colour, they’re all just in big bins and you have to sort through yourself so you have to put in the leg work to find something your size.
There are also a few rules you have to adhere to. The bag has to be able to close fully, so no piling high, no items are available for individual sale or negotiation and nothing is returnable. So, with that in mind here are somethings you need to know;
- The bag you get is massive (supermarket bag for life size if not bigger).
- I understand that £10 a bag is an introductory offer and not sure what the price will be once the introductory offer is over, or whether it means that the bag size gets smaller. What I imagine will happen is there will be different sized bags for different prices.
- Not everything is in tip top condition as you might expect from a charity shop – it is second hand after all, they expect you to buy things to re-sell or upcycle. Don’t be alarmed if something is marked or missing a button.
- The staff in the shop are super friendly and talked us both through the process and asked if we needed any help throughout.
- It’s not just clothes that are available to fill your bag up with, they also have lots of shoes, handbags, children’s toys, books, DVDs and homeware items available too.
Here’s an idea of what I came away with for £10:
My bag of goodies!
T-shirt and vest from ASOS and New Look
Tops from Next, Atmosphere, Autograph, Warehouse and Abercrombie
Jumpers from H&M, New Look, Atmosphere, C&A and George
Bags from Bay and Next
I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this concept, and shall be absolutely returning when I have the urge to splurge that isn’t supported by by bank balance!
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