Serendipity

When we were newly married our flat was burgled and our teapot broken. My mum replaced it with a posh Oneida stainless steel one and we really liked it. Many years later when I was a student teacher I was at a school where the office had the matching coffee pot , milk jug and sugar bowl. I thought about offering to buy it but never did . However a few months later ,in the local Oxfam shop , I found not only the coffee pot, milk jug and sugar bowl but the hot water jug as well. I was delighted to pay the £10 they were asking.
The set looks lovely on the occasions when I use it for visitors.

??

Maybe all moneysaving is not a good idea

My best buy was for a wedding at a time when pink and black in combination was very fashionable.

I found a plain, pale-pink sleeveless shift dress in a BHS sale. It had fallen off the rack and was a bit grubby from where it has been on the floor. I haggled and got it for a £1. A black hat from the charity shop for £2. Some pink rosebuds from a market haberdashery stall £1 to trim the hat and a classic thin black button-through cardigan I already owned. I added black court shoes and bag also from my wardrobe. The dress came up a treat in the wash.

It was a small family wedding but in a pretty church in a tourist location so many holidaymakers stopped to look at the wedding party. Twice, I was asked if I was the mother of the bride which made me think my £4 was very well spent.

I’m glad you have all been having good experiences too!
Some years back I was forced to use charity shops as I was in dire financial straits and with two kids at University every penny had to do double duty.
Things are much easier now, and I can afford new clothes, but I still enjoy rooting around ‘vintage’ rails It helps us save money, recycling helps the planet, and of course the charity benefits.

I love charity shops, and hearing about other peoples bargains.

The quality of clothes in some charity shops has improved immensely in the last few years.

I went to a wedding a few weeks ago in a vintage (1960s) Jaeger linen dress and a vintage(80s) M and Co jacket, plus handbag, all sourced from local charity shops.

I have now taken to wandering round our local charity shops regularly looking at the clothes rather than non-clothes items the way I used to do.

There's a myriad of charity shops in the next suburb along from us, so when I'm in the mood, I'll go there and trawl. A few months ago, I spied a really nice charcoal and white striped summery shift dress, new (still with the tags on). It was £3.50. Went to pay and the man behind the counter said "All dresses are half price today".

So at £1.75 I struck the jackpot. I get compliments every time I wear it. The tags showed it originally came from a shop in Florida, U.S. - perhaps a holiday buy that didn't seem right back home. But it sure did/does it for me

99% of the time I wear trousers and tops but because of the heat this summer I bought a cotton dress in the sale at M and Co and it is lovely and so cool. Also I hoiked out a dress I haven’t worn in years and that is good too. The only problem is that my legs aren’t what they were and I have to wear flat shoes, but heyho that’s what getting older is all about.

Yes, I got a lovely dress from local charity shop for £6. Some years ago, my daughter got a stunning strapless black velvet evening gown plus matching bolero for her school prom from the same shop. £15 the lot.

There’s some amazing stuff out there. I’ve just bought my outfit for my niece’s wedding on eBay. A dress and jacket from Hobbs , bit more expensive than yours though, £21.
Hope you enjoy being dressy for a change.

Gosh! What luck. Just as well the bus was smelly!