Thrifty Finds

Over the last week I’ve picked up a few thrifty items.

I’ve managed to expand my Utility China collection.   Most of these were bought via eBay and were a bit of a cheat.  This includes 2 Woods Ware Beryl bread plates, 4 Woods Ware Iris bread plates and the Beryl gravy boat.  The other two pieces have slightly more interesting stories.  My lovely and non-criminal mother in law liberated the beryl tea saucer from the gym she does yoga in!  It was very unexpected.  The Johonson Bros Greydawn bread plate was found at a charity shop in Golders Green for 50p.  When I went to pay I was shoved out of the way not once, but twice, but an older French lady.  I pointed out to her that I was in line before her and she told me that she didn’t speak English, I then replied that being French and old didn’t give her carte blanche to shove me around.  I was the first person (out of me and the rude French lady) who was helped at the till.

I also got this pretty little Pyrex bowl off of eBay.  I’m a bit surprised that I’m not finding more of this when I’m out and about.  Any tips?

Last weekend we made a trip to a local car boot sale.  It was pretty awful and muddy.  I don’t know if it was the time of year or it this particular one just has a bunch of tat.  There were five rows of stalls and very little worth even considering.  I ended up with 3 bags of mini Hersey’s candy bars (not pictured as I’ve eaten most of them) and a tea bag holder for 20p.  

My last acquisition isn’t pictured either, it was just a couple of boxes of floral cupcake holders for 50p each.  When I went to pay I put them by the till, there was also a book hanging out off to the side.  The cashier rang up the book before I could say not to.  When I pointed out that it wasn’t mine she grabbed her manager and then proceeded to recreate the crime scene so to speak.  She slammed the book down on the till and then put the cupcake holders on top of it.  She told her manager that’s how she found it which wasn’t true.  I waffled between sticking up for myself and just paying for the cases and leaving.  I didn’t speak up in the end.  I don’t live in Central London and when I speak in my little town area heads turn.  I feel like if I stick up for myself I won’t be perceived as customer being treated badly, but rather a loud American complaining about crap.  The joys of being an expat!

In the past week I visited charity shops in my little village (as I do at least once a week) Golders Green, and yesterday I spent a lot of time checking out the really nice shops near the Pimlico Tube station between interviews.  This totals almost 20 shops and all I’ve come away with that I’m actually after is one bread plate!  Is this normal?  Does anyone ever go weeks and weeks without finding anything?  Is there some obvious charity shopping rule, or guideline or something that I’m just missing?  Does anyone have any tips?

Oh well, after I finish my housewife duties and some bits for recruiters I’m going to head one town over to check out the 6 or 7 shops there as well as a little antique shop.  Wish me luck!