A woman saved big on Christmas this year by doing all her present shopping in charity shops - and she's got some absolute bargains. You might think that she's gifting people used books or old jumpers, but Emma Wilson, 41, managed to pick up a Sonos speaker and even some Nintendo gear - all for a bargain price.
Emma, a charity worker from Kent, said that she tries to buy second-hand wherever she can and was converted after realising she could buy a pair of jeans for just a few pounds from a charity shop. Now she's taken her frugal shopping technique to another level by purchasing all her festive treats from charity shops too.
What do you think about Emma's take on Christmas? Let us know in the comments...
Emma said: "I've done charity shopping since I was a child so it's kind of in the culture anyway, that was partly out of necessity - I grew up in a low-income household and we couldn't afford things and I've never got out of it.
"The expense of buying new clothes is ridiculous, I've always relied on hand-me-downs from family.
"Being an 80s child, food was difficult, in one instance we had to eat tomato soup for two weeks with a loaf of bread, it was a really hard time - my dad was out of work and mum was working when she could and raising us three kids.
"Then it became fashionable to charity shop and I never got out of it. It's something I do with my friends, we meet up and go charity shopping - you never know what you're going to find.
"You get a buzz, you find designer things brand new with labels on, and I'm a single parent so I've always had to think about my finances and what's coming in and going out."
Emma has one son, who is 20-years-old, and when he was younger she would buy clothes for him from charity shops whenever she could.
She continued: "The majority of my wardrobe has come from charity shops or gifted by my friends, I bought a pair of jeans from Matalan but only because they were in the sale - I wouldn't normally do that.
"It was just out of necessity. The majority of my shopping is done in charity shops.
"I'm into freecycle too, I would say that only about five per cent of my items are bought brand new. I don't really believe in it, it's a whole mindset.
"If it's not required to be made, if it's already there, why buy it brand new? There are some things you have to buy brand new, like a fridge freezer.
"I've bought chairs from charity shops, a table, and gifts for people - especially at Christmas. You have that pressure to get some good stuff and expensive things, but if there's stuff in a charity shop then why go spend a fortune and get yourself into debt? It's a bit more time-consuming but it's worth it.
"This year all my Christmas shopping was in charity shops. I have family members who have expensive taste - clothes, gifts, candles.
"That's the bargain of charity shopping, it's like a treasure trove, it's like a vintage market. There are some really good finds you can buy and they could be something of real value, like an antique or something.
"There are so many good things donated to charity shops.
"I like to think I've got a good eye, but I just buy things that I love. I bought a piece of china before that I really loved.
"I bought for the whole family, mum, father's dead now so not him, aunties, uncles, brothers. I do have a child but he's not a child anymore, he's 20, but I spoil him rotten."
Even though Emma has been charity shopping for most of her life, she says that she doesn't have a favourite shop.
She continued: "I have tonnes, I don't just go to my area, I go to the seaside for the day and I make a day of it - in summer when I have the chance.
"But they're all around, there's always one to go to.
"I've saved - I don't know, thousands I suppose. I wouldn't buy a brand new pair of jeans for £50 or £100 like people would, I'd spend £5 or £8 on a pair of jeans.
"I bought a lovely jacket for a pound from a charity shop, I couldn't believe it.
"I tell everyone I go charity shopping, it's great. I think it would be good if people didn't throw things out that were perfectly good, saving the world and everything, the amount of pollution and amounts of people that are taken advantage of for producing those clothes, everything we can do to help the world would be lovely.
"I love recycling, I wish we had a nice world to leave for our future generations. I'm not hugging a tree, but I love nature and everything like that.
"I donate things all the time and I don't ask for money, I know it's hard. I picked up things for work for donations - there's a real culture out there, that's nice.
"Imagine how much stuff is in your loft that you don't use, why? There's always someone that needs your trash that could be their treasure. I'm not a hoarder or anything, I have a nice clean house."
Research shows that hard-up Brits are no longer embarrassed about being seen buying from charity shops as they try to save cash.
Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of adults say they are comfortable being seen heading into a charity shop or second-hand store due to the cost-of-living crisis, according to research from SQLI Digital Experience.
The study shows only around one in four (24 per cent) people would be in any way ashamed of being spotted in a charity shop.
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