Do you op shop, go to thrift stores, to recycle stores? My sister Ruth and I have been taking my 87 year old mum op shopping in Australia every Tuesday for the past 5 years. Edna taught us to opshop and volunteered in her local church op shop from an early age. Over this time we have come to know really well the specialties of each op shop in Melbourne’s northern suburbs and some of our favourite suburbs in the south and south east.

The mental illness store in High Street Northcote has a fantastic range of mens brand shirts for the outrageous price of $8.00. I brought a Tommy Hillfigger shirt there and when I told my work mate Luciano he said they sell for $120, bargain. There are some stores that are selling at label  prices in the last few years and that is why I love Brotherhood of St. Laurence stores, they live by the ethos that you charge by item, shirts $5.00, trousers $6.00, jackets $7.00 not by label. I brought a London Fog jacket at their Watsonia store last winter for $7.00. i was interested in the retail price as I had heard of the label. I had just saved $343.00, another bargain.

A great place to source information is on the speciality blogs that are proliferating on line about this sacred practice on of my favourites is http://ilovetoopshop.blogspot.com.au/, they also have a Facebook link where you get to share your special purchases of the week. Another site I got onto recently is http://nevereverpayretail.com.au/, a spunky young thing who knows her labels and does great pictures, there are heaps of them just google op shops or thrift stores for your state, county or country and you can access the passion of many like minded souls who love a bargain.

There are many large super stores like Savers in Melbourne, an idea that was imported from Canada I believe . Just checked their site, they started in 1954, same age as me, 60 years of providing quality bargains. Both my nephews have worked in Savers in Brunswick. I think that is one of the joys of Op shopping, the staff are  mainly volunteers and genuinely love being there. I have had many a great conversation with staff at the Salvo’s, Vinnies and other like minded stores and they have always been passionate. Here’s the link for Savers: http://www.savers.com.au/

I also found one in High Street that sells CD’s for $1.00, CD’s range for this price to the outrageous price of $3.25. As I keep my music on my computer and iPhone these days I buy them and recycle them next week. I recently found Crowded Houses greatest hits and my all time favourite disco era band, Chic’s greatest hits. $2.00 for 2 hours of quality music. I will always love my mother Edna May Williams for passing on the gift of loving an Op Shop and my sisters Ruth and jann for being huge Op shoppers as well, thats how I started my wooden horse collection. My Chinese star sign is that of the Wooden horse and my sister from Tasmania Jann lobbed one birthday with about 15 horses in different shape and form informing me everybody needs to collect at least one thing. Have added a few to the collection since then, Its amazing how they seem to appear in your opshop after you need them when you didn’t notice them before.

So take an oath today: I ………… will willingly and lovingly buy from Op Shops/ Thrift stores from today on and donate to worthwhile causes and save shitloads of money. Yay!!!!!