Five frugal things for #SecondHandSeptember

I have absolutely no idea where August has gone, but here we are about to greet September. So I thought it would be timely to look at five frugal things for #SecondHandSeptember.

I have signed the pledge not to buy any new items of clothing for 30 days. This is an initiative organised by Oxfam, who say:

Every week 11 million items of clothing end up in landfill. Throwaway fashion is putting increasing pressure on our planet and its people – it’s unsustainable. Now there’s something you can do to help. Join Second Hand September and pledge to say no to new clothes for 30 days.

You can sign the pledge and share the campaign with friends and family here. In the meantime here are five frugal things for #SecondHandSeptember!

Five frugal things for #SecondHandSeptember

I actually think it is unlikely I will buy any clothes for myself during September as I really don’t need anything. However, if your shoes fall apart, or you realise you have no warmer jumpers for Autumn, here are some places to find clothing second hand.

Charity shops online

A relatively new development is for charity shops to have their own online shops. In fact, you can find Oxfam’s shop here.

They do tend to list the better brands, so you will have to pay up a bit. However, they will still be cheaper than the price new, especially for designer and vintage gear.

My local hospice charity shop has its own online shop now too, so it’s worth asking if your local charities have one. They also often sell on eBay these days, as it opens up the market for them and they can command a higher price than they would achieve in store.

Actual charity shops

Obviously, you have your usual high street charity shops as well. A welcome development as far as I am concerned is that many seem to open at the weekends. I remember being frustrated when I worked full time that the only day I could visit one or drop off donations was a Saturday, when I was busy catching up from the week. Now they are open Sundays too.

Many have out of town shops too, making it convenient to donate and you can have a look around at the same time.

Preloved Kilo Sales

These seem to be happening all over the country. You may not have one going on during Second Hand September, but you can sign up to the newsletter to see if there is one planned near you on the Preloved Kilo website here.

You can rummage through piles of what is described as grade A vintage, retro and preloved clothes and buy a kilo for £15. I haven’t tried it yet, but there is one coming up here in October. It is in my diary as I know other people really rate them.

eBay, Vinted, Depop and Facebook

Other online sites exist, of course, but I think the above are the most popular. I buy and sell on eBay a lot and to a lesser extent on Vinted. Depop seems rather expensive, but does seem to focus on vintage clothing.

Facebook is great for furniture, toys and larger items.

In the US, I think Poshmark and Craigslist are good for second hand clothing.

Jumble sales

When I was a teenager, we had jumble sales everywhere practically every week. I loved them then and still do! Where else can you buy a designer frock for 50p?

However, they are harder to find these days. Having said that, there are a few about and Facebook is a good place to see them advertised (just type in jumble sale with your town and see what comes up). Maybe they are making a come back?

In addition to all of the above, how about decluttering your own wardrobe and passing your unwanted clothes on in some way? You can either sell or donate them, or maybe even swap with friends.

Pop over to see me on Instagram to see how I progress with #SecondHandSeptember, and if I end up buying things….

I’m linking up with this Cass, Emma and Becky in this week’s ‘Frugal Friday’ linky (yes, I know it’s Saturday…I am a rebel!).