Second-hand clothes and Ebay buys are bang on trend at the moment, as families flock to charity shops to try to bag a bargain.
Even the cast of Love Island have got in on the act, with show bosses deciding to dress contestants in second-hand clothes from the online marketplace - and fashion experts think that the TV show's thrifty decision could spark a change in viewers’ shopping habits.
Today's announcement by the Chancellor of one-off payments of up to £650 to the lowest-income families and the doubling of the £200 energy loan to £400 with no requirement to pay it back will go a little way to easing the burden, but many households are still feeling the pinch and still looking to save money wherever they can.
But how to do you spot these bargains and ensure you don't part with your hand-earned cash on a dud? Here's our top tips to make the best of your charity shop visit:
Read more: Cost of living deals: Clean up some offers at Tesco, Nando's, M&S, Asda and Costa this week
1. Look out for de-tagged stock
When dealing with big-label and popular brands, charity shops will often remove the labels to prevent customers returning them to the original store for a refund. So if you spot an item with no label, it could be a donation from a high-end brand. But it's important to know how to spot top-quality material and luxury trimmings, even if you don’t recognise the brand, as the label could have been removed by the original owner as it irritated their skin, for instance.
2. Go often to increase your chances of finding a bargain
You've got to be in it to win it, so visiting your local charity shop often will increase your chances of finding a bargain. Weekday mornings are the best time as the shop won't be as busy and you'll have a good chance of getting your hands on any lovely new stock.
3. Get to know the staff and volunteers
It's a good idea to chat to a member of staff to find out when the shop’s restock day is and their policy on releasing goods to the shop floor. If you manage to find someone really friendly, they might even tip you off if they are expecting to release items they know you are looking for.
4. Keep an eye on social media
Before you head into town, it's worth having a look on Facebook or Instagram to see if your local charity shop has any special sales or discounts on items on. These tend to be posted frequently and are a great way to get to know what a particular shop has to offer.
5. Get rewarded
Look for incentives such as reward programmes. For example, the British Red Cross offers a Give and Gain Loyalty card, which gets you 20% off your first purchase, alongside various discount vouchers and offers and RSPB gives you two points every time you spend £1, which can be exchanged for £1 when you have collected 100 points. Every little helps..
6. Get rummaging
Items are often organised by colour or size in charity shops, so it’s important to be patient and rummage through the rails in order to find a bargain. If you can, try them on to check for any faults
7. Little things add up
A lot of charity shops have glass compartments near the tills with smaller items on display, so don't get distracted by clothing rails and stacks of books, CDs and vinyls. Amongst the bric-a-brac, you might just find jewellery, watches cameras and even tech going for a song
8. Take a trip out of town
If you live close to a well-heeled area, take a trip further afield and see what's on offer in the charity shops there. You might just find a designer bargain at a great price, who knows?
9. Bring out your sewing kit
What if it's too big, too long or just too boring? Sometimes a good deal is too good to pass by, so consider upcycling with an old fashioned needle and thread. With the most modest of sewing skills a plain silk vest could be adorned with stitched-on jewels from broken jewellery, jeans can get cut down and turned up for a cool festival look or a baggy shirt could be taken in, tied around the front or benefit from a sewn on motif from a haberdashery store.
