Shopping Fun

I spend quite a bit of time of late shopping. Op Shopping, Market Shopping, Crafty-type Shopping. I've scored many, many great find over the time, including my bike, Sally, Clive and my fabulous typewriter. I thought I might let you, gentle reader, in on my shopping secrets. Hopefully, in return, you will share some of yours.

Vinnies 

2 Mason st, Newport.

Open Monday - Saturday

I visit Vinnies in Newport. They are great for furniture and books. They have a varying range of clothing, though a lot of older-people style of clothes. Their range of knick-knacks is so-so, but they have some great patterns, a selection of knitting needles, and on the odd occasion, piles of crafting supplies. One time I bought about 10 rubber stamps and 10 different colour, good quality, still sealed stamp pads for about $15. I also got these goodies at this Vinnies.

Challis Street Neighbourhood House

Challis Street, Newport

Open Monday - Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

Jasmine runs this place. She is fantastic. As is the op-shop. In an old, slightly run-down house, each room dedicated to groups of clothing. The front room is ladies' jackets, coats, pants and dresses, the next room; ladies tops, tshirts and jumpers. Across the hall you will find tables piled high with toddlers and kids' clothes, linen and blankets. Opposite the kitchen, you will find men's shirts, jackets, jumpers and tees. Out the back, in the shed, every available surface, and a large amount of floor is covered with crockery, cutlery, records, vases, pots, tupperware and plastics, books, and framed pictures. Jasmine's prices are cheap, the reception is always friendly, and you can have a good yarn with whoever is in the shop when you visit.

Salvos

Kororoit Creek rd, Newport

Open Monday - Saturday

There is a lady who work here and has done for ages. She is really nice and friendly. Most of the staff here are. As with many Salvos' stores lately, they're starting to get a bit more expensive, but have a very good range. Lots of brand-name clothes here, particularly jeans. They have a variety of crockery and knick-knacks, some linen, and some pretty good furniture. As always, you have to have a lucky day with things like this, but quite often at the Salvos, you do!

Laverton Trash & Treasure Market

8 - 18 Leakes Road, Laverton

Open Saturdays and Sundays

Entry: $1.00 per person

Where to begin? Well, we begin most Saturdays, generally aiming arrival for 10, to coincide with the opening of the donut shop. Imagine your dad/uncle cleaned out their shed. Their shed that has been accumulating stuff for the last 25 years. Then they collected everything that was in there and put it on a tarp on the ground. Multiply that by about 6o, add a few dodgy blokes with KMart goods and big trucks, a healthy mix of pirated jewellery, DVDs and some questionable folks, and there you have the joy that is Laverton Market. Saturdays are bigger and better. Bargaining is mandatory. And the hot jam donuts rival those at Footscray station.

Coburg Trash & Treasure Market

Newlands Road, Coburg

Open Sundays

Entry: $1.10 per person

New on the radar, Coburg market is quite similar to Laverton, on a smaller scale, and with a variety of stall-holders expectations of prices. Many of them think that they are at Camberwell market. Others, I have had give me things for free. This market has lots of garage salers, tools, veggies and plants and you can score some good records, clothes and books too.

Value Savers

Somewhere on St George's Rd, almost as far down as Bell St.

Open every day I think. Maybe not Sundays.

A little bit pricey, but some good bargains to be found. I bought my current favourite jacket here for $9. They have some cool linen and crockery, some knick-knacks, and loads and loads of clothes. Colour-sorted too, so bonus points for those of you out there who are, like me, just a lil bit OCD. They also have a decent selection of books, records and kids toys.

Gumtree.com.au

http://www.gumtree.com.au

Open 24/7

Okay, this one requires dedication. This is a check every few hours deal, but you can score some great stuff. I got my typewriter from a guy on gumtree, but I have seen everything from pets, clothes, fruit trees, pianos, furniture, entire kitchens, garden boulders, poultry. You name it, you'll probably find it on here. Lots of foreign students getting rid of their ikea before going home. But the occasional score, if you're prepared to keep an eye on the site, and drive out to the middle of nowhere to pic stuff up. I did score 6 rolls of film for nothing, but sent the guy an express post envelope cause he was too far away. No big dramas, and with those costs, the film was still cheaper than I could have bought it!