Oxfam Milton Keynes

Hi everyone! I’m Chiino, a reseller with a blog. Nick kindly gave me the chance to post here, and the first thing that came to mind was how good the charity shops in Milton Keynes are.

What’s Treasure Hunting?

Treasure hunting is exactly what you think it is: the act of digging up gold. Literal gold. Well, usually not literal gold, but it’s close enough. Treasure hunting is when you search for valuable things to sell on. It’s easiest if you go to places known for cut-price products, so car boots and charity shops are heaven for resellers. Once you have some decent pick-ups, find a marketplace you’re comfortable with – eBay, Amazon, Craigslist, Shpock, Facebook, Gumtree, or something else – and get selling. There are opportunities all over the gaff, if you have the patience, and you look in the right places.

How Do You Know What’s Worth Money?

Knowing what to buy comes down to experience. Years of the stuff. However, everyone can accelerate that learning with a few eBay and Google searches. A smartphone is essential when you’re in a charity shop to quickly lookup what each item tends to sell for on eBay.

Charity shops are so varied, so you never know what you might come across. Most will be full of clothes. Rummage through and you’re bound to come across a flippable designer brand in there. DVDs, games and books usually have a dedicate sections, and are fun to explore. Use Music Magpie and the AmazonSeller app to scan the barcodes and see if they have any worth. You might get lucky with those things. It’s likely you will come across kitchen appliances, cameras, toys and trinkets too. eBay completed listings are a great way to gauge the worth of any product. Alternatively, if an item has a barcode, use the AmazonSeller app to see its worth on their marketplace instead.

Occasionally, you will come across new items; factory-sealed board games, clothes with their tags, shoes with no signs of wear. These are bound to be a fraction of their original RRP, so it’s a no-brainier to grab them, and stick them straight on eBay, Amazon or Gumtree. It’s usually best to buy what you know first, and expand your knowledge of other categories gradually. Experiment with small investments, until you build your confidence.

Why is Milton Keynes Good for Charity Shops?

Milton Keynes is an odd place, as English towns go; it’s only a few decades old, full of Londoners/people that commute to work in London, and it’s got a fair few affluent residents. This makes it perfect for picking up high value goods for low prices.

Milton Keynes has some of the well-known charity like Age UK, Barnado’s and Oxfam, as well as some more local causes. It’s always nicer when you can give back to a community closer to home, after all. The town is conveniently found amidst a handful of smaller settlements. These villages and hamlets have their own charity shops to explore. You will have to do a bit of driving, but you’re sure to come across decent pick-ups along the way.

The thing with charity shops is that pricing is so inconsistent. One that overprices books may sell all of their jeans for £3 each. The ones that offer three for £1 on DVDs may ask for 95% retail value of all their designer handbags. You will only find deals if you actively search for them, so it’s worth going to as many as possible in a single day. (My person record is 22). As I have extended family in the area, they need to understand that any trips to Milton Keynes will have to involve a charity shop treasure hunt.

For more treasure hunting content, find me at Probably Busy.

By Nick

Nick is the founder of Life of Man with a passion for trying out the latest technology, eating out at the best local restaurants, trying the latest IPAs hitting the craft beer scene travelling the world. As a parent Nick loves to spend time with his family and write about days out as dad blogger.

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