When we were in Bournemouth the other week, we went into Poole, which is seemingly Charity Shop Central. However, I found almost nothing that took my fancy, and then bemoaned the fact that all I bought was a toast rack, not exactly a photogenic or interesting item. Then I stopped to think about it, and about why I'd bought the toast rack in the first place. And realised that actually, it was pretty much a perfect Magpie Monday purchase.
For me, Magpie Monday is about making the most of your money - not buying new, expensive items just because, when there's an alternative that will be every bit as good for a fraction of the price. Reusing, reimagining, finding another life for something.
OK, so how does that match up with a second hand toast rack? That in all honesty was probably no cheaper than one from the High Street. Well, here's the deal. Squeaky has discovered a love of toast. Breakfast time, mid morning, generally whenever I offer it to her. Toddler snacks are obscenely expensive. A slice of toast, left to cool & crisp, then spread with butter can be packed up & taken out as a mid morning snack for roughly nothing, as we'd have bread around anyway. And it will be met with much the same level of excitement as a biscuit, fruit bar, or whatever. So, not only have I saved a bit of tree, metal, whatever, in buying a second hand toast rack, but I save money every time I use it as Squeaky has a free snack, rather than an expensive packaged one.
While we're on the subject of food, I have a confession to make. I'm a rubbish cook, with a fetish for cookbooks. I'm sure I'm not alone. I read them, look at the pictures, get ideas, and do nothing about it. I'm trying to curb this habit, but if I find a nice looking cookbook on my travels, I can't resist snapping it up, in the hope I might actually use this one.
The Readers Digest one cost me 50p from a car boot sale in Cannock, the M&S one £1.50 from the BHF shop in Weston. You never know, I might make something from one soon. Maybe.
Check out the other bargains
Love it - we have a toast rack and it is use all the time! Great find! And brilliant words on Magpie Monday!
ReplyDeleteI love toast racks. Have wanted one for ages and have no idea why but I associate them with glamour even though mine which is a bit like yours cost just 50 pence.
ReplyDeleteWas almost tempted by a Marmite one but as it was a fiver left it on the shelf. I could quite happily collect toast racks. Is it their association with guest houses? Dunno but I love them
My find are over at http://gigglingatitall.blogspot.com
I think a lot of charity shop shows what we aspire to be rather than what we are
Ahh I love how you've captured the essence of Magpie Monday :0)
ReplyDeleteCan't beat a slice of toast either nomnomnom x
I use my toast-rack to display books, in fact I've just photographed it for a future post - but toast works too!
ReplyDeleteI too hold my hand up to a very out of control cook book addiction!!
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing tastier than toast left to cool in a toast rack spread with butter and a dash of marmalade...yummy!
ReplyDeleteI love the cook books too...maybe one day eh x