A charity shop manager has shared her top tips for finding the best bargains in charity shops across the UK, including the one question to ask staff, the best time to visit, and what to look out for08:35, 03 Jul 2026As fashion fans continue their endless quest for the perfect pair of shoes, bargain designer labels, and pre-loved handbags, there's far more they could be doing to uncover the very best finds.‌As the old saying goes, one person's rubbish is another's treasure, and nowhere proves that more emphatically than a charity shop. These high street heroes are brimming with treasures and unwanted items, just waiting to be snapped up by a new admirer, at bargain prices, and all for a worthy cause.‌A significant number of people across the UK depend heavily on charity shops to stock their wardrobes and supply homeware, books, toys and more for their families. Then there are those who simply love championing sustainability and relish the thrill of discovering hidden gems.‌Both groups should take note of these top tips shared by a charity shop manager for sourcing the goods.Speaking to Sky News, charity shop worker Amy Lorenz, based at the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance store, revealed her best advice for those hoping to pick up some fresh discounted gear.‌Her most valuable piece of insider knowledge discloses the optimal day to find new stock and the highest quality of items, as a manager committed to keeping the shop looking fresh for customers. Drawing on her experience, she revealed that Saturday is the best day to visit her charity shop, as this is when old stock is swapped out for fresh items.She said: "We take off items that have been on the shop floor for three weeks on a Friday evening and put new stock out Saturday morning, so coming after lunch will ensure you see new stock."Her top tip, however, is that different shops will more than likely rotate their stock on different days. With this in mind, it's well worth asking your local charity shop which day they refresh their displays, and making a point of planning your visits accordingly.‌As for the best time of year to hunt for bargains, Lorenz notes that their biggest influx of donations typically arrives during "the post-Christmas and spring clear-out season". When people embark on their decluttering missions during these periods, it means a greater number of items flood through charity shop doors.Her other key tips for snapping up a bargain include browsing every corner of the shop, even sections you wouldn't normally associate with your size, taste or gender. Her reasoning is simple — as stock constantly changes, so does its layout, and you never know what hidden gems you might uncover or what customers may have moved around.‌The charity shop manager's final piece of advice was simply to be patient. She told Sky News: "If you are hunting for a particular item, you need to accept that thrifting is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep looking and one day the perfect item will be there waiting for you."The manager pointed out that there are plenty of outdated misconceptions surrounding charity shops, not least the assumption that everything on the rails is old-fashioned.In reality, donations come from a wide variety of sources — including style-conscious young people, business professionals and older donors alike — resulting in a "huge range of items for all styles and sizes."Article continues belowWhile these shops welcome all manner of contributions, they do draw the line at items that are dirty or poorly looked after. Having once received a pair of soiled underwear, the manager knows all too well that this isn't always obvious to donors, and urges people to ask themselves: "would I be happy giving this item to a friend?".