Uggs for £20 and leather boots for £6…Frugal mum-of-two who saves thousands by dressing her whole family in CHARITY SHOP finds reveals the tricks to bagging a bargain
Kayleigh Hughes, 29, from Grantham in Lincolnshire, has picked up pieces from brands such as Calvin Klein and UGG for just a snip of their original price
A FRUGAL mum-of-two is able to save thousands of pounds every year by buying clothes for herself and her kids in charity shops – as well as having a keen eye for a bargain.
Kayleigh Hughes, 29, from Grantham in Lincolnshire, has picked up pieces from brands such as Calvin Klein and UGG for just a snip of their original price.
The thrifty shopper, who is currently pregnant with her third child, can often be found sifting through local charity stores in the hope of finding the best deals.
Kayleigh, who blogs at , is able to clothe her family in high quality labels for pennies - rather than splashing out on new items.
Some of the penny-pincher’s best finds include a pair of Uggs for just £20 instead of £150, a £250 pair of leather boots for just £6, and even brand new bedding for £4 instead of £36.
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But, when it comes to bagging bargains, Kayleigh says that savvy shoppers need to be patient - and it's vital to not be sucked into buying cheap clothes that you could afford at full price.
The mum avoids buying second hand clothes and shoes originally from value clothing retailers - instead choosing to keep her eye out for designer and good quality high street finds.
Over time, Kayleigh has realised when local charity shops rotate stock - and is even on first name terms with the staff.
Little snips of “insider information”, such as when new items are due, can help to keep her ahead of the game when it comes to picking up worthwhile pieces.
Kayleigh said: “Over the last 12 months I've really got to grips with my local charity shops and they're an absolute treasure trove.
“I buy no end of clothes for me, my husband and the two boys and rarely come out without a good bargain.
“Shoes have been great lately. I got a pair of £150 Uggs for £20 - which had hardly been worn.
“I've also picked up a pair of Ted and Muffy boots, these retail full price at £250 and I paid just £6.99 for them.
“They have to be my best bargain to date.
“Clothes are great at my local charity shop.
“They often sell kids' items at three for 99p – I've picked up designer items and regular high street buys from places like Next, Mothercare, Monsoon and Gap for next to nothing.
“Women’s clothes are good too but you need to be prepared to have a proper look through.
“I found a Calvin Klein cold shoulder top for just £2.99, a Monsoon Fusion dress for £3.99, a Top Shop silver bomber jacket for £2.99 and dresses for as little as 99p.
“It is too easy to get carried away in a charity shop because everything is so cheap.
"I always make sure I check everything really closely.
“If it's discoloured, stained or shows any sign of snags or holes, then it's a definite no, regardless of how little it costs.
“I always take a look at the items with the tags still on – you'd be amazed at how many of them you find in charity shops.
“The boys always check out the toys and books.
“I can normally get three books for 99p – you can't buy one brand new book for that.
"When the boys outgrow them and providing they're still in good condition, we always donate them back to the charity shop.
“I do that with everything. If the shop can sell them twice over then it's more cash for the charity and someone else can benefit from picking up a bargain.”