Thrift: The Mighty Pound

There was a time when I was a bit funny about setting foot inside a pound shop. But I am SOOOOO over it!
It's like retail therapy without the guilt! And if you are into crafts, or ANYTHING, you will find something. I've heard the gardening stuff is fab, but that's not my shizzle.

MY shizzle is things like these cute chickens above, or felt dusters which you can sew into finger puppets, or a set of 10 toy cars which keeps Daph entertained for hours!

These are my tips for pound shop newbies:

• Use your brain, would that bubble bath be less than a pound normally in the supermarket? I have been caught out on this one when my bargain-hunting-devil voice sees the £1 sign and snatches it.
• If there are things you need which don't necessarily need to be branded or amazing quality, get them here! I'm talking washing up sponges, dusters, sandwich bags, flowerpots, kids rainy day activities, party plates etc, pens, paper.... oh there is too much.
• Parents will be all over this already I reckon. You can get a shedload of paper, paints, glitter, pom poms, sticky shapes etc for a few quid. And that few quid can probably buy you a whole afternoon (or a few) of peace. HEAVEN. Tidier stuff might be the books and toys, they get all the joy of a "new" toy, and you get all the "joy" of spending one humble pound.
• Speaking of kids, although minders of useless husbands might be interested, you can even use the pound shop (99p shop, 98p store...) to make up some of their packed lunches. If you're of the junk food discipline (party time is all the time in your house!) then you can get crisps, chocolate packs and biscuits galore at bargain prices. Or if you're trying to be good you can get big packs of raisins, nuts, crackers and ricecakes to fill them up. Again, check if it's cheaper than your supermarket special offers first! 
•  I know you have fallen in love with that stunning vase from John Lewis, but it's £40 dude. Get a cheap one (or aforementioned flower pot) from this shop, and spray or paint it with the kids poster paints, or stick cute (£1) buttons on it, and wrap a (£1) ribbon around it. So cute, and so cheap, and noone else will have one, rest assured.
• And for the snobs... If you still need convincing, hear this. My local pound shop has CLASSIC novels (you know, like proper classics) at 2 for £1 at the moment. Whaa? You can build up a properly impressive bookcase at that price. AND they have CDs for various tastes, and even TOBLERONEs.

Now if that's not class, I don't know what is...