Chuggers

Do you have a query on how to get things done in Andalucia, where to find things, who to call? Find out by posting and hear about others experiences.
BENIDORM
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 3982
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 2:15 pm
Location: Granada Province

Chuggers

Postby BENIDORM » Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:01 am

As I am someone who is addicted to visiting charity shops, wherever I am, I do miss them in Spain, there are a few and they are quite good shops, but thin on the ground....
I don't mind 'regular' shopping with my Good Lady, but it gets extremely boring being trailed around the same shops that you find everywhere....They all look identical, with even the same layout, and sometimes when I finally drag her out of them, I have difficulty in remembering where we are..!

So I do like charity shops, however, so many of them are now 'dressed' to look like fashionable stores....I hate to see immaculate organised, over priced goods ,which have been donated by good people who really think that they are helping the unfortunates of the world...And so much brand new stock, which you can normally find in the 'pound type shops' and bazaars at much cheaper prices....
The best charity shops I believe, are the more local, hospice and animal type shops, even some of the churches have small charity shop sections, certainly worth investigating....
So I hope to see more decent charity shops in Andalucia, sooner rather than later, ....Please let me know about charity shops in your area.....

Chuggers.......Well you may not know what a 'Chugger' is, but I'm sure that you will have been accosted by one......They usually wear a brightly coloured 'bib' with the charity name emblazoned on it, and they will be clutching a clip board, which they will wave in your face...They will do their upmost to press your guilt buttons, and tell you tales of horror and may even show you some very graphic photographs.....But.........
The 'Chugger' is a person employed to stand near a charity shop, who will try to get you to part with your hard earned cash to help the desperate charities...What a lot of 'Baloney'.......first of all the 'chuggers' are mostly employed by agencies who are paid huge fees, by the big charity organisations, to try to sign you up to pay monthly direct debit amounts to them..
In most cases, I'm informed, that only a very small percentage of the donations actually arrive at the doors of the 'unfortunate'...
So enjoy trawling the charity shops....but be beware of the Sharks...... :wink:

alaninspain
Resident
Posts: 920
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:28 am
Location: Benalmadena

Postby alaninspain » Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:51 am

Benidorm - you should worry about remembering which charity shop you are in, I have trouble remembering where I am even in our apartment. My wife says I have always been like that and if I get Alzheimers nobody will notice.
We have a Cudeca Charity shop in the Arroyo De La Miel, and another in Fuengirola ( funnily enough the latter is more expensive ). There is also a Lions Charity shop in La Cala, which is more expensive still. They all seem to be as popular as one another though.
Generally we only use them for books, and take them back to a different charity shop each time to try and circulate them in another town. The more often they are read the more money goes into the charity.

BENIDORM
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 3982
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 2:15 pm
Location: Granada Province

Postby BENIDORM » Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:17 pm

Alan,
Thanks for that, I've been in the Cudeca shops, but not the Lions, so will check it out next time we are in the area......Cheers..!

User avatar
Faire d'Income
Resident
Posts: 648
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 4:14 pm

Postby Faire d'Income » Sun Dec 02, 2007 3:29 pm

Chugging refers to any charity collectors irrespective of whether they're employed by an agency, so that includes those do-gooders who insist on milling round outside Waitrose.

:roll:

BENIDORM
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 3982
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 2:15 pm
Location: Granada Province

Postby BENIDORM » Sun Dec 02, 2007 3:54 pm

Faire..
I don't see too many do-gooders hanging around where I shop...Lidl..of course...But I know what you mean...

I also find it extremely irritating to be stopped every 5 minutes to be asked if I could help with a survey...I usually say...p--- o-, sorry I mean 'please go away'.....

Alan-LaCala
Resident
Posts: 1103
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2004 8:36 am
Location: La Cala de Mijas

Postby Alan-LaCala » Sun Dec 02, 2007 7:26 pm

There is also a Lions Charity shop in La Cala,
In fact there are now 2 shops, one selling books, CDs and DVDs and the other clothes and bric a brac. They are within 10 metres of each other.

Alan
Remember that everything that Fred Astaire did, Ginger Rogers did too; except she did it backwards and wearing high heels!

Marina
Resident
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 6:19 pm
Location: Canillas De Aceituno

Postby Marina » Sun Dec 02, 2007 10:00 pm

I used to work at a drop in centre for the homeless. One day it was peeing down with rain and very cold. A chap came in with the soles hanging off his shoes so I took him into the nearest charity shop to see if they would give him a pair. Made sense to me, but no, they couldn't donate a pair of shoes to him and I had to buy them!!!! :roll:

BENIDORM
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 3982
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 2:15 pm
Location: Granada Province

Postby BENIDORM » Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:03 am

Alan,
Thanks for that, I only visited one shop, my 'charity shop antenna', must have failed .....
I will visit again in the next couple of weeks... :)

BENIDORM
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 3982
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 2:15 pm
Location: Granada Province

Postby BENIDORM » Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:08 am

Marina,
Most of the charities only give a very small percentage of their 'take' to the actual cause, so I'm not surprised to read your story..

The Salvation Army will always help anyone with clothing and food...for nowt..... :wink:


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google Adsense [Bot] and 36 guests