Tip Shop Bargain Hunting

Who else likes to go out bargain hunting at their local tip shop? The stuff you can find out there can sometimes be a bloody good deal you might have never expected. Me and a good mate go out nearly every weekend to go have a look (as well as the garage sales).

Squash rackets, fishing rods, fishing rod holders, Holden hub caps, computer gear, surround sound speakers, camping chairs, games, my bedside shelf, a UHF radio, some old HTC android phone which still worked, just to name a few. And its almost always just a few bucks.

My number one find is some computer which still worked ($10) which booted up first go, to a Windows XP login screen. For a laugh, I said to my mate, imagine its just "password". AND IT WAS!!! FIRST GO!!! We did end up getting in touch with the old owners, and they didn't care too much about getting back the files so I wiped it, got some new parts off eBay and now I use it as a main desktop computer.

Unfortunately our local tip shop has been struggling a bit lately because council hiked up the fees to take rubbish out there, so less people dropping things off out there.

I know that the idea of getting stuff from the tip might sound a bit unclean or unhygienic to some, but so long as you give it a wipe down and don't plan on eating anything off it, what's really the issue?

Any tip shop bargain hunters on Ozbargain? What stuff have you found?

Comments

  • +1

    I visited the local Hobart ones a lot around 15+ years ago, often got good bargains, then they got trendy and the people running them got greedy, the prices went through the roof so I quit visiting, from what I hear they're still much the same these days, often asking near new prices for second hand items and junk…

    • +2

      Remember the market they used to run in the carpark under Northgate? Used to be able to get many bargains there.

      You're right about City Mission, Salvos and the worst of all Vinnie's Tas for price jacking harder than eBay.

  • Are you in Sydney? Which tips have such shops?

  • -1

    ParmiAndChips

    I think you spelt your username wrong

  • +2

    The last tip shop I went to were asking ridiculously high prices for everything. So high that I can’t believe anyone would pay that much and suspected that it must have been a front for selling illicit items.

  • +2

    I don't know what a tip shop is but am a fan of hard rubbish and dumpster diving. Have found lots of good quality and usable items in both which I have used for multiple years.

  • +3

    Canberra has 'the Green Shed' which sorts stuff (and takes donations) - the not very good stuff is at the tip shop, the better quality clothing goes into a central store

    The tip shop doesnt have prices, the guy glances at your haul and says 'how about $15 for the lot' or whatever. But it has many clothes, particularly children's clothes, that they are free (obviously the 'good stuff' has been taken out for the central store). There is a mound about 4 ft high you can pick your way through

    Even in the central shop, its only about $10 for most things. My teen daughter loves it, does all her shopping there. Admittedly she sometimes comes back with an XXL shirt and says 'but its so cool and it was only $5', even though she only weights about 40kg.

  • +1

    I bought a $600 bmx frame last weekend for $50, my girls weren't that keen so may repaint or end up flipping it on marketplace

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