The best charity shops in Leeds
We’ve all got that friend that always looks fantastic, and then they say something like ‘Oh, this? I bought it in a charity shop for £2’. Charity shops are a great way to find inexpensive, stylish clothes whilst also donating your money to a good cause! Written by current student, Holly, she is here to tell you all the best charity shops around Leeds.
Worried about your money? Understanding your money, how to budget, how to make more of your money and knowing what to do if things are going wrong are essential skills for life. Here are links and guides to help keep your finances on track.
Why charity shops?
Buying second-hand clothes, homeware items and books is environmentally friendly and sustainable. Another benefit of shopping second-hand is seeing the quality of clothes: if they were worn before and still look good it means they will last for a while!
If you don’t believe you can find great stuff in charity shops, let me introduce you to a few people who are rocking their second-hand finds:
Where can I find my local charity shop?
If you live in Headingley, you’re probably familiar with many charity shops, but there’s more to discover around Leeds. Here are some charity shops around Leeds that can get your second-hand shopping experience started.
Location: 4 New Market St, Leeds LS1 6DG
Opening times:
- Monday — Friday 9:30am — 5:30pm
- Saturday 9:30am — 5:00pm
- Sunday 10am — 4pm
Location: Unit 80, Merrion Shopping Centre, Leeds LS2 8NG
Opening times:
- Monday — Saturday 9:30am — 5:30pm
- Sunday 11am — 4pm
Location: 13/15 Otley Rd, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3AA
Opening times:
- Monday — Saturday 9:15am — 5:15pm
- Sunday 11am — 4pm
Location: Queens Arcade — 28 Lands Ln, Leeds LS1 6LB
Opening times:
- Monday — Saturday 9am — 6pm
- Sunday 11am — 5pm
Location: Unit 12, Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park, Bridge Rd, Kirkstall, Leeds LS5 3BL
Opening times:
- Monday — Saturday 9:30am — 6pm
- Sunday 10am — 4pm
Location: Seacroft (East Leeds) Recycling Site, Limewood Rd, Leeds LS14 1LU
Opening times:
- Monday to Sunday 9am — 3:30pm
Location: 27 North Ln, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3HW
Opening times:
- Tuesday — Saturday 10am — 4pm
Location: 10, 10B St Michael’s Rd, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3AW
Opening times:
- Monday — Saturday 9am — 5pm
- Sunday 10:30am — 4:30pm
Location: St Mary’s St, Leeds LS9 7DP
Opening times:
- Tuesday — Saturday 9am — 4:45pm
Location: Unit C Oatland Ln, Woodhouse, Leeds LS7 1SP
Opening times:
- Monday — Friday 9am — 4:30pm
Location: Unit 3 Centre West Shopping Centre Stanningley Road LS12 3AS
Opening times:
- Monday — Saturday 9:30am — 5pm
- Sunday 10am — 4pm
Location: Merrion Centre, Merrion Way, Leeds LS2 8NG
Opening times:
- Monday — Saturday 11am — 6pm
Location: 49 Street Ln, Roundhay, Leeds LS8 1AP
Opening times:
- Monday — Saturday 9am — 5pm
Location: 5 The Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8NG
Opening times:
- Monday — Saturday 9am — 5pm
- Sunday 10am- 4pm
Online Second Hand Shopping
If you don’t feel like walking around and browsing rails of clothes, online second-hand buying is also a good way to buy clothes for a cheap prices and earn some money on your unwanted clothes! It is a great way to budget too… for example, you could allow yourself to only buy clothes from Vinted, once you have sold £25 worth of clothes on Vinted yourself. Every little helps!
Vinted and Depop
Buying
Vinted and Depop are great apps to buy second hand clothes. The apps are available to anyone and are free to download. They usually cost a little more than chairty shops, but you get a more curated experience and you don’t have to leave the house! It’s also easier to look for specific items from your favourite brands or in a certain size. From experience, Vinted tends to be cheaper than Depop to buy clothes.
To buy, simply search for your favourite brands and you can contact the seller with offers or buy for the price the seller is offering. You then pay for postage then they will post it to you. You can track your packages and leave feedback about your seller.
Selling
You can also sell your clothes on these platforms. It is a great way to earn a bit of extra cash. One month, I sold a few items and earned £45 on the app, which I then transferred to my bank account. That’s a couple of food shops worth of money for me!
You simply upload a few photos of your items, write a description, set a price and select which postage options (or price, if on Depop) you would like to use. Don’t forget to add hashtags as they can attract a lot of potential buyers. If you want to take your side hustle to the next level, make sure you follow other people and like their items. You then wait for someone to purchase your item and send it off! Sidenote — you need to have a PayPal account to sell on Depop.
Important to always take a picture of your postage receipt, as this is your ‘get out of jail for free’ card in case any items go missing!
I find it easier and safer to sell on Vinted. I have had issues in the past with items going missing due to some fault in the delivery, in which case Vinted simply refunds both you and the buyer if you have proof of postage. It can be a bit more difficult to get refunds using Depop!
Find out more about Vinted.
Find out more about Depop.
Hazzar Leeds
Hazzar Leeds is a brand new app that was derived from a Facebook group which was created with the aim of their consumers being students! It is a zero-waste marketplace where you can buy and sell clothes, textbooks and household items!
To gain access to Hazzar, you have to verify your student status, either buy or sell your item and, finally, meet the buyer or seller in person with a QR code to verify the purchase or the sale. This way, you can save on postage and it is super safe and easy to do!
