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"What a score": Woman finds rare gems in Vinnie's op shop

<p>One lucky thrift shopper has stumbled upon a rare find in her local charity shop, spotting stunning opal earrings on sale for just $2. </p> <p>The shopper took to Facebook to share her find, posting a photo of the gold earrings adorned with a series of blue opals that she got from a Vinnie's op-shop in Queensland.</p> <p>Many were quick to agree that they were "such a rare find" because of the low price, as admirers described the jewellery as "Pretty", "amazing" and "beautiful".</p> <p>"Holy moly," one person exclaimed. "I can't breathe," one other said. "What a score," another agreed.</p> <p>While some people were skeptical that the gems weren't real, others said, "There's no way someone would set that many beautiful opals into costume jewellery so I'd say you have found a unicorn there."</p> <p>"They most certainly look genuine opal and diamond," another agreed — and so do the experts.</p> <p>Sebastian Heffernan from Lightning Ridge Opal mines told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/womans-rare-2-find-at-vinnies-op-shop-worth-1000-absolute-steal-042951545.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Yahoo News</em></a> that while it's difficult to determine based on photos alone, the opals "don't appear to be fake". </p> <p>"It's normally pretty obvious when they are," he explained. "They would look a little bit too perfect a lot of the time. Whereas these ones, you can see that some of them have little dots of colour, some have medium flashes."</p> <p>Assuming the opals are real but the diamonds are fake and the gold is plated, rather than solid, Sebastian guessed the earrings could sell for just couple of hundred.</p> <p>However, Wayne Sedawie, who owns Opal and Gem Stone Auctions, reckons the lucky thrifter could fetch close to $1,000 for the earrings, if resold or cashed in to a reseller, and suggested she get them valued.</p> <p>"It's definitely good to maybe get them looked at by someone in person because they do look quite nice from the photo, and the metal itself could be worth a little bit if it is actual gold," Sebastian added. "But either way, two bucks is an absolute steal".</p> <p>"That's such a great find. They're beautiful," Wayne agreed. "Just clean them up and they'll last a thousand years."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Shock over op shop item listed for $2,000

<p>An Aussie charity shop has come under fire after a shopper spotted a luxury item with a hefty four-figure price tag. </p> <p>A woman was browsing the shelves at the Vinnies Op Shop in Tamworth where she spotted a forest green handbag by luxury brand Balenciaga for sale for a whopping $2,000. </p> <p>While the handbag retails at roughly $4,000, the eye-watering "sale" price has infuriated many after a customer spotted it isolated on a shelf in-store. </p> <p>"How in the world would a normal everyday person be able to afford that? At the stage now it’s cheaper to go to Kmart," a local woman hit out on social media.</p> <p>Others agreed, saying it's a "slap in the face when everything is donated in first place".</p> <p>"It’s ridiculous these days, all the op shops are so overpriced. Very much so in the suburb I live in because it’s a wealthy area, they think everyone who walks in is loaded," another said, commenting on the designer bag.</p> <p>Vinnies was quick to respond to the backlash over the expensive item, Vinnies North West area manager Julie Crosby reiterated that Vinnies shops are charity stores. </p> <p>"We're raising funds," she told the <em><a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/tagged/social-media/" data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:ABC;cpos:8;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="18" data-v9y="1">ABC</a></em>. "We can spend that money on helping out homeless people, domestic violence issues where we're relocating families".</p> <p>Store manager Megan Moffat added, "It's a beautiful little handbag" implying the $2,000 is justified.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock / Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

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8 feel good ways to donate your clutter

<p>Determined to get your home looking perfect? Giving your excess stuff away is a great way to declutter your home and live more simply. These easy ideas can transform your life (and your home). Here’s how to get started.</p> <p>You open the wardrobe and your clothes fall out. Squeezing that last lid into the pots and pans drawer becomes as hard as doing a <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/puzzles.html">Sudoku</a>, there’s so much in there already. You pile up books you’ll never read next to your bed, fill drawers with products you’ll probably never use and feel like you’re just, well, drowning in stuff.<br /><br />Sound familiar? You’re not alone. In fact, surveys have found that two out of three of us would be happier living with less, and more simply. This move away from materialism is not surprising, says James Wallman, author of <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/71095/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fstuffocation-james-wallman%2Fprod9780241257357.html">Stuffocation</a>.</p> <p>“As people get older they are less interested in having more things,” he explains. “As there are more people on our finite planet and more of them are becoming middle class, there is ever more pressure on resources. And as more of us move to cities, we are buying fewer cars, and our homes are getting smaller, meaning less room to put things.”</p> <p>We want to <a href="https://quote.realinsurance.com.au/home/referral/wyza">feel safe and comfortable in our homes</a>. And, he adds, we tend to view excess stuff in a negative way. “We think [stuff] means more hassle, more to manage and more to think about.” He’s right!</p> <p><strong>How to start the declutter process<br /></strong>If you’re keen to live a more minimalist life, it’s time to do two things:</p> <ol> <li>a) Stop bringing things into your home (especially if you have a problem with clutter) and <br />b) Start donating your stuff to get it out of your hair and out of your home.<em><br />Ask yourself: 'Do I really need these things?'</em></li> </ol> <p>A great strategy for doing this is what organisational guru <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/71095/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Flighten-up-peter-walsh%2Fprod9781439155158.html">Peter Walsh</a> calls the ‘trashbag tango’.</p> <p>“Wander around your house for 10 minutes a day and fill one garbage bag with garbage and the other with stuff you don’t need. If there are two of you, [and you] do that for a week, that’s 14 bags of trash and 14 bags of stuff to donate. If you do that for a month that’s 60 bags of trash and 60 bags of stuff you can donate. That’s 120 garbage bags out of your house for 10 minutes a day, in a month. But you have to stop stuff coming in at the same time. If you do that for a month, you will see a huge change.”</p> <p><strong>Where to donate your stuff<br /></strong>If your local charity bins always seem to be full, there are many other options are open to you. Here’s our go-to guide for the best places to declutter and donate.</p> <p><strong>1. Find the perfect (donation) match: <a href="http://www.givit.org.au/">Givit</a></strong></p> <p>If you’ve got specific things to get rid of, you can easily search this great website for items needed by charities around Australia. The site’s aim is to match ‘generosity with genuine need’ and to connect an online network of givers. You can clearly see which items are required by members of your local community and if you can help, great! You can also pledge items into the virtual warehouse and if a local charity wants the item, you will be connected to agree on a delivery option.</p> <p><strong>2. Furniture clear out: <a href="http://www.vinnies.org.au/">St Vincent De Paul</a></strong></p> <p>It’s easy to donate quality clothes, books, music, bric-a-brac by simply dropping in to your local Vinnies store, but if you have furniture to donate and no way to get it there, there are pick-up options in most Australian states. To find out the relevant numbers to arrange pick-up vist <a href="http://www.vinnies.org.au/page/Donate/Donate_Goods/">here</a>.</p> <p><strong>3. Declutter and donate: <a href="http://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/">The Smith Family</a></strong></p> <p>If you live in NSW or the ACT, this charity accepts clean clothing, accessories, bedding with no stains or rips. Donations of furniture and bulky goods (non electrical items) can be accepted in certain regions of NSW only. There are clothing bins throughout NSW and the ACT and the charity also collects from homes and businesses in Sydney, the Central Coast, Wollongong, the Illawarra, the Blue Mountains and Canberra. Call 1300 737 166 to book a collection. Or to find a bin in your area visit <u><a href="http://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/">The Smith Family</a>.</u></p> <p><strong>4. Donate unwanted bras: <a href="http://www.upliftbras.org/">The Uplift Project</a></strong></p> <p>Changed bra sizes and still have some old bras in good nick? Donate them to women in the Asia Pacific region who often can’t afford or obtain bras for themselves. This project helps to collect bras locally and distribute bras where needed. You can drop your bras off at specified addresses near you, or simply pop them in the post. To find out more  <a href="http://www.upliftbras.org/">click here</a>.</p> <p><strong>5. Help someone get a job: <a href="http://www.wearforsuccess.org.au/">Wear for Success</a></strong></p> <p>This not for profit organisation gives disadvantaged people a suitable outfit for interviews and helps with career support training. It also runs programs helping a range of people needing support to find employment (including migrants, refugees, indigenous Australians, those with mental health issues and young people). If you live in Melbourne and can donate some professional workwear in good condition, visit the <a href="http://www.wearforsuccess.org.au/">site</a>for more info.<a href="http://www.wearforsuccess.org.au/"> </a><br /><br /><strong>6. Good workwear wanted: <a href="http://www.fittedforwork.org/">Fitted For Work</a></strong><br />This fantastic organisation offers mentoring, work experience opportunities, interview practice and resume writing to disadvantaged women seeking work – as well as a personal outfitting service in Sydney and Melbourne. They’re always looking for good workwear (including shoes, jewellery and handbags) that is clean, appropriate for interviews and in good condition.<em><br />Two out of three of us say we would be happier with less stuff</em></p> <p><strong>7. Donate old mobile phones: <a href="http://youcan.org.au/">Canteen</a></strong></p> <p>Got an old mobile phone stashed away in a drawer that still works? Around 70 percent of Australians do, according to the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association. Instead, put it to good use by donating it to Canteen, the youth cancer foundation. You can download a pre-paid label from the <a href="http://youcan.org.au/">website</a>and post your phone in to be recycled and resold – the money raised goes to establishing specialised cancer facilities around Australia.<a href="http://youcan.org.au%20/"></a><br /><br /><strong>8. More options: <a href="http://www.givenow.com.au/">Give Now</a> </strong><br />Still not sure where to donate your clothes and other goods? This <a href="http://www.givenow.com.au/">site</a> features a list of places you can donate in your area and charities which accept everything from food parcels to books to blankets. Bikes, cars, corks, electricals and even land can also be given to select charities so remember, if you’ve got no use for it and it’s cluttering up your life, there’s a way to give it someone who needs it more.</p> <p><em>Written by Rachel Smith. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/lifestyle/wyza-life/8-feel-good-ways-to-donate-your-clutter.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Caring

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Energy companies charging too much, finds Vinnies report

<p>The removal of price controls has resulted in soaring retail margins from energy retailers, finds new research by St Vincent de Paul Society.</p> <p>"The retail component of bills is too high in the deregulated, competitive electricity market," the report said. "This is either because the cost of competition is high or because competition is ineffective.</p> <p>"We have an energy retail market that ensures customers are paying over the odds for an essential service unless they annually dedicate time to compare energy plans and switch retailer."</p> <p>The retail margin has risen to $600 per customer and is by far the largest component of an energy bill. The survey found that in some household in Victoria (which has been deregulated for several years) as much as 45 per cent of the electricity bill is paid to the retailer and only 11 per cent of the bill covers electricity used. In New South Wales, the retail component sits around 30 per cent.</p> <p>The St Vincent De Paul Society report also noted that many households cannot shop around for the lowest prices, with these household often paying 50 per cent more for electricity than households who had looked for a better deal.</p> <p>"There will always be customers who will not or cannot participate in the market, and allowing retailers to charge them a significant premium, just because they can, is not an acceptable outcome," Gavin Dufty, policy and research manager with the St Vincent de Paul Society, told The Sydney Morning Herald.</p> <p>The report said that even when households looked around for cheaper contracts, those deals typically only ran for a year. It means that in order to remain competitive, households need to devote time every year to look for cheaper energy deals.</p> <p>"With the outrageous retail premiums that customers are currently being charged, we need the market model fixed rather than just blaming consumers for failing to shop around," Mr Dufty said. "Unlike other markets, people can't exit the [energy] market.”</p> <p>Mr Dufty called for the government to overhaul the energy market, saying the evidence points to the costly and ineffective competition in the market.</p> <p>Source: The Sydney Morning Herald</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="/finance/money-banking/2015/11/everyday-tips-to-reduce-bills/">5 ways to reduce everyday bills</a></span></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="/lifestyle/energy/2015/11/how-electricity-system-works/">An interesting look at how the electricity system works</a></span></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/energy/2015/09/save-money-on-air-conditioning/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">10 ways to save on air conditioning</span></a></strong></em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

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