In the last week alone, I have noticed huge increases in the price of basic groceries, not to mention petrol.
Rotisserie chickens at one local supermarket suddenly jumped by more than R15, while a six-pack of milk crept past R100 instead of hovering around R89.
Even the humble bread roll seems to have become more expensive overnight.
All these little increases add up and one does begin to wonder, when prices go up, do they ever really come down again when Trump is finished with Iran.
Anybody on the Garden Route will also know we have endured days of grim weather, with rain and wind lashing the area.
It was all beginning to feel a little depressing, so clearly it was time for some retail therapy.
Retail therapy is defined as the habit of shopping not simply out of necessity, but for emotional comfort, distraction or reward.
Whether it is a new lipstick, a scented candle, or simply a good cup of coffee, small purchases can provide a temporary lift during stressful times.
At least that is my story and I am sticking to it.
There is even something called the “lipstick index”, a theory suggesting that people continue spending money on small luxuries during difficult economic periods, even while cutting back on major purchases.
The phrase was coined by Leonard Lauder after he noticed a rise in lipstick sales during an economic slowdown in the early 2000s.
The concept is simple. When consumers become cautious about expensive items such as cars, holidays or designer fashion, they still allow themselves affordable indulgences that offer comfort or a little confidence boost.
Lipstick became the symbol of this trend, but economists and marketers have since extended the theory to include everything from skincare and perfume to café coffees and beauty products.
I do not actually need anything. I have more than enough clothes and shoes and certainly do not need more lipstick.
But I did feel the need to buy something small to cheer myself up and what better excuse for some thrifting?
I am familiar with the charity shops in Knysna, but had not yet visited Thrift Fair Emporium on Leisure Isle.
A trip to Leisure Isle is always pleasant. There is plenty of parking, lovely coffee shops and one of the best walks in Knysna around the estuary with views of The Heads. On the day I visited, the sun was even shining.
The shop itself is surprisingly large, with different rooms and corners to explore, all set in a charming garden environment.
It has been lovingly curated with sections devoted to everything from shoes and handbags to jeans, jackets and evening wear.
You could easily spend more than an hour browsing.
I found a pair of luxury brand jeans which would have cost more than R1,000 new, but I picked them up for R250. That is part of the thrill of thrift shopping.
One moment you might stumble across a beaded handbag from the Far East, the next a pair of designer sunglasses or an elegant piece of Italian fashion.
Owner Penny van As tells me thrift shopping is growing in popularity all over the world.
Even Gen Z shoppers are embracing it because they are increasingly conscious of sustainability and the environmental footprint they leave behind.
“Thrifting at this level gives people the opportunity to buy something they perhaps could never afford new,” Van As said.
“Everything here is gently used and in perfect condition. You will find Louis Vuitton, but you will also find R100 bargains.”
The Garden Route, with its many affluent swallows who divide their lives between SA and overseas, creates fertile ground for this kind of shopping.
Many lightly worn garments and luxury items from around the world eventually find their way into thrift stores.
The whole concept of thrifting makes perfect sense.
When you are tired of an item of clothing, or perhaps it doesn’t fit anymore, provided it is in good condition, you can trade it in and even get something for it.
The Garden Route does not exactly overflow with high-end fashion boutiques, apart from a few stores in the main George mall so the Thrift Fair Emporium fills this gap.
“The only disappointment I ever want customers to have is that the item they love is not in their size, because there is only one of everything,” Van As said.
Another enjoyable way to shop on the Garden Route is by visiting charity shops such as Hospice, which can be found in almost every town.
These stores may not have the glamour of an upmarket thrift boutique, but they are treasure troves in their own right.
You will find everything from clothing and books to ornaments, artworks and household items.
With Knysna home to many retirees, shops such as Knysna Animal Welfare Society and Hospice are sometimes even bequeathed entire estates, meaning shoppers can occasionally pick up furniture and remarkable collectables.
My own first encounter with thrifting came shortly after I moved to Knysna in 2015, during the heyday of the Pink Loerie Festival when the town hosted two Mr Gay World events.
I had been invited to one of the black-tie evening events and the dress code was pink.
My little black dress was definitely not going to cut it and I had only about an hour to find something suitable.
A colleague pointed me towards the nearby charity shops. I distinctly remember wrinkling my nose at the suggestion, but I was out of options.
Within a very short time, between the Hospice shop and the KAWS store, I found a gorgeous pink silk outfit with a designer label, a matching handbag and, blow me down, even strappy sandals to complete the look.
The entire makeover cost about R100.
Today, Knysna’s charity-shop trail includes the Hospice Shop in Long Street, along with the Knysna Animal Welfare Society shop, Epilepsy and Red Cross stores around the block.
In Plettenberg Bay, there are Hospice and PAWS charity shops, while George has the popular Garden Route SPCA store, which does brisk business.
One of my favourite things about these shops is their book sections.
You will find everything from trashy novels to cookbooks, travel guides, hiking books, nature titles and children’s stories.
I once stumbled across a limited-edition collection of short stories by Herman Charles Bosman.
In 2022, Cindie van der Walt came to Knysna, bringing with her from Nelspruit a branch of Ons Winkel — part of Solidariteit Helpende Hand organisation — which set up shop on the main road.
It is one of 122 Ons Winkel stores around the country and the only one on the Garden Route.
You will find all sorts of things here from hockey sticks to pots and pans.
This shop stocks the usual suspects you find in a charity shop from clothes to a range of bric-a-brac, but they also have a range of gorgeous gowns for weddings and matric dances including some created by South African designers.
Some dresses are available to buy and others can be rented.
Funds raised go directly towards the organisation’s various support projects, including education initiatives and feeding schemes.
Moral of the story is simple. Charity or thrift shopping is a win-win for everyone.
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