Quite simply, one would not be seen dead in a secondhand store because it meant you were too poor to shop at a 'proper' outlet.

That said, most parents did not think twice about dressing their children in older siblings' hand-me-downs, it just made sense to do so because children outgrew clothing so fast they hardly got any wear out of their outfits before it was time to upsize.

Nowadays, op shops are kind of cool, providing not only for the needy but the wealthier members of society who see op shopping as leisure or a treasure-hunting activity.

Indeed, recent data shows some three in ten op shoppers earn $75,000 a year, a figure certainly not poor by Dubbo standards.

In a world where people feel increasingly weighed down by too many possessions they do not need, an op shop allows them to donate gear they couldn't bear to throw away.

That said, inconsiderates who use op shop collection areas as a dumping ground for soiled mattresses they would not even let their dog sleep on probably deserve a kick in the guts with one of their broken-heeled boots they've probably tried to offload as well.

This week is Op Shop Week, and while op shops are the focus for those seven days, there's no reason why we should not check out the variety of things on offer all year round.

How many times have we shelled out for a hat or other race day outfit that we have worn just once?

And as many learnt the hard way, power bills are a lot more expensive than the one-off cost of a blanket.