First Time Buyer: Best way to buy all the household stuff

Tiddlywinks

You haven't said that money is tight.... so, if you are able to buy new then I would go to John Lewis for kitchen appliances - they have the best warranties and are helpful when things go wrong. You could get one of their store cards (they sometimes do a 10% off joining incentive plus you'll earn points which convert into vouchers for later spending.

Also, I've found the Co-op online electrical store really competitive and the service has always been efficient. Again, you can get points....

As to furniture - ebay is great as is Ikea for keeping to a tight budget.

farazfastian

Many Thanks for so many replies, yes i've already prioritize the stuff to buy. So following are the must have things i'm planning to buy in the first week and i'm willing to buy new and reliable quality as these things you don't buy that often. My max budget is in the brackets, could you all suggest reasonable brands now? Thanks

Fridge/Freezer (400)
Microwave (50)
Electric Kettle (30)
Stove (400)
Hoover (200)
Sofa (800)
Bed/Mattress (1000)

Regards,

evoke

If the property you're purchasing is currently furnished then make an offer on the vendors leaving some things behind. Freecycle is also a very good option if you are able to arrange transport of white goods and get them installed.

PasturesNew

Local auction houses are good to check too - where bailiffs have called round, stuff like furniture goes for virtually nothing as nobody wants it.

JQ.

White goods - look on Ebay for GRADED items. These are items that have generally been damaged in transit. They are brand new but usually have a dent or scratch on them which in no way affects their performance. We bought a Bosch fridge with 2 year guarantee for £120 last year that retails in John Lewis for £375. Admitedly there was a small dent on the front door, however, on the basis that the front of our fridge is covered in our kids drawings, it really does not matter.

There are also lots of Graded items where the scartches are on the side or rear, where they can't be seen when in place.

dizziblonde

Amazing how kind people can be if they find out it's your first home you're setting up as well. I had colleagues from my new job I'd moved for chipping in with bits and bobs, relatives with old sofas they said I could have (I use the word "old" sparingly here - it was an immaculate leather one I only got rid of in the end - to another family member and careful owner - because it was too big for us when we were on our feet), a bed, dining table, fridges people had as spare beer fridges... loads of stuff just from asking around the relatives when I moved.

I bought lots of the very very basic unstained Ikea furniture like chests of drawers for £20 - they did the job for years, some of them are still going now as spare room furniture when I gradually acquired proper matching furniture in rooms, and one set got stained up and is living in my mum's bathroom - so they must have been built to last.

Pans and things - Ikea again do a decent kitchen starter box, or places like Tesco have decent crocker, even Poundstretcher have nice mugs (and also cushions and rugs in there too - they've got one that's £20 that's identical to one I paid £50 for in Ikea). Microwave - I had a £25 wonder from Asda that lasted a good 3-4 years, similar with kettles till I gave in and bought a psychadelic colour-changing disco kettle because I'm gullible like that. If you've got more money for things like pans (I'm a bit of a kitchen snob and replaced all ours with good stuff recently) then keeping an eye in TK Maxx can be good - I got a really good pan and knife set there for quite a decent reduction. Ikea bargain corner can be either a feast or famine (our local one's dire, the one I used to go to in Gateshead when I lived up north was really good - I had a corner bookcase I'd picked up for £20 that was my TV cabinet for a good few years). If you're near one - sometimes Matalan clearance stores have really nice bedding in - my mum practically lives in the Sunderland one and picked me up the most snuglable dont want to get out of beddable Egyptian cotton bedding set for something stupid like £3.50!

Taken me about 7-8 years but I've finally got a range of furniture that matches (apart from hubby's computer desk cos he's being an arkward git about letting me replace it - because of his height we're limited in choice), I picked a furniture range I liked and I've bought bits as and when I had spare cash and gradually worked past all the hand-me-downs I started out with. I did better than my mum though, when she moved out they spent their first few weeks sat in deckchairs watching TV as they couldn't afford a sofa!

It's also the time of year people are getting new sofas for Christmas (I've never understood the logic of this but the first DFS van of the season - like the first swallows of summer - was down our street today), so your chances of getting a one someone's getting rid of might be higher!

amr_scotland

If you want brand new sign-up for the Argos newsletter, you get great deals on household stuff often with additional discount codes. I think Argos are also running the free £5/£10 voucher scheme when you spend more than £50 or £100.

Tim_Deegan

farazfastian wrote: »

Many Thanks for so many replies, yes i've already prioritize the stuff to buy. So following are the must have things i'm planning to buy in the first week and i'm willing to buy new and reliable quality as these things you don't buy that often. My max budget is in the brackets, could you all suggest reasonable brands now? Thanks

Fridge/Freezer (400)
Microwave (50)
Electric Kettle (30)
Stove (400)
Hoover (200)
Sofa (800)
Bed/Mattress (1000)

Regards,

You don't need to spend anywhere near £1000 to get a top quality high spec divan set.

If I were you I would stay away from big brand names and big chain stores if you want good quality at a low price, and shop on line from a seller who gives a proper satisfaction guarantee that allows you to actually unpack and sleep on the mattress. This way it is in their interest to make sure that you make the right choice the first time.

farazfastian

Current Vendors leaving nothing they're taking even the small mirrors, curtains and bins too. So i would never buy anything from them.

dizziblonde

farazfastian wrote: »

Current Vendors leaving nothing they're taking even the small mirrors, curtains and bins too. So i would never buy anything from them.

Wish ours were taking the novelty TV watching hinged mirror they've got attached to the kitchen doorframe - you seriously haven't seen anything like it in your life!