Furniture for first flat

DomRavioli

If you have a local Wilkinsons or B & M, they do cheap coffee tables, tables and chairs, and B & M do bed frames with really cheap local delivery. Stay away from Argos...their self assembly is literally impossible to put up. Malm bed from Ikea is simple to put up, just over 100 for the frame and they can deliver for a fee (check ebay to see if any local ones and get a man and van to pick up if you can't get in the car), and has lasted me over 3 years without any problems and put it up all on my own!!! check local charity shops for smaller furniture, BHF do have furniture shops and you can get them steamcleaned and get a loose cover for the price of a new one, Klippan sofa from Ikea is also fab and really easy to put up...but would advise ebay as so many people downsizing at the moment you can pick up fabulously cheap furniture!

property.advert

Avoid all the TV advertised cowboys with "interest free" lies. They are not selling you a product, they are simply selling you a 30% plus APR loan and chucking in a piece of crap furniture as a "free" gift or sweetener.

Do you really think they wait a year and then balance their cashflow with your £10 a month ? Of course not. They are paid out and the people financing the loan make a profit. If you don't know, go look up IRR (internal rate of return).

Ikea OK but not really long term and if you move away from their bottom priced stuff it is not that cheap. Better to look for sales and add as you go along. Stuff like a decent bed and half decent sofa (can easily be second hand) are the important ones.

yumyums

Oh forgot to mention, if you find a real bargain on Ebay, don't be put off if you can't collect it.
I used https://www.shiply.com where you can put in details of the collection/delivery you want and various man with van types can quote to do the job for you. I got furniture delivered from 200 miles away for only £40. Often, people are put off buying collection-only items and this is reflected in the low auction price.

Russe11

I would advise against buying second hand matresses, plenty of nasties could cause problems.

One place where investment is well worth is as its where you spend a 1/3rd of your life.

ebryant25

ebay is most prob your best shout, there are loads of ebay shops with good reputations and sell good quality furniture. But obviously the biggest advantage with Ikea and other shop retailers you can actually see the furniture ... which some people like to do ... but Ebay you will get yourself a bargain no doubt

Slimchandi

Hi folks, thanks for all your very useful replies! I'm busy trying to sort things out at the moment for the move but I will drop back in to let you know how I get on. A friend of mine already recommended an ebay store from a mattress factory which was good value for money, now just need to resist the urge to get everything straight away. I've saved up a bit so hopefully can avoid the need for loans or IFC as much as possible.

Maybe for now just the bare essentials and add to it with nice stuff as it becomes available at a good price.

:beer:

scubaangel

I know other people have mentioned it but once you move in keep a close eye on your local freegle network and a site I've only just discovered - ecobees, since I moved in to my new place I've managed to pick up some nice things which are 'nice to have' rather than essentials, and saved myself a good £300+, the other one is don't be put off by charity shop items, I've seen some really nice stuff in my local shops - although I know that sort of things is very area dependent.

Good luck.