How do you replace big household items/decorate without getting into debt?

[Deleted User]

immoral_angeluk wrote:

I wouldn't pay £700 for new beds and bedding let alone just mattress toppers and new bedding! Our bed and mattress cost £180 inc delivery, Pillows were £5 from tesco, quilt about £10, and bedding sets you can buy for around £10 a set...
How on earth did you get £700???

I've just got my first home and our bed cost £600 alone.. you know what, it was worth it, it's better than the bed's i've slept on in good hotels. Some people actually value good beds and bedding and are prepared to pay more for them. I also know that my 300 thread count sheets and duvet will last a lot longer than other cheaper sheets

You get what you pay for

Bargain_Rzl

Hey Lisa - WE don't think you're cheap

If your mum does, that's her problem not yours! Pontins is nothing to be ashamed of!

Re: bedding, I've found that TK Maxx has some brilliant bargains, really good quality stuff for low prices. One thing I would say is, make a budget and stick to it - cos not all the stuff in TK Maxx is really "cheap", sometimes it's just vastly reduced from "hideously expensive" to "expensive" .

To give you an idea, I've recently bought (for a double bed) - 2 100% Egyptian cotton fitted sheets £7 each, 2 duvet/pillowcase sets £15 each. All look like they're made to last.

Also try Roseby's, there are some good bargains in the sale.

astonsmummy

but when you havent really got the money, is it woth getting into debt for?
I do know what you mean about a good bed though.

You can get paint fairly easy, a lick of magnoilia over all the walls will make it look fresh, then you can just add coloured accessories, as far as bedding goes, we have feather duvets and pillows, i got them 3 years ago and still going strong, dunno how much they cost though, look on ebay, do you have a TJ hughes near you? they are good for beedding, same as primark aint too bad.

Bargain_Rzl

ringo_24601 wrote:

You get what you pay for

Well, no, you get what you know how to shop for

If you DO have the ready money to buy good quality items that will last (which incidentally is what I generally try to do) then you can buy it at full retail price or you can find the equivalent at a discount.

Like the M&S example rog2 just gave.

I appreciate it's not always possible to be in the right place at the right time, but if I hadn't been able to afford a decent new bed when I moved into my new place (six weeks ago) I would have got hold of a borrowed or second-hand one until I could find a high quality new one at a price I could afford.

immoral_angeluk

ringo_24601 wrote:

I've just got my first home and our bed cost £600 alone.. you know what, it was worth it, it's better than the bed's i've slept on in good hotels. Some people actually value good beds and bedding and are prepared to pay more for them. I also know that my 300 thread count sheets and duvet will last a lot longer than other cheaper sheets

You get what you pay for

If you can afford to pay £600 for a bed then fair play to you but we've had our bed about 3 years so I think we've done pretty well.

nearlyrich

Lisa you will have the last laugh if you stick to your resolution to stop running up debt and pay as you go for things that you want or need. I would rather pay a fiver and replace my 2 pillows every year than £30 each and keep tham for 5 years and cheap duvets keep you just as warm.

I know it's hard when you see friends and family freely spending but it's a lot nicer to spend money you have and only pay the original cost with no crazy CC interest.

immoral_angeluk

lisa_75 wrote:

Yes, they are in debt, I know it. Some 10 times more than us. It is just so depressing when they have their shiny, new perfect homes and are so smug about it. Or when they are having an expensive holiday and we are taking the kids to Pontins with a cheap deal I found on here.

But although it may seem like it you are in a much better position than they are. You're sorting out your debt instead of adding to it... imagine how hard they're going to come crashing down when the debt finally gets on top of them and they can't afford to keep up their flash lifestyles let alone pay their debts.
As a species humans are very materialistic but you DON'T need expensive holidays and shiny perfect homes to be happy. As long as you've got your health, your family, a roof over your head and food in the cupboard wouldn't you be happier knowing that you didn't have tonnes of debt hanging over your head? Imagine what your life will be like once all your debt is repaid and you have so much more disposable income available that you didn't have before. You'll be able to have whatever you want within reason and enjoy it without a massive debt cloud and guilt hanging over your head!

astonsmummy

And going to pontins does not mean you are being cheap, in my experience (of being a child) kids will have fun wherever they go, be it spain or skegness.
Anyways, i'm off to pontins in feb and july!

immoral_angeluk

astonsmummy wrote:

And going to pontins does not mean you are being cheap, in my experience (of being a child) kids will have fun wherever they go, be it spain or skegness.
Anyways, i'm off to pontins in feb and july!

We went to Torquay for a weekend for our honeymoon paid for by the travel vouchers we'd asked for as wedding gifts... does that make us cheap? No. Having spent 10 days at a 5 star hotel in Cyprus a few years back I can tell you that it's not the destination or cost that makes a holiday, it's the people you're with.
I'd rather go to pontins instead of spain anyday.... spain is full of spaniards so I hear...

looby75

lisa, just remind your mum at least your kids will be getting a holiday this year, many (mine included) won't be and there is nothing wrong with pontins! Kids really aren't as bothered about trips abroad as you would think, as long as they have a swimming pool to splash around in and some new friends to play with they usually couldn't care less if they are in Florida or Filey!

You have done fantastically well to reduce your debts by so much in just a year, if you keep going you will be debt free soon, and all the money you have been spending on paying off debts will be all yours to do the nice things you want to, guilt and interest free! So while your friends/family are having sleepless nights in their posh bedding worrying about how they are going to pay next months cc bill you will be sleeping easy knowing that while you bedding might not be quite as posh as theirs pretty soon you will have the money to pay for all the posh stuff you want.

Keep up the good work and don't let other people make you feel looked down on just because you are doing the right thing financially.