furnish your house for buttons

16011996

Don't forget car boot sales, I got a blue modern style rug for my front room (8 foot by 4 foot) for £8 last week and a pine corner bathroom cabinet with a mirror on the front, and all the fixings for £10 (never been used.)

Petree

Does anyone know any details of the police auctions? aparently you can pick up dvd players for around a fiver since they're stolen but no one has claimed em, any ideas anyone?

There's a auction house near me that puts the catalogues on the web about a week before the sail, what i do is copy and paste into word, it's usually about 9 pages, then cut out the things you don't want like "mixed box of 200 computer power cables" and then you can do google searches for the other items, and ebay em for a rough guide price, means when you get there you only have 20 things to look at on the day and can yay or nay em.

Most auctions have a time slot between end of auction and paying so don't worry about carrying cash all day, just add em up and head for the cash point (remember the premiums and/or vat), get to the local cashpoint quick though as people draw out £1000 on their cards and the machines soon run out of money.

Savvy_Sue

Does anyone know any details of the police auctions? aparently you can pick up dvd players for around a fiver since they're stolen but no one has claimed em, any ideas anyone?

Try http://www.bumblebeeauctions.co.uk - don't know if it's the one you wanted but I happened to know this address!

Petree

Had tried that one but it seems fairly empty!
I think they are also the ones where baliffs and such sell their goods? hence why reposessed people get £2 for a £200 bike!

cathy_3

most auctions sell baliffs stuff, and house clearances

someones hard luck is anothers bargain I suppose

shame isnt it

Plumpud_3

We have a daily local evening paper, they have a special auction page every Saturday. All of the local auction houses advertise in it. They also do an article on what has been sold recently - usually expensive antiques. Covers agricultural, antiques, liquidation, general effects, police and general junk auctions.

Our local police use the same auction house. Suggest you look on your local Police website, probably won't tell you, but will give a contact e-mail address. Ask them who they use via that. E-mail is better than phoning. If you phone noone ever knows who deals with it and you'll just be passed on, and on, and on, costing you money in phone charges. If you e-mail them it will be passed to whoever deals with it, they have targets to deal with e-mails under the E-government initiatives. You should get a reply within 48 hours (exc. weekends).

I've bought loads from auctions over the years. I now use e-bay, but not much use for larger items, as mostsellers won't use couriers. Having said that I've bought a brand new panasonic vacuum cleaner and a new office chair (sat on it now) which had a couple of scratches on the legs, both delivered by courier. Also worth searching for what you are interested in, e.g. 'table' or 'wardrobe' and ebay e-mail you daily showing newly listed in that category. I got a triple TP swing and accessories that way, wait until one comes up local to you so you can collect it. It was 18 months old and less than half price.

You can get second-hand teak furniture for peanuts at the moment as it is not in fashion. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it. It is a hardwood, and will look as good in 30 years time as it does now, with very minimal care. It is worth getting even if you don't like it, for things that are essential as it is so cheap. For tables you can cover them with a cloth. You can use it until you find or can afford a replacement.

When I first left home many years ago, I was given all sorts of bits and pieces. Never turn them down, as they may not give you anything else again. If you really don't like it or need it, pass it on. Charity shops or local furniture recycling operation will take it off your hands - see yellow pages.

terrierlady

;D in reply to the skip find i was out walking the dog and a man was putting a bedroom suite in his, i asked why he replied my mrs likes IKEA design stuff!!!
How much for that lot I said ;
Nothing take it away was his reply
Explained I was out with the dog and would need to wait for evening, he asked where I lived and then said he would deliver it which he did refused the petrol money and even placed the pieces for me . I polished them up and 3 years later sold them to a friend for 250.00.

word of warning my Husband was horrified that I had got the items this way so now I just say I brought it cheap.

Yes it has become a habit if i see anything, London was the best hunting ground and new estates.

waaag

Thanks for that Cathy, I have discovered the joys of auctions, too! Infact, I have furnished the house on a shoestring, using auctions,(animal charity ones here are really good) car-boots, tabletop sales and jumbles - otherwise I'd still be saving up for things. It's true it's very addictive, but you just need to discipline yourself! Alas, I have earned the name of Mrs Trebus (referring of course to the late, wonderful Mr Trebus off the TV programme 'A Life Of Grime'!) as I too, like to hoard "just a bit"!. Its true, the stuff you get has been made to last and is often superior quality to modern stuff, it has character, and you can also re-paint things, change handles or jazz up your junk - restore things, sometimes it's half the fun. My boyfriend used to help with house clearances - mostly the stuff was destined for the tip and many a time I've jumped on the lorry to look what is there when it's daylight -(too excited to even get dressed - just wellies and a nightie sometimes! before he gets impatient and drives away!!) And the best thing I got was a walnut tv cabinet - beautiful. With reference to skips - I managed to level off my garden with 10 ton of soil from a skip thrown away by a neighbour along with the leftover turf and plants from another neighbour - then, from a thrown away garden shed the best bits were taken and rebuilt into a large kennel for my dog! painted with wood preserve, fitted with a radiator £2 from auction, it looked impressive! Waste not, want not and recycle! That's what I say. ;D

cathy_3

taking stuff out of the skip reminds me of the time our pub threw out their tables and chairs, didnt like the landlord so didnt ask him, he was the type to say NO just for the hell of it. so sneaked up one night and threw 4 chairs in the back of the 4x4 and off I went home

got home only 3 chairs

went back 200 yard to the pub

no chair

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System

A GREAT HELP TO US WHEN WE HAVE NEEDED THINGS IS JUST TO LET ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS KNOW AND DON'T BE PROUD ABOUT ACCEPTING THINGS.
WE GOT A SOFA FROM A FRIEND A LONG TIME AGO AND IT HAS SLOWLY WORN AWAY.
WE SENT OUT AN E-MAIL TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND THEN GOT A REPLY FROM ONE SAYING THAT THEY WERE GETTING RID OF THEIRS SOON SO DO WE WANT IT?
OF COURSE WE SAID YES AND IT SHOULD ARRIVE ON WEDNESDAY.
WE HAVE OFFERED A DONATION TO THERE CHOSEN CHARITY FOR THE SOFA.
AS YOU GIVE .................
DON'T BE PROUD AND SPEND THE MONEY ON YOUR FAMILY INSTEAD OF WASTING IT IN SHOPS.