How much on average furnishing new home and money saving tips?

Lobby12

Totally agree to get quality second hand stuff - I internet searched current prices for what we got from eBay and it is good quality stuff and very well made. We also have from our rental place some bookcases and units handmade by my granddad who was a carpenter - dovetail joints which you won't see in any John Lewis or other supposed high quality brand these days. These have lasted 75 years so far. Avoid cheap ikea stuff at all costs - won't last u a week and looks awful.

dgtazzman

Don't buy from John Lewis, get it from Very or Isme. Same company, same goods, considerably lower prices. They're all on Quidco too. Bought a lot of our stuff there, the rest from Sainsburys, they tend to sell stuff cheap when they decide to stop doing a range and if I believe the reviews, their stuff is above average quality, though I have yet to put it together.

Wanted to get stuff to last that looked good this time, though of that 4k, about half was for a new bed and recliner sofa's. We actually had money this time round

trailingspouse

First house? We bought a new bed, but sofa, fridge, cooker, dining table were second hand. We didn't have a washing machine at all - I washed things by hand/used the coin-op for 6 months until we could afford to re-do the whole kitchen. No microwave either, but that was mostly because they hadn't been invented yet...

You can get some very cheap furniture from antique auctions - so-called 'brown' furniture is crazy cheap at the moment. We've just got a huge French polished dining room table plus 8 chairs for £500, a fabulous oak china display cabinet for £50, a burr walnut wardrobe for £38, and a dressing table with a stool for £55. They don't just sell antiques - most 'normal' auctions also sell modern stuff, and electricals (they're tested prior to sale, and you have 24 hours to take them back if they don't work). The advantage over ebay is that you can go and look before you buy.

Don't make the mistake of thinking you can get everything at once. You really can manage with very little if you have to.

cattie

dgtazzman wrote: »

Don't buy from John Lewis, get it from Very or Isme. Same company, same goods, considerably lower prices.

What on earth makes you say that! It's utter nonsense as none of these mail order companies have any connection at all with John Lewis. It's a bit like saying that Primark own Marks & Spencers.

Those mail order companies you mention are all owned by the Littlewoods group & they would love their reputation to match that of John Lewis.

Lobby12

As above - John Lewis is owned by its staff as it is a partnership company and the only other retail outlet part of this is Waitrose. My source? - previously worked for them.

dgtazzman

Got confused over the names, but the point is still valid with Littlewoods vs Very/Isme, have bought a few bits on Isme at half of what they were on the Littlewoods site...

Don't much care for their couriers though, found the curtains and curtain rail we ordered I in the bushes at the bottom of our garden when we got home earlier Go Yodel...

Strapped

And all the stuff from Very ends up on ebay at less than half RRP once it is no longer "current season".