£400 Pounds to furnish a flat

Muffintop_2

Hi All,

Thanks to some really bad luck I've been homeless for the past few months and have been offered a flat from the council. I've managed to keep my job but as a result of a mixture of debt and hotel rooms I've got £400 to furnish it - that's to buy everything! Bed, cooker, fridge, washing machine etc. Any help or ideas would be excellent. I've bought a second hand cooker for £60 quid, but I don't even know if the flat has electric fittings for a cooker (oops). I also need paint, lightbulbs, carpets, everything.

So any suggestions please!

startrekker

You can always try your local Freecycle and hopefully get most of the stuff you need for nothing

Poppycat

In my home town not sure whether its widespread or not, but I would of thought many large towns would have something similar you can get furniture donated to them cheap some of it isnt in bad condition either and they sell it even cheaper if you are on benefits.

http://www.basicsplus.org/

Where about are you, its just some one may know something locally to help

Have you thought of asking on Freecycle?

Good luck hope you get a good start

annie-c

Yep, hold onto that £400 for a while and try your local freecycle group www.freecycle.org Usually you need transport to pick things up, but if you post a polite request asking if anyone can help with items and delivery then you may get some help.

At the same time, ask at the council if there are any local charities who might help out? Or local recyclng centres where you can get furiture for low cost.

Absolute basics are a bed a cooker and a fridge. You don't need to buy carpets for a coucil flat and you may find yourself in breach of your rental agreement if you take it on yourself to replace the exiting ones. wait til you get in to buy other things - it is likely tht you an get chairs/tables tc for free or very cheaply.

Charity shops usually have goo stocks of bedding/towels. You will lso need basic kitchen equipment - aginn you should be able to get enough second hand.

Don't panic and hold onto your money for as long as posible. Good luck with your fresh start.

Annie xx

misscutiepie1984

yer, as everyone says freecycle.... i quite often see beds, fridges, freezers, washing machines ansolutly everything you can think of for free

Badger_Lady

You can also furnish a home very cheaply on eBay - try to get as many things as possible within a short timescale, then hire a van for the day to pick it all up. Bear in mind the distance for each item though!

I've now resold most of my furniture, but I originally bought on eBay:

- Double divan bed with drawers and mattress - £25
- Kingsize solid oak bed frame (bought for a friend!) - £95
- Kitchen table - £15
- Four small wardrobes - £1
- Washing machine - £1
- Floor lamp - £5
- Curtains - £20

I was also lucky enough to get some lampshades and basic furniture from friends / family that no longer wanted theirs, and then went to Ikea for the remaining drips and drabs (energy-saving lightbulbs, towels etc).

I'll just add - I never intended buying 4 wardrobes, I just put a bid in because it was the same seller as the washing machine and no-one else bid higher than me! I ended up giving some to a friend who was very grateful. All the items above were for sale within 30 miles of my flat.

never_enough

There is a charity called emmaus that take donations of furniture, then sell to the public cheaply. They may have a branch near you. Local shops.post office/free ads can all have bargains. Our local tip often sell off furniture, bikes etc Ask around family, friends or work colleagues, in my experience all sorts of stuff will come at you, more than you'll ever need. The good thing with that is that you can always put stuff on freecycle so that it goes onto someone else.
Good luck.

ormus

as been said, freecycle is the first choice. seen a pr of sofas and a cooker this week, all in good condition for free.
ebay and the charity shops are next. oxfam has dedicated furniture shops in various areas.
also try your local charities such as the wrvs or the sally army. they all run furniture depots for peeps in need.
try your local library for more info on the various local charities.

xLolahx

Try Freecycle. I got a lovely 3 peice suite from freecycle and my washing machine/ tumble dryer.

custardy

dont forget gumtree freebies section

Muffintop_2

Cheers all! I'll try freecycle, and such. I don't qualify for benefits because I work and there is only me. I'm not sure what's best though, forking out for paint and fittings or acrewing the white goods first.