Prepping for Brexit thread

mardatha

Not a good idea to buy secondhand furniture any more because of the rise in bedbugs. We "acquired" them once from floorboards in a house and never ever again :eek:

euronorris

I've never had much luck with BHF furniture shops. There is a big shop here, and we looked there when we needed a folding dining table for the living room but I found the prices for some of them on a par with what we had seen brand new. And it's not like the ones in BHF were better quality/stronger wood or anything. In the end we sourced a sturdy second hand IKEA one via FB marketplace. It's a really thick wood, not the really thin stuff, or MDF type, as Ikea stuff so often is.


Had a similar issue when we were looking for a small wardrobe for DD bedroom. We ended up purchasing an ex-display one from The Range, for cheaper than BHF.


In both cases we also checked a nearby second hand store. I think it's called changing lives or something, but sadly their store is much smaller and just didn't have what we were looking for.


It's a shame, as I'd really like to help out the charities, and stop adding to the creation of more items when there are still plenty of great items out there, but I just always find the BHF stuff to cost too much.


95% of DD's clothes have been hand me downs from her cousins (one of my sisters has 2 girls slightly older than her), but I do occasionally have need to buy her an item or two. This winter it was trousers (only got 2 pairs from my sister, but at least 10 jumpers for some reason lol), trainers and wellies.


I have reduced my consumerism a LOT, compared to how I was in my 20's (eek!), but there is still plenty of room for improvement.


Thanks Farway. I will look into it. I found a nationwide company earlier, and am considering that, but it will depend on how big the cost is. We really like the sofa though as well. It suits us, you know? And I don't much fancy agonising over which new one to get if we went that route! Eugh! DH is lovely, but decision making is such a lengthy process for him and it drives me a little crazy at times lol

[Deleted User]

We've never had any kind of problem but we are very selective on what we buy. I would love to be able to afford new of the quality I would like however life isn't always how we'd like it is it? so I can't. I can afford good quality second hand though so that's what we shall continue to do!

D&DD

I have a Costco TEOTWAWKI list on my phone lol its probably the only time I'm ever likely to get in there as I'm officially 'banned' by OH...Can't think why???

DigForVictory

D&#8517 wrote: »

I have a Costco TEOTWAWKI list on my phone

I didn't tell them I stopped at a financial threshold & could have carried on but hate the car boot tetris....

Anyway, there's a discount supermarket closing next week so I'll go grab from their last chance shelves. Jacks tries to get you to buy a dozen of things, so a dozen bottles of brown sauce many even undercut Costco. (I will check!) A list is vital.

silvasava

I've just looked round my sitting room and the only new items are the carpet and curtains. I've got two settees that were from a local clearance company, two Parker Knoll recliners and two beautiful side tables that came from the local hospice shop. The TV was a hand me down from DS1 and the technics stereo system also came from the clearance shop. We did have the furniture recovered and it's only just now that I've realised I'm a second hand rose lol.
A lot of British companies were bought by EU companies in the 70's - I particularly remember Ferguson TV's. Bought by a French company who then sold the UK factory for development and moved all the production to France, unfortunately they weren't the only ones.

pollyanna_26

Blue_Doggy wrote: »

Regarding buying British, have you seen this website?

https://www.stillmadeinbritain.co.uk/

It’s so easy to buy foreign made goods by mistake, especially when familiar brands no longer make their products in the UK.

Just off to bed but can recommend Brora and Woolovers. Ethical, high quality and last for years. I've just bought the pink fairisle polo neck from Woolovers which will join all the jumpers I've bought from them in past years. Still keeping this athritic feel the cold person warm in winter.
polly

DigForVictory

silvasava wrote: »

a second hand rose

Brilliant phrase to describe the canny way of getting the really good stuff at seriously discounted prices!

Husband still seems to think the dry goods cupboard should be new - I must haul him around charity furniture shops more, just I'll be Jamboreeing (on the Internet) with Scouts from all over the world this weekend!

silvasava

DfV hope the weather is kind for the Jamboree - oops, just realised you'll be doing it on the net! My godmother did the World Guide jamboree back in the 50's. Think it was held in Windsor Great Park. Changing times.

DigForVictory

I Scout as my lads leaders needed extra bodies but the Guides do amazing things.

Windsor Great Park must have been brilliant! (The Guides also host pop concerts (Adele Roberts & Gagny, if I have their names right?) - and both sides seem to get an amazing amount from it.)

Still struggling to get to Gilwell, myself! At least we can reach out to Tokyo scouts & ask how they're doing online, although I expect they have scripted replies for that much as mine do for Brexit... I hope to see the Egyptians again - beautiful uniforms, and brilliant English, but they did reel off the scout law in their mother tongue & it was glorious.

Best of all, we can get Scouts through an International badge without them needing passports etc, which I think is Wonderful.