Expensive things that we get cheap!

[freesolo]

I get a massive thrill about buying things cheap from charity shops, Facebook marketplace or online auctions that I couldn't afford new, and wondered if anyone wanted to share their finds?

What a nice thread. I don't go to charity shops but clearly I should.

That is a gorgeous chair @freesolo. Lovely shade of green.

@Notimetolive

What a timely post! I was about to buy an armchair for a spare room so I could have somewhere quiet to go and read. Had a look on line and was shocked that everything I liked was £800 or so. Decided that a ‘cheap’ one at £240 from Dunelm ‘would do’. Had a quick look on Marketplace and have today picked up TWO lovely, comfy, clean armchairs for just £30 the pair. Love the pattern and style and they are just what I would have chosen new, so I am super happy.

Brilliant! A massive saving plus a huge sense of smugness

I got DD a pair of river island jeans at the weekend. £1.75 she loves them.

I got a BNWT Victoria Beckham dress for £15. It was still on the website for £400.

@freesolo

I love all these! Such a joy. I got a lovely vintage chair from Facebook marketplace yesterday for £20 which I think looks lovely in my back room ( and yes I know my curtains are too short, I want to get a panel added at the bottom so they reach the floor - the made to measure length which would have fit were far too expensive 😂)

That chair is absolutely beautiful. Fantastic find there..

Crystal trifle bowel for £3.50 from charity shop right when we were thinking about buying one.

A job lot of magic tracks for toddler DS like a whole binbag full for a tenner film market place.

A toddler bed fom market place for £15.

Baby swimming wetsuits from ebay for £5 each including postage, about £25-30 new!

Got my sisters DP a land rover jag leather Burberry jacket never worn for less than 1/10th of the original price on fb. Covid interrupted Christmas, but I was told he was bowled over!

I bought a glass trifle dish with 6 individual dishes for £2. Still going strong 10 years later!

DC and I love our local second hand furniture shops. We play a (kind!) version of 'who lives in a house with this ...? White leather sofa - clean freak, no kids, listens to jazz. Tapestry footstool- widower, his late wife made the cover, he rests his feet while reading gardening magazines.

I love bargains. I got a baby Bjorn baby seat/bouncer thing for €10 on Facebook marketplace and it was immaculate . Also a sleepyhead in immaculate condition for €30. Santa brought DD a Peppa pig house that I got for €35 complete with a ton of extra furniture and figures and it was selling new at over €90. These are just the things I can think of at the top of my head but I love charity shops and bargain hunting

My young 'un wanted a trench coat like Benedict Cumberbatch wears in Sherlock.

I got one from eBay, Michael Kors, wool and cashmere mix. £39. Retail was something like £700.

And last week I was looking for a new bag, there's a Scaramanga one I liked the look of, but it didn't have an internal pocket and I wasn't sure I was happy to pay over £50 for it.

Then I spotted one on eBay for £20. I can do without the internal pocket for that price! It had only just been listed as it hadn't been there earlier in the day when I'd searched! It came today and I'm chuffed to bits.

Ohh has anyone (or knows anyone) who has found a life changing bargain? The charity shop paining for 50p that ends up being worth hundreds of thousands etc?

DS1 and DP got one of these free on Next Door. Perfect condition and DGS loves it.

Charity shops in my area are rather expensive compared to these bargains. I paid nearly £20 for my Barbour jacket that's the compulsory school run uniform for parents. (I wanted one for years, anyway.)

A lovely wooden toy kitchen for £9
Wooden dolls house for £15 delivered with furniture and dolls
Free wooden table and 6 chairs

To name a few only discovered it this year when in need

Best thing about a lot of the items is that they are already built 😅

I would 100% pay £20 for a Barbour coat @Undecicive and it’d be a bargain! I really want one. Was it the proper wax affair?

I will be on the look-out for a sofa soon, so thanks for this reminder. The local BHF charity shop has lots of furniture for sale.

A couple more

Laura Ashley sofa and arm chair (which match an existing sofa) £100.

Two Danish Kandya chairs for £15.

@freesolo

I love all these! Such a joy. I got a lovely vintage chair from Facebook marketplace yesterday for £20 which I think looks lovely in my back room ( and yes I know my curtains are too short, I want to get a panel added at the bottom so they reach the floor - the made to measure length which would have fit were far too expensive 😂)

Lovely chair, cushion and curtains! I recently added a panel to some charity shop find curtains (two pairs so I used fabric from one set) and joined the seam with pom pom haberdashery.

A local group runs a children’s clothes exchange, all completely free. Always packed full of immaculate Jojo, Boden, Joules and quite often new with tags. My best finds have been a new with tags boden snowsuit, a cord Ralph Lauren dress and some little R M Williams baby boots RRP £90!) - all completely free!