To wonder how everyone manages to get eBay/gumtree/freecycle bargains?

[Runningjustasfastasican]

I'm trying really hard to be frugal and spend wisely! I'm nearing the end of my maternity leave and money is tight! We desperately need a new shed and I've been looking on all the usual bargain websites for weeks - absolutely nothing! I also tried to buy a second hand double pram with no luck either!

AIBU to wonder how everyone manages to get these bargain buys I keep hearing about like brand new settees, brilliant prams etc etc?

I think genuine bargains are few and far between TBH. People bite your hands off for things like double buggies and sheds on freecycle. I was (very kindly) given a double buggy on freecycle a while ago and it's ancient and absolutely filthy/mouldy etc. My mum offered to clean it up for me (she likes that sort of thing) so it's a work in progress. No-one is offering Phil and Teds although you get some chancers asking for them. I think most people are wised up and savvy and prefer to sell their nice things and give away the unsellable stuff on freecyle.

I think you just have to be in the right place at the right time and with freecycle, especially, ask politely. So many people respond to offers with "Can I have this?" and nothing else which is a bit rude, really.

Try Charity Shops. Some people can't be bothered selling online and will send them there instead. Again, it's all about timing so keep popping in when you get chance. Maybe tell the staff what you're looking for, they might be kind enough to give you a call if something comes in.

It won't help for garden sheds but car boot sales are your friend, that's where the real bargains are to be had - a fraction of the price of what you will pay on ebay generally.

I don't think I have enough patience! I've sold some stuff on gumtree and offered on freecycle but yet to acquire a bargain! I'll keep trying!

It just depends on what you need and what people are giving away at the time.

I got our bathroom suite from Freecycle, and lots of baby stuff.

But LOL at the chancers who ask for 'a fully taxed and MOTd car for my DS' etc!

Yeah gotta love those kinds of ads on freecycle, i have seen people asking for sat navs, ipods etc!! Think they have missed the point of it a bit.

for furniture the local auction houses are a good place to look i got a fabulous immaculate leather three piece suite at ours for £100 was prepared to fight for it and was the only bidder couldnt beleive my luck, my art deco dressing table and wardrobe cost me £35 , kitchen table pine with four chairs £28 basically apart from the beds most of the furniture in my house has come from auctions sorry not many sheds though

All I want is a 6x8 shed that someone will disassemble, deliver and reassemble in my garden for a £1

If they take away the old one I'll make them a cup of tea too!

Seriously though, the ones on our local gumtree are as expensive as a brand new one!!

Agree that car boot sales are the places for bargains. I sold some stuff at a carboot the other week and had to practically give the stuff away otherwise noone would buy.

Also jumble sales. I live in a "posh" town and try and make a point of attending some of the school/nursery jumble sales as you can pick up designer clothing for 30p!! No sheds though!

If you want to get the offered on Freecycle - ask nicely, don't spin OTT sob stories (I personally bin any where people try to use their kids as emotional leverage - because I'm sick of the sight of them and it's the same people every single day doing it... the most noteable I had was that someone who "did some stuff for the premature babies" wanted a PS2), refer to what's being offered in your message (you get a lot of carbooters/Ebayers replying to everything with "I'll have the item") and don't prat people about with collection basically - that's the way to stand out above some of the ridiculousness.

Most noteable ridiculous wanted we had was the "ipad because I'm saving up to have my ill cat put to sleep so I've got no money."