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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to buy this couch?

105 replies

planeymcplaneface · 25/05/2016 19:27

I have found a couch that i love and that i want to buy. Ive moved twice before i moved into my current house and in all that time my furniture has been 2nd hand, ive nothing at all against 2nd hand things they have been a godsend.
However i would like to get a new one as ive never had a new one before and it would be nice to.
I got told iwbu from my sisters as it would be on a 4yr interest free payment plan which would be 41 a month which i can afford now i would however not be able to afford the cost as a lump sum. Plus it is more than half price just now which is a great saving.
Aibu to buy this couch and not listen to my sisters?

OP posts:
Original poster
planeymcplaneface · 26/05/2016 12:39

I would also like the sofa bed so i can have a sleepover in the living room from time to time lol

OP posts:
OneMagnumisneverenough · 26/05/2016 12:52

Ha ha, that's fair enough but make sure you get to try out the actual bed that you will be getting.

I say again, I'm not trying to talk you out of it, but it's a lot of money so make sure you get value for it. A sofa bed with a bar across that digs into your back is no use for man nor beast.

We had one that was designed for every day use rather than occasional use. It was proper comfy - as good as our main bed just slightly narrower. Friends of ours and our BIL & SIL both had occasional use ones. Dh and I ended up sleeping on the floor instead.

TheCrumpettyTree · 26/05/2016 12:55

We have a DFS sofa and it's great. I've never bought anything on credit before but I don't care as it works for us right now.

blueskyinmarch · 26/05/2016 12:58

I have a DFS corner sofa. We upgraded from the normal fill to foam cushions and the sofa still looks fab and has not sagged at all in the 4 years we have had it.

Original poster
planeymcplaneface · 26/05/2016 14:02

This one says its suitable for frequent use

OP posts:
Frrrrrrippery · 26/05/2016 14:05

We gave up with sofa beds as they are too uncomfortable. Now we use good quality memory foam mattress toppers on our beds which are thick enough to use as a guest mattress on the floor. It means we don't have any storage problems and they are convenient to use.
You wouldn't want to use them as a full time mattress but they are great as a guest bed.
It would be a lot cheaper than the sofa bed upgrade.
I use Dorma Tencel Blend ones from Dunhem Mill. They are about 8cm thick, I think. They are ridiculously comfortable. I'm sure there are cheaper ones about.

NapQueen · 26/05/2016 14:08

I have a DS sofa and pay monthly for it. I adore it, it's comfy and we'll made. We have foam cushions rather than feather so they won't loose their poofyness.

If we wanted to buy the sofa outright we would still have had to save for it - and rather than wait 18m to buy it we thought we would get it and repay.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 26/05/2016 14:11

It should fall somewhere in between then OP - I'd still get them to let you try it out in the showroom - even if it isn't the same sofa, the sofa beds will be the same for different models so they should be able to let you try one. It's a big important purchase don't rush it and don't let them rush you either.

have a checklist of things you want to know/try before you go:

Comfy- ness of seats
Comfy-ness of mattress
Type of filling and expectations of wear and tear
Would they do a discount if you didn't want the credit (I know you do want it, but what they say will be interesting)
What does any guarantee cover? Remember that the sale of goods act still applies regardless
Check the size to make sure it will fit
Check what dimension of door/passageway they need to get it in.
If you change your mind how long do you have to cancel.

probably loads more but that's a starter for 10...

Janecc · 26/05/2016 14:53

Our very expensive Italian made/design sofa from SCS has flattened. Nothing is guaranteed. If you really want it and you're sure the payments are fine, then do it. If at the end of the 4 years, if the sofa is squashed, so be it, they're squashed and you will have had the pleasure of using it for that time.

Imaspecialsnowflake1 · 26/05/2016 16:38

7 years how long do you expect a sofa to last? OP I have the Davenport being delivered in the next week. If you can afford it go for it !

Original poster
planeymcplaneface · 26/05/2016 16:42

Sad the helix couch wont fit in my living room. Im gutted as it was really nice. If i can get one similar id be happy so its back to couch shopping for now

OP posts:
Kpo58 · 26/05/2016 17:45

I wouldn't touch a DFS sofa with a barge pole. I remember a friend of the family accidentally kicked a hole in part of the sofa and found it was made from cardboard!

OneMagnumisneverenough · 26/05/2016 18:32

Aww shame OP, better you know now and not after you'd committed to it.

SquinkiesRule · 26/05/2016 18:33

Thats a shame OP, what about this one in dark grey.
www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S29129173/#/S09129230
I was sitting on them a couple of weeks ago and they are comfy and the covers come off for washing, you can buy a spare set of covers too.

Original poster
planeymcplaneface · 26/05/2016 18:38

If ive got my measurements right then instead of a corner suite i could get the 3 seater and a seat and i would have space for my nice lamp thats living in my room at my mum and dads as there would be more space

OP posts:
Imaspecialsnowflake1 · 26/05/2016 18:41

Don't go Ikea they are not worth the money. I find them so uncomfortable.

Brainnotbrawn · 26/05/2016 18:42

My DFS sofa bought on a 3 year interest free payment plan last year was our best purchase ever. It is extremely comfortable and is fab. We were getting work done on the house at the time so used our savings on that so the interest free option was much cheaper than getting a loan or sitting on the floor

Liiinooo · 26/05/2016 18:45

Go for it!

Theoretician · 26/05/2016 18:55

Don't buy anything other than your home on credit, ever. Not even if if the interest rate is zero and you can't get it any cheaper by paying cash.

The value of a pound to you depends on how many of them you have. Whether spending on the item in question is the best use of it depends on your other spending needs at the time. When you commit yourself to credit, if you think you are making a decision there's no chance you will regret, you are in effect claiming to know how many pounds you will have and what your other spending needs will be on all the future dates you will be making payments. All sorts of unquantifiable risks could make the future differ from expectations.

When you spend a pound you've saved up, you are in a far better position to assess whether you are sending it in the right direction, because you only have to assess your current circumstances.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 26/05/2016 18:58

The small 2 seater is only £50 more than the chair and is only 21 inches bigger.

There is also a tab at the side for money off voucher.

Imaspecialsnowflake1 · 26/05/2016 23:34

Theoretician Do you actually like in the real world? Credit is not a bad thing. My new sofa is £3.5k and is on credit. I have more than that in savings but I still take the credit out because it made sense at the time.

SummerRosie321 · 26/05/2016 23:47

Have you tried the other sofa shops as other ones do the intrested free credits. Also NEVER buy full price as the sale price usually covers what that actually want and the full price is to make it look cheep er on sale.

Tartsamazeballs · 27/05/2016 06:28

My philosophy is to spend my money on things that seperate me from the ground. Bed, sofa, shoes.

We splashed out £1500 for a massive, modular corner sofa to fit in our awkward shaped room. 12 months interest free credit. Paid it off £150/month. That was 5 years ago, still looks good as new.

Our friends have second hand sofas, or cheaper new ones. They just aren't as comfortable or nice looking, but they are a 10th to a 3rd of what we paid. Depends on what your priorities are, really. Like I said- beds and sofas are where I like to put my money.

AllThePrettySeahorses · 27/05/2016 07:24

Some right joy-suckers on here. I used to only buy second hand sofas because I'm frugal, not because I couldn't, but then I was having DD and I thought well, you don't know what's been spilt on them or if someone's pissed on them or whatever.

Next sofa (now about 4 1/2 years old) was new but really cheap from Argos, around £680 total for 3-seater, 2-seater and chair (along these lines www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4280613.htm), which look good and are incredibly comfy. Great idea upthread to get an interest free credit card if you can and shop around, especially now you can't get the sofa you originally wanted.

Anyway, enjoy your lovely new sofa when you get it.

PassiveAgressiveQueen · 27/05/2016 07:29

Measure the space and sofa, they look so small in the huge warehouse, and so big in your front room.

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