To think it's impossible to furnish your house when you have little money?

[marry3456x]

I've just got the keys for my new home.
It's basically a shell..no carpets,no appliances no furniture.
It's my first place and I have nothing.
I currently receive ESA which is £202 a fortnight,I have no credit cards.
How on earth am I meant to do this?
It's 2 bedrooms..
Cooker,fridge,washing machine,carpets,kettle toaster,plates,cups,knife,forks
Wardrobe ,bed,dresser,tv,sofa ,blinds /curtains,vinyl floor,coffee table etc etc etc
Is this impossible?
I'm really stressed about it
It all needs decorating..everything
The doors,skirtings,ceiling are all a dirty magnolia /dirty stains on them.

Plus lamps /light shades

Have you tried looking at charities that can help? A quick Google could point you in the right direction

I don't want to really do that,I feel stupid and like I'm begging for things.
I've applied for a budgeting loan..I'm hoping that comes through.

You may have a local charity to help with the basics. Otherwise, try car boot and jumble sales, keep an eye on freegle type sites. It can be done, but you'll need to do a bit of mix and match.

Don't feel stupid. If help is out there you deserve it as much as the next person. Have you tried free cycle

Freecycle is your friend. Don't turn any thing down - wonders can be worked with a tub of paint and a sheet of sandpaper

Check places like gumtree and Facebook. Charities are a good shout too. Once you are on your feet you can donate and pay the favour forward.

Facebook freebie groups are your friends here, charity shops have marvellous bargains and I'd definitely look into any grants available too.
I don't want it to sound like I'm showing off but now I'm older and reasonably comfortable financially, I'll happily donate stuff to others just starting out.

Yes lots of bargains at car boots. My first flat was 99%hand me downs and car boots x

Freecycle.

There are lots of charities thats sole purpose is to help people in your situation, so dont feel weird about asking for help Otherwise free ads, gumtree, freecycle or facebook selling pages.
Good luck

Erm...like the rest of us, save up from your wages and buy bits when you can! Good luck

We had two deckchairs borrowed from my parents, the portable TV from DH's teenage bedroom a bed, a fridge and a microwave for the first year in our first house.

You aquire things gradually. It's amazing how much stuff people have they're looking to get rid of once they know you need something.

Local FB pages are brilliant, especially the marketplace feature that groups everything within x number of miles (you pick). You can add alerts for various things that come up, and you can get a lot of things for a fraction of what they would cost new. You just have to be patient.

Congrats on your new home. IT will come together slowly; be patient. x

Look on Preloved, there is always stuff on there free if you collect.....called Freeloved. You don't need much to start.

The paint will probably clean up a bit with a good scrub! If its clean thats OK!

Then buy nicer stuff and paint it up when you can afford it.

Many of us started with...very little and VERY cheap!

Thanks I will deffo have a look on Facebook /freecycle ..I think I'm just trying to do too much in my head.
Looking how nice friends houses are then looking at mine ..thinking this will never be a home.

Freecycle fb groups. They’re often giving away table and chairs, as well as smaller items.

Many of those things aren't essentials and can wait a while. Especially carpets, wardrobe, TV, dresser, decorating, blinds/curtains, coffee table, even a washing machine. Kitchen items can be obtained cheaply from Wilko and discount shops. For the others keep an eye out on eBay and freecycle. If you have a British Heart Foundation furniture shop near you, take a look. My local one has good items at reasonable prices.

Depending where you are, I have a fridge & freezer that need new homes.

My daughter and boyfriend are about to move into a flat with almost nothing.
They have a table, two chairs and a double mattress. But still excited .
First job, clean while its empty.
Cheapest cleaning stuff, pound shop and Wilkos.
Buy/borrow a tape measure and measure the rooms. Then you know the size of furniture which will fit.
Furniture: local Facebook groups do cheap and giveaway stuff. British Heart Foundation and Salvation Army have cheap furniture. Quakers have similar.
Bedding/towels.charity shops often have this too. Argos have cheap duvets.
Kitchen stuff: Charity shop, Wilkos
Electricals: our British Heart Foundation has a good selection. Some are new.

It's a good time of year to move and it's exciting to get into your own place. Get a notebook and start making lists.

At least it will be easier to decorate without furniture in the way?!

Where do you live? There is a not for profit organisation need me that has loads of good stuff and everything is really, really cheap xx

Greggs Foundation help with stuff like this. Google second hand charity furniture places. Look on Freecycle. Put the word out if anyones looking to get rid of stuff.

I can imagine why it feels over-facing, but to be honest I think it's never been easier to furnish a house on the cheap. No, you might not get everything to your preference, but there is so much out there dirt cheap and/or free that you just get what you need and then replace things gradually with what you want.

The likes of Ikea so cheap for kitchen stuff. Second hand furniture seems to have virtually zero value these days. Car boots are full of stuff that is perfect but just not to the seller's taste.

marry please contact your local furniture project. I've given lovely furniture to the one near me and I want it to benefit someone like you, because I've been in your position. If you think of it as begging then tell yourself that, when things are better for you, you'll donate in return, it's known as pay it forward.

And you'll get no judgment from the staff/ volunteers, just people wanting to help.