Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To get a sofa on finance

65 replies

hoomallow · 21/08/2023 17:44

We have my parents’ old leather sofa currently but it’s very mismatched in the house. Nothing wrong with it but it looks very tired. I want a new one, but balking at the prices! Next, Dunelm, DFS - all extortionate. Can’t find any good second hand ones on marketplace as marketplace is seemingly full of those fake ads from scammers

Do people usually pay outright for such big ticket items or is it quite normal and reasonable to pay monthly, what do you do? Obviously whatever we buy I want to last, I don’t want to be too precious about the sofa either as we’re hoping to add a little one to the family soon.

OP posts:

imSatanhonest · 21/08/2023 17:46

Got mine from DFS on finance. Think I paid over 4 years? They're still going strong 8 years later. Handy hint - pay extra for the firmer seat padding so they keep their shape.

Aprilx · 21/08/2023 17:58

I have done both in the past. I have quite often been able to get furniture on zero % finance, in which case it is a no brainer.

JennySpinning · 21/08/2023 18:00

We had the cash but instead bought on a 0% finance deal because it adds to our credit rating. It was over 4 years and our sofas are now 5 years old. Still look great but if they didn't we probably would have replaced them on another 0% deal. Our children are late teens so no clambering all over them like they did in the past.

Badleg85 · 21/08/2023 18:01

I think yabu. Make do woth what you've got until you can save enough money to buy one

RoyKentsTieDyeTop · 21/08/2023 18:02

If you can afford it, then 0% finance is a no brainer. It’s just saving up in reverse.

Toddlerteaplease · 21/08/2023 18:02

Got mine from DFS on finance as well. %0

Winederlust · 21/08/2023 18:03

I've bought sofas from both Next and John Lewis on 0% finance paying over a couple of years. If it's interestfree it's a no brainer as Aprilx says!

RoyKentsTieDyeTop · 21/08/2023 18:04

Badleg85 · 21/08/2023 18:01

I think yabu. Make do woth what you've got until you can save enough money to buy one

By the time you’ve saved up, inflation will have wiped out any interest and then some. It’s pointless and is actually a waste of time and money.

UsingChangeofName · 21/08/2023 18:06

I wouldn't.
What you have is functional.
There is no way I would go into debt for some furniture.
Round here, people give away sofas, armchairs, suites etc for free if there were something wrong with the one you've got.

SaltedCaramelEverything · 21/08/2023 18:06

I really hate buying things on finance and very rarely do it. I always try and save first. But we’ve done with our sofas both times, as we’ve moved house and needed a different shape. We’ve always got 0% finance.

Also check what cover and stain protection you can get on them if you! We loved the look of some at sofology, but found furniture village had a better warranty etc (this was 2020 though - which reminds me they were due to be delivered the day after lockdown was announced then we had to wait months for deliveries to be allowed again 🙈)

Frabbits · 21/08/2023 18:07

DFS are bastards for hard-selling finance, insurance plans etc on shitty, overpriced, badly made furniture. I wouldn't go near them.

If you want something cheap and cheerful, go with IKEA, they are miles ahead of the cheapo scammers.

PinkFootstool · 21/08/2023 18:08

I bought mine on finance, £50/month for 18 months. I put a down-payment on as well.

That said, second hand sofas have no value so if you can get hold of a van to transport one, I'd buy cheap on Facebook marketplace. Not from a bulk seller but from a person's house.

OnTheBoardwalk · 21/08/2023 18:09

Life's too short to have a sofa that's tired and you (well if you’re like me) spend a lot of time on it

as PP said if you save up now, in 3 years they'll be even more expensive and you might still not be able to afford one you like

WoolyMammoth55 · 21/08/2023 18:11

Our main sofas, a big L-shape and matching 2-seater are from Dwell, absolutely lovely. They cost £180 delivered off eBay.

We also have a lovely smaller one in the extension which was given to us free off Gumtree but cost us £40 for a man and van to deliver. That one is Collins and Hayes, probably cost even more new than the Dwell ones!

I would not get myself into debt for any sofa, second-hand ones are easily found at a steal I've always found.

Purpleavocado · 21/08/2023 18:12

We got ours on 0% from sofology - not cheap but good quality

guzzleandstuff · 21/08/2023 18:12

Finance is only a "no brainer" if you actually have the money in an interest earning account somewhere. If you're gambling on the fact that all will go well over the next few years it's a risk.

If two years into the four year finance contract you lose your job, have to replace the car, get ill, separate/divorce, need to fix the roof, have to move out of a rental, rent or mortgage goes up significantly - etc etc . And then if you struggle to repay or default on the loan the consequences are stressful and expensive.

Just wait with what you have and save hard.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 21/08/2023 18:14

I think it’s fine. MN is always very scared of finance.

Merryoldgoat · 21/08/2023 18:17

I’ve had two over the last 15 years. 2nd is 8 years old and still fine.

DFS 4 years interest free. I’d go there again no question.

OleMioSole · 21/08/2023 18:17

I always get things on finance - but when I have most off the money to pay off anyway. I'd rather have it earning interest or paying off the mortgage than all gone in one fell swoop.

Plus, if you need to return you don't need to wait for loads of money back!

tinkerbellvspredator · 21/08/2023 18:18

How about buying a stretchy sofa cover they can fit really well and come in all colours. PiLs bought some from Amazon.

Notellinganyone · 21/08/2023 18:20

Interest free finance is, quite literally, free money. We’ve done this so we could buy a really decent mattress- 4 years interest free. It cost £1500 and there’s no other way we could have afforded it. I’d have done the same for a sofa if I’d found one I’d liked.

dearanon · 21/08/2023 18:21

imSatanhonest · 21/08/2023 17:46

Got mine from DFS on finance. Think I paid over 4 years? They're still going strong 8 years later. Handy hint - pay extra for the firmer seat padding so they keep their shape.

I did this too.

Triplixate · 21/08/2023 18:21

I’m disabled and we desperately needed a seat I could get up from independently so we got a rise and recline on finance. They are extortionate so it was the only way we could afford it. DFS used to be four years interest free but only offer three at the moment (or at least were a couple of months ago).

hdbs17 · 21/08/2023 18:23

We've done 0% with both SCS and DFS.

It's worth it as it's what you'd pay if you bought them cash anyway. We noticed £30 a month far less than we would have done almost £2k in a lump.

VenusClapTrap · 21/08/2023 18:24

For the love of god don’t buy a new sofa when you’re planning to start a family. Wait till they’re past the mess years. I’m so glad we waited. I never allow food and drink into the lounge but the sofas still got all sorts of shit dropped, spilled, puked, peed, drawn and scratched on them. It’s inevitable. Even if your own kids are unusually careful and well trained, their friends won’t be.

Flip

1 2 3