How do you decide what to buy next?

DelphiniumBlue · 30/08/2017 05:07

Broken items need to be replaced first , no bed is worse than an old sofa. The TV sounds downright dangerous.
Are you pregnant? Does that affect your need for a car? I know lots of people do it, but personally I found wrangling 2 babies on a bus an absolute nightmare,so I'd also prioritize a car. Couches and dining table can wait if they are still useable.

thecakefairy · 30/08/2017 11:44

I think it depends what sort of things you want. I paid £600 for a new mattress but £400 for a frame and mattress for my son. He said it is lovely. You can get cheaper than that.
I paid £200 for a 32" TV because I have no interest in any fancy features as long as it just works!
Dining room set, I would look at gumtree or a Facebook selling site as people sell them in near perfect condition for genuine reasons like down sizing or it didn't fit in as they wanted it too.
I would just work through the list as and when you can. I always have a list of what I need for my home but it is long term. If I see what I like, I get it. If I don't, I just leave it until I do.
I need 2 new sofas. Getting rid of the old is putting me off! I am thinking of getting the council to take the old away and managing without until the new ones come. It will be a nightmare!

thecakefairy · 30/08/2017 11:46

Forgot to say, I would not get a second car unless I absolutely needed it as it's not just the buying, it's the cost of running but it's only me in my house so not really relevant!

isthistoonosy · 30/08/2017 11:51

All furniture I'd look at freecycle, gumtree, facebook and charity shops first.
If its your only tv and you cant use Ipad / computers etc instead I'd look for a cheap replacement for that first.
I wouldn't prioritize a car, but it depends where you live I suppose and if your husband has a car already.

isthistoonosy · 30/08/2017 11:52

All furniture I'd look at freecycle, gumtree, facebook and charity shops first.
If its your only tv and you cant use Ipad / computers etc instead I'd look for a cheap replacement for that first.
I wouldn't prioritize a car, but it depends where you live I suppose and if your husband has a car already.

EssentialHummus · 30/08/2017 11:56

All furniture I'd look at freecycle, gumtree, facebook and charity shops first.

A new mattress (if that's what you mean by bed) is a priority, as your back will suffer quickly from a dodgy one. Everything else you mention I'd start with Freecycle etc.

gillybeanz · 30/08/2017 12:00

Bed, the most important piece of furniture.
Then sofa
Then car
TV last.

Lenl · 30/08/2017 12:13

Sofas and dining tables look on gumtree. Particularly tables are so expensive new and pointless as they can be cleaned up. I have a lovely solid pine dining table that I picked up off gumtree for £40. No risk as you can go see the item before you buy it. I also got four pine chairs for £6. Just had to tighten a screw on one.

We have a sofa on credit now but before that we got two immaculate cream sofas for £50 again on gumtree. As there's no hurry for those items just keep browsing your local gumtree until something comes up. I'd also consider getting the TV that way too. The wording of the ad and the quality of the photos helps you know if it's decent and of course viewing it first.

Mattress I'd pay for new and possibly bed too though DS sleeps on a second hand divan with a new mattress which is fine. Whereas I love to buy second hand I'd spend on a mattress. We need a new one and the one I want is £450 however we have to prioritise a bunk bed and new mattresses for the DCs.

My point is most stuff doesn't need to be new there really are bargains out there as lots of people replace things regularly. Ooh another thing is our dishwasher... Bosch, 6 months old with 12 months left on guarantee - £40. We've used the guarantee to get a new part fitted too. I love gumtree and don't care if I sound cheap haha

AJPTaylor · 30/08/2017 12:16

Bed first. But look to a new mattress and a frame off ebay.
Table and chairs seriously work out what you want then look at ebay. We recently sold ours for a tenner on ebay. 10 years old but looked the same as the day we got it. Wouldnt fit in new house.

Ellisandra · 30/08/2017 18:26

Agree bed first.

TV - people can't give them away if they're 32" and a couple of years old. Get one free or almost free on gumtree /freecycle /Facebook.

I don't understand about the car - you just say you haven't had a new one for a while. So what?!

All the furniture can be had for bobbins secondhand.

AdoraBell · 30/08/2017 22:30

Bed would be my priority too.

Then either get a cheap telly or do without if you can, do you have tablets you could watch telly on? I'm thinking like BBC I player.

How long could you manage without a dining table if you buy a sofa first?

Agree with looking on gumtree/eBay for things.

memove · 30/08/2017 22:34

One thing I have discovered with electronics - buy 'factory refurbished'

Have done it with a dyson and an iPhone and saved hundreds.

Original poster

MummyMustard · 31/08/2017 01:35

Wow so many more responses than I expected! Thanks everyone. So many things I haven't thought of! You all rock.

DelphiniumBlue yep, I am pregnant with number 5 and like clockwork everything seemed to start breaking. I am just over 28 weeks now, I think there is still time to fix everything!

We don't have a car at all, sorry I should have clarified. I walk the kids to school everyday (though there is buses, I like the exercise and we walked even when I had a car) It's just some days are harder than others and I wish I still had one. I honestly took it for granted before. I don't know how hard it will be with the new baby. I am hoping for an easy adjustment and I am thankful that so far that's all I've had, but I don't want to just assume that it will be easy because it was the other times.

We also have a mattress, so it's not like we're just sleeping on the floor. Does that change opinions for anyone?

I'm not sure how big the TV is, I think 36 or perhaps 42 inches? But I agree, and I only ever get a "small" (by today's standards) TV as I don't need the latest and greatest. It is from 2011 so I think it's lasted pretty well overall. We don't watch TV that much, we use a Streaming service occasionally. It's more for video games. I know they're not essential but one of the ways I bond with the kids is to watch them play games and we talk about them together (and of course sometimes I let them play so I can do laundry etc, also) and sometimes I play a game of Scrabble on the PS4 and they like to help me find words.

memove, where do you get the refurbished things from? Would that include a TV? That could be a very good option for me!

I am going to check eBay, Gumtree, FB and the charity stores (the latter of which I've checked - no luck so far)

Thank you all again so, so much!

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Inthetropics · 31/08/2017 02:09

I'd buy the car first, to be honest.
If you have a mattress, don't buy a new bed now! I've slept in a mattress ond the floor and i was fine!

After the car i'd buy whatever will makr my life easier first.

YouRat · 31/08/2017 02:19

Ebay. Gumtree. These are my secret tools. I have purchased goodies from those sights that people would never ever know that they're very cheap or pre owned items. But still look amazing.
Imo car should be on top of the list. All the others can wait or as I've mentioned bought second hand.

memove · 31/08/2017 08:53

@MummyMustard I bought the dyson from a 'dyson verified' company on eBay. I've just bought a refurbed iPhone 6 via Amazon.

I looked for the ones that appeared to be big businesses rather than man tinkering in shed!

squishysquirmy · 31/08/2017 09:05

I would keep a look out for cheap TVs in charity shops (is there a branch near you that sells things like that?), ebay, gumtree etc. A few years ago I got a new condition, basic (still in box) flat screen for £35.00 from a BHF furniture shop. That was a very lucky find (they had loads in stock which had been donated after they were left over from a refurbishment, I think) but you should still be able to find a cheap TV second hand if you aren't fussed about having a huge one. There are people who do care about having the newest, biggest model which means that there are some perfectly decent "old" TVs floating around.

I agree with what others are saying about second hand furniture, although you should budget in the cost of getting items home (man with a van for large items, taxi for small etc) if you don't have a car.

Original poster

MummyMustard · 01/09/2017 07:30

Yeah, the main reason we wanted the bed was because it came with storage underneath. I'm in the process of trying to declutter but we still have a lot of stuff. But yeah, you're right, it's definitely OK being on the mattress :)

OP posts:

Original poster

MummyMustard · 01/09/2017 07:32

@squishysquirmy - Yeah you're right! Every place I have been looking at I've inquired about delivery cost. Maybe one of my real life friends would help me out, too. I never ask for favours so hopefully they won't mind :P

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squishysquirmy · 01/09/2017 08:48

Second hand, large bits of furniture could easily cost more to get home than they cost to buy! Problem is that the reason those things are so cheap is usually because the person getting rid of them wants them gone without the hassle of sorting out delivery.
If you can call in a favour from a friend, do so (you could always offer them a cake/bottle of wine in return as well).
If someone local was selling a TV second hand and I were in your position, I would consider collecting it then taking it home in a taxi- seems v. extravagant but an extra £15 or so on top of a cheap TV will still be a good bargain.

AJPTaylor · 01/09/2017 10:04

We have several man with van firms nearby. They will go collect a sofa for 20 quid.

GoodMorning1 · 01/09/2017 10:37

Charity shops that sell furniture will often deliver for £5 or £10.

Identity1 · 03/09/2017 21:41

Definitely look at gum tree Freecycle etc also shpock - its a local buy / sell site I've had some really good finds on there. I moved to a larger house 9 months ago and could not afford all new furniture - got a lovely second hand 3 seater sofa for £80 and dining table for £120. There was also a TV but it had already been sold. I always ask if I can view before I offer to buy.

5rivers7hills · 04/09/2017 11:46

I need to replace my dining room table and couches (they are all very old), and my TV has been on the fritz for a couple of years now but it still works so I make do (however it has now just started to have these flashes which I am worried about causing eyesight damage), my husband and I also need a bed (our old one broke) and we also need a car (I haven't had one for a few years).

I would buy in this order:

Good mattress (you spend something like 1/3 of your lie in bed - make sure it is a GOOD mattress) and either keep bed frame or get a cheap divan one if money is an issue.

TV (cos you can get a good one pretty cheap now)

Car

Sofa

Table / chairs