How to Start over on The Cheap?

Lw33w00 on 15/08/2024 - 14:54
Last edited 20/08/2024 - 09:32

Hi all, first time forum poster but have been lurking OzB for a while.

Due to personal reasons, I am currently looking to move into a new house soon and start my life over. As such, I am 99% sure I will need to start fresh - as in, new everything: furniture, appliances, electronics, etc. Ugh.

I guess I am just asking for any resources or shops or methods to get (hopefully decent) stuff on the cheap. Just trawl around internet shops for deals? Or lurk marketplace/gumtree?

Just curious if anybody has experience with this situation, and how you navigated starting over. Also if anybody has any solid go-to spots to get awesome deals for any given category of household belongings. Advice would be invaluable as well.

Thank you so much in advance. 🙏🏻

Edit: thank you all thus far for all the advice and suggestions. I had a few similar ones in mind, but you lot really came through and gave me a ton of brilliant ideas. I appreciate you all so so much.

Edit 2: Once again, thank you all for the words of encouragement and support. I know the community here can get at each other a bit at times, but you're an absolute beautiful lot who can rally around a common cause and really make a difference. You've all helped me out so much! I've been able to secure long-term accommodation; an awesome house thats very affordable, I start moving in Friday!

Home & Garden

Comments

  • TightAl on 16/08/2024 - 13:52
    +2

    I'd start slowly and took it gradually all those years ago., i remember carrying a mattress from costco when i first bought a place, mind you it was only 300M away.
    Bought some chairs off marketplace, then a table etc.
    Not buying the first thing you see because it's cheap and being a bit more selective would serve you well.

    Then you can slowly graduate from those pre-loved items once you have the funds.

  • SpicyStew on 16/08/2024 - 15:09

    don't get attached to your goods like 99% of ozbargainers

    some of them act like they made the product

    • Euphemistic on 16/08/2024 - 18:46

      My first coffee table, tv unit and CD rack were home made.. well, a pallet with some legs tacked on and 2 modified shipping crates

  • knk on 16/08/2024 - 16:13
    +2

    So I just kinda gutted my house and split it in 2. So the half reserved for myself needed a complete fit out. I did buy everything new, but on a budget and a few things to note:

    Appliances: Couldn't beat Kogan on just about anything. Seriously, their split systems / fridge-freezers / panel heaters / dishwashers / washing machines were just good value. I got most things from them outside of when stocks weren't available.
    Furniture: Ikea for stuff that looks half decent, avoid for anything that needs to be strong ie a bed. Ended up getting a cheap ($230 i think) pine bed from Amazon that is rock solid. All other bedroom furniture Ikea.
    Mattresses: Appliancesonline sometimes have decent sales on these.
    Kitchenware: Kmart where possible Ikea otherwise. I'm not fussy here, so you might want something a bit more fancy.
    Vanities / storage cabinets and the like: Meticulous ebaying was the bargain here.
    Bedding: Just replaced it all with Bamboo stuff from Amazon (can look up the brand if needed), fair bit cheaper than i found elsewhere.

  • teaBagger on 16/08/2024 - 17:04

    Gumtree and Ikea

  • BlahBlahBlaah on 16/08/2024 - 23:55

    Search for demolition sales on Facebook Community pages, lots of stuff you can get for next to nothing

  • npnp on 17/08/2024 - 03:42
    +5

    When we started in Australia from scratch about a decade ago we contacted Salvos army and to our pleasant surprise, they delivered a load of furniture to our rental property. Mind you we are non-religious (born as Buddhists but gave up on religions a while ago) but kind people who delivered the goods didn't really push anything on us (they mildly tried though - can't really blame them - we were so appreciative of the kindness hence didn't really mind the 15 minutes preach in our living area. Few years after when we moved to our own home, we gave away all our furniture to this Salvos army (much more than what we received in the first place) as a token of appreciation. Though I'm a strict atheist, this world is a beautiful place with kind people like this (I don't really care about what they believe, kindness matters).

  • bigbadboogieman on 17/08/2024 - 10:24
    +2

    Been using the cheapest Kmart electric kettle, toaster, microwave, iron for the better part of 9 years and thankfully (touch wood) still going strong. Got a washer and fridge from Gumtree on the cheap. Goodluck OP.

  • drfuzzy on 17/08/2024 - 12:29
    +2

    For my first home I spent a fortune on custom made designer furniture. Just one designer couch cost as much as a small car.

    What I learnt was that no matter how much you spend on furniture it will wear out and go out of fashion just as fast as cheap stuff.

    Second time round I found brands I liked then searched for them second hand on gumtree / facebook / ebay. I spent a fraction of new. Some of my furniture came from hard rubbish days. I live in an affluent area and people throw out perfectly good stuff.

    All of my income at the time was going to meeting the mortgage payments. Furniture wasn't a priority. So for my second home I spent 6 months in an empty house with one matress, one chair, and two bean bags.

    Put some budget aside for blinds. You will need some privacy. But worst case a few sheets will do.

  • Hangryuman on 17/08/2024 - 15:46
    +1

    https://www.freecycle.org/ has free stuff - check your location

  • tonka on 17/08/2024 - 17:53
    +1

    Furniture from Gumtree. Whitegoods new, get a barfridge cheap and handwash until a bargain arrives. Everything else from Kmart. Check any second hand stuff for bugs, you don't want to introduce bed bugs, silverfish etc. You could search for moving interstate/overseas on Gumtree and do a deal.

  • GordonD on 17/08/2024 - 18:28

    How to start over again on the cheap?

    Don't get married this time.

    But you've probably learned that lesson, that's why this time you're having to do it on the cheap.

    • tonka on 17/08/2024 - 23:46

      So you saying last time wasn't on the cheap because had a partner?

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