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View nowJust because financial gloom is creeping up over the horizon, it doesn’t mean that we all have to stop treating ourselves. You don’t even have to wait for the sales – it just pays to know where to look. We’ve listed some great websites that either offer spectacular discounts on all kinds of goods, or have special search functions that find the cheapest deals for your chosen item. And by signing up to mailing lists, you can bag huge savings on designer labelled goods, without paying the hefty price tag, if you know where and when the sales are happening. There are even websites that offer items for free, and one in particular that invites you to swap unwanted items for things you really want, with no money changing hands at all! It’s a totally new way to shop…
If you pride yourself on hunting down items that nobody else owns, Etsy.com could be just the site for you, since everything you see for sale is handmade, recycled or vintage. Pick up some fantastic one-offs, from jewellery, ceramics, clothing, woodwork and cosmetics – there is a dizzying display of stylish bargains here, which you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing are original as well as great value.
This is a really useful series of ‘how to’ guides on hundreds of DIY tasks that you might want to undertake yourself, rather than forking out hundreds of pounds for a tradesman. Get step-by-step advice on how to anything from wallpapering and tiling to fixing the central heating. It also has a DIY shop that lists special offers and links to hundreds of outlets.
Who says you have to skimp on style when paying bargain prices? This website has loads of links to great deals at stylish homeware outlets such as Heals, Ilva, Conran Shop and Graham & Green. It also tells you when stores are having discount warehouse sales (such as Lombok), and has an‘Ideal vs Steal’ section showing which stylish items can be bought for less. Instead of forking out for paint samples, use the 3D room planning tool to test out designs in your home.
It really is possible to get items for your home absolutely free – thousands of people all around the country are listing their unwanted household goods on Freecycle and giving them away, rather than having to drive them to the tip or send them to landfill. You sign up to an email alert in order to find out what’s available – you have to be pretty quick off the mark to bag items, but if you need to furnish your house for nowt, it’s definitely worth giving this a try!
Need a chandelier, a retro bar stool or a chaise longue? This rather amazing website lists thousands of second hand items that have been cleared from hotels undergoing refurbishment. True, you have to sift through a lot of mediochre items to find gold, but there are some great bargains on Art Deco-style mirrors, bistro chairs and antique reproduction furniture. You can even buy crockery, linen and trouser presses!
Ebay isn’t just about auctions – it hosts thousands of small retailers who have items to sell at face value, at bargain prices. If you want to do up your house to add value and need a set of rare Victorian taps, you could find them here for a steal. Instead of spending lots of money on tiles to try out in the bathroom, you can purchase very cheap samples here. You can find almost anything to dress up your home for less – retro and vintage furniture, wallpaper, fabrics and so on. And if you just want to treat yourself without breaking the bank, there are thousands of low-cost items – clothing, jewellery, toys, electricals, books and so on. And remember, one person’s junk is someone else’s treasure, so if you’ve got something to throw out, put it on Ebay and see if you get any interest – you could make some cash.