6 Second-Hand Items To Buy For Your First Homesubmitted on 28 February 2018
Buying or renting your very first home is a hugely exciting prospect, but it’s also a massively expensive one. You’ll be paying out for the deposit and moving costs, and then you’ll need to start paying for the utilities, council tax, food, and, of course, the mortgage or rental payments themselves. So there may not be a lot left over to spend on furnishing your new home. That’s where buying second-hand can really be a good idea, and there are some items that you should definitely buy pre-loved.
Cutlery
Since every second-hand shop or charity shop will thoroughly clean all their items before selling them on, there is no reason why you shouldn’t or couldn’t buy your cutlery second hand. You may not be able to find a complete matching set, but that’s all right – an eclectic look with mismatched pieces can work just as well (and you might even prefer it).
Crockery
Buying your plates and bowls can be a costly experience unless you go for second-hand items. It’s great to have a matching set of these things, but that might not be possible when you’re scouring the charity shops. However, having a few items from two or three different sets will save you a lot of money compared to buying one whole set brand new, and that money could certainly be used to better effect elsewhere.
Glasses And Mugs
One can never have enough drinking vessels, and buying plenty of second-hand glasses and cups to fill your kitchen cupboards or sideboard is a good idea. When your friends and family come round to admire your new place, you want to be able to offer them a drink of some sort, so you’re going to need the cups and glasses to do it with. They don’t have to be perfect, but don’t buy anything that’s chipped or cracked either; there are plenty of second-hand items out there that don’t have any flaws at all.
Toaster And Microwave
If there are two essential kitchen items that no one (especially someone who has just moved into their first home) can do without, it’s the toaster and microwave. These objects are fairly cheap to buy new these days, but that doesn’t mean you should when you can get them for a small handful of pounds in a second-hand shop instead. Even if you are still learning some basic cooking skills, having a toaster and a microwave will mean you certainly won’t starve.
A Car
Moving home means you’re going to be paying out for bills you never paid for before, and you’re going to need a job to do it. Buying a good used Ford KA car will mean that you can get to and from work easily and inexpensively, so you’ll be saving money on using public transport. Plus, having your own car means that many more job opportunities are going to be open to you in the first place, as not everywhere is accessible by train.
Bedframe
Although there is some furniture you can do without to begin with, getting a good second-hand bedframe for your mattress is not one. You need to look after your health, and a bad back or neck is not going to make life easy for you, which is why having a proper bed frame is a much better idea than sleeping on the floor.
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