Bargain Buys

My blog friend Lee had an interesting post a couple of weeks ago on her best bargain.  It got me to thinking about the whole concept of bargain buys, and in today’s economic environment I think it’s more relevant than ever.

To me, a bargain buy is something that is not only cheap, but something that you love, and if it is useful then that’s even better. Otherwise, it’s not a bargain at all, but just another thing cluttering up your home. Makes you wonder how many so called ‘bargain buys’ end up as landfill?  I think this quote sums it up beautifully…..

This quote is from Ruth Poole, who worked at Australian Home Beautiful, and is taken from an issue which was published in 1926. I love that this advice still stands true today all these years later.  Ruth, you knew what you were talking about!

So on that note, I bring you what I consider to be my bargain buys – things that I bought cheaply, but that fulfilled a need in my home, and still bring me great pleasure, all these years later:

Ikea utensil holder, used as a pen holder.  I like its rounded, ‘organic’ shape.

 

Two bedside tables, repainted and handles replaced. Again I like the shape, and the fact that I can fill it with so many books and magazines.

 

A buddha head from cheapie shop The Warehouse, for $16! I love my little buddha!

 

I bought this table below from an auction house for $25. But then I cheated a bit and had it professionally restored as it was in such bad shape. Does that count? 

My antique chinese table, which I had my eye on for ages, and snapped up when it was 50 per cent off.

Here’s some other bargain buys I found in my web travels:

Ikea bins, stencilled.

 

$200 piano.

 

Ikea chair , folders, boxes, frames….etc

 

This sign on the fireplace was a roadside find. Best type of bargain ever!

 

My theory is, if you find something you need and it’s a bargain, but you don’t love it, back away now!  Better to have an empty space and wait for the right piece to come along.

PS If you want to see more bargains, head over to AnNicole’s blog Our Suburban Cottage to see her latest brilliant buys!

Best wishes,