A bargain-loving student has saved thousands of pounds by transforming her shared house with freebie furnishings.
Eva Kupčová, 20, from Slovakia, wanted to renovate the Glasgow student pad bearing in mind her two main principles - saving money and saving the environment.
So, instead of investing in new items, Eva scoured the local area for bits and pieces other people were giving away for free.
The computer science student at the University of Glasgow used websites like Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and Olio to find the items she was looking for - and reckons she's saved £2,000 in the process.
Eva said: "I was inspired by a documentary I watched on sustainability and have not looked back.
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"By furnishing our house with things other people want to throw away we are saving money and helping to save the planet, too.
"I particularly like using Olio, which specialises in furniture and food. It's great. I have got furniture worth around £1,500 through Olio."
Each housemate bought a new mattress costing £100 apiece, but other than that, all additions to the house cost a maximum of £50.
When Eva first moved into the flat in September 2020, she was horrified at how expensive it would be to kit her room out by paying for new items.
She said: "The house we are renting isn't furnished, so we went to IKEA first, but it was just too expensive on a student budget."
So after hunting down freebies and bargains, the students managed to find all the basics they needed for the house within a month.
"We have everything we need and plenty of extras now, but I still keep checking the websites, as if I see something I like, I can upgrade to it and give the item it's replacing away," Eva said.
Among the items Eva snapped up for free were chests of drawers, clothing rails, floor lamps, photo frames, a laundry hamper, a dining table and chairs, a book case, a sofa and armchairs.
She has even managed to kit out the kitchen with a mixer, a food blender and a juicer for free.
"I estimate that I've had at least £2,000 of free furniture, kitchenware, general homeware and soft furnishings," she said.
"My favourite item is an IKEA armchair that would have cost us £250 new. But I also got a bike worth £200 from Olio. I had to spend £20 on repairs, but it was worth it."
And, from September she started collecting free plants too - now owning about 50, which she estimates would have cost £50.
"During the March lockdown I got absolutely addicted to finding free plants," she said.
"I've got so many now, it might be tricky if I go on vacation but, hopefully, they will survive!"
Eva now describes bargain hunting as "a way of life" and she admits she talks the ears off other people about her lifestyle.
Did you save money by renovating your home on your own? Email jessica.taylor@reachplc.com with your stories
With her house fully-furnished, Eva is now looking into ways to bag more of life's luxuries for nothing.
She said: "The next big thing for me will be Christmas. We've managed to find a Christmas tree and festive decorations for free already."
Eva's five top tips for finding things for free:
- Get to know the websites you are using and all their features, so you know how to find the best things.
- Be patient and keep looking - do not just hunt for a specific item. Be prepared to get the best item you can, with a view to upgrading it if the ideal thing comes along.
- Remember, you, too, can put something you no longer need back on to a website if you find something better, so you keep the circle of recycling going.
- Recruit your friends - make bargain hunting a fun activity you can enjoy together and look out for items for each other.
- Share information - that way you can keep up to date with the best places to search for stuff
Eva's five top finds:
- Red IKEA armchair from Olio worth £250
- Vintage bicycle from Olio worth £200
- Dining table and two chairs from Gumtree worth £150
- Bed from Olio worth £150
- Houseplants from various places worth £500
