it's a bargainiferous life! (lucky deals )

[Blodwyn Pig]

First one goes back a few years, maybe 10, we were thinking of a new dining table and 6 chairs, and spotted a nice one, rustic heavy table, bent wood and rattan chairs, in Blackheath,  and it was priced at around £2200, so we kept that in mind. Forward about 2 months we saw the same set in a local shop, and were having a jolly good nose around, priced around  £1200, some mark up!, then I happened to spot, on the underside of one of the chairs, the suppliers name and phone number. So went home, fired off an e-mail, as the website said 'trade only' , and I explained I was a property developed, (not strictly untrue), and wanted to dress a house with this dining table and chairs.......''of course, that will be no problem''. Ended up with the table and chairs we wanted, delivered, and manhandled into the house, for around £650.    We were so impressed , our daughter asked me to order another one for her house, with different chairs.....same deal.

[Blodwyn Pig]

Oh yes, today,  , went to that Ikea for a kitchen appliance pack for our latest project, and we thought we'd take a look at a new mattress.  Chose the  Morgodden ? priced at £179  memory foam jobby, 'Which' best buy!  We chose the medium firm, made a note of the isle number, and toddle off. Isle 67  bin 15....yep that's it, in the trolley (rolled up and squashed small ).  On the way to the till, we wander through the reduced section, looking for a cheap intergrated Fridge Freezer, but no luck, but there on a bed, was our new mattress, without a price, so I asked the chappy and he wandered off, printed a label for £129...    £50 off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Ah says I,' look its a bit grubby' ,   Ah! says he,and  wandered off again. it wasn't grubby, but some dusty marks as it was out of its cover, but he came back with another label.......................£89..!!!!    ..  ''Yes please'' said I gleefully, and left him to wrap it up whilst I put the other one back..  £90 saved!!

[ElyDave]

While I was on the phone to a colleague today SWMBO was wheeling and dealing. We've been looking for a garden bench for a while, she after a metal/wood thing which I feel  about as they always fall apart, me preferring solid wood.

Local man with van having been exhibiting teak garden furniture which now needs shifting, not sure how the conversation started.  Bench that retails around £1k (she checked) for £250 and small folding table for £50, both in FSC teak.  Good quality stuff and saves me having to find one. I'd been expecting to pay around that anyway.