Bargain Shopping

The amount you spend on household items is up to you. However if you are on a tight budget there are ways you can minimise costs.

Buying second-hand furniture is cheap and culturally acceptable in Australia.

Remember to closely inspect second-hand goods to ensure they are in good working order. They are generally not covered by the same warranties that come with new goods.

Extra attention should be paid to mechanics/electrics to ensure they are functional and safe.

There are various places where you can buy second-hand furniture.

Markets & Garage Sales

Markets are an interesting and fun way to obtain cheap and great food, clothing and furniture. Also look out for car boot sales, trash 'n' treasure markets and garage sales.

Trading Post

The Trading Post is a weekly classifieds newspaper published on Thursdays. Also check out the Trading Post online. Furniture, household goods, electrical and white goods, cars and other items are advertised for sale. A copy of this newspaper is held in the Ground Floor of the Baldwin Spencer Building.

Opportunity Shops

Furniture and household good are available for purchase from Opportunity (Op) and charity shops. You can pick up some good bargains.

Noticeboards

Many noticeboards allow people to advertise their second-hand books, furniture, household goods, bikes and other items. Noticeboards are located in cafes, libraries and community centres. There are many noticeboards on-campus. A general noticeboard is located on-campus on the Ground Floor of Union House.

Discount Shopping

If you don't want to buy second-hand goods, you can still save money when shopping. Shops like Ikea and discount department stores like Dimmey's, Big W, Target and Kmart often offer reasonable prices.

Also check out the Bargain Shoppers Guide to Melbourne. It lists places to go for discount prices on a wide range of goods and services including clothing, furniture, entertainment and food. The hardcopy magazine can be purchased for less than $10 from newsagents, bookstores or online from Universal Magazines.

Our '2nd Hand & Cheap Stuff' guide provides more information and locations of markets and shops. Check out our 'Publications' page to download a copy.