Thrifty Yorkshire father saves £2,000 fitting out his house with free furniture he found online

Darren Leeming, 54, recently moved to York from Harrogate with his wife Elena, 39, and their two young children - Clive, six, and Violet, five. They bought a four-bed "doer-upper" for £330,000 and spent £50,000 renovating the property.

The family ran out of money and had to find an alternative way of finding furniture to fill the house.

Darren turned to Facebook Marketplace and app called Olio to source 22 household items such as his sofa, TV, cross trainer and coffee machine. He estimates he has saved £2,000 so far by avoiding buying new.

Darren, an architect, from York, said: "It was a 'doer-upper'. So of course we spent a lot of money renovating, and we literally ran out of money. This is when we started looking on Olio and Facebook Marketplace to see what's out there, and what we could pick up."

Darren and Elena moved to York in May 2023 and spent six weeks renovating their family home. When the renovations cost more than they thought they were forced to try and find free furniture.

Darren's best second hand finds include a sofa, a coffee machine and a bed for his daughter on Facebook Marketplace.

The dad also used the Olio app - which allows users to give away unwanted food and household items - to find two TVs, two computer monitors and a cross trainer for his home.

He got everything completely for free, but he was required to go and collect it. They all came in good condition so Darren even need to do any DIY.

He said: "It's an ideal thing really, especially nowadays with the cost of living crisis."

Darren also uses the food waste scheme on the Olio - and gets food for free from large retailers such as Tesco - and is even a 'food waste hero' where he uploads on their behalf.

- Kids double swing - sourced on Facebook Marketplace for £0 worth £120 new

- TV Stand - sourced on the street for £0 worth £60 new

- PC monitor - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £90 new

- TV - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £150 new

- Cross trainer - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £199 new

- Coffee machine - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £40 new

- Plates & Bowls - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £25 new

- Couch - sourced on Facebook Marketplace for £0 worth £450 new

- Single Bed - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £100 new

- Pillow and sheet set - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £30 new

- Bedroom dressing table with stool - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £120 new

- Small lamp - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £15 new

- Small nest of tables - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £45 new

- Garden Bench - sourced on Facebook Marketplace for £0 worth £60 new

- Trees - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £240 new

- Slabs for the path - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £60 new

- Top soil - sourced from neighbour for £0 worth £100 new

- Decor Candle light - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £70 new

- SAT Receiver - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £200 new

- Garden Chairs- sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £40 new

- TV - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £350 new

- Bookcase - sourced on OLIO for £0 worth £35 new