A thrifty mom saved 26,000 pounds ($33,000) by only buying secondhand bargains for her family.
Helen Lyford-Smith, 33, says she’s spent a total of 4,000 pounds ($5,000) on everything for her three children, including clothes, toys, reusable cloth nappies, and furniture.
Ms. Lyford-Smith finds bargains at a fraction of the retail price by trawling through resell sites and going to car boot sales.
Ms. Lyford-Smith, a writer from Barnstaple, a town in Devon, England, became pregnant with her first child, Isaac, now 2, in August 2021 and has sourced more than 90 percent of his items secondhand. She continued to hunt for bargains when she and fiancé, Richard Smith, 45, a carpenter, welcomed 6-week-old twins, Evelyn and Matilda, on Aug. 9 this year.
Her favorite finds include a wicker changing mat for 10 pounds ($12), a bookshelf for 25 pounds ($31), a set of wooden toys for 2 pounds ($2.50), and a free cot from a car boot sale in Devon.
The frugal mom doesn’t stop with shopping for the kids; she also sources most of Mr. Smith’s and her own clothes from pre-loved places too. She insists that shopping secondhand doesn’t mean you have to “compromise on quality” and is shocked at some of the bargains she’s found.
She said: “I’ve always loved second hand, and I knew that wouldn’t change when I became a mum. I read somewhere that the average price of clothing and furniture for a newborn was around 10,000 pounds ($13,000), which is crazy.
“I scoured Facebook Marketplace and boot sales to find everything for the kids. Some people may say it’s unhygienic, but ... what people are getting rid of is basically brand-new.
“Babies grow so quickly, they’re only in outfits a couple of times before it’s time to size up. ... And with the cost of living being what it is, I’m all about making every pound stretch.”
Growing up, Ms. Lyford-Smith spent most of her weekends going to car boot sales with her mother, Sara Lyford-Smith, 61, in Reading, Berkshire. Her flair for bargain hunting continued as an adult, and she introduced her fiancé to her thrifty way of life when they met in September 2018.
“I’ve always been a bargain hunter—it’s how I’ve been brought up, and I find it a fun side-project,” she said. “When Richard and I met, he was a typical bloke who would just buy new for ease, but I soon changed that.
“All the furniture in our house is secondhand; his beloved surfboard is even secondhand, costing 300 pounds ($400). These days Richard gets just as excited as me.”
Ms. Lyford-Smith continued using her thrifty skills in parenthood when she became pregnant with their little boy, Issac. The first-time mom sourced secondhand items by utilizing Facebook groups where members post things they’re looking to sell quickly, as well as FreeCycle and car boot sales.
The money-savvy mom is a magpie for clothing bundles while in charity shops and at car boot sales. She once scored 10 babygrows for just 10 pounds ($12) and a handful of newborn outfits for 15 pounds ($20).
Ms. Lyford-Smith has even managed to bag some premium items like pre-loved Joules baby tops, babygrows, and hats for 10 pounds and Jellycat stuffed animals, which would usually retail at 23 pounds ($30) each, for just 5 pounds ($6).
When the couple welcomed their twin girls, Ms. Lyford-Smith recycled Issac’s items - using the cot, pram, linens, and baby carriers again with their daughters.
“With the cost of living being through the roof, secondhand shopping is really having its moment and I’m glad,” she said. “Having three kids, especially twins, isn’t cheap with all the outfits, toys, and furniture—but it’s definitely doable.
“We were able to use everything of Isacc’s for the twins too, we only had to get another cot—which was free—and a double stroller costing 250 pounds ($320). If I have a spare moment in between tasks or after I’ve put the tribe to bed, I'll have a power hour on Vinted or Facebook Marketplace.”
The only things Ms. Lyford-Smith won’t buy secondhand are mattresses and child’s car seats, which the couple opts to buy brand new.
Ms. Lyford-Smith’s top tips for bargain hunting:
- Join Facebook groups to be part of the community - Even if you don’t think you can find it secondhand, have a look because you might be surprised - Always bid lower than the asking price first, because most people just want things gone quickly - Look at the sites often so your algorithms are tailored to what you’re looking for - Have fun, finding a bargain is a great, affordable boost of dopamineMs. Lyford-Smith and her family can be found on Instagram @thriftymumofthree.
