Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with shopping

What's good at the Asian grocery?

Admiral Haddock — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:43:26 -0800

There's a giant Korean supermarket not terribly far from where I live (the mega Hmart in Burlington). It's enormous--big enough to have small aisles dedicated to different Asian groceries--a Thai aisle, an Indian aisle, a Japanese aisle, etc. It's far more than I'd ever be able to explore on my own. What items available in a truly excellent Asian supermarket should I seek out? This is pretty much a pan-Asian free-for-all, so if you have a favorite Indonesian mustard, or an unforgettable Cambodian pickle, please share here. Bonus points for sous-vide-able items! I've always loved supermarkets, and I've been buying stuff from Asian markets since I was a kid, so I'm hoping for recommendations that are more off the beaten path than sriracha or Pocky sticks.

So, for instance, in the Japanese soy sauce aisle--saishikomi-shoyu, dashi-shoyu, etc. Which of the different types should I seek out? What of the many different fermented bean pastes should I try? Unusual spices?

If you can share a link to a picture, or the name in the original language, or include a phoenetic spelling, that would be great. Generally, most products have only the import label in English, and everything else is in the relevant foreign language.

Where to get a dress shirt for a tall guy in Paris?

VeritableSaintOfBrevity — Sun, 19 May 2013 08:50:10 -0800

I'm a tall (6'2", or 188cm) and skinny (155 lbs, or 68 kg) guy who can't find dress shirts that fit in the States. This week I'm in Paris, where I assume I'll have better luck finding something with a much closer fit; where do I go? I speak the smallest amount of French that isn't none. I'm in le Marais, and am willing to walk quite far; I'm a little less willing to trek via Metro, so the burbs are probably not a great spot for me. My budget tops out at about 200 euros, but all else being equal I'd prefer to keep it below 150 if possible.

Help me get a navy blazer

ersatz — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:47:39 -0800

I had my heart set on this blazer, but it turned out to look different when I saw it in person. Any recommendations for places to get a similar-style blazer in the same price range? I'm a man in London.

What non-sketchy sites can I buy unscented bath beads from?

Canageek — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:09:03 -0800

My Mom used to love using bath beads, but we haven't been able to find them for ages (We used to get them at a little red shop instead of a bigger store; I think it was a body shop inside of a Sears or Bay or something like that?) Anyway, I figured I would get her some for mother's day. This is turning out to be a lot more challenging than I anticipated. I'm pretty sure they are still around, as a Google Image search for bath beads gets pages and pages of nice, pretty shapped beads. However, Google doesn't find much on that term on the first couple of pages, and directly searching the types of shops that pop into my head (The body shop, The Bay, Sears, Shoppers Drug Mart) don't have them.

I'm not used to this: Normally when I type a term into Google 1.5 billion people want to sell me said item. Now, I've only found one site that looks decently respectable so far, and a bunch of Amazon sellers.

Since this is going in a bath, I'd rather something from a respectable chain, or company, rather then Random Amazon Seller 434632. Does anyone have any suggestions? I've found The American Soap Company and they look OK, 1) but I've never heard of them before: Are they a respectable manufacturer? Do they make good bath beads? and more importantly, 2) all their beads seem to be scented. My Dad is very, very sensitive to smells, so perfumed bath beads are a no-go; I'd rather not have her gift give him headaches. A really weak vanilla might be OK, but anything stronger then that is a bad idea.

Also, the site has to ship to Ontario without a crazy shipping charge.

Oh, and I know it won't arrive in time, opps.

Composting for Dummies

nkknkk — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:08:06 -0800

I'd like to start composting... I think. I am lazy and I am worried about vermin. What style of composter do I need? Any special tips for buying/getting started with a system? The goal, not suprisingly, is to use our kitchen waste and grass/leaf waste for something besides the trash bin, and in doing so, to provide some nutrients for the containers and (small) planting beds in urban yard: flowers and some veggies. We are a family of 3.

We live on a city alley, and I am worried about rats, so I assume that means I want an enclosed composter as opposed to an open bin. I have space in a shady, cool (ok, it's dank) under-deck area as well as a sizeable spot alongside a deck in partial sun that could work. I have neighbors that would be thrilled to benefit from any extra output. Oh, and yes, I am lazy.

Do I want a rotating "tumbler" composter? Vermicompost? Any strong recommendations or "stay away from" brands/links for the composter and/or a starter kit? If I can buy the unit and/or any required accessories online all the better.

I'm wondering if the urban organic gardening fad has created/encouraged some new options or best practices since this Previous Question.

Best Trader Joe's items to bring back across Canadian border?

sillymama — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:44:45 -0800

The title says it all! Last-minute day trip across the border and back, and we're finally hitting this magical place called Trader Joe's. What are your recommendations for border-crossing-approved items from TJ's?

Best shops near République in Paris?

Calicatt — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:11:26 -0800

Bonjour! I am heading to Paris tomorrow, and would like to spend a little of my time there shopping. I am not a fashonista but like to look really sharp for my job. Know of any secret gems? For once in my life, I actually have some money to spend and am going to a place which is known for being a good shopping location. I'd like to find shops with clothes that will look good and last, not necessarily brand names or "high end," but clothes of really good quality materials and well-made. I'm on the higher end of the size scale (12-14 US), but have a fairly standard shoe size. I tend to buy petite if I can.

Obviously, one of the pleasures is just wandering around and looking, but I don't want to miss a gem of a store just because I didn't like their window display at the time.

Merci!

Alternatives to Amazon

alms — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:35:10 -0800

I am trying to avoid shopping at amazon.com because of the company's predatory business model. What are the best online alternatives for each product category? I shop locally when I can (e.g. the local independent book store). Beyond that where should I look online for good product selection, excellent shopping experience, good customer service, clean website, notable social and community record, good good business ethics, etc.

I'm particularly interested in new & used books, electronic gear, kitchen & household items, but I'm interested in all product categories.

Thank you.

Good stores for pretty shoes in Bangor, Maine

PuppetMcSockerson — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:36:32 -0800

I am a Canadian who is going to be going down to Bangor, Maine in a couple weeks time. One task for the trip is to find shoes for the wedding. I have really difficult feet to fit and I was hoping to get some suggestions for places to try. (Suggestions for plus size clothing stores that have cute/retro/fashionable would also be helpful.) I'm wearing a mid-calf/tea length 50's style dress so my shoes are going to be visible. I'm actually looking for two pairs of shoes:
1. a pair of white/cream shoes for the ceremony that are okay for walking on grass (we're getting married outside). I have the balance of a one legged donkey on rollerskates and I would like to not stumble and trip and fall during my wedding.
2. a pair of fancier, more fun heels for the reception. It is inside so I'm not so worried about tripping. THESE are the ones I am especially worried about finding.

My problems are that I have really wide feet, my achilles tendon seems to be such that pretty much all shoes give me back of foot blisters. On top of all that, my feet are reall "tall", if that makes sense, so any shoes that have straps over the top rarely fit.

I'm willing to pay the money for a pair of quality shoes that will last me for years and not give me blisters.

Nifty, gifty shopping in London?

gallusgallus — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:45:53 -0800

LondonCommerceFilter: Business trip to London (from US) coming up, and I've got a free initial jetlag day that I'd like to spend shopping-- preferably for cool, unique, not-too-expensive, suitable-for-gifting items I'd be unlikely to find in the US. I'm specially interested in women's accessories (scarves, jewelry); toys and games; (travel-friendly) foods; tchotchkes; and used/antique books. Any must-visit shops? I'm taking a red-eye, so my primary mission that first day will be NOT TO FALL ASLEEP-- which is where the shopping comes in. Total budget of £ 150ish, and I'd like to make that go as far as possible in gifts for the folks back home.

I'll be based around St. Pancras, but wouldn't mind travelling elsewhere, as long as it's public-transportation-accessible. I'll likely not have energy for a ton of train-hopping, though, so it'd have to be just one neighborhood of relatively consolidated shopping. I'm not particularly interested in buying anything explicitly souvenir-y or British-themed, but I would ideally like to find items that I might not necessarily see in a regular mall or department store back home. Oh, and since I'm obviously not a local, some basic locating info for any suggestions (tube stop?) would be super useful, if you've got it handy. Thanks!

Help me replace the most perfect combat boots ever!

mokudekiru — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 17:53:10 -0800

Where can I find boots just like these again? List of specific requirements inside. A couple of years ago, I found a great pair of combat boots for women in Amsterdam at some small boutique for ~100 Euro. I lived in them for about a year, and then somehow misplaced them and they're gone forever!! I've been searching for a replacement for about 1.5 years, and suprisingly have found ZERO pairs that fit all of the following qualities that my perfect combat boots had:

- black
- soft (either leather or non-leather is fine, but should seem "leathery").
- mid-calf height
- no heel
- very comfy
- sturdy
- simple, no extra detailing or stitching

Today I tried on a pair of Vintage Shoe Company Molly boots (in black) and it was the first one that even resembled the awesome of my previous boots, and they were super comfy/sturdy (even sturdier than my originals, yay!) The ONLY reservation I had was that line across the toe, which fails requirement #7 (okay, and the price was a mild reservation, but I'm willing to splurge since I'll probably wear them constantly again).

I've also looked at Frye's Veronica (online only, haven't tried any on) but they look too short (more ankle than mid-calf), and also... don't look quite as hip to me for some reason?

So my question: is there a boot out there that EXACTLY meets my description? Or should I give up and come to terms with the fact that the Vintage one is as close as I'm going to get??

(I live in San Francisco, btw, if you want to direct me to a local shoe store.)

Where to shop for bras in Paris, France

matildaben — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:05:50 -0800

What are some of the best stores for bra shopping in Paris, France? They must have awesome bras for ladies with DD+ cup sizes. Où sont les meilleurs magasins et boutiques à Paris pour acheter des soutiens-gorge pour une femme de grande taille?

Shopping Cart without checkout

humboldt32 — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:07:19 -0800

I have a client that has a scooter food delivery service. What I need to do is build menus for each of the restaurants, have the user be able to add items to a cart and then get a total. The actual transaction will occur at the customers home upon delivery so there's no need to deal with payments online. I'd like to use something open source and I've been looking at X-cart but I'd like to consider as many options as possible. WP/WooCommerce doesn't work because it requires a payment gateway and real time transaction (as far as I can tell) I'd love some recommendations. Thanks.

Fix my mug

Ms. Toad — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 09:28:59 -0800

Extreme long-shot filter: The lid on my favorite travel mug partially melted in the dishwasher. Help me find a replacement? The lid on my (snowflake alert) very favorite travel mug now has a melted hole just big enough to make drinking sort of impossible, and making me worried about swallowing particulates. But the mug is at least ten years old, and I haven't seen a model like this in ages. Is there any place I might find a suitable replacement lid, or is there another solution that can restore this mug to its travel-friendly state? I've Googled every keyword I can think of, but can't find a lid quite like this one.

The lid is a flexible plastic that just squeezes snugly into the mug. Pictures here and here.

Any ideas for replacing it - or safely repairing the current one?

What places sell maternity clothing that my wife would like?

nitsuj — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:46:03 -0800

My wife is pregnant. I'd like to get her a gift certificate to a store that sells maternity clothing that is akin to the clothing she normally buys. She normally shops at places like J. Crew and Anthropology. Are there stores of similar style and quality that specialize in maternity clothing?

Help me find jewelry I like!

Eyebrows McGee — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:47:06 -0800

I like to shop for jewelry. I like looking at pretty sparkly things (actually, I like looking at tacky sparkly things, too!), and I love to window-shop for jewelry. But my favorite local jewelry-maker retired and my favorites on the web have mostly shifted collections over the years into things I don't like as much anymore. I want to find new jewelry-makers that I like! Specifications and examples within. For the most part, I prefer jewelry that is simple, classic, and delicate -- but with a bit of impact or a little unique. I also like things with a story. I love to window shop for jewelry and I am not picky about where, but I do really like patronizing small artists when I actually make a purchase. Costume jewelry is okay, but I find I don't wear it very often; I would mostly rather buy "real" or "honest" materials, which doesn't necessary mean expensive -- glass beads are great, but I'm not such a fan when it's plastic made to look like glass. Brass is fine, brass pretending to be gold is annoying. (Vermeil is fine!) I wear yellow gold most often but have nothing against other metals. I like natural motifs a lot -- flowers, leaves, dragonflies, bees -- but also clean-lined architectural shapes. I am short and have a more delicate bone structure, so I've long favored delicate pieces because strong pieces sometimes overwhelm me visually, but now that I'm in my 30s I find I can wear things that are a little more "statement." But not TOO much! I prefer to buy jewelry that will last me for years -- or decades, or the rest of my life.

I'm also often interested in jewelry with a story or a provenance; my absolute favorite bracelet is made of tiny, odd, lumpy pearls from the 1920s that were the relatively unloved byproducts of mother-of-pearl button production in a local river. It cost all of $25 because tiny odd lumpy pearls from nowhere-rivers are not so sought-after, but I adore it -- at first glance it looks like a regular pearl bracelet (with very tiny pearls), but if you look more closely you realize they're funny little sputnik-looking pearls that are totally unique and unusual, and then they have this great story as well. (And then they cost $25 which is THE BEST.)

I wear necklaces the most often, though necklaces that are too heavy can make me feel choked. My bracelets are the most likely to be "statement"-ish. I am trying to branch out in earrings (I get stuck on studs) but nothing too heavy or it pulls. I also wear pins/brooches and hair jewelry (most often barrettes but also french twist combs, pins, etc.). When I wear jewelry I am most often dressed in a fairly conservative business or business-casual way, or in mom-clothes to chase active boys.

None of these criteria are mandatory if you have something you think otherwise suits my taste!

A few examples of things I've liked lately:
Kris Nations tiny heart necklace -- it's classic, but it's extra-tininess makes it a little different (I do NOT like Southwestern-style jewelry, which is the direction Kris Nations has gone in recent collections)
Vanessa Gade Inner Circle -- very simple, but a strong sensibility and very unique (I often find myself liking things that are a bit Frank Lloyd Wright-y, but her actual Frank Lloyd Wright collection is a little too literal for me)
Forget-Me-Not Acrylic Bracelet -- This would be an accent piece for me. It's a classic shape and not too busy, and highlights something I love (flowers, gardening) in an interesting way.
Michael Negrin bracelet (reminiscent of this one) -- I have one that I've had for 15 years and absolutely adore. It's MUCH busier than things I usually like, but the Victorian-ish style sometimes appeals. I also often like the costume jewelry from 1928, in the same "busier" vein.

As I said, I like window-shopping for jewelry and am happy to admire things I could never afford. I often will follow a jewelry-maker I like for years before seeing the exactly perfect thing that I want to actually buy. When I do buy something (not that often!), I often find my sweet spot is in around the $40 to $200 range, but more expensive is cool either to admire and inspire, or to suggest to my husband for milestone birthdays. :)

You guys are awesome at helping people find clothes and accessories to suit their taste so I know you can hope me!

Mellow and distracting spots near the Galleria

Mizu — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:23:24 -0800

In a week I'll be attending a big family event all the way down in Houston, Texas. The main family hotel is the Hilton and most events will be happening in the Galleria mall. I know I'm going to need an escape from all the intense family time, but I won't have a car and I'm low on non-family-time funds. I haven't been back to Houston almost at all as an adult. Is there anywhere nearby or in the mall that I can visit to regain a little calm or find a little funky charm to distract myself? Assume I have absolutely no sense of direction, but a functioning smartphone with GPS and I can read a map. I don't like to walk all that far and please assume cabs are out, but I have virtually no sense of the area. If there's a nice main pedestrian drag I'm happy to walk farther.

I guess I'm looking for things like actual local cafes, quiet nooks with comfortable benches (and wifi?) or non-chain shops with interesting merchandise to distract me. I love yarn stores, bookshops, and tea houses. I'm an omnivore but if there's a really good veggie place nearby please suggest it because I doubt I'll be eating healthily the rest of the weekend.

A huge bonus would be somewhere with good wifi where I could sit and do some work away from my hotel room for a couple of hours on Friday. Also just somewhere beautiful and quiet where I can sit for 20 minutes and recuperate, preferably nearby the Post Oak Hilton.

I'll be able to make my escapes on Friday and Saturday during the day; mornings and evenings are booked full of synagogues and dancing gangnam style with 13 year olds, so evening haunts are not relevant.

Thank you for assisting me in not having an introvert's meltdown in the middle of the mishpocha.

I want these shoes, but should I buy them?

tulip-socks — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:03:15 -0800

these flat shoes make my heart flutter. But are they "business professional" in the pink? I've blown out two pairs of flat shoes this winter. (a three year old pair of naturalizers and a much newer pair of hush puppies)

I work temp office jobs these days. My work clothes tend toward grey/black/white with a little color thrown in. These shoes would be that little bit one day a week. I do have a pair of black pumps that are good enough and a pair of brown shoes that will last a while longer. My 'signature' shoe used to be a pair of red Mary Janes, but they died too.

$30 is about the price of these shoes in my size, but I can't afford them if they'll be viewed poorly.

It should have some wheels and some gears and stuff...

Rallon — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:25:31 -0800

So I need a new bike. Or a new-to-me bike. But I'm paralyzed by indecision - new or used? What kind do I want? How do I know which local shop to trust when they all have super-mixed reviews? My previous bike was a Trek 7100 hybrid that I rode through college and grad school. It met a terrible fate thanks to a pickup truck and I am now bikeless. I liked the 7100 okay, but I'm not sure if another just like it is quite right for me.

I live too far from work to commute, but I'd like to start riding a few evenings a week after work and some weekends for fun and exercise. Probably rides of 10-25 miles on paved streets and some trails, but nothing offroad or mountainous. Suspension would probably be wasted on me.

I'm a big guy - 6 feet or so and about 270 pounds, so I definitely need something sturdy. My old bike got pretty uncomfortable on the butt and wrists after 8-10 miles. I don't really know much at all about how to size a bike, so I'd like to buy from a brick and mortar store where somebody will help me with that. I absolutely don't want to buy online or from craigslist.

I'm living just outside of Madison, WI, where there are a ton of bike shops, but no clear winner from online research. All of the reviews of the various shops have a couple of "these guys are the greatest!" and a couple of "these guys are the worst!" type reviews, so I have no sense whatsoever of who would be trustworthy.

So what do I do, MeFi? What kind of budget do I need to get something to fit my needs? $300? $400? $500? I definitely don't want to push much past that. If I could find somebody really trustworthy I'd love to just walk into a shop and say "My budget is $X and I ride like Y, what are my best bets?" I just don't even have a sense yet of the very basics I should be looking for - bike style, budget, new/used, etc.

Any and all advice is much appreciated!

How much should I ask for in compensation for overdue furniture?

vytae — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 13:43:21 -0800

I ordered a 2-piece sectional sofa 15 weeks ago, and it was supposed to be delivered in 8-10 weeks. Half of it was delivered at 8 weeks, the other half is still missing. How much should I ask for in compensation as the delivery gets later and later, and what's the best way to handle asking for such compensation? In mid-December I ordered a 2-piece sectional couch from a national chain that sells furniture and home accessories (think Pottery Barn, but not actually them). Delivery was supposed to take 8-10 weeks, because of special order upholstery. One piece of the sectional was delivered as expected during the 8th week after the order was placed. At that time I called to find out when we could expect the other piece, because our living room is pretty lame with half a couch. The customer service rep expressed surprise that the pieces were not delivered together, and began to look into the problem.

In the 6 weeks since then, I have called them or their CS reps have called me at least 10 times. They have sent multiple inquiries to the vendor (each time requiring 3-5 business days for a response). I have been told twice "it's shipping tomorrow" only to have it not ship. Now I have been told it shipped a week ago, but they don't know why they don't have any tracking information, so they have sent another inquiry to the vendor. I remain unconvinced that it actually shipped.

At this point it has been 15 weeks since the original order, and there is still no sign of the second half of our couch. The CS representative has promised that there will be some sort of compensation for the delay, but says they can't apply any discount until the second piece is actually delivered. I am definitely going to demand that the $75 delivery charge be waived, but I don't feel like that in itself is adequate. The later this thing gets, the closer I am to demanding that they not charge us for the second piece at all.

OK, honestly, I suppose that's probably unreasonable. My frustration is high not only because of the late item, but even more because we've been living with half a sectional in our living room for 6 weeks. It looks stupid, it's uncomfortable (the linking end has no armrest, so the tendency is to fall off that end if you sit over there), and we've had to decline hosting several social gatherings that we really wanted to have in our home because our seating situation is ugly and inadequate. I'd be less upset if the entire order was late, so we could have just kept our old furniture in place.

Please help me see through my frustration and come up with a reasonable expectation of what kind of compensation this company should be providing. I'd love your thoughts about what I should ask for if the 2nd piece is delivered this week (15 weeks since the order). And now that I'm jaded by experience, I could also use some advice for how that figure would change if the delay continues for another week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks...

Finally, my husband says we'll have more negotiating power if we refuse delivery until they commit to a compensation figure. But the service person says they can't commit to a figure until the delivery takes place. Should we refuse the delivery until an agreement on compensation is reached?

Give me your online clothes shopping gems!

catatethebird — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 20:00:20 -0800

I wanna do some online clothes shopping - please recommend your favorite quirky, trendy, CHEAP places to buy women's clothes online. Please share your favorite places to shop for clothes online - budget is a main concern, so I'm looking for places that have great deals, but then, I will splurge for something truly awesome. I am female, late 20's, though I think I tend to dress young for my age. I like trendy, quirky, unique, and even downright weird sometimes. Love bright colors. I'd say I am more hipster than hippie. I don't really go for preppy or conservative, at times I even enjoy styles leaning toward what you might find at Hot Topic, though I prefer clothing that is more unique. I love vintage and thrift stores. The stores I gravitate to at the local malls are Charlotte Russe, H&M, Wet Seal, Viktor Viktoria, Urban Outfitters...but I have pretty broad tastes. I am curvy, but not plus size. Usually wear between an 8 and 14 (US) depending on brand.

What I'm really looking for by shopping online is great deals. I like lots of stuff on Mod Cloth, but find it rather pricey. So please, tell me your best online stores, or even Etsy or EBay sellers.

Thanks savvy-shopping MeFites!

Bonus: I am also a lover of shoes!

Best NYC street shopping for cheap import photography stuff

fake — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:13:46 -0800

I'm going to be in NYC soon. I buy a lot of import (read: straight from Shenzen) photography junk (stands, lens hoods, macro rails, Benro tripods/heads, LED lights, etc). All cheap and low-ish quality. I buy this stuff on eBay and it is almost always coming from Shenzen or NYC/Jersey. If I wanted to see stores or kiosks full of it, where should I look?

What's the best Swiss Army Knife?

rainbowbrite — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:04:26 -0800

Now that the TSA is allowing Swiss Army knives on flights, I'd like to get my boyfriend a replacement for the one he lost a while back. But, searching on Amazon, there seem to be a million options. I'd love advice on which Swiss Army knife is the best. We like to do some hiking, but not backpacking. Picnic options like a corkscrew for wine would be nice.

I'd like to buy 6 months of unlimited Internet in England.

iamkimiam — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 10:25:57 -0800

I'm moving house next weekend and new place does not have WiFi. It's a six month lease and I'll probably be moving out of the country after that. I use a lot of internet (streaming music, downloading podcasts, films, sending large files, using cloud services, etc.) and so I need something unlimited or pretty near it. Everything I'm seeing online so far is either too much £ for too little internet (£20 for 2GB per month, seriously??) or too much commitment (12-18 month contracts for phone, broadband and TV). I only need internet. What are my options, if any? Thanks!

WOAH - We're going to Ikea!

mippy — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 05:50:28 -0800

We are moving into our first flat! Hooray! However, it is unfurnished, so we need to buy us some furniture - specifically, a good sofa and a good dining/gaming table. If we go Ikea, what's the sweet spot between price and durability? Useful information: we are in the UK, specifically London, with access to a van/car when we move but not otherwise. (Neither of us drive.) While we will keep an eye out for good quality used stuff, at the moment we are working on the principle that we'll have to buy new, as we will need something to sit on when we move in and also it's difficult to pick up furniture without a car from Gumtree etc. As we are renting, we have to work on the principle that we will need to move it eventually, which makes me wonder whether 'investing' in furniture is a false economy.

Like Michael Heseltine, we will have to buy our own furniture. IKEA is by far the easiest option as a) we've been told it holds up better than Argos b) we don't have a massive budget as we're going to have to buy a lot of stuff for the first time. At the same time, we don't want something that will fall apart before we re-sign our contract.

What we are looking for:
- a sofa that sits at least two people, preferably more so friends can visit. In the UK, renters cannot paint the walls, put up wallpaper or knock nails into walls to hang art, so for the past few years, I've been living in a succession of plain magnolia rooms with the only colour coming from my books and bedsheets. (I'm also very much looking forward to having a nice sofa I can sit on after three years of living somewhere where I can't really use the sitting room. I'm tempted to get a lavender velvet chaise longue and never leave it again.) My instinct is to go for something in a lovely rich, bright plain colour to counter-act the white, but MrM wants to go for something neutral. One thing we are agreed on is that we don't want white - so if it comes in a nice colour or has washable/removable covers, that is a bonus. We also really don't want leather.

- a dining table. The important thing here is that we will be using this for dining and tea and cake when people come over, but also we will be using it for hobbies - for playing boardgames on, and for putting my sewing machine on. It needs to be big enough to take a good-sized game, and durable enough for a lot of use. An extending table may be the answer here, but we didn't see anything in Ikea that stood out - the fold-up top table my previous place had seems to have been discontinued. We definitely don't want a drop-leaf table, as the chances of me accidentally leaning on it and snapping it are very high.

If you have any recommendations for non-IKEA British furniture shops, feel free to give us those too. I have had a look at Made.com but I think it might be outwith our budget for now. I've also looked at a few online places but can't work out whether they really offer better value for money.