The sunny weather is finally on its way and many of us will be planning to get back into our gardens to enjoy it.
There’s no doubt many of us will have neglected our gardens during the winter due to the cold weather, but now it's time to get back out there. However, giving your garden a new lease of life can often be expensive.
One couple has managed to transform their outdoor space for £200 - and saved £1,800 in the process. Emma Hartgrove-Tubby, 36, a beauty therapist, and Steve Hartgrove-Tubby, 38, a scaffolder, wanted to transform their garden space without spending a fortune - and they definitely succeeded.
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The couple was given old scaffolding boards and used them to build a U-shaped outdoor sofa, decking and coffee table. They then added the finishing touches to the area with paint and accessories from Home Bargains, B&M and Amazon.
According to LatestDeals.co.uk, Emma told money-saving Facebook group DIY On A Budget UK : "My hubby Steve and I have been saving desperately to buy our own house in the next couple of years which is extremely tough as the property market is through the roof.
“In order to save we are on a very tight budget, saving every spare penny we have. We are lucky our landlords are very good to us and let us do what we would like to make a house a home.
“Because we look after it well they keep the rent low for us, but I’m also very aware this is not our own home so we don’t want to spend silly amounts when we could be saving. Because we are on a tight budget it means we are entertaining more at home, especially through the summer months.”
So, Emma discussed just what she’d like to do in order to get their garden ready for sunshine and entertainment. She added: “I said to my husband I’d love a U-shaped sofa.
“These were about £2,000 which I did not want to dip into the savings for, so I suggested he built one out of scaffolding boards. He was surprisingly up for the challenge.
"I had an image in mind and searched the internet for what I liked and what I didn’t. I gave him some pics of what I liked and in two days he had put it together.”
So, how did they do it? Some good friends and bargains from the likes of Home Bargains, B&M and Amazon, that’s how.
Emma said: “My hubby is a hard worker and he works all hours so we can save what we can and to have the lovely things we do have. His boss was kind enough to give him the scaffolding boards for free and my hubby got him a crate of beer to say thank you.
“We bought some wood for £20 and built a frame, so we had something to attach the boards to and take the weight. The decking he built out of pallets about eight years ago had rotted so I pulled it up and hubby built the new one.
"He built the frame, the decking and the coffee table, and I did the rest. I wanted a boho style for a relaxing feel and for when I have friends over and parties in the summer.”
Emma managed to pick up a number of bargains from B&M, Amazon and Home Bargains. She added: “The rug was B&M for £10, the fire pit was £25 off Amazon, the mirrors are from Home Bargains for £3.99 each, and all the plants you see my dad mainly gives to me from his garden.
“The big white planters in front of the shed were orange and from a Facebook site. I bought them for £10 each and painted them.”
According to Emma, who wants to take the sofa with her when she moves home, the whole project cost around £200. She said: “In total, it cost about £200 with the paint, cushions, fire pit and accessories. You can do anything when you put your mind to it.
"We are absolutely made up that we have saved approximately £1,800. It means we are one step closer to getting our forever home as the money we have saved has gone into the house fund. We are excited to be hosting our first party at the weekend”
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