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Having read about the couple who decided not to buy any new household items for a year I would like to share what we do in our corner of Orne.

Local brocantes. Enormous fun and very moderately priced for everything from furniture to china and garden items.

Local websites, such as United in Normandy.

Charity sales and Emmaus which is wonderful for furniture and has moderate delivery charges for the big stuff.

My favourite: a bourse with friends. It works like this: find a friend with a large room and lots of parking. Turn up with anything you no longer need, plus a bottle and some food. Socialise for an hour having set out your stuff on tables, rails etc. And at 20.00 the bell rings and it is a free for all.

Kit Stephens, Orne