JOHN Lewis is the latest high street shop to offer rental services – with parents able to borrow kids’ clothes.
But is it really worth it? Mum of three Lynsey Hope finds out as she rents everything from clothes and furniture to appliances and a hot tub . . .
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Kids’ clothes: Saving £94
Lynsey says: “With three children, I spend a small fortune on their clothes. Buying something nice when you have a special occasion coming up seems a waste of money.
“By the time another wedding comes around, they will have outgrown it.
“The selection of items from John Lewis at thelittleloop.com was fab.
“For £18 a month, you get 100 credits to use, the equivalent of 18p per credit.
“Olive adored her rainbow stripe playsuit which we hired for 13 credits (£2.34), £16 new. I also borrowed a Frugi rainbow skater dress for eight credits (£1.44), £32 new, an embroidered denim dress (12 credits, which is £2.16, or £16 new) and a shirt and waistcoat for Jacob for a wedding. These were 27 credits, or £4.86, but would have cost £37 new.
“Ivy joined in the dressing up fun too with a duck dress which was eight credits (£1.44, or £11 new).
“I’ve still had to buy underwear, school socks and shoes this month but I’ve definitely saved a bit of money by renting bits for special occasions.
“ I plan to do the same again for holiday clothes in August.”
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Hot tub: Saving £191.99
Lynsey says: “What a fab way to spend the weekend. I’ve considered buying one of these but we don’t really have anywhere to store it and I’d be concerned about the running costs.
“You can hire a small one from as little as £98 for a long weekend. The kids loved it and unlike the paddling pool, which they usually get out of after about five minutes saying it is too cold, this kept them entertained all day. It was a lovely relaxing treat for me once they’d gone to bed, too.
“It arrived via courier and was easy to set up. The only downside was waiting 20 hours for it to heat up – and having to give it back.”
Dyson hairdryer and Airwrap: Saving £786.21
- Fatllama.com
- Hairdryer, Rent: £8.77 per day Buy: £329.99
- Airwrap, Rent: £15/day Buy: £479.99
Lynsey says: “I borrowed a Dyson hair dryer before and was very impressed. My hair looked so much glossier and healthier.
“I wanted to use one again for a night out but I couldn’t afford to buy it. Prices will vary depending on where you live but hiring is cheaper.
“I tried an Airwrap too this time to give my hair a curl and was equally impressed.
“It’s not worth me investing as I wouldn’t use these every day, but it was a lovely treat.”
Designer bag: Saving £1,115
Lynsey says: “Never in my wildest dreams would I be able to splash out on a designer bag like this so it felt really special to use it for a few days.
“The process was easy. It’s still pretty expensive just to rent so probably not something you would do every week (and definitely nowhere you risk getting your bag pinched).
“I loved the colour of the Chloe Drew bag (see main pic) but there are loads to choose from including one Chanel mini bag worth £3,360 which you can hire for £160. It might be nice for a very special occasion.”
Bikes: Saving £715
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- Bikeclub.com
- Forme Cubley 18in, Rent: £9.99 a month Buy: £319.99
- Forme Kinder 24in, Rent: £15.99 a month Buy: £419.99
Lynsey says: “Jacob and Olive were so excited when their new bikes arrived. They have both outgrown their old ones but to buy good-quality replacements was going to cost around £740, so I’ve been holding off.
“You can rent these (and scooters) from The Bike Club for as little as £4.49 a month.
“Olive is likely to outgrow hers in a few months, so I can simply exchange it for a bigger one.
“Normal wear and tear is accepted but you may have to pay a fee if there is damage not caused by everyday use.
“For the month, these two cost me just £25.98 on loan.”
Toys: Saving £170
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- Toyboxclub.co.uk
- Rent: £35 per month, or £100 for a one-off Holiday Box
- Buy: £270
Lynsey says: “We went for the Holiday Box and received a lovely selection of toys to suit my two daughters, Olive, five, and Ivy, two.
But son Jacob, seven, also loved having a look inside.
“The kids spent hours investigating what was inside the box, leaving me time to have a peaceful cup of tea.
“Most parents will say their children have tons of toys they never play with. When the kids are bored of these, I can exchange them for a fresh box.
“It’s a fab idea and saves buying toys that will end up in charity shops or landfill. It also saved me hours fiddling around putting batteries in and assembling stuff.
“If you opt for the £35 monthly fee, it includes eight toys worth around £175.
“I wouldn’t usually spend £35 a month on toys, but if you do shell out that much, this is a great investment.”
Garden furniture: Saving £169.91
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- Furniturehireuk.com
- Basic BBQ Package, Rent: £180.09 per week. Includes two beer tables, four benches and a 6ft trestle table.
- Buy: £350
Lynsey says: “After trying this out, I’ll definitely be hiring some bits for my daughter’s christening party in July.
“You can get a really fab package which would be suitable for all sorts of events from this website.
“I like the beer benches and four bean bags package. It is definitely cheaper than buying and it saves me the worry of where I’m going to store it all after the party.”
Clothes for me: Saving £333
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- Hirestreetuk.com
- M&S X Ghost green long-sleeve midi dress Rent: £10. Buy: £79 SAVING: £69
- French Connection pink belted maxi dress Rent: £14. Buy: £89 SAVING: £75
- Hope & Ivy Marie dress Rent: £10 Buy: £70 SAVING: £60
- M&S X Ghost satin V-neck midi wrap dress Rent: £10. Buy: £79 SAVING: £69
- Runaway The Label fuchsia Tallulah midi dress. Rent: £11. Buy: £71 SAVING: £60
Lynsey says: “I ordered five dresses from Hire Street UK for events coming in this month and after paying delivery and accidental damage insurance, it only cost me £75 for the lot.
“You can search for your items in your size and select the colour, length and style you want too. There were lots of brands available from Zara and Reiss to Coast and M&S.
“I hate paying out on a special occasion dress I’ll wear once then throw to the back of the wardrobe so with a few weddings and a christening coming up, this is a great way to save money.
“The dresses all arrived needing an iron but in good condition. Not all were a good fit but if you don’t wear the dresses you can exchange them for rental credit allowing you to borrow something else instead.”
My verdict… It’s great
RENTING is a great way to save cash. I especially loved it for the kids’ stuff because, as all parents know, they grow out of everything so quickly – and you are left trying to find a home for old stuff as well as having to fork out for new things.
The hot tub and hand bag were real treats. I’d definitely hire both again in future for a special occasion.
I’m not sure they really saved me money as, in all honesty, I wouldn’t have bought them outright at the moment.
But it’s great to know there are so many rental platforms out there.
Before I buy anything now I’m going to have a look and see if I can hire it, especially if it’s something I may only use or wear a couple of times.
It was a great experience and the kids really enjoyed our renting month too – they felt spoiled rotten.
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