Ikea MoneySaving tips

Including extra 25% on buyback scheme, free tea & coffee, and more

Oli Townsend and Laura Berry

Updated 12 March 2024

If you've shopped at Ikea, you'll know how easily costs can add up when you pop in for a specific item and leave hours later with a car full of cacti and scented candles. So here are our tips to make your Ikea visits more efficient – and cheaper – including its furniture 'buyback' scheme, where to find ex-display or mildly damaged bargains, and how to get free tea and coffee.

For some of these, you'll need to be an Ikea Family member (have its free loyalty card). If you don't have one, you can sign up for free online or in a store (find your nearest).

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Ongoing Ikea MoneySaving tips

Here are our ongoing tips and tricks for saving money at Ikea.

Trade in old Ikea furniture for a gift card of up to 50% of its original value
Ikea's 'buyback' scheme allows you to trade in your old Ikea furniture for a gift card to spend online or in-store at Ikea. You can trade in cabinets, bookcases, chairs and more, though it's not for everything – for example, you can't take back a bed – see a full list of what's included in the scheme.

How much can I get for my second-hand Ikea furniture?

Depending on the item's condition, you can get up to 50% of its original value back as an Ikea gift card. It needs to be in good condition – it's fine if your item has some cosmetic wear, but you'll be offered less. Ikea says values work as follows:

'As new' (no scratches) – 50% of the original price

'Very good' (minor scratches) – 40% of the original price

'Well used' (several scratches) – 30% of the original price

Enter the details of your item via Ikea's buyback estimator tool to get an idea of your item's buyback value.
Selling your item back to Ikea may not give you the best price for your item. Check our Facebook Marketplace selling and eBay selling guides for other tips on how to sell your unwanted goods.

How do I claim the Ikea gift card?

If you're happy with the offer you received through the buyback estimator tool, take your item into a participating store (all except Hammersmith and 'Plan & Order' points) within 30 days to be inspected by Ikea staff, who may alter your quote if they think there are any discrepancies from how you described it. If you're thinking of taking back a larger item, bear in mind that you may need to arrange transport.

Your gift card will have no end date and can be spent online and in stores, but it can't be used in the Bistro, Swedish Food Markets or restaurants.

What happens to my second-hand item?

Your item is resold in Ikea's 'Re-shop and Re-use' area (previously known as 'Circular Hub' – we've more on Re-shop and Re-use below). See Ikea 'Buyback & Resell' for full info and terms.
Which furniture you can trade in

The following items can be returned as part of the 'buy back' scheme:

Bookcases and shelf units

Cabinets

Chairs and stools (excluding upholstered or leather chairs and stools)

Chest of drawers

Children's furniture (excluding baby items such as cots and changing tables)

Dining tables and desks

Display storage

Dressers

Multimedia furniture (for example, TV benches and storage units)

Office drawer cabinets and other small structures with drawers

Accessories for Ikea's PAX wardrobes (for example, clothes rails, shelves)

Sideboards

Small tables

Ikea won't accept the following items:

Non-Ikea products

Hacked or modified products

Non-assembled Ikea products

Products that have been used outside including outdoor furniture

Mattresses & bed textiles (such as blankets and mattress toppers)

Sofas/armchairs

Other soft good (pillows, towels, curtains etc)

Items containing glass

Kitchens including worktops, cabinets and fronts

PAX wardrobes

Other over-sized items

Appliances and other electrical items

Baby products such as cots, mattresses and changing tables

Upholstered or leather products

Market hall products

Non-furniture items

Products purchased more than seven years ago
Free tea or filter coffee, plus refills

Family card members (sign up for free) can get a free tea or filter coffee on weekdays (normally £1) – better still, you get free refills on all drinks. As with all Family member offers, you simply scan/swipe your card at the checkout. You only need one membership per group (there's no restriction on group size).

You can do this at all Ikea stores except for Hammersmith and Plan & Order points. See our Free tea and coffee deals for other places where you can grab a free hot drink.
Free in-store events including workshops and card making

Go to the Ikea 'Store Events' page, select your local Ikea, and it'll bring up all of its in-store events. When we checked on Tuesday 12 March, events included free Easter egg decorating for Ikea Family members at the Greenwich store, and free Easter wreath making for Family members at the Glasgow store.

Most of these are free, though some (including the examples above) require you to be an Ikea Family member.
Ikea replaces missing parts for free and will even deliver them to your door

If you're in need of spare parts such as screws, cam locks, dowels and more, Ikea will give these to you for free. If you want to collect these in store, simply head to the returns department in your local store.

Alternatively, you can order online via its spare parts page and arrange for the parts to be delivered to you for free. The page also shows you how to find a spare part number so that you can be sure you're ordering the correct item.
When is the next Ikea sale? Know when to pounce to save up to 50%
Ikea usually has a couple of sale events each year – one in summer and the other in winter. The sales used to be mostly in stores, with fewer items discounted online, but over the last few years we've seen more stock available online too.

We tend to see discounts of up to 50% off on thousands of products across furniture, lighting, bathroom, textiles and kitchenware. Here's when we expect Ikea to have its big sales:
Summer sale – predicted to start early July

Here's when it's started in previous years:

2023 – Monday 5 June to Sunday 9 July. Online and in stores.

2022 – Monday 13 June to Sunday 10 July. Online and in stores.

2021 – Monday 7 June to Sunday 18 July. Online and in stores.

2020 – Monday 13 July to Monday 31 August. Online and in stores.

2019 – Thursday 6 June to Sunday 30 June. In stores only.

2018 – Tuesday 5 June to Sunday 1 July. In stores only.

Winter sale – predicted to start from mid-December

Here's when it's started in previous years:

2023/24 – Monday 11 December to Sunday 7 January. Online and in stores.

2022/23 – Monday 12 December to Sunday 8 January. Online and in stores.

2021/22 – Monday 13 December to Sunday 9 January. Online and in stores.

2020/21 – Tuesday 1 December to Sunday 17 January. Mostly online with limited availability in stores.

2019/20 – Thursday 19 December to Sunday 12 January. Online and in stores.

2018/19 – Thursday 20 December to Sunday 13 January. In stores only.
Look out for ex-display or mildly-damaged bargains in the special 'Re-shop and Re-use' area

Formerly known as 'Circular Hub', and before that 'Bargain Corner', this is where Ikea puts reduced goods in a special area often found by the tills, or you can buy Re-shop and Re-use products online. Items here are usually ex-display, second-hand or damaged in some way, though this could be as minor as a ripped box.

Ex-MSE Dani got lucky and found a light that she was going to buy at full-price – the only difference was that it had a torn box, so it's always worth checking before you check out.

Ex-MSE Laura B's flatmate found these curtains that she'd picked up earlier in the store at full-price. They've been repackaged and so are a little out of shape, but she's happy with that as they're 29% cheaper.

We asked MoneySavers on X (formerly Twitter) if they'd managed to pick up any bargains...

I got my dining table for my first flat from there. 75% off because of a tiny dent that's easily coverable with a table mat.
— brooke (@welshphysx) May 11, 2021

Bought a set of 6 blinds for uPVC doors for £1.29 each RRP £69ea - perfect size
— hamstrung (@92to1) May 11, 2021
If you've lost of forgotten your Ikea Family card, you can still get its benefits

Ikea Family is its completely free loyalty scheme, which gives members access to discounted prices on selected products, personalised offers and a free hot drink Monday to Friday. You can sign up for free online.

If you can't find your card or forgot to bring it with you, you can download the Ikea store app (available for free at the App Store or Google Play) and log into your account to access a digital version of your card. Alternatively, you can usually print off a temporary card at in-store kiosks.
£2.50 for small cooked breakfast or £3.50 for large

You can get a six-piece breakfast for £2.50 (£2 for vegetarian option) or a nine-piece for £3.50 (£3 for vegetarian option) at the Ikea restaurant, available between 10am and 11am daily (times may vary by restaurant).

The breakfast menu includes typical 'fry up' options, including eggs, bacon, sausages, beans and hash browns, plus vegetarian alternatives. The Ikea restaurant used to offer a discount for Ikea Family members on the breakfast menu which is unfortunately no longer available, but we think £2-£3.50 for a cooked breakfast is still a decent deal.

MSE Laura B's regular vegetarian breakfast (£3) and MSE Oli's regular breakfast (£3.50), plus a free tea and coffee with their Ikea Family member cards

There are other items on the breakfast menu, including a breakfast roll for £1, a vegetarian breakfast roll for 85p and a kids' breakfast for £1.30.
Keep an eye on your emails for offers in your local Ikea store

If you're an Ikea Family member, you could be emailed exclusive offers and vouchers for your local store.

Ex-MSE Laura B previously received an email with £5 off a £40 spend. We've also seen £50 off a £300 spend on outdoor furniture and accessories.

Ikea doesn't say how often these offers are available, so it's always worth keeping an eye on your inbox for emails from it, and scrolling all the way to the bottom to check for codes – Ex-MSE Laura B almost missed an offer once because the code was right at the end.

An example of a previous Ikea Family offer from 2020
Free product insurance on your journey home and while you assemble your items

Present and swipe your Ikea Family card at the checkout and you'll automatically get free product insurance for 'accidental damage on the way home and during assembly'. This only applies to items bought in store and excludes Re-shop and Re-use items, cut fabric and custom-made goods. If you need to claim, present your Ikea Family card and receipt in store within 90 days of the date you purchased.

Ikea says damaged items will be replaced on a like-for-like basis or you'll be given a store card for the item's current selling price.
Remember to bring your own bags

Ikea bags are bigger than your average and pretty sturdy, but at 50p to 75p each, the cost can soon add up. So if you've already loads in a kitchen cupboard, remember to re-use them.
Free tool to help avoid queuing during busy times at your local Ikea
Ikea can often be busy, but using Google’s free 'Popular Times' feature (by simply Googling your local store, for example, 'Ikea Manchester'), you can find out when your local store is likely to be at its busiest, helping you plan your trip better to avoid the queues. There are two ways to use Google's tool:

The most accurate way is to check shortly before you go if now's a good time to visit the store. For many Ikea stores, Google will show 'Live' visit data (shown by a pink bar on the graph) which is updated in real time so you'll have a reasonably accurate picture of how busy or quiet the store will be.

You can plan ahead by looking at different days of the week. It's a handy feature, though as it's using historical data it may not be entirely accurate for the day you go, but use it to see when your local store is typically quieter, and take it as a general guide, not a guarantee.
Where to find the 'Popular Times' tool

First do a Google search for your local store, for example, Ikea Lakeside or Ikea Manchester.

On a mobile, you'll find a box with Google's Ikea listing at the top of the page – scroll down a little bit to see the 'Popular times' graph.

On a laptop or computer, you'll find this on the right-hand side.
The graphs above are an example of when we checked Ikea in Manchester on Tuesday 14 July 2020. On the left, you can see the 'Live' real time data. The graph on the right shows when the store is typically busy on a Saturday, based on average visits over the past several months.
Go prepared with measurements written down

Always carry a note of your measurements when you head to an Ikea store, for example, any spaces you want to fill and any furniture you're replacing. This should hopefully prevent extra (often costly) trips back to the store if something doesn’t fit. Plus, Ikea's paper measuring tapes in store are only one metre, so if you're buying something large, bring your own tape measure.
Ikea furniture hacks

If you search 'Ikea hacks' online, you'll find endless ideas on how to transform your Ikea furniture and use it in creative ways. Ex-MSE Lucia painted her £13 Ikea step stool grey and found plenty of different uses for it, including a side table, extra dining chairs and a plant stand.
Get extra offers and discounts

If you've a free Ikea Family card, you can get regular offers and exclusive discounts on selected products. For example, ex-MSE Laura B spotted 15% off outdoor furniture, a mattress that was priced at £280 for Family members (normally £350), and a 4for3 offer on roller blinds.
Check online marketplaces for cheap second-hand Ikea furniture

If you're not fussed about buying brand-new, it's common to find people selling pre-owned Ikea furniture at online selling sites such as Facebook Marketplace or eBay*, where you may be able to pick up the item you're after much cheaper.

For example, MSE Rhiannon bought a white 77cm Ikea Kallax shelving unit for £15 at Facebook Marketplace, which would normally cost £30 new at Ikea.
Keep an eye on our weekly email for short-lived Ikea deals

We've featured some cracking Ikea deals over the years, including its popular prize draw where everyone wins something and its '£9' real Christmas tree (you buy a £29 tree and get a £20 voucher to spend – though it wasn't as strong last year). If you don't already receive the weekly MSE email, you can sign up here.
Save time (and money) using a shortcut to your flatpack

We've a top tip from Ex-MSE Dan, who used to work in Ikea...

If you know what you want to get, check its flatpack warehouse aisle and location number online before you go, and then go in the back entrance.

To find an item's location, go to the Ikea website and set the store locator to your local. Then, go to the page of the product and click on the store name. A side panel will open, showing the aisle and location of the product.

Ex-MSE Dan recommends going into the store via the back entrance, but Ikea's official line is that stores should be entered via the main entrance. We can't confirm you'll be able to get in via the back, but walking around Ikea's full showroom and marketplace takes a decent chunk of time and it often means you end up buying goods that weren't on your list – so, it could be worth a go.

We've not had these confirmed, but savvy MSE users have told us that in the Warrington store "you can miss out a good chunk of the showroom by going left through the door at the top of the main stairs", and you can get straight to the flatpack aisles in Wembley if you "immediately turn left" after heading down the marketplace stairs.

Recently we've spotted shortcuts highlighted on display boards around the store (indicated by yellow dots), making it easier for you to get to where you need to quickest. However, we'd love to hear if you've found any shortcuts of your own – let us know on X (formerly Twitter). In the meantime, you could always ask store staff for tips – they'll usually be dotted around the store, especially near the entrance.
Ikea's product recalls online

The Ikea website lists all of its product recalls in one place. If you've bought any of the items, you can return it for a full refund – usually, you don't even need to dig out a receipt.
Re-use Ikea's brown paper

After you go through Ikea checkouts, there's usually brown paper for wrapping up fragile items. If you ever need to use it, make the most of it and help save the environment by giving it a second lease of life, for example, use it for packaging parcels or wrapping presents.
Free crèche in stores to keep your little ones entertained

Parents and guardians can book their children (three to 10 years old) into an Ikea crèche (Småland) for up to 45 minutes while they shop at Ikea. The crèche will be located at the front of the store and it'll be supervised by staff trained in childcare. Activities include toys, books, arts and crafts. Crèches are open at all Ikea main stores, except for Manchester, Birmingham and Croydon, which Ikea says will all open in 2025.