In Germany, a desk, a bike or a full set of kitchen plates often costs a few euros or nothing at all. Here is how Sri Lankan students turn flea markets, Kleinanzeigen and free give-away boxes into a cosy first home and a lot of good weekend stories.
The empty room moment
Almost every student remembers the first evening in a new German room. You open the door, put your suitcase down and look around. Sometimes there is a bed and a wardrobe. Sometimes there is only a bare mattress and a lamp that does not work. Your budget is already busy with rent, groceries and the semester ticket, so buying a brand new flat full of furniture is not really an option.
Here is the good news. Germany has a strong second-hand culture. People here sell, swap and give away good things all the time, because throwing away a working table feels wrong to many Germans. So for a new student, that culture becomes a gift. With a little patience, you can furnish a warm, personal room for a fraction of what it would cost in a shop, and you will collect some of your best early memories along the way.
Kleinanzeigen is the app every student opens
If you ask a German student where they found their desk, the most common answer is “Kleinanzeigen”. It is the country’s biggest online marketplace for used things, and according to the company’s own published figures it had around 32.8 million average monthly active users in the first half of 2026. That means almost every city and town has thousands of listings at any moment.
You can find bed frames, shelves, chairs, rice cookers, winter jackets, bicycles and even entire kitchen sets. Many listings say “VB”, which stands for Verhandlungsbasis. In simple words, the price is open to a friendly offer. Some items are listed under “Zu verschenken”, which means the owner is giving them away for free if you can collect them.
A few habits make the experience smooth. Write a short, polite message in simple German or English, because most sellers reply quickly to a clear question. Agree on a time, bring a friend for bigger items and pay in cash when you meet in person. However, be careful with anyone who asks you to pay in advance or pushes you towards an unusual payment link, because scams exist on every big platform. When you see the item first and pay on the spot, you stay safe.
Sunday flea markets are a day out, not just shopping
Flea markets, called Flohmärkte, are a real part of German weekend life. Many cities have regular markets in squares, parks or old factory halls, and the atmosphere feels closer to a festival than to a shop.
Berlin’s Flohmarkt am Mauerpark is a famous example. According to Berlin’s official city portal, it runs every Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm and entry is free. You will find stalls with old vinyl records, vintage clothes, bags, furniture, home decor and plenty of small treasures, and there are food stands next to it. On many Sunday afternoons from spring to autumn, the park’s amphitheatre also hosts open-air karaoke, so a morning of bargain hunting can easily turn into a whole afternoon with friends. The organisers note that the market closes on a few public remembrance days and can be cancelled in very bad weather, so it is worth checking before you go.
You do not need to live in Berlin to enjoy this. Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Leipzig and many smaller university towns hold regular flea markets too. Look up “Flohmarkt” with your city name and the coming weekend, and you will usually find something nearby.
Free shelves, give-away boxes and neighbourhood swaps
One of the happiest surprises for new arrivals is how much Germans simply give away. Walk through a residential street and you may see a cardboard box on a wall with a handwritten note that says “Zu verschenken”. Inside you might find books, plates, glasses or a kettle that still works perfectly. Taking something from such a box is completely normal.
Some cities organise official swap days. In Berlin, for example, the city cleaning company BSR runs “Kieztage” together with the district offices. At these neighbourhood events residents can drop off bulky items for disposal, and there is also an exchange and give-away area where good things like small furniture, dishes, bicycles and suitcases can find a new owner. Dates and places change, so check the BSR website for your area.
Your university is another great source. Students who finish their degree often sell or give away everything before they move. Look at the noticeboards in the Mensa and the faculty corridors, and join the student groups for your city or dorm on social media. Many international students furnish their whole room from people who are leaving that same month.
Social shops and second-hand stores
If you prefer to walk into a shop and choose calmly, Germany has that option too. Many cities have social department stores, often called Sozialkaufhaus, which sell donated furniture and household goods at low prices. Charity shops and second-hand clothing stores are common in student areas, and they are especially useful when you need your first proper winter coat, boots or gloves without spending a lot.
Berlin’s BSR even runs its own second-hand department store called NochMall, where usable items get a second life. Other cities have similar projects through their waste companies or local charities, so it is worth asking around once you arrive.
Repair before you replace
Sometimes the thing you need is not a new item at all. It is a small repair. This is where Repair Cafés come in. These are volunteer-run meetings where people bring broken lamps, toasters, bicycles, clothes or small electronics, and experienced hobby repairers help fix them together. According to the German consumer advice centre Verbraucherzentrale, around 1,900 Repair Cafés are listed in Germany, and the repair work itself is usually free, although you may have to pay for spare parts.
Repair Cafés are also wonderful places to meet local people. You sit down with a coffee, often with homemade cake, and an older neighbour shows you how to fix the plug on your desk lamp. So you leave with a working lamp, a few new German words and maybe a new friend. The Verbraucherzentrale does recommend registering in advance where possible, because some events get very busy.
How a Sri Lankan student might furnish a room
Let us imagine your first month. You arrive with two suitcases and a room that has a bed and a wardrobe. In the first week, you find a desk and chair on Kleinanzeigen from a graduating student nearby, and a friend helps you carry them home on the tram. On the first Sunday, you visit a flea market and come back with a lamp, a colourful rug and a set of plates. On your street, a “Zu verschenken” box gives you a kettle and a few glasses. Later, a classmate who is moving away hands you a rice cooker and a small shelf for free.
Prices on second-hand platforms change all the time and depend on the city and the condition of the item, so there is no fixed price list. However, many students are surprised to see how far a small budget can go when they shop this way. More importantly, every piece in the room comes with a story, and that makes a new place feel like home much faster.
Why this is about more than saving money
The second-hand habit teaches you something important about life in Germany. People value things that last, they care about reducing waste and they are often happy to help a newcomer. When you buy a bookshelf from a retired teacher or swap plates with a neighbour, you are not only saving money. You are taking part in everyday German life and practising the language in a relaxed, real situation.
Many students also continue the cycle. When they move to a bigger flat or finish their degree, they pass their furniture on to the next new student who arrives with two suitcases. So one day, you might be the person who gives a newcomer from Sri Lanka their first desk in Germany.
Plan your study in Germany from Sri Lanka
Life in Germany starts with a good plan. These free Belfurt tools help you take the next step:
- Study in Germany Cost Calculator (LKR): estimate your blocked account, rent and monthly costs in rupees.
- Master’s Readiness Check: check your grades and profile for German master’s programmes.
- Visa Interview Simulator: practise typical German student visa interview questions.
Questions? Message Belfurt on WhatsApp at +94 77 056 9927 or use our contact page.
Keep reading
- German Bakery Culture: Your New Morning Ritual
- Best University Towns in Germany for Students
- Outdoor Weekends in Germany: Hiking for Students
Sources
Prices, dates and rules change. Always check the official pages before you plan.
- Kleinanzeigen imprint, DSA user figure: themen.kleinanzeigen.de
- Berlin.de, Mauerpark Flea Market: berlin.de
- Flohmarkt am Mauerpark operator: flohmarktimmauerpark.de
- BSR Kieztage: bsr.de
- Verbraucherzentrale, Repair-Cafés: verbraucherzentrale.de
- Netzwerk Reparatur-Initiativen: reparatur-initiativen.de
