Although being a homeowner isn’t all fun and games, one of the things I was most excited about when I became a homeowner was being able to paint, furnish, and decorate my home however I wanted. Prior to buying my home, I had lived on my own for two years already, but I was in college with almost no money for furnishing my apartment. Plus when you are renting there’s only so much you can do to make a place your own. Some landlords won’t allow you to paint or hang things on the walls, even if you plan to live in that location for years to come. Unfortunately my excitement to decorate and furnish my home ended up costing me quite a bit of money because I wanted all new, high quality furniture. While wanting high quality furnishings isn’t something to be faulted, they do last a long time, that doesn’t mean you need to buy everything new or full-price. Here are four ways you can save money on furnishing your home.
Watch Where You Shop
Shopping at big name furniture stores will likely come with a big name price. If you want to save money you need to know where to shop for furniture. One place to get started with some shopping, price checking, and browsing of styles is online. After you know what you are looking for in terms of style and price you can really start to shop for furniture and decor for your home. A great site to start out when looking for home furnishings is Amazon. I also really like WayFair.com for smaller decor items. Shopping at thrift stores, estate sales and garage sales can result in finding some really good pieces at low prices. But finding furnishings at these places is kind of hit or miss, so you might have to check back often or be less picky about style. Furnishings found in these places may also require a little elbow grease before you can put them on display in your home, but it will be worth it if you find a good deal. Just watch out for used items with serious damage that can’t easily be fixed.
Be Patient and Less Picky
When trying to furnish your home on a budget you need to either be very patient and wait for the right pieces to come along at a price you can afford, or you need to be less picky. As I mentioned earlier, the less picky you are in terms of style, the easier it will be for you to furnish your home on a budget.
Save Up
Another really good strategy to employ is paying for your furnishings in cash. By saving up and taking cash with you when you go shopping for furniture and decor, you will more than likely be able to ask for a cash discount. Stores and individuals alike are more willing to haggle on price if you have cash to give them right then.
Be Mindful of Delivery Fees
When buying local furniture, you may be able to get delivery fees waived to help you save money. Another option to save money on delivery fees is to find a friend with a large vehicle, like a pickup, to help you move your furnishings yourself. If you don’t shop locally for your furniture, it may actually be worth it to pay a delivery fee. In the past I’ve gone furniture shopping at the same time as a friend or family member and we’ve been able to split the delivery fee to save money. Some furniture stores will also allow you to pay one delivery fee that will cover any deliveries made in the next 12 months. This can save you some money if you plan to buy furniture again in just a few months. Saving money on furnishing your home isn’t difficult if you take these tips into consideration. I know I will definitely use them the next time I need to furnish part of my home. How have you saved money on furniture and decor in your home? Have you ever over paid for furnishings? Source of Article: wisedollar.org
