7 Frugal Tips When Buying Furniture on a Serious Budget

20.11.2018 HOME IMPROVEMENT 0.0 0

buying furniture

Whether you’re moving to a new space or redecorating your current space, shopping for furniture can be both fun and challenging. Each person has a distinct style and preference that they envision. Because of this, people tend to think that furniture shopping is always expensive.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the price tags of pretty items, but getting them for cheap is possible. Not all quality furniture comes with a hefty price tag. There are many bespoke, multi-functional pieces on the market that can liven up a small space. It takes effort and patience, but it’s doable. Here’s how.

Identify Your Key Pieces

Entering a furniture store can be quite overwhelming. If you go there without a rough idea of what you’re looking for, you may be tempted to buy more than what you intended. Be as specific as you can down to the size, material, and fabric. Knowing these things will cut your decision times.

Besides choosing which to buy, consider identifying your accent pieces as well. Try to envision which items go well with each other. This doesn’t always mean going for neutral-colored furniture. It’s possible to combine pretty and practical pieces to inject your style without a problem.

Lastly, if you can’t afford to furnish your home at this time completely, you can start with the main areas. A sofa set, bed, and dining table are the foundation of your space. Leave the décor for later.

bespoke kitchen

Be on the Lookout for Sales

If you’re not rushing to fill up your space right away, it’s a good idea to wait for end-of-season, year-end, and holiday sales. Clearance sales are a great way to score beautiful pieces without breaking the bank.

Much like in fashion, furniture trends come and go, but it doesn’t lessen the value or function of the item you want to get. You can also surf the web for online deals and discounts or subscribe to your favorite store’s newsletter.

Bonus tip: Go for matching furniture. In most cases, buying individual pieces will cost more than a set.

Shop Local

You don’t have to go to a designer brand to make your dream home on a Pinterest board come to life. In fact, a lot of those posts feature DIY furniture pieces to personalize your space!

If you’re not up for repurposing, buying at local stores and small businesses are a good alternative. Many of these shops handcraft their creations with the utmost care and quality since there’s no pressure to mass produce for a retailer. You get items that are non-generic looking too – perfect if that meets your aesthetic needs.

Consider Buying Second-Hand Items

Shopping for furniture at thrift stores or yard sales opens plenty of opportunity for unique finds and huge savings. Plus, during these sales, haggling is allowed. See if you can get two or three pieces for a lesser price when you get them all. You can also ask for discounted delivery fees, so you pay less overall.

When thrifting, don’t sacrifice the quality for the price point. Second-hand items are often still in great condition but do your part in inspecting for any significant defects in the item.

Browse Online Catalogs

If you don’t have much time to go around, online shopping has a lot of benefits. First, you can already get an overview of prices from the stores you initially plan on visiting. This will help you compare prices later and decide if the item is worth it. It will also allow you to inquire if the item is in stock.

Second, you can check if they have deals online. Some stores sell their furniture for a regular price in-store but have a running sale on their e-commerce platform. You can still visit the showroom to inspect quality, but you don’t have to settle your bill in the store if you’re not in a rush. You wouldn’t want to purchase an item that you can get much cheaper online!

Lastly, online catalogs inspire you. If you have no idea what to look for, you can draw from products sold in your area.

It’s worthy to note that when online window shopping, you should browse at stores that cater to your specific needs and budget. Go for showrooms that have a lot of space savers, multi-functional items, and furniture for small spaces. Be mindful of the price points as well!

Buy Multi-Purpose Furniture

Small spaces tend to lack storage areas—but not if the right furniture can help it. Getting multi-purpose furniture will allow you to score two (or sometimes three) pieces of furniture for the price of one.

The most common examples are living room couches that can transform into a bed and ottomans that are also storage boxes. This will optimize your space, save you money, and reduce clutter in your home.

Visit Many Showrooms

You’ll be surprised to know that some outlets sell the same pieces of furniture for different price points. It pays to go around and hunt for the item you saw earlier on to get a better deal.

Getting exposed to a lot of furniture on display will also give you ideas on how you can save space and decorate small spaces. Pay attention to how visual merchandisers use their products and try to copy that when you’re furnishing your place.

Ready to shop?

Remember, furniture shopping is supposed to be fun! Expose yourself with as many items as you can, and keep your eyes peeled for deals. It’s ideal to set a budget so you won’t need to spend your emergency fund. With a bit of luck and a lot of patience, you’ll be able to score pieces that will give you the most bang for your buck.

Guest post by Oscar Florea

About the Author

Oscar Florea is a content contributor for Avida’s lifestyle blog Pursuit of Passion. He is an engineer by profession but a multipotentialite by destiny. Just like a normal dude in a basketball-crazy country, one of his passions is shooting hoops. Grant Hill is the older brother he never had.