I guess most of us wonder how to save money on just about anything for the home – from food and basic staples to area rugs, sofas and chairs. But let’s not forget that we can’t buy just anything that is on bargain… Not everything will fit in our grand design scheme. What’s more furnishing a home requires a well-thought design plan, clear idea of want vs. need and lots of patience. And if you’re a smart shopper you won’t even need a big budget. Give these 5 ideas a chance and see how much you can save in a month or two…
Know The Online Product Price
photo courtesy of fashion-hairstyle.info
It’s a trick that can save you a lot. Before you head to a store, check it’s website for items which are on sale. It’s not only faster this way to locate what you’re looking for but it’ll have other benefits as well. For example, a friend of mine bought a bed on sale even though it wasn’t marked as such in the store. However, he checked the sale online and it was there, on the store’s website. The employee on the counter honored the sale price! Here a smart phone comes in handy.
Search using Google Images to get more places that sell the product you want to buy. Thus you can compare different pricing levels and pick the one that suits you best. It’ll even produce similar images and products in case you need an alternative to a favorite chair, carpet or table.
Get Regular Sale Notices
Patience is crucial in this game. You can easily find most of the things you want to buy at 20 or even 30% discount if you wait for a sale. Even though this can slow things down a lot, you will be able to outfit your place on a tight budget. For example, I had to wait for a new area rug for six months (I missed an opportunity around Christmas) but I snapped it on sale last week with a nice discount. Another thing to do is to use site like hukkster to get information about products you like when they go on sale.
Make A Thrift Shop Schedule
Thrift shops are a gold mine for vintage furniture and housewares and inevitably produce great deals. Find a couple of such shops and establish connection and trust with their owners by visiting and buying stuff regularly. Try to pop-in whenever you can. And even though you don’t buy things every time be friendly and chatty. Always ask what’s new in the store and when they get new merchandise. Thus you’ll be ahead of the other smart shoppers in town and be able to snatch better products and bargains.
DIY Or Trade Skills
If you are handy with tools then you can be your own designer and manufacturer of custom-made furniture, bedding or whatever else you are good at. In case you lack a specific set of skills, look around you and see whether a friend of yours can do it. You can trade skills between each other. They can get a nice headboard for your bed while you set up their new Word-press site. On the other hand, you can always use your cooking talents to get a new book case, for example.
Work With Contractors
Why spending hard earned cash on designer furniture or even buy it from expensive stores while you can have it for the fraction of the cost when you hire a professional contractor? There are lots of able carpenters who are struggling to find work right now or find they have time in between orders and large projects. You can either use models from a magazine or custom design the furniture. At the end you’ll find it’s much cheaper than going to the nearest furniture store.
Outfitting your place on a budget can be achieved if you’re smart and patient. You can buy a bunch of high quality products with up to 70% discount. This is wonderful! You can enjoy a stylish interior yet avoid spending big money on it. Last but not least, a final tip – don’t underestimate proper care and maintenance. If you keep your new tables, rugs or carpets clean, you’ll be able to enjoy their company for longer!