Saving Money On Furniture

Source: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf84913176.tip.html

It’s great to have useful, durable and attractive furniture but even low quality furniture can be expensive. Here are some tips for saving money on furniture. Please post your own ideas below.
Check Out Thrift Stores

If you are going to buy cheap furniture, why not buy it really cheap? Visit your local thrift stores and look for gently used furniture. Keep an open mind. A coat of paint can make many pieces of furniture look new. Even particle board furniture can be painted, just use fine sand paper to lightly scuff the surface first. Church and charity stores tend to have better deals than the big name thrift stores.

Freecycle
I use freecycle. There are groups all over the country and you can locate them at Freecycle.org. I have known personally of people getting almost any type of furniture or appliance you can think of. To name a few things: washer, dryer, refrigerator, range, freezer, AC, couch, chairs, dining room suites. Well, I think you get my drift. I know one lady who furnished an entire house from freecycle. I have got a few great things myself, but I mostly make offers, because I am decluttering my home.
By Jan in NC
Ikea

All I can say is Ikea, I love this store, I fully furnished a 4 bedroom house with brand new furniture for under $4,000.00. I know that’s kinda pricey for some but, if you want brand new on a budget, then Ikea is the store for you.
By Bambi

Good Used Furniture
I bought a really nice used Hickory Lane couch from my sister in law years ago. I have had at least 12 years and she bought it new 6 years before that. I have had it recovered once and now have a slip cover over it. The springs started to sag a little so I bought one of those boards you can put under the cushions to give it stability. It looks great and sits good too. I have about $500.00 in it but I don’t plan on replacing it for many more years. Find good used furniture and make it last. That is my advice!
By COOKIEPOM

Yard Sales Are Cheaper Than Thrift Stores
I like yard sales better than thrift shops. I find that thrift shops want too much money for their items, they are trying to make profit, but yard sales most people are just trying to unload their stuff. By the last day of the sale, you get the best deals because people desperately want to get rid of the items before the sale is over. The best furniture deal I ever got was two free wood chairs with tacky old vinyl-covered seats. I just recovered the vinyl with new fabric and now have two great chairs!
By Persnickety Paula

Refinishing
My husband refinishes furniture for a living. You’d be surprised at how much longer a life you can have from even “cheap” furniture. You can do the refinishing yourself, or can have someone do it for you. If interested in finding a local person, searching for refinishers will do the trick. Of course, you could also email me and let my hubby do it for you!
By Lisa

Craigslist
I like to use Craigslist.com. There is a different one for every city and area.
By momma30

eBay
I have purchased a few larger furniture items recently from ebay at 1/4 to 1/3 of the cost I would’ve paid for new. They’re in excellent condition and there’s a huge range to browse through. There are huge savings to be made by purchasing secondhand.
By Jojo

Lawn Furniture For Indoors
My family room is furnished with lawn furniture and pillows that I made to cushion the seats. It is durable, cheap, and very informal. I also have another type in my living room with colors to match in there. This type is light and easy to move around as needed. There are many styles to choose from.
By Gail

Cabinet Made From Doors
I am currently changing a bedroom into a sewing and craft room. I found a goldmine at the Humanity store. I need lots of cabinet space for fabric. I am using old doors to make my cabinets with doors! Lots of doors are $5-$15 and solid wood. A little trimming to get them sized properly, some screws and hinges, you have a huge cabinet for about $30. I’m cutting one 36″ door in half to make the sides (nice deep 18″). You can use a door to make a table too. A local thrift store also is one of my favorites. It uses it’s profits to support the less fortunate. I turned an old vanity table into a beautiful bathroom vanity. Love the pride in doing things myself, and saving money at the same time.
By Susan