Finding the best furniture deals can be one of the better money saving opportunities. Imagine paying $50 of a table that normally costs $400? The potential for savings is astronomical. Not to mention this gives you the opportunity to find original furniture pieces that are sure to impress even the most scrutinizing guest. Here we’ll highlight 10 places you can shop or ways you can reduce the cost of buying furniture.
1.) Re-purpose current furniture
Before you consider buying furniture, why not re-purpose what you have? Just a few coats of paint and some sandpaper can make an old hutch or table look new and unique. Instead of throwing at old chair out why not get it reupholstered? I recently did this with a nightstand we had. It was old clearly worn down but a new coat of paint did wonders. Altogether it saved me the cost of buying a new nightstand.
2.) Thrift stores are a goldmine
Thrift stores are an amazing source for great deals, so too is the case for furniture deals. One good thing to keep in mind about thrift stores is that they often like to unload their furniture inventory to free up more space. This is often why you’ll see great furniture pieces at Goodwill or Salvation Army for 1/3 of the price. For example, I just bought an oak bookshelf for $14 at Goodwill while I saw a similar one for $75 at Rooms-To-Go. So, do ever count out thrift stores!
3.) Make your own furniture
This might sound like a painstaking process but making your own furniture doesn’t have to be hard. This is especially the case for items like tables or shelves that are much easier to make. The savings from making your own furniture can be massive. Especially if you use can get scrap wood from old pieces of furniture or from free wooden pallets. We have a few examples of furniture pieces we’ve built.
4.) Yard/Garage/Estate sales are every bit as good as thrift stores
While like thrift stores, garage, estate and yard sales are much easier to get good deals. Often people there trying to free up space, be it due to relocation or just unload their stuff. This opens up the opportunity for you to barter with them for lower prices. Do they have a patio set listed for $60? Maybe offer them $50. Either way a patio set is likely to cost you north of $150 at most retail stores, so you’ll be saving regardless.
5.) Wait for holiday sales to buy furniture
Most furniture stores wait until holidays to discount much of their inventory. Even holidays like President’s Day or Labor Day can leave many retailers to hold discount specials. The key is to wait until one such sale rolls around before you make your purchase. You can also try and snag a store coupon and save it for such a sale.
6.) Get free furniture on Craigslist’s free section
You would be surprised how many amazing pieces of furniture are given away for free on Craigslist. Often people who are moving and need to empty their apartment or house immediately are forced to give it away. Craigslist helps movers by allowing them to post classified ads to help get rid of their free stuff. If there is something specific you’re looking for It helps to give their free section a check every few days.
7.) Consider trading or bartering for furniture with friends or family
I’m sure you know someone that wants to get a new piece of furniture. What will they be doing they’re with old furniture? Can their old furniture be re-purposed? You could also consider swapping furniture. That old table you no longer want might be music to their ears, whereas their old table could be an upgrade over yours. You could upgrade your furniture and be helping friends or family!
8.) Haggling is always worth a shot
Haggling works in many large furniture retailers, not to mention in some thrift stores, and especially so at yard sales. Many people shy away from haggling but often you might be able to talk them down 10%-30%. Why not take the opportunity save more money and get some of the best furniture deals out there?
9.) Networking online will land you amazing deals
There are hundreds of online resources for buying and selling furniture nearby. The odds are your local area has a Facebook group where people buy and sell things locally. Other websites like Let Go, Offer Up, and Shopkick allow you to find deals locally. You could also use Craigslist and Ebay too.
10.) Be creative and think outside the box
To get the best furniture deals you should be creative. Such as, consider turning your old dinner table into a new coffee table (cutting the legs down). Instead of buying a giant bookcase why not get a bunch of affordable shelf brackets and used recovered wood to make shelves? See? Take your original idea and be creative with it. You’ll save more money in the long run.
Final Word: 10 Ways to Find The Best Furniture Deals
Patience and creativity can really save you a lot of money. As shown in the tips above, just some minor planning can turn a costly purchase into a money saving endeavor. I’ve found that it helps to consider the money you save as extra money to put towards something else, such as paying a bill, enjoying a night out, or even increasing the budget towards your next DIY project.
Furniture is one the most noticeable ways people express who they are. So don’t miss the opportunity to get the perfect piece of furniture that showcases who you are!
Also, be sure to check out our DIY sections. We cover areas such as DIY Furniture, DIY Outdoors, DIY Home Décor, DIY Kitchen, and many more. In these sections, we show you how to create furniture or refurbish old pieces of furniture. Enjoy!
