First off I had to share this fun picture of Hannah and me at the pumpkin patch.
When furnishing a living room the most expensive items are usually the furniture. Buying new living room furniture can take up the majority of your tight budget.
This is why we have not bought a new sofa in over 9 years. Our sofa has been through a lot too; more moves than I can’t remember (two cross-country moves) and many spills.
So what do you do when your budget limited and you need a new furniture for the living room? Here is a practical guide on how to save money on living room furniture.
1. Shop Clearance Sales
Many furniture stores have clearance centers or areas in their store. These are the areas to shop in if you are looking for budget friendly living room furniture. Your selections may be reduced from the rest of the store but the good for your purse the prices are often cut in half.
2. Buy with Cash
Take the Dave Ramsey approach and paid for your next furniture purchase with cash and not credit. Paying with cash can give you a chance to negotiate a better price. Start fanning out the Benjamins in front of the sales associates and see what kind of bargains you get.
Your strategy could be to come in with a hundred dollars less than the cost of the furniture you are looking to buy. Then put all your cards on the table and say this is all have to spend or I have to go else where. The key is to be ready to walk if they say no.
Now I wouldn’t try this method at any chain furniture stores. They probably won’t reduce their prices or bargain with you. Good stores to try this at are locally own stores or consignment shops. These stores are usually more open to offers.
3. Slipcover It
If you are tired of the upholstery on your living room sofa and what to save money on a new furniture, instead of purchasing a new sofa buy a slipcover. I know you may be thinking slipcovers are ugly, they don’t fit right, and never look good. I would say think again. Slipcovers have come a long way from since your parent’s days.
This slipcover has a modern crocodile pattern
Surefit offers slipcovers to fit any sofa, that is better fitting and comes in a wide variety of color and pattern fabrics. Surefit slipcovers cost a fraction of the cost of a new sofa. So consider a slipcover as a way to save money on your living room furniture.
4. Post on Facebook
Looking for a deal on living room furniture, post a “in search of” status on Facebook. Do not play surprised if a few minutes after posting you have comments with people offering to give or sell you some unwanted furniture.
You can post on your timeline or like I do probably at least once a month on an Online Garage Sale Facebook group.
This is exactly what i got my $45 queen bed frame and $50 freezer chest. You can also do this on Craiglist, but I perfer Facebook because it feels safer to me.
Here is an example of the Facebook Garage Sale Group that I follow. Look at the prices for these great coffee and end tables.
5. Garage Sales
Going to garage sales is frugal shopper’s idea of a good time. My wife and I love spending a Saturday morning going around to garage sales.
I am always on the look for good deals on furniture and home decor. Lynn is always looking for clothes for our girls.
In need for low cost living furniture, then garage sales are the perfect place to start looking. When you are shopping garage sale furniture look for a quality piece.
If you are looking at wood furniture, open the drawers to see how they are constructed. If you see dovetails, then it is a quality piece of furniture. If not, it maybe more likely to not last as long. Also solid wood furniture is always a good buy.
If you are looking a for a sofa, be sure to sit on it to test the cushion and springs. If you sink into it the springs are probably in bad shape. Also fill up the cushions and give the upholstery an inspection for damage.
Do not hesitate to offer less than the tag price to get a better deal. If they would accept a lower price point out any flaws to show them why your offer is reasonable.
6. Drive Around
I will admit I have curbside furniture in my home. I have a night stand, a sofa, an office chair and a bench that were sitting on the curb while I was driving.
If you were in the car with me, you would probably notice me scanning the curbs for furniture and furnishings. The fact is people throw out a lot of nice furniture that just needs a little TLC.
If you have zero in your budget for living room furniture then drive around on garbage days to find some furniture treasure. As I say, “One person’s trash is the perfect furniture piece for my home.” It does get more affordable than free.
Check Out My Post “7 Curbside Finds To Save You Money“
7. Shop Online
Shopping online can also be a smart way to save some money on furniture. Often you can get free shipping to your home. Plus depending on what state you are in you won’t have to pay tax on your online orders.
The only drawback to shopping online is you can test out the furniture before you buy it. So be sure to read the websites return policy before submitting your order.
What I Don’t Recommend When Buying Living Room Furniture
It is not hard when you have a limited budget to be tempted to use credit cards or financing offers.
No interest offers and high credit limits very dangerous if you have limited income. It can be easy to fall into the trap of credit cards to purchase furniture.
I have used credit cards and financing to buy new furniture and in the end this method has caused me financial issues later. It is because of credit cards and other financial mistake that my furniture budget is so limited.
So from my personal experience these are not the best avenues to buy home furnishing for your home. You commit yourself to credit card payments that you can never guarantee you will be able to pay in the future. You never know when you or your spouse may lose their job, which could cause the low furniture payment to be a big burden on your family.
Cash is the Way to Go
The way I always recommend to buy anything for your house is… CASH.
That way you are less likely to spend too much. In a later post, I am going to give you tips to save for decorating projects and home improvements.
Time to Save Money
I hope you find these money saving tips helpful when buying living room furniture.
Do you have any tips for saving money when decorating?