How to Furnish Your New Apartment on a Shoestring Budget
How to Furnish Your New Apartment on a Shoestring Budget
Starting life at a new apartment can make a severe dent in your wallet. Not only will you have to pay a deposit and the moving expenses, but you’ll also have to redecorate and arrange the place to your taste. Since buying a new furniture is pretty expensive, you might need to be thoughtful and buy things on a budget. Luckily, buying cheaper items doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have a beautifully decorated, luxurious home. Here’s how you could furnish your apartment on a small budget:
Buy at the right time
When buying new furniture or appliances, you cannot just mindlessly go on a shopping spree, if you wish to save money. You need to be aware that there are usually certain periods in a year when it will be much easier to get a great deal. Since most of the new products are introduced between April and October, retailers tend to give significant discounts for all the furniture that’s out of season. These are still exceptional items. They’re just merely not from a new collection, which shouldn’t bother you. The best way to always be aware of any seasonal sales is to follow the websites and social media accounts of all your favourite brands, to stay up to date.
Avoid big brands
In today’s consumer society, it is difficult not to get swayed by all the brands and labels before you. And most of us, at least occasionally, want to go and splurge on brand name pieces, even if we don’t need them. Having a branded couch doesn’t mean it will be more comfortable to sit at, or more durable. Fortunately, there is a vast selection of pieces that resemble brand name ones, which don’t fall behind on quality either. Buying such a piece will let you save a great deal of money while not having to compromise on aesthetics.
Online shopping
Doing most of your shopping online is the best way to save much money, and time, while you’re at it. Retailers increase their prices for in-person shopping because they have to cover the costs of lease and employee salaries. With online shopping, those costs don’t exist. There is no middle man between you and the company, so retailers are in a position to reduce the prices considerably. And the best thing is that it all gets delivered right at your door!
Try used goods
Don’t feel discouraged to try out used furniture or appliances. There are thousands of websites and message boards where people offer their used items. Also, those items don’t necessarily have to be heavily used. Sometimes, people want to get rid of their furniture after one or two seasons and buy a new one. That way, you might be able to come across some almost intact pieces for a fraction of the price. Sometimes people also return their furniture to the store for some reason, and the store will look to resell the item as soon as possible. And besides furniture, you might need to refresh your set of appliances. However, you don’t have to buy new ones. You could find quality spare parts online, and make your machines work as good as new. The most crucial thing here is to be patient and to always be on the lookout. That way you’ll increase your chances of finding a hidden gem!
Buy at flea markets
Whether you enjoy visiting flea markets or not, digging through someone’s collection could open up an opportunity to find something beneficial. There’s a common misconception that you could only find junk there. Even though this might be the case sometimes, you can still find many affordable items, if you’re patient and diligent enough. Make it a habit of visiting the flea market as often as possible. You never know when you’ll run into a couch or chairs that you can’t resist. And the best thing is that everything’s negotiable. So, talk to the seller and try to lower the price. You might just be headed home with a piece you paid only a couple of dollars for!
Buy damaged products
When you think about damaged pieces of furniture, you might feel discouraged to buy them, since they might be unusable. However, in most cases, it’s far from the truth. Furniture stores often showcase items that have dents or scratches and offer them at really reasonable prices. Most of the time, these dents are not even visible, but the retailer can’t offer them without notifying the customers. So, try it out, and maybe get an item at 30% or 40% discount.
Moving into a new apartment and furnishing, it can be stressful and expensive at the same time. However, depending on which approach you take, you can make it a less painful experience. With the right mindset, everyone can beautifully furnish an apartment, even with a small budget.
