As I may have already mentioned here, I’m moving to a new condo in a week. One of the issues I’ve been facing is furnishing the new place. I have more room so I need some new things. Also, my current furniture is mostly hand me downs that I got from my parents when I was much younger. It’s old and falling apart, and I’d like to buy a few new things. The challenge I’m facing is doing that while still maintaining some kind of budget.

Right from the start I knew there were a few big ticket items that I was going to have to buy and that I probably wasn’t going to find cheaply. One set of items was a washer and a dryer. The other was a sofa. These are items I hope to use for years and years, so I didn’t want to skimp. I also knew that I wanted something that wasn’t used. For some things that wouldn’t make a difference, but for these items it did, at least to me. Since I knew I was going to have to spend some money, my plan was to figure out how I could spend the least money and still get what I want. Here’s how I did that.

The first thing I did was search online. I looked at various furniture and appliance stores in the area and compared prices. I also asked around. I asked friends and co-workers where they’d bought their furniture and appliances and whether or not they thought they’d gotten a good deal. I also did some research on makes and models, so I had a pretty good idea of what brands were good and what were not.

Once I’d gathered my information, I window shopped a bit. Then, after that, I made my decision as to where I wanted to go. I chose Sears for the washer and dryer and Art Van for the sofa. Both had been recommended by several people and seemed to have good prices, according to my research.

At Sears I let the salesman know up front that I was on a budget. I didn’t tell him how much but I let him know I was looking for a good basic washer and dryer and that, as I was single, the appliances wouldn’t be getting extremely heavy use. I also asked about sales and closeouts. It turned out they had a washer and dryer set on closeout because both appliances had a small ding in the casing. It was barely noticeable, but that small ding saved me about $150 on each appliance. Because the appliances were on closeout, I was able to buy a nicer washer and dryer than I had expected, while paying the cost of a lower end model. Score one for me.

At Art Van, I headed directly for the Clearance Center. I knew, if there were bargains to be found, that’s where they’d be. Again I told the salesperson up front that I was on a budget and let him know that I was only looking for a sofa. I also let him know that I was only interested in Clearance items, which saved me being dragged through the whole store. We looked through the Clearance section, and I came upon a leather sofa that was originally almost $2,000. It had a small scratch and had been marked down to slightly over $600. Score another one for me.

If you’re looking to get the most value for your money there are a few things you should do. One is to always ask about discontinued models, closeouts and scratch and dents. Finding an item in one of those categories could save you a lot of money. You should also be on the lookout for hidden fees or the add on items that salespeople try to sell you. Just because they offer a special warranty or cleaning option doesn’t mean you have to buy it. If you don’t feel that you need it, or don’t see the value, just decline. Finally, do your research. Ask around and see who others in your community trust. Go online and compare prices. That way, when you do make your purchase, you’ll be armed with the knowledge you need to get the best deal.

Posted: 08|19|08 at 8:33 am. Filed under: Organize Your House/Life.
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