It’s hard enough to afford your apartment’s annually-increasing rent, so the last thing you want to do is spend $5,000 trying to furnish your space. Don’t worry; there are low-cost ways to furnish your apartment. It’s actually easy to get the attractive and functional furniture you need without blowing your budget.
These seven low-cost ways to furnish your apartment will leave you with enough extra cash to do something crazy… like pay next month’s rent early.
Search Classified Listings
What did deal-seekers do before classified ads went digital? Craigslist, LetGo, and even your local newspaper’s website all offer listings from people eager to get rid of their old furniture. Sure, the items you find won’t look store-bought, but a fresh coat of paint can make a difference.
It’s even possible to find items for free, especially when you offer to disassemble and transport the furniture yourself. Just search carefully and read descriptions with a skeptical eye. There are plenty of jewels to discover if you look hard enough.
Make Rounds at Yard Sales
A Saturday spent browsing yard and garage sales is a day well spent. You can find incredible deals at these rummage places. Imagine a $10 princess bookshelf for your daughter, a set of end tables for $25, and a new-to-you coffee maker for only $5. Some clever sanding, painting, and steam cleaning can help any furniture look fresh. Nobody will ever guess that your entire living room set only cost a few hundred dollars.
Make Facebook Marketplace Your Friend
Facebook Marketplace has become the Craigslist of the 21st century but with plenty of added perks. Facebook users post pictures and descriptions of the items they want to sell, and you search by your location and category to find the items that may interest you. With more than 169 million Americans on Facebook, there’s no shortage of items for sale at seriously discounted prices.
Many people turn to Facebook to efficiently sell entire furniture sets or host moving sales. Capitalize on these opportunities to get great furniture for your apartment at a fraction of the cost of retail stores.
Ask For Your Family’s Rejects
If your parents’ basement, grandmother’s attic, or cousin’s garage is stuffed with old, unused furniture and decorations, ask if taking a few for your new home is okay. They’ll probably be more than happy to help you save money (and get rid of that stuff in the bargain).
Scrounge At Local Colleges
This isn’t a conventional method to find furniture, but it’s clever nonetheless. If any colleges are located near your new apartment, search through the items left behind after students move out in the spring. You might be amazed to find tables, sofas, bed frames, wall hangings, and many other items abandoned by kids who simply didn’t have the space to take everything with them.
Browse Discount Stores
Local consignment shops and thrift stores are hidden gems that you should use to your advantage. In addition to national nonprofits like The Salvation Army and Goodwill, you can find many local operations in your area that offer discounted home items.
You can even channel your inner HGTV spirit to find incredibly cheap items to repurpose and add character to your new home. That broken-down dresser on sale for $10 can become a rustic kitchen island with some paint and four wheels, and a splintered ladder can transform into a stylish above-the-bed wall accent.
Wait for the Right Deal
It’s okay to furnish your apartment slowly. You may be able to save money by waiting for the arrival of Black Friday or other holiday sales. A little bit of patience can score huge discounts online or in-store.
Don’t let those glitzy department or furniture store advertisements persuade you to spend money you shouldn’t. Your new(ish) couch will feel twice as comfortable with the knowledge that you bought it under budget.
Read about micro-investing and how to get started with our complete guide: Micro-Investing: What It Is, Why It’s for You and How to Start.
