If you’ve ever had
to start over in a new home you know how overwhelming it can be –
emotionally, physically & financially. Your home can be anything
from a rental apartment to a condo or house. There are many things
you can do to ease the financial burden. Here are just a few ideas to
get you started.
Use Credit Cards
With Benefits
Take a look at your
credit cards and see if any of them offer cash back or rewards
certificates to spend at specific stores. For example, Amazon offers
a store credit card that gives you 5% cash back on purchases made on
Amazon.com. Your rewards are given each month. You can apply them to
your balance, or use them to buy items on Amazon. The Amazon Visa credit
card provides $25 gift certificates to spend on Amazon once you spend
a certain amount. There are some stores, including Bed Bath &Beyond and Christmas Tree Shops that give you from 1%-3% back in the
form of $10 gift certificates you can spend at their retail stores or
online. Plenty of other credit cards offer cash back on a range of
purchases, with the percentage varying depending on the purchase –
groceries, gas, dinner, and retail products. It may not seem like a
lot, but it adds up. If you have to buy groceries, gas, and other
products anyway, why not get paid to do so? Just be sure you can pay
off the balance or you’ll lose the benefit of those rewards.
Buy
Ready-To-Assemble Furniture
Many stores offer
affordable prices on furniture that needs to be assembled in your
home. Two popular examples are WayFair and IKEA. Many, like WayFair, offer free shipping on their furniture. Not only do you save money,
but the furniture is delivered right to your door. No need to lug it
home or wonder if it will fit in your car. If you get stuck you can
call them. If you really don’t think you can assemble it yourself
you can pay to have it assembled in your home. On WayFair, the price
for assembly is listed on each item’s page. Even with the cost of
assembly, it’s still cheaper than buying at a furniture store. Many other retailers and online stores offer some RTA furniture options in addition to their other products. Shop around or do a Google search.
Shop At
Affordable Stores
Skip the high-priced furniture stores and look at places that offer
more affordable options. Besides WayFair and IKEA, check out Walmart,
Christmas Tree Shops, Target, Outlet Stores, and certain department
stores. Other options include Overstock and eBay. Make sure you check
shipping fees on sites like eBay.
Look For Deals on Shipping or Buy At Once
Shipping costs vary greatly between retailers. Check out FreeShipping.com for a list of retailers and their conditions for free shipping. Many offer free shipping if you spend a certain amount. Try to wait until you have multiple items that meet the threshold. Others offer free shipping on
certain items, like furniture. You can also find coupons for free shipping on sites
like RetailMeNot.com. Look for discount codes on these sites, which can
provide savings that essentially pay for the shipping costs. Take
advantage of savings sites like Groupon or Rakuten.One word of caution: Always find out what retailers' policies are on return shipping, as this can make a huge difference. Most will take back an item if it is damaged or defective, but not if you simply don't like the item.
Reuse Items
Designed For Other Purposes
Do you really need a
specially designed container to hold your keys? Select a nice bin or
basket that you already own, or that can be purchased for much
cheaper than those specifically designed for that purpose.Baskets are also perfect for holding extra pillows or blankets. If your TV stand has multiple shelves, use them to hold books instead of buying a separate bookcase. If you don't like the plastic soap dispensers you buy at the grocery store, but you don't want to spend a fortune on those you find in retail stores, make your own using mason jars.
A TV stand that doubles as a bookcase.
An entry table that is listed for sale as an end table.
Buy Items With
Storage or That Serve Multiple Purposes
Make the most of
your space by choosing furniture and accents that can serve multiple
purposes. An ottoman can serve as a foot rest, a side table, extra
seating, storage, or all of the above. Choose nightstands or end tables
with drawers. In your bedroom, place your TV on a dresser or chest
instead of buying a TV stand that will only serve one purpose and
take up space you may not have.
Ottomans are affordable and can serve multiple purposes.
Make Your Own
Artwork & Decor
You don’t need to
be an artist to create accents for you home. My favorite way to add
artwork is to buy paint-by-number kits. You can choose from a variety
of companies, mediums, and themes. Visit local craft stores, such as Hobby Lobby, or shop online at sites like Amazon. Here are other ideas. Frame
beautiful pictures from calendars or books. Customize a lamp by
buying a glass lamp base that can be filled with items like shells.
Buy Singles
Instead of Multiples
Do
you really need 2 nightstands or
end tables? This is
especially true if you have a smaller space or live alone. See if you
can get by with one. This also works in children’s bedrooms. They
probably don’t need multiples either.
A single nightstand with lots of storage.
Re-Pot Plants
Plants add life,
warmth, and brightness to a space. If you have trouble keeping plants
alive, choose succulents that don’t require extensive care. I love
bamboo and Jade plants. Skip the plants in fancy containers. They’re
usually overpriced, and most often are on the smaller side so they’ll
need to be re-potted fairly soon. Often it’s not even a pot you
would have selected. Go to a store like Walmart or Home Depot and
choose a pot you really like, and one that matches your décor or
style.
Buy Light
Curtains
If you don’t plan
on closing your curtains at night, and are only using them for style,
choose lightweight options. This is especially true in the living
room or dining room. You don’t need to spend all that money on
heavy drapes or room-darkening curtains. Splurge on the window
treatments in the bedrooms, where you want to be able to have total
darkness. If you have a large window, and would need several pairs to
cover the entire window, ask yourself if you’ll ever need to close
them. If not, one pair – a panel for each side – will be enough
to achieve your purpose. You can also change the style of curtains by
the way you hang the rod. To add height, make sure the rod is a few
inches above the window frame on the top. This will draw the eye up.
Then make sure the ends of the curtain rods extend a few inches past
each side of the window. This will allow you to keep the curtains
fully open, instead of blocking part of the window.
Research The Best
Time To Purchase Items
While retailers
offer sales throughout the year, there are certain times when they
offer the best prices on specific categories of items, such as
electronics, furniture, bedding, or mattresses.Here are a few examples:
Appliances - End of the year
Furniture - February and August
Mattresses - Holiday Weekends, such at President's Day or Memorial Day
TV - Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Bedding - May
There are many online guides with recommendations for both general and specific categories of items. Also keep in mind that big sales on a wide range of items occur every year on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as Back-to-School sales in August.
Purchase Seasonal
Items After Each Holidays
Most people aren’t
able to purchase all the holiday items they need at once. A good idea
is to get the basics now, but wait till each holiday is over to stock
up on the rest. Take Christmas as an example. Purchase the tree and a
few balls and light strands to get you started. Once Christmas is
over, stores often offer from 50%-75% off items. You can buy two or
three times more than you would have at regular prices. Also stock up
on storage bins so you have a place to stash all your holiday décor.
You can do this for all holidays and seasons where you like to
decorate.
Splurge On One Item
Make sure to reward yourself after all that hard work by buying one thing that you really want. For me, it was a papasan chair form Pier 1 Imports. I use it almost daily!
I hope these money
saving tips are enough to get you started on making your new place
feel like home. Once you start following these ideas you’ll
probable think of even more. Feel free to share you tips and tricks
too!
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