Need furniture but don't have a lot of cash? Here are some tips for finding good pieces at great prices.
This is your first apartment (unfurnished, of course, becaue rent is high enough as it is). You don't have thousands of dollars to spend on furniture right now, so you're looking for the best possible deals. The problem is that you don't want something that will fall apart in six months, forcing you to buy it all over again and eventually spend almost as much as you would for high-quality, large-price-tag stuff.
The solution is simple: find the best deals on quality furniture that attracts your eye (and butt), and make the investment in your future. After all, this stuff will probably stick around for the next few years of your life, if not longer. You could see your children hauling it away to put into their apartments twenty years from now!
WHAT NOT TO DO
Don't rent-to-own. These companies prey on people who can't pay cash up front, or who don't have good credit (and therefore can't charge it). Fifty-five bucks a month sounds like a good deal to you, but multiply that by twelve, then keep that figure in mind when you look around for other offers. Twenty bucks a week sounds even better, but that adds up to eighty dollars a month - a LOT more than the first offer. Think before you put down your money or sign a contract that will sucker you in for the next year or more of your life.
Don't settle for pressboard. It's just going to fall apart. Nothing says you have to buy hardwood furniture, either: you can always go with plastic, aluminum, or other materials. They're modern, often look good in almost any setting, and are usually more affordable. Whatever you choose, be sure that it's sturdy: nothing stinks worse than having your computer desk collapse three months into its life - and taking your tower with it!
Don't be suckered into thinking that you have to have every piece of furniture ever made. Do you REALLY need matching nightstands if you're the only person in the bed? Probably not. If you can buy one of them, go for it - and as for the china cabinet, it can probably wait until you're in an actual house, or at least have china to put in it.
WHAT TO DO
Shop around BEFORE your move-in day. If you have free or cheap access to a fairly large storage area, you can buy one or two pieces at a time. This way you can shop at different stores to find the best deals. You also won't find yourself coughing up several hundred dollars to buy ALL of your furniture the day after you move in. Don't worry if you think this makes it impossible to "match" the pieces to each other: take a digital photo of the pieces you've bought so far so you can compare them to what you're thinking of getting next.
Try to find a factory-direct store. These usually offer quality furniture at discounted prices. In many cases, you'll also have a large selection with plenty in stock.
If you're interested in finishing or painting your own, consider shopping at an unfinished-furniture outlet. These are also sometimes called "naked furniture stores." Either way, you'll get chairs, tables, and other hardwood furniture with everything but the finish. This adds a personalized touch to your new home, and gives the furniture an added sentimental value because you finished it yourself.
Buy used. Estate sales, small furniture outlets, and even garage sales are often great places to find furniture that's been cherished for years. Keep an eye on local classified ads for announcements about upcoming sales. Who knows: you might fall in love with the perfect coffee table and take it away for twenty bucks.
Keep your eyes and ears open for sales, liquidations, and other special deals. Sometimes furniture dealers will have going-out-of-business liquidations, which means you'll get their best pieces at a fraction of the cost.
If you live near a military installation or any other place where people frequently move, pay attention: if people are transferred halfway across the country, they're more likely to sell all of their furniture and buy new stuff than pay to have it moved that far. If you have the cash, you can usually come up with some nice things.
Find someone with a pickup to help you move your new furniture. This is especially true if you're buying from a seller who will charge extra for delivery.
Inherit from parents and other relatives. If Mom and Dad are replacing their old living-room set anyway, you might as well ask if you can take the old pieces with you. It might not be your FAVORITE couch in the world, but you're familiar with its history, the price is right, and your butt-groove has already been formed in at least one of its cushions. Besides, this frees up more money for you to spend on other things.
Spread the word about what you're looking to buy. If five of your friends know that you need a coffee table, you're that much more likely to find something cheap. You might get a phone call from your best friend from Goodwill, or your mother from a going-out-of-business furniture dealer. You might not find anything for a few weeks at a time. Keep trying, though, and find a way of thanking your friends and family for all their help. Inviting them over for dinner one night in your new home is usually a good way to do it, especially if you promise to do all the cooking.
If you buy or inherit an upholstered piece such as a couch or loveseat, be sure to use upholstery cleaner, then follow-up with a sealing spray when it's dry. Many furniture stores will sell you professional-grade spray that's guaranteed to prevent stains for a year or longer: a small price to pay for all the time you won't spend cleaning and scrubbing!
