When times get tough, we all try to cut back and tighten our belts but that doesn't mean you have to say no to style! Here are five top tips to help us mere mortals shop smart during the credit crunch:
Hunt for freebies:
Most countries now have regional sites where household items can be picked up at no cost. For example, snaffleup.co.uk, freecycle.org and even gumtree.com advertise furniture that people are giving away. You may need to check on a daily basis to find the piece you are after, or something close to it. It will likely require a lick of paint or a new cover to turn it from shabby to chic but in doing so you'll be able to give it your personal stamp.
Revive your old stuff:
Just because you have some furniture that is no longer to your taste doesn't mean you need to toss it. Give it a new lease of life with a coat of paint, a change of knobs or new upholstery. You'll save on cash and give the landfills a break too. If you want to go large, paint or wallpaper one wall to change the look of a whole room at minimal cost and effort.
Second-hand stores:
With vintage back with a vengeance, mixing some second-hand finds in with the rest of your furniture can result in a very stylish and characterful room. Shopping for second-hand furniture can be fun and the result is often surprisingly trendy, not to mention that it is the 'greener' option. Along the same lines, scour auction houses, charity shops, car boot sales and even recycling centers for bargains.
Discount shops and budget stores:
If you decide to buy something new, check out discounted branded home wares stores like HomeSense (in the UK and Canada, HomeGoods in the US), the homewares sister company to TK Maxx, where you'll find branded homewares with smaller price tags attached. Or outlet villages which often have fantastic merchandise on offer as many manufacturers now produce goods specifically to sell through the outlets. Furniture warehouses often discount last year's stock and lots of supermarket chains now offer homewares at really good value. Also, it's always worth checking on eBay where you may even find brand new items at bargain prices to be had from professional sellers (and the competition is limited as bulky items require pick-up!).
Buy online:
If you know what you are after, you will likely find it at a lower cost online than in the shops. First, search a few price comparison sites (e.g., kelkoo.co.uk, pricerunner.co.uk, pricegrabber.co.uk and shopping.com) to identify who is offering the best bargains. Try a few as not all sites have agreements with all retailers. Then look out for potential discount vouchers that can be used for the purchase. In the UK, you can sign up to vouchercodes.co.uk and access them all from the one place. Or go the direct route: I often contact the seller directly and ask if there are any discounts available. You would be surprised by how often they pass the discounts on to guarantee the sale. If there are no discounts you can always haggle or get them to throw in something extra, like free delivery. Many sales people are willing to go the extra mile right now to make the sale.
There's another silver lining: you can make these market conditions work for you!
PS If any of you can help out by providing some local or regional links relevant to the tips above, that's be really super! Thanks.
Credits: Laura Howard from Moneywise; Livingetc and Susan of IkeaFans.
Hi Christie,
Blocket would go under both second hand and online I guess. We swedes love Blocket, and it's the best place to buy lovely furniture, clothes, accessories, anything, for less! I also like the idea that the stuff you sell there goes to someone who really wants it. And you don't have to throw it away just because YOU are tired of it.
Sara
Posted by: Sara | February 10, 2009 at 04:23 PM
[Christie from Bemz] For anyone looking for the link Sara recommended above it's www.blocket.se. She also passed on that there is a similar site in France www.leboncoin.fr where people buy and sell their wares by region. Thanks Sara.
Posted by: Christie | February 10, 2009 at 05:18 PM