9 Tips for Buying New Furniture on a Budget

Whether you’re looking to revamp your old house or furnish a new one, you likely want to save money on furniture. We understand that some people like to get the newest—and generally most expensive—option, but many don’t have the money to burn. You’ve come to the right place if you’re in the latter category. Why not learn to save a few bucks while narrowing down the type of furniture you need? Check out our tips for buying new furniture on a budget below.

Set a Budget

The first thing you need to do if you’re looking for new furniture is to figure out how much you’re willing to spend. We understand that furnishing a new home might take much of your savings. According to Home Advisor, on average, most people spend around $16,000 to furnish their homes. However, there’s hope for you. You could furnish a one-bedroom apartment for between $3,500 and $4,500. That said, a family-sized two-bedroom apartment will be a little more, possibly in the $6,000 range for a basic furniture setup.

To determine how much you’ll need to spend, check how much space you have to work with and determine what you’ll place in that space. We’ll discuss that below.

Measure Your Space

Before you can furnish your home, you must measure it so you know what furniture will comfortably fit in the space. There’s nothing worse than your guests experiencing the visual weight of a cluttered room. Additionally, it’s ineffective to eyeball the measurements since the furniture you finally buy may not fit the area in your home you’re going to put it in. Don’t forget your hallways and doorways! There’s nothing worse than getting your furniture delivered only to realize it can’t fit in your home. You’ll have to return it, and who wants to do that? Create blueprints if you can and measure the dimensions with precision.

Pay Attention to High-Traffic Spaces

Don’t tackle everything immediately, or you’ll burn yourself out. Instead, consider the areas with the most traffic first. If you find yourself studying in your living room often, a new living room sofa should be the first item on your list. However, low-traffic areas shouldn’t be at the top of your list. These low-traffic areas are places you don’t use often. Some examples are your guest room and basement—unless you want to make them a well-used secondary living area. Keep this furniture low on your list of priorities, and consider keeping the costs low. After all, you won’t use these spaces often, so they’re great places to save money.

Create a Wishlist

Setting a lower budget for yourself doesn’t mean you can’t splurge on features. Determine what you want in your furniture. This could be a bed with breathable cotton sheets that makes you feel cool in winter or hot in summer. Perhaps it’s a foam mattress that’s on sale. It could even be a sofa-ottoman set. Regardless, keep these features in mind when trying to get new furniture on a budget. Being budget-friendly does not necessarily mean being “cheap.” You can afford a few extra features you enjoy.

Look for Inspiration

You don’t have to be a natural interior design guru to furnish your home beautifully. Instead, consider checking around for inspiration. Browse Pinterest or look at some interior design magazines. You can also turn to your neighbors for inspiration. This won’t be their first rodeo if they’ve lived in their home for a while. Let them show you the ropes and tell you what to avoid and what to go for. You might find new and unique ways to style your bedroom that you didn’t consider before digging into new information. Exhaust all your options, whether YouTube or hiring an interior designer, and watch your options open up.

Determine Your Color Palette

Look at your walls and floors. Determine what color would best complement your furniture if you’ve already painted it, laid down carpet, or installed your wood paneling. Cedarwood floors might complement cherry cedar furniture. If you already have some furniture in mind, see how you can enhance the color scheme, using your furniture as a focal point. Neutrals are a great choice that opens the widest array of options and flexibility in how you can style your furniture.

Choose Your Furniture Style

You might not know about all the furniture styles in the world, but you can always learn. It’s wise to consider style while you’re finding inspiration. However, it’s never too late to learn more about the different furniture styles. We wouldn’t recommend operating off current trends, which are bound to fall out of fashion. Rather, base your choices on your style. Contemporary is different from Jacobean, a far cry from colonial furniture. Choose wisely according to what you like. You can expect to look at whatever you choose for the next 10 to 15 years.

Choose Your Furniture Quality

By now, you should have figured out your aesthetic. This is great! You might be tempted to spend an arm and a leg now that you have all your ducks in a row. But before spending yourself into a state of buyer’s remorse, decide which pieces you should get that are high quality and provide value while still fitting within your budget. For instance, if you’re looking to buy a piece for your bedroom or a living room sofa, these rooms get the most traffic. Don’t hesitate to get higher-quality versions of these pieces. That said, something like a coffee table might not need to be high quality; you could probably get away with choosing a coffee table of lower quality.

Think About Sustainability

Sustainability is key. When we think of going green, we often think of how we inconvenience ourselves. Creating a recycling station, riding a bike rather than driving to work, or even getting solar panels might seem a bit more hassle than you’d like. However, buying furniture sourced locally and made of reclaimed wood could save you a few dollars; it could also be a small way to contribute to saving the environment. Furniture made of reclaimed wood is recycled and generally cheaper, so look for that first and foremost.

We’ve dived into the many nuances of buying your furniture on a budget that’s right for you. If you want to buy new furniture, check out our furniture store in Rosenberg, TX. If you want to stick to your budget while buying something of high quality, check out our financing offers! We’ll take care of you when you shop at Supernova Furniture.