How To Find Cheap Furnishings For Your Home

Estimated reading time: 18 minutes

Looking for affordable home furnishings in Canada? Learn how to save money on furniture and avoid costly mistakes as a new home buyer.

Frugal Way To Furnish A Home Without Credit

Rushing to buy furnishings for your first home is a big financial mistake for new home buyers.

Furnishing your first home doesn’t have to be expensive with these tips for saving money on furniture.

Your parents took years to furnish their home, and with the cost of buying real estate, it’s a financially smart move to wait.

Many new home buyers have found frugal ways to find furnishings without extra costs.

Home furnishing companies are everywhere; if you have the cash, they have the time to outfit your home beautifully.

Most first-time home buyers don’t have the spare cash to hire a professional to furnish their home.

I have never met anyone who has had their home professionally furnished.

Perhaps I’m hanging out with the wrong people, or the intelligent people are frugally choosing furnishings.

Looking for affordable, frugal furniture won’t happen immediately, especially if you are looking for quality and durability. 

Finding furnishings that will last you a long time or have some resale value.

Be patient regarding home furnishings and seek only the items you can and will use.

It doesn’t matter if they don’t match either.

Frugal Furnishings For Our First Home

We purchased our home in 2009, and it quickly became a house built on thrifted decor.

Almost every item in our home was thrifted, and whenever someone came in, they thought it should be featured in a magazine.

That was a compliment, especially since we didn’t have a home decor degree and paid half the price for everything we had.

If you walk into our home today, you won’t see a couch set or a coffee table in our living room.

When we first bought our home, we purchased a secondhand pleather (fake leather) couch set from Kijiji for $900 cash.

The set was still wrapped in plastic but had been used very little as it was purchased by a man who had to return to his home country.

Almost all of the furniture in our home was either found free on the curb, secondhand purchases, or given to us by friends or family.

Although we bought new mattresses, our three bedrooms are secondhand furnishings, from the beds to the decor.

Furnishings and Bed Bug Tips

You do want to be cautious about buying items that could be iffy, especially with bed bugs.

Be prepared for any bugs that tag along, but there are also ways to inspect what you buy before you take it home.

We’ve never had an issue with bed bugs, but you never know. Even with new furniture, it can happen.

Live bed bugs leave clusters of dark brown or black spots of dried excrement on infested surfaces. Bed bugs also exude a subtle, sweet, musty odor.

They they like to get into small cracks and crevice near where people sleep. Examples include mattresses, box springs, headboards, footboards, bed frames and other furniture that is within 5-8 feet of the bed. – Orkin

1. Inspect all furniture you buy or get for free
2. Clean any furniture before you bring it into the house
3. Sometimes, even new furniture can carry bed bugs if it comes from another country. Stick to North American Furniture only for this purpose. 
4. Buy wood or plastic furnishings as bed bugs tend to like soft furnishings such as leather couches or pressed wood.
5. Reupholster and clean before you bring it into the home 

If you really love the piece, clean it before bringing it into the house.

In the meantime, keep it in your driveway or garage if you’ve got one.

You don’t know the background story of the piece, so it’s better to play it safe.

If the piece is upholstered, have it steam cleaned.

Source: Abels Pest Control

Home Furnishings Take Time

With the expense of a new house and moving in without any furniture but a small air mattress, it looked empty.

After months of shopping on the streets, in stores, online, and at garage sales, we found enough furnishings to make our home feel like home.

We would often have friends laugh at us when they found out nothing was new in our house.

I half-expected that from some of them as they are the people who will rush to the furniture store.

It was not us, although we looked around to compare prices and learn more about costs.

I think it’s always essential to research what you need to buy to have that pricing idea in the back of your mind.

We purchased our current $450 Pier 1 chairs in our living room for $20 at the Goodwill store.

We couldn’t believe it when we saw it and scooped them up pretty fast.

The idea is that they will go on the new deck once I finish building it this summer.

I need to complete many renovations here, so after dumping our pleather couch, we left it empty.

Our basement is another space, and we will have to buy furnishings once I finish, but we still have lots of time for that.

Cost To Furnish A House

Furnishing a two-bedroom flat when I lived in the UK cost me around $3000.

My refrigerator I was able to get free using points I had earned through the Nielsen Home Scan program, which is also available in Canada.

Remember, we’re talking about less than 1000 sq ft at home, so there’s little to cover.

The last thing you will want to do is rack up your credit card debt after buying a home.

There’s no reason to impress anyone, as we all understand the financial pressures homeownership brings.

The cost to fully furnish a house depends on a few factors;

• Where you live
• How big the house is
• Size of your furnishings budget
• Type and quality of furniture you prefer
• The frame to furnish the home
• Open to used furnishings or refurbished furnishings

Room By Room Furnishings

When we bought our house, we went room by room to discuss furnishings and decor ideas.

Take your time and envision the space as your own so you know what you are looking for before you shop.

If you go shopping without that vision, you tend to buy furnishings that you don’t need.

Also, measure each room to know what furniture size will fit your space.

Don’t forget to measure the doors as well because if you can’t get in, you’re stuck with furniture you can’t use.

Many people fall into the hoarding of home furnishings when they continue to add, but there’s no home for the items.

Avoid Rent To Own Furnishings

Just don’t do it.

Save your money and buy what you need, or look for other ways to find furnishings in your home.

You will pay two to three times more for rent to own furnishings.

Ikea Home Furnishings

Ikea tends to be one of those home furniture shops that people flock to for inexpensive prices and chic furniture.

I don’t mind IKEA, but I’m not particular about the look of the store’s furnishings and decor.

If you want something cheap that will last you long enough to get by until you save money to buy what you want, it’s ideal.

What’s not ideal is having to unpack and build anything from IKEA, but that’s another story.

Build It Yourself

You don’t have to go into your garage and build a kitchen table, but if you know how, why not try?

It may be cheaper to buy the wood, build it yourself, and then style it with secondhand or inexpensive chairs from Ikea.

Many chair ads are on secondhand websites, so always consider what you can DIY first.

For example, I built a tomato garden stand for our backyard the first year we had a garden.

I know it’s outdoor decor, but that still counts as furnishings for your home.

I’m the guy who keeps all the wood scraps from renovations because I’ll find something to use it for down the line.

The DIY wood wall shelf above from Sheri Silver is another excellent example of using your skills well.

Restyle or Restore Home Furnishings

If you’re anything like my wife, she likes to restyle our furniture by adding blankets, pillows, and fresh coats of paint.

Dip-dye paint jobs are popular with furniture that needs restoration.

Finding furniture, you can reupholster or add to it in any way, which will help keep the furnishings in your house fresh and new.

Dumpster Diving

Dumpster diving is popular nationwide, especially in America, where you can find all sorts of freebies.

That garden bench could easily be refinished and brought back to life without much cost.

Yet, many homeowners don’t want to take on projects like this, so they throw the items in the dumpster.

It’s always pleasant to find pieces like this on the side of the road rather than adding to the overpopulated dump.

Another thing to consider is that the homeowner must pay dumping fees based on the bin’s weight.

Why add extra costs when someone will likely take it off your hands for you?

Be nosey if your friends, family, or neighbors are moving or having a clearout.

You never know what you will find; most often, your neighbor will be happy if you want to take it off their hands.

A word of caution is to ask the homeowner before you take anything because laws differ worldwide.

Please don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Free Furnishings

We picked up our 1970s Kenmore washer and dryer for free just after buying our house.

They worked perfectly for us in the last ten years, but that finally ended earlier this year.

We got a further ten years of service from a free washer and dryer, which gave us enough time to save for our new set.

Keep your eyes open on Facebook Marketplace,  local ads, Kijiji, and word of mouth for free furnishings.

There’s nothing wrong with getting something for free to help save money or buy time to save for the furnishings you want.

Garage Sales

When garage sale season generally starts around May 24 in Canada, that’s a great time to find cheap furnishings.

Over the years before we had our son, we would go to garage sales every chance we could.

The best thing about garage sales is the ability for the buyer to negotiate with the seller.

The seller often wants to eliminate something, so they will take what you are offering within reason.

Again, go armed with a plan of decor and home furnishings you need so you’re not wasting money.

Conclusion

Paying a mortgage and other bills on time comes way before buying furnishings for your home.

If you’re new to home buying or you’ve owned it before but bought or built a new house, consider holding off.

Having a house that looks empty is better than having a home with a lien or no house.

Discussion: What other ways can someone find furnishings for their home that are cheap or free?

Leave your comments or experiences below.

Mr.CBB

Blog Posts You May Have Missed

Below is a recap of my blog posts over the past two weeks.

If you haven’t subscribed to the blog, add your email to my list so you get my weekly blog posts and access to my Free Budget Resources Library.

I have also released a bi-weekly newsletter that comes straight to your email only for subscribers.

You’ll find exclusive updates about the blog and CBB home life, including photos and exclusive contests.

1. How To Make Cheap Copy Cat Starbucks Drinks At Home
2. The Formula 50/20/30 Rule Of Budgeting
3. Easy Keto Broccoli Salad
4. Creating Wealth From Zero
5. The Ultimate Canadian Credit Card Application Guide

Seasonal Frugal Recipe

Nichole at The Salty Marshmallow shared her recipe for Easy Hawaiian Dip, a 5-star rated recipe.

We don’t have an in-ground or above-ground pool. We do have a family kiddie pool, which we all enjoy.

Something about the word ‘Hawaiian’ screams pineapple and summer.

During the summer, when it’s hot outside, we enjoy meals on our deck and always have the grill going.

No one likes to cook indoors if they don’t have to.

What I like about this Hawaiian dip is the mix of sweet and savory with pineapple and corn combined with bacon and ham.

Ingredients;

• 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
• 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream
• 1/4 Cup Pineapple Juice From your can of crushed pineapple
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Can Crushed Pineapple, Drained, Reserve 1/4 Cup of juice
• 1 Cup Chopped Ham
• 1 2.8 Ounce Package Bacon Pieces
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Green Onion

None of these ingredients are too expensive to buy, so this is a frugal recipe to bookmark this summer.

CBB Motivational Corner

I talk to myself whenever I look in the mirror and feel down about how life has been going.

This may seem strange to you, but not for me because I rely on myself to stay motivated and on track.

When I turn around, no one other than myself knows and understands my depths of desire but myself.

You can talk to people close to you about personal stuff, but they won’t even get how deeply you crave it.

I’m trying to say that if it’s so easy for us to give up on something, it’s just as easy to motivate ourselves.

Stepping over the boundaries of negative outlooks is not easy, but look in the mirror next time you’re unsure.

Scream it loud because sometimes that’s the only way to let it sink in.

Gardening Season 2020

I love the gardening posts and photos on Pinterest; I have many unique ideas.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the green thumb has bit quite a few people who want to garden at home.

Even though our government says grocery stores will stay open, something in our minds says, what if?

I find it fascinating how so many gardeners use scraps from the kitchen instead of throwing them out.

Most likely, I will write a blog post about ways we can use kitchen scraps and put them to good use.

In the meantime, since the gardening season is here, using your coffee grounds to power your garden was fitting.

How many of you make coffee at home with a drip coffee machine?

We used to throw the coffee grounds in the garbage.

I had no idea you could use the coffee grounds to improve your soil. 

First and foremost, coffee grounds are an excellent, slow-release source of nitrogen.

And nitrogen is a key component in making flowers flower – and vegetable plants produce.

But in addition to providing nitrogen, coffee grounds add incredible organic material and matter to the soil. – Old World Garden Farms

Home and Blog Update

Home Update

I’ve been outdoors non-stop the past week, mowing the grass, gardening, and playing with our son.

I even went as far as to clean out the garage to make space as it’s filling up quickly.

I used to laugh at other homeowners with a garage full of stuff.

I take it back and am sorry because once you have a child, things start adding up, as do home renovation materials.

We went through lots of stuff we no longer need and managed to sell it this week and make a profit.

Our garden plants are in, and although I’m still hunting a couple of options, I’ll find one.

If not, I’ll find something to plant in the place of the ferns.

I will share photos of what I’ve been doing in my newsletter, which will be out next Friday.

If you haven’t signed up to the blog to get my new blog posts by email, do it now so you get my bi-weekly newsletter.

It’s all I share- behind-the-scenes photos- that I ship to sushareibers.

Other than that, we’ve been doing lots of homework with our son and going outdoors for walks every day.

I think scheduling that walk is essential to stay sane during this pandemic.

What have you been doing for exercise?

Blog Update

I’ve been working on a budget binder I plan to sell on the blog for cheaply.

It’s a stylized budget binder project with standardized budget binder printables, including a cover.

I hope you will like it when I’m done as I’m putting in lots of hours to bring this to you.

My free printable resources will always be available to all blog subscribers.

Nothing has happened on the blog besides updating old posts and adding new cover photos.

I’ve learned so much about blogging over the years, and I’m working on fixing the problems.

It’s always good to fix what is broken when you know there is a solution.

Reader Mailbag Series

I’d love to start a reader mailbag series where you, the readers, send me a question, and I’ll post it right here.

This will allow CBB readers to comment below to help solve your problem or give you some tips.

It can be anything from finance to gardening and parenting relationships.

Keep your question short but with as much detail as needed to describe your problem.

If you have a photo you want me to share, you can send that to my email [email protected]

Perhaps you have a garden plant needing help and want to share a photo of its issue.

Please send it to me.

Mr.CBB

Question For Mr.CBB

Dear Mr.CBB,

How can I go about earning some extra money this summer?

Chris

Edmonton

Dear Chris,

I’m unsure how old you are, but why not start a lawn-cutting business?

Why not start a lawn-cutting business you’re looking for spare cash, why not start a lawn-cutting business?

If you know your neighbors, post signs or talk to them to see if they could help with lawn care.

Other tasks around the house might be window cleaning, raking, or cleaning the eavestroughs.

Perhaps you’re good with organization and can help someone clean out the garage or basement.

Often, homeowners have junk they need to put on the road or bring to the dump.

It’s easy to keep social distancing with these types of jobs since you can work alone for the most part.

If you or your parents or even friends know someone with a business, ask them to see if they are hiring.

Posting on websites such as Kijiji may interest you, or you may be searching for summer help listings.

One of my fans mentioned that she did corn detasseling in the summer growing up for local farmers. 

The idea is to go out into the world and network with people.

Don’t be afraid to knock on doors or call to see if anyone needs help.

There is a shortage of farmworkers this year, so that’s a great place to start.

I hope that helps you a bit.

Thanks for your question.

Mr.CBB

Saturday Search Term Giggles

These are keywords that readers typed into their search engine and landed on this blog.

I get thousands of these daily and pick some of the best to feature here.

• I handed in my resignation letter for teaching, and now I have decided I don’t want to resign. Can I ask them to rip it up – Haha, you could, but that wouldn’t look good either way. You better have a good reason ready. Hi boss, rip up that resignation letter; I’ve decided to stick it out longer. Haha!
• If I put 6000 in TFSA, how much will it increase – not millions if that’s what you’re looking for? There’s no way of knowing for sure.
• Tim Horton’s Chocolate Chip Recipe– I didn’t know they made chocolate chips.
• Port wine is a mortgage in Canada. I love this one, LOL. Wine and mortgages go hand in hand. You drink yourself into misery owning a mortgage, and you drink when you pay it off.

Until Next Time

Keep sharing and liking posts, and you’ll help celebrate CBB’s ongoing contribution to Canadians.

Thanks, everyone,

P.S – Please don’t forget to Go sign up for my email subscription

Mr.CBB x

Share to...