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How We Save On Purchases For The Home

We all know that purchases for the home can quickly add up and it is always nice to save some extra cash on those purchases whenever we can.  There are times when we inherent home items for free from family or from a nearby curb, and times we splurge on the perfect piece of full price furniture.  There are definitely different levels of being "thrifty", and although I am sure we still have a lot to learn, I thought I would take a moment to share a few of the ways we have saved on some of our bigger home purchases over the years.

 

Wait for Holidays

I am not the most patient person in the world; I always ruin surprises and shake presents days before Christmas in my attempt to figure out the contents.  But if I know that we have a larger home purchase coming up, I always wait for a holiday to roll around.  It seems that many of the big retailers offer their best deals and sales around major holidays, such as President's Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day.  Black Friday is an obvious time to save and we always keep a small Black Friday fund which we have used to snag deals on our treadmill, our lower level TV, our desktop computer and our floor vac {we let ourselves make up to one home purchase on Black Friday per year based on our needs}.  By saving throughout the year and shopping the ads a day or two in advance to find the best deals, we have found that it is worth the wait.  We waited to purchase our sofa until a President's Day {50% off sale} and saved hundreds on our fridge by waiting until a big Labor Day sale at Lowes and purchasing a discontinued model.  Do I think that many of these "sales" are a little gimicky at times?  Absolutely.  It is important to keep an eye on prices throughout the year and be sure you really are saving when those holidays roll around.



Purchase Refurbished

I have never been against purchasing used when it comes to our vehicles, and major home purchases are no different.  In fact, some of our biggest savings have been on refurbished electronics, which we have been using and loving for years now.

For us, the key is purchasing from a trusted source.  I haven't had experience purchasing refurbished on auction sites out of hesitation, however, I have purchased a refurbished Dyson from Woot and my laptop from Apple.  My son also saved up and purchased his iPod refurbished from Mac and my husband purchased a tablet refurbished from Woot as well.  Each of those items have come to us in pristine condition, and I never would have even known that they were ever used or weren't brand new.


How do you know who to trust?  That is always the tricky part and when I am most grateful for online reviews.  Many online retailers have begun offering refurbished items, so I tend to search sites that I would trust for anything new and that has a good reputation and still stick with brands I trust.  Also, I look for "factory certified refurbished" descriptions and items that offer warranties.


Craigslist

I am not going to get too much into thrifting because we all know the steels and deals that can be found at thrift stores and yard sales, but I did want to make sure to mention Craigslist for a moment.  It is definitely hit or miss but you can never go wrong checking in from time to time on home wish list items.  There is nothing you can't find on Craigslist; everything from dining tables to lamps to rugs and art.  Some things can be found in pristine condition and other items need some lovin'.  I just know we wouldn't have found our favorite piece of furniture if it wasn't for Craigslist, and we definitely wouldn't have found it at such a great price if we wouldn't have purchased it from a couple looking to downsize in a huge hurry.  And now that Craigslist shows images right within the search, it has gotten even easier to find that perfect item.



Poach it!

This is one of my new favorite ways to save.  Poach It helps you monitor the prices and coupon codes for your wish list items.  Shopping is always a gamble, isn't it?  Do you wait for the item to go on clearance and risk losing it forever or not being able to snag it in the right color or size?  Do you risk purchasing now, only to have the item go on sale in a few days or even weeks?  I always have a hard time paying full price for something that I know will eventually be on sale or clearance, and Poach it now watches my favorite items for me and notifies me when something on my list has a change in price!  How great is that?  All you have to do is add the "Poach it" button to your bookmark bar {just like the "Pin it" button for Pinterest}, and when you are doing your online shopping and find something you love, you click that button and it saves it to your profile.  Then, when the price changes because the item has gone on sale, you will receive an email notification.  No more daily check-ins, I just let Poach It do the work for me.




Ebates

I signed up for Ebates last year, and now try to use it for all of our online purchases.  So far, I have saved over $200 just by using their free service, and I know that number would be higher if I would actually remember to use it every single time.  The process is simple, you just log into your Ebates account, search the retailer you are making an online purchase from, and it will pull up any sales/coupons for that retailer, as well as a cash back percentage.  Some of my favorite online retailers offer anywhere from 2-6% cash back on online purchases, and that definitely adds up over time!  And because there is no cost for using the service, it has been a sweet little bonus in our pockets.


Retail Me Not

I have shared this one in the past, but it is a long time favorite.  RetailMeNot is another online coupon code finder that I always rely on for both online and in store purchases.  Finding coupons for your favorite retailers is super simple, and what I love most is that they also have a smartphone app that allows you to use those coupons right within stores vs. online only.  I use this most frequently at JoAnn & Michaels on craft supplies, but I also often find coupons for clothing purchases and even some restaurants.


Daily Deal Sites

I don't always rely on daily deal sites because there is a risk of purchasing something impulsively because it is a "good deal" and not necessarily because I need it.  Caution is key with these sites, I tend to utilize them for very specific items and try to scroll past the rest.  For example, we have been looking for a small side table for the end of our sofa for almost two years now.  Knowing the specific dimensions and factors, I have been keeping my eyes peeled any time we are out and about, but also when new sales are released on my favorite daily deal sites.  I finally found one on Joss & Main by checking in frequently, and I love that I have never seen anything like it at any of the local mass retailers.  I tend to utilize Joss & Main the most, because not only do they offer a small savings on home decor pieces during their flash sales, but you can also earn credit to apply to those savings through referrals.  You do not have to be a blogger in order to earn credit, there are many ways for anyone to earn credits by sharing your favorite items or purchases on Facebook and Pinterest.  I tend to pin quite a few things I spot on Joss & Main because their sales rotate and many items come back on sale multiple times.  Therefore, if I see something I love, I can decide to save up for it and watch for it to return or I can use it as inspiration to DIY my own version, both which I have done in the past.  And if the sale does not come back on Joss, I can typically find the item at their sister site, Wayfair.com.  A few daily deal sites I utilize are Joss & Main, One Kings Lane {home decor and furnishings}, Zulily {kid's items, kitchen gadgets and home storage}, Woot {electronics and appliances}, Hautelook {furnishings and clothing/accessories} and GroopDealz {art prints, small gadgets and pillow covers}.



Google it!

Whenever I find an item that I am ready to pull the trigger on, I always paste it into my Google search and then click the "shopping" results link.  This will pull up multiple web results and retailers offering that item, as well as the selling price for that item.  This allows me to quickly determine if I am in fact, receiving the best price and provides me with alternative options I may not have considered.


Amazon

This is not necessarily the biggest money saver, however, I do make quite a few purchases on Amazon.com.  I love that I can receive free shipping on most everything {especially since upgrading to their Prime service}, that they stay fairly competitive pricing wise and that I can do a lot of my shopping all at once with their huge selection of items.  Amazon has helped me save a lot on my camera and photography equipment and even on some of my cleaning supplies!




My other "go to" sources for savings on home products:

Rugs:  Rugs can be incredibly expensive, especially once you start searching for larger options.  I have purchased rugs from quite a few retailers, however, RugsUSA seems to offer the best sale prices as well as frequent discount codes and free shipping.  They are definitely my first stop for over-sized options.

Fabric:  Fabric.com has a huge selection and offers free shipping on orders over $35 as well as free shipping on all returns {which I LOVE}.  They also frequently have discounts and coupon codes. 

{rug from RugsUSA / fabric from Fabric.com}

Furniture:  Overstock.com is a great place to check for discounted interior and exterior home items and furnishings.  I have only purchased from Overstock a few times, but I have been a happy customer every time.  And their return process is really quick and easy, and their selection ranges from rugs to lighting to bathroom fixtures.  We were recently shopping around for a new mattress and after finding a huge sale at a local mattress outlet, I found the same mattress for another $200 off at Overstock!  With free shipping, it was a huge win and an unexpected surprise.

Hardware:  I love Anthropologie hardware as much as the next person, but when looking for beautiful hardware on a budget, I turn to D. Lawless Hardware.  They have a huge selection of unique options, and even offer beautiful glass embellished hooks and beautiful label holders at great prices.

{Cabinet Hardware from D. Lawless}

I am sure there are more that I may be forgetting, so I will be sure to update the post as I find new ways to save a penny or two on items for the home.  And I would love to hear your savvy shopping secrets as well!  What are your favorite resources for interior products?  Where have you scored your biggest savings?