Inexpensive Furniture Finds

I am always amazed at how others are able to find some good and inexpensive or even free furniture pieces by looking for deals at sites such as Craigslist or Freecycle, or even visiting a local thrift store or Goodwill. Not only you're saving money by doing so, but you're also recycling old furniture - i.e. being "green" which is a huge plus in my book - these are the pieces that someone may have just thrown away but instead they find a new home. With a little sanding, painting, replacement of hardware, etc., these pieces become beautiful gems and look like new. If you don't believe me, check out these finds:

• a nightstand that Kristen (from The Frugal Girl) found on Freecycle for free
• a dresser that Sherry and John (from Young House Love) found on Graigslist for only $20
• an old chair re-upholstered by Brittany at Pretty Handy Girl
• or another chair Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl found on the curb for free
• how about this totally fab mirror (a Craigslist buy for $25) and the bench (another Craigslist purchase for $20) at Refinish-It-All
• and even more furniture finds at DIY by Design: Trash to Treasure

I can't wait until we get a new place so that I can do some shopping of my own!

How to save money while shopping online

 1. Shop through Corporate Perks if your employer offers the membership. For example, you can get a 15% discount card for Brooks Brothers if you sign up through Corporate Perks.

2. Shop through Fatwallet and Ebates to earn cash back and search for coupon codes.

3. Always google the promo codes or find one at Coupon Cabin before finalizing your order. Even if you get a free shipping code, it's still better than nothing.

4. Find a good deal through Brad's Deals where you can find some excellent shopping offers.

5. Use gift cards purchased at a discount from websites such as GiftCardGranny.com, ABCgiftcards.com, or PlasticJungle.com.

Create your own Floor Plans

Now that we are married, we have been looking at some "for sale" properties. Ideally, we would like to get something along the lines of a "fixer-upper" and make it into something we both would love. I have been following Young House Love Blog for a while now and love what Sherry and John did with their 1st house (and how they are now re-modeling their 2nd house). If you are thinking about re-modeling, check out John's post on how to create your very own easy floor plans. Who knew?