Ask relatives for unwanted items.
Unless you've been saving up for a while, the expenses associated with getting your own place can empty your pockets before you have a chance to buy furniture and decorations. Aside from rent and security deposits, you may also have to pay for utility deposits, renters insurance and a moving truck. Still, budget living doesn't necessarily mean you have to sit on milk crates. A few smart and thrifty decisions can have your place looking like you had rock star budget.
Instructions
1. Talk your friends and family members into giving you the couches, chairs and tables hidden in their basements or stowed away in their garages. If they're reluctant to give them away, offer them a reasonable price or trade your labor for the items.
2. Rent or borrow a truck and spend the day going to flea markets, thrift stores and garage sales. Not only can you find gently used furniture at great deals, but you'll probably also find dinnerware, bedding and other necessities at low prices.
3. Shop online for local deals. Craigslist, eBay and your newspaper's online classifieds can be a hotbed of reasonable furniture deals. Start with the "free" section to scour for deals.
4. Look for area agencies that help with moving costs. If you have children, have been recently unemployed or homeless, or if you qualify for certain types of low-income assistance, your local social services organization may be able to offer you gently used home items for free. Check with your case worker or with your county's department of human services.
5. Fill in the gaps with items from big box stores, like Ikea, Target or WalMart. These stores usually offer low-cost furniture that you have to assemble yourself.
