Revamp Your Home on a Shoestring

What do you do if you desperately need to give your living room or bedroom a makeover, but you don't have a fortune to spend a new furnishings and decor? There are plenty of ways in which you can spruce up your living space without breaking the bank and they do not all involve a certain Swedish chain which sells flat-pack furniture. In fact, heading to that particular store could well involve high petrol costs and the strong likelihood that you spend far much more than you intended anyway. 

Free Furnishings

There are a number of websites on which people advertise furniture that they want to get rid of. Sign up to the websites and find out what kinds of things are available in your area. You'll be surprised at the quality of some of the items, particularly if you live in or near a fairly well-heeled area. For many, giving away three-piece suites, beds, tables, chairs and wardrobes, for example, is far easier than selling them. You may well be lucky enough to find something quite special.

Revamp Your Existing Furniture

This is always a great option. You can paint wooden furniture such as tables and chests of drawers very cheaply. Re-covering sofas and armchairs is another great way to revive your furniture and a less costly alternative to buying new. It also has the advantage of allowing you to choose material that is exactly to your taste — something that is not always possible when buying brand new furniture if you are limited by your budget. 

Buy New but Online at a Discount

Many stores actually sell their furniture at a lower price on their websites than they do on their shop floors. Don't be shy about going into your favourite shops, choosing what you would most like to buy and then seeing if you can find the same thing online. There are many bargains to be had, particularly as so many stores have found that their sales figures are still pretty low. Don't forget the golden rule of online shopping, which is always, always look for discount codes before you click 'buy'. Many stores offer them and you might find one that saves you a considerable amount. You can often pick up discount vouchers in magazines and newspapers.

Treat Yourself to a Few Luxuries

If you have skimped and saved to revamp a room, hunted for second-hand bargains and painted existing pieces, you might like to treat yourself to something brand new. How about a brand new duvet cover for your newly painted bed? Dunelm bedding, for example, is of great quality, and you'll feel that you are treating yourself but without breaking the bank. 

Buy from Charities

There are plenty to charities to choose from which sell second-hand goods. Emmaus provides homeless people with a home and work restoring donated furniture which they then sell on.
You will see furniture that has been lovingly restored and you can feel great because you are supporting a great cause, recycling and saving money.