When it comes to buying big-ticket items for your home, you’re always looking for good deals. After all, you want to keep your purchases within your budget, yet still get the best quality that fits your personal style. One of those big-ticket items that people spend their money on is furniture.

Sofas, chairs, dining tables, and other pieces of furniture are expensive. But, if you keep these things in mind as you start shopping, you should be able to find furniture that meets your needs and doesn’t drain your wallet.

Set a Budget and Stick to It

The first thing you need to do is set a realistic budget for what you want to buy. You need to know what you can afford, and you need the willpower to stick to this number. While you might fall in love with an expensive piece of furniture, nothing will make you feel worse than bringing it home and knowing that you can’t really afford it.

Do Your Research Ahead of Time

Spend some time before you head out shopping to do your research. Find the styles you like and know what they cost. Know what fabrics you’re looking for or the type of wood. You want to be able to quickly eliminate furniture that doesn’t work for your budget or your tastes.

Decide Where You Need Quality

Now, you may be saying to yourself, “Don’t I need quality furniture everywhere in my home?” The answer to that is, it depends. If you have a room that gets little use, for example, a spare bedroom, you may be able to buy lesser quality because it just doesn’t get used as often. On the other hand, a couch that you will sit on every day should be of high quality. Accent chairs in your living room may not be sat on all the time so you may be able to buy something that is less expensive to fit your needs.

Start With the Basics

As always you want to start with the items that will get used every day. A good sofa, a great bed for your master bedroom, and a quality kitchen table are essential. Items for spare rooms or offices that are not used daily should be put lower on your purchasing list. Make sure you have all of your basics covered (and within your budget) before you start moving on to the auxiliary pieces.

Customize Yourself

What if you find a great deal on a piece of furniture, but it’s not quite exactly what you were looking for? Then it’s time to think about customizing it yourself. Can you add to it to make it the perfect piece for your home? Paint it? Rearrange it? Add custom knobs? Not all pieces can be customized, but if you have a little DIY spirit, you might be able to make it work.

Go Used

Yes, there is lots of good quality used furniture out there. You can check second-hand and thrift shops for affordable pieces. Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Craigslist also may have what you’re looking for.

Shop Sales

Like everything else, furniture does go on sale. In fact, there are four primary times each year when you should shop for furniture: Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day. If you can afford to wait to make a purchase, you may find a good deal around these holidays.

Don’t Be Afraid to Haggle

Yes, you can haggle for furniture – even in a furniture store. Many times, you can ask your sales clerk if this is the absolute best they can do on a price. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out there’s some wiggle room – especially if you’re buying multiple pieces.

What’s on your furniture wish list right now? Are you ready to start shopping? Set a budget, do your research and find that perfect piece for your home!