When you move into a new apartment, the first few weeks are particularly rough. You’ll need a lot of things, including furniture, which isn’t cheap. Here are a few ways you can save money on furniture.

Buy Furniture Online

While buying things online is always a risk, buying furniture straight from people, like from an online classified ad, is a cheap option. If possible, make sure to meet in a public place. Test the furniture out by sitting in it, inspecting it for tears, stains, or anything else. Try to haggle the price down. Never, ever take furniture that might be offered for free — there’s likely a reason why they’re giving the furniture away.

With auction sites, you’re risking a lot by purchasing the item without seeing it in-person first. The item could have hidden stairs or tears, it may not be comfortable, or it may be a scam. Just be weary of a great deal online —  if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

If you’re buying online from the website of a trusted company, though, you should be fine. The furniture will come in great condition and if you don’t like it, they’ll have some sort of return policy.

Get Furniture at a Discount

This should go without saying, but wait for the furniture you want to go on sale. If you wait until the next holiday weekend, there’s a good chance that the furniture you want will go on sale. Even better, they may bundle it with a television or something similar.

If you just can’t wait until the next major holiday, at least wait until the end of the month. Most companies operate on a month-by-month basis, and they’re likely looking forward to clearing out space to make way for new furniture. If there’s only one of the item, there’s a great chance that they’ll discount the item further just to get it out of the store.

Shop at Wholesalers

One of the biggest ways to save money when buying furniture is to buy the furniture at either a wholesaler or liquidation store. These pieces of furniture are priced to move. Some pieces of furniture may have damage to them, so make sure to properly inspect everything before laying your money down. Thrift stores are also a great place to look for discounted furniture.

No matter where you buy your furniture, ask if the salesperson is paid on commission. If they are, you might be able to strike a deal with the salesperson if you place a bulk order.

Ask Friends and Family

It never hurts to ask, right? Ask your friends and family members if there’s any chance that they’ll be looking to get rid of some furniture in the near future. If they’re anything like my brother, though, they’ll charge you a couple hundred dollars. This is probably the best and easiest way to get cheap furniture. If you’re close with the person, you’ll know the history of the furniture, whether there’s any issues with it, and exactly how comfortable it is.

Check Out Yard Sales and Flea Markets

Yard sales and flea markets offer plenty of opportunities for cheap furniture. Again, just like with purchasing an item from Craigslist, you need to be aware of everything about the chair. Since you’re buying it from a person, all sales are usually final, so make sure that you’re satisfied with the overall condition and quality of the item that you’re purchasing before offering any cash. You also want to make sure that it matches your home decor. It’d be awful if you bought something and it completely clashed with your place.

If you manage to run across an estate sale, it’s likely that the furniture will be in good condition, but it could be priced considerably higher than you’re willing to pay.

Freecycle

Freecycling is a modern-day bartering system. The idea behind it is that if you’re no longer using an item, it’s better to give it to others instead of disposing of it. A great example of this would be furniture. If you have a large couch or bed, and move to a smaller space and can’t take it with you, you can freecycle the item. In return, you can hopefully find something that’s just right for your new living space.

After moving in to a home, turning on the electricity, and buying essential items that you need, you may have a really small budget for furniture. Hopefully these tips help you work within that budget to find the perfect piece of furniture that’s right for your home.

Do you have a specific place that you go to when you need to buy furniture for cheap? If so, where do you go?