Buying living room furniture on a budget

Buying living room furniture on a budget can be challenging. In the climate of today's economy, everyone is trying to spend as little as possible. Before you go out looking for new furniture, it is important that you know exactly how much you have to spend and how you are going to fit that expense into your budget.

Depending on the condition of your current furniture, it may be something that you can save for, allowing you to pay cash. If this is not an option, you need to look carefully at your budget and determine how much you can afford to pay every month.

Once you have your figures in your head and your checkbook in your hand, yes even if you aren't going to pay cash you may need to make a down payment.

According to Kiplingers.com, there are two times of year when furniture is most likely to be at its lowest price, in January, and in July. These two months are both the months before the new furnishings hit the showrooms and naturally, retailers are anxious to get the old merchandise out the door. These are the ideal months to find a sale but that is not to say in this fragile economy that you won't be able to find good deals at other times.

You should begin by checking prices. Go out and look around. Don't buy the first furniture you see. Look for quality construction, good workmanship, and great prices. Make sure that you are comparing apples and apples.

If there is an IKEA near you, be sure to visit their store. While they may not be able to offer you a payment plan, their furniture is sturdy and well-priced.

Many retailers are offering no interest financing for living room furniture. Some of them are offering up to three or even four years to pay. Before you jump into one of these deals, be sure that the price you are paying for your furniture isn't inflated to cover the interest that you would normally pay.

Watch all the local fliers and be on the lookout for going out of business sales. Some of these are legitimate and some are not but it can't hurt to go and look at what is being offered. 

Another place to look for a new living room set is at an auction. While this may not be brand new furniture, you can often find high-quality pieces at rock bottom prices. As long as you preview the furniture and make sure that it is as good as new, what the heck if you can get a wonderful sofa and chair for $100 that is worth $1500 that is a great budget option.

You may also want to checkout tag sales and moving sales. Often people don't want to move their heavy furniture across the country or maybe they are downsizing and want to purchase smaller pieces, their loss can be your gain.

Just because you need to stick to your budget to get your living room furniture doesn't mean that you can't buy some great pieces. It just means that you have to know what you are spending and ultimately what the total cost will be.