‘SHOP’ TO SAVE

Your budget-friendly sourcing guide to home design

What could be more gratifying than transforming a room in your house to match a beautiful vision in your mind’s eye? How about saving money while you’re at it? Budget-friendly design sourcing is a clever way to elevate your style on a dime. A handy acronym (SHOP) trains the memory to embrace strategic saving tips. First things first:

• Create a vision or mood board on Pinterest or another chosen platform. Fill it with images that wow and delight your senses. Click here to learn how to create a mood board.
• Make a master wish list.
• Finally, remember to SHOP to save.

STRETCH A DOLLAR 
While some may brag about how much money they spend, frugal folks brag about how much they save! If you are in the latter camp, then you’re probably already a pro at money-saving hacks like shopping the sales, clipping coupons, sleuthing out treasures in discount and outlet stores and leveraging loyalty memberships. 

But how can you be sure you’re getting more bang for your buck? With a little research, you can gain confidence in your bargains. 

On a quarterly basis, it pays off to go on a browsing trip to your favorite home stores. Walk the aisles of various categories, snap a few pictures on your phone and make note of price ranges. Then when you find something on your wish list for significantly less, you’ll know you’re getting a deal. 

Expert tip: The best bargains can be found once the ship has sailed. Just as half-priced flowers are on sale the day after Valentine’s Day, the time to buy patio furniture is when there’s a chill in the air. When demand is low, so are prices. During your quarterly browsing sessions, you might also want to check out the front clearance section of some of the big box stores and make your rounds to the local dollar stores. You’ll be surprised what you can snag in terms of knickknacks and accessories at the forefront of what’s trending. 

HONOR TIMELESSNESS
Although seemingly the opposite of stretching a dollar, sometimes you have to spend money to save money. 

For example, when elevating your bedroom, you could opt for a trendy, yet inexpensive bedframe on Wayfair and head to a mattress clearance sale for the lowest possible price. Yet, a typical mattress has at least a 10-year lifespan. Your bedding setup affects your sleep quality, posture, health and daily energy. On the other hand, a little research can identify the finest organic mattress, free of toxic flame retardants, with the highest ratings for comfort. Add the support of a sturdy wooden frame, and you’ve got yourself a timeless choice to lengthen the product’s lifespan and support your vitality. You can’t put a price on that! 

Expert tip: Investing rather than skimping in lifestyle support categories results in big savings over longer durations. Examples of prudent home investments are mattresses and bedframes, kitchen and bathroom renovations, dining furniture and cookware. 

OBSERVE
Honing your observation skills will boost your ability to notice fluctuating numbers. 

Expert tip: Fill your Amazon/Walmart/Wayfair, etc. cart with your chosen items, and simply wait for them to come down in price. Check back once a week or so, and when you see a significant markdown, put in your order. 

PERUSE USED
Whoever said new décor items need be brand-spanking new? Vintage and antique finds are one of the top trends right now, and for good reason. Aged items touch upon that previously mentioned timeless element. As a bonus, secondhand shopping emphasizes frugality and sustainability. 

With your aesthetic in mind, your ultimate selections will come down to what you find in thrift stores, secondhand shops, estate sales, vintage markets, salvage yards and on Facebook Marketplace. 

Expert tip: When it comes to deals on Facebook Marketplace, the early bird catches the worm. If you’ve been eyeing something specific, and you see a deal, the earlier in the day you can contact the seller, the better. 

Bonus expert tip: Note red flags on Facebook Marketplace if:

• You see the exact same image listed by more than one account in your local area. 
• The seller has a brand new account with no reviews or bad reviews. 
• The seller asks for a “deposit” or full payment up front. 

You don’t want to get scammed when trying to save! 

Perusing used items can yield items specifically desired, as well as novelty discoveries. Salvage yards, for instance, offer unique light fixtures and rustic art installations previously used in commercial spaces. Talk about the thrill of the hunt! 

Used items can sometimes require some TLC. By upcycling or adding your creative touch in the form of fresh paint, new cushions, patchwork fixes or elbow grease in the cleaning process, you become part of an artifact’s story. 

Letter by letter, the SHOP technique, can elevate your style in a variety of budget-friendly ways. It’s all about patience and clever ingenuity. Now all that’s left to do is to pick a room, and take that first step toward transformation! ✦