I’ve learned (through hard lessons) to always negotiate on prices of things and always buy used when possible.
For example, if my family needs a new sofa, we have visited a local furniture store and written down the brand and style of what we like. Then, we search through Craigslist or Marketplace on FB for that item. Almost always, I’ve found what we wanted used, often fairly new and in great condition. It has saved me hundreds if not thousands of dollars on everything from furniture to cars!
Here’s a real example we just saved on this week. We needed a patio set. I was able to find four wicker chairs and fire pit for $400 on FB Marketplace and it’s perfect for our patio area. The pit sells new for $850 and the chairs are $250 each. We saved about $1,450 total on a set that’s like new and barely used!
Fabulous! My apartment right out of my divorce was furnished with Craigslist- great stuff! I was even able to sell it (what I don’t still have) for more than I purchased. And I was even in a rush and found those great deals. Good reminder that even though it may be uncomfortable to negotiate, it’s worth it.
I consider myself extremely frugal, more so lately because we’ve had a few large, unexpected expenses. I buy my clothes from a thrift store. It’s very large and has a huge selection. I only buy what I love and is in great condition so I don’t feel like I look like second hand Rose.
We need outdoor furniture as our old set quite literally fell apart over the winter. I’ve been pricing outdoor furniture at discount stores and it is still quite pricey. I didn’t think to look in a second hand market. That’s why I need Penny Hoarder for input from the site and my fellow penny hoarders to save even more. You got a great set. Thanks for sharing.
Fabulous patio set and fabulous idea!! Can you share some tips about how to steer clear of scammers? I hate to be negative, it’s my burden with strangers selling things because of a couple bad experiences but you can’t beat the “price” most of the time!!
I never thought about shopping new then searching for specifics on Craigslist! Good experience with Craigslist?
Fabulous patio set and fabulous idea!! Can you share some tips about how to steer clear of scammers? I hate to be negative, it’s my burden with strangers selling things because of a couple bad experiences but you can’t beat the “price” most of the time!!
I never thought about shopping new then searching for specifics on Craigslist! Good experience with Craigslist?
I’m definitely not an expert on scammers. But, generally, if they are asking to have the item shipped to them, or want you to provide banking information for a money transfer, it may be a scammer.
I’ve had much better luck through Nextdoor and actually bought and sold items to nearby neighbors that way!
I consider myself extremely frugal, more so lately because we’ve had a few large, unexpected expenses. I buy my clothes from a thrift store. It’s very large and has a huge selection. I only buy what I love and is in great condition so I don’t feel like I look like second hand Rose.
We need outdoor furniture as our old set quite literally fell apart over the winter. I’ve been pricing outdoor furniture at discount stores and it is still quite pricey. I didn’t think to look in a second hand market. That’s why I need Penny Hoarder for input from the site and my fellow penny hoarders to save even more. You got a great set. Thanks for sharing.
Good luck in your search! Sometimes that can be even more fun than looking in the expensive stores. Check out Nextdoor as well.
