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!
