7 tips for finding quality budget furniture

The average person spends over $8,000 to furnish an apartment. But, if you’re on a budget, this number might be out of reach. With budget furniture, you can find quality pieces without breaking the bank. 

In this guide, we’ll share some of our top tips for finding affordable furniture that you’ll love. We’ll follow it up with some of our favorite quality pieces for people on a budget. 

7 tips for choosing value furniture

So, how do you find the best price for home furnishing that fits your budget? By being patient and methodical about your shopping choices, of course. It might seem overwhelming to plan every furniture purchase, but when your bills start to roll in, you’ll be glad you did.

To get you started, here are our top seven tips for furnishing your home with budget furniture: 

1. Start with a vision 

Whether you’re working with a blank space or a home that needs redecorating, begin by visualizing what you want the end result to be. It helps to sit in each area, from the bedroom to your entryway, and make a list of everything you’d like to see there. 

Include large objects (bed frames, bookcases, loveseats, recliners, etc.) and smaller items (trash cans, plants, picture frames, lamps, and so on) to make sure your list is complete. Additionally, decide what home decor style you’d like to see reflected in your furniture. Modern and transitional looks are often the easiest to accomplish on a budget because, for these styles, less is more. 

2. Prioritize needs over wants

The true secret to designing your home with budget furniture is prioritizing. It’s time to take your list and decide what you need to live in your home comfortably. Highlight these items or place them on a separate list. The needs are your essentials, like somewhere to sit while you eat, somewhere to relax, and somewhere to sleep. If you work from home, add a workspace or small home office in there, too. 

For those with a small price range, you can usually get away with eating in the living room where you relax. This approach could trim your essentials to somewhere to sleep and somewhere to sit. It all depends on the size of your budget and your household’s lifestyle. Once you’ve identified your needs, we recommend prioritizing what remains — your wants — from most to least important. 

3. Set your budget

If you haven’t already, it’s time to outline your budget so that you know what you can afford to spend right now. Don’t stretch yourself too thin. Over the next year or two, you can save up for anything that you can’t afford in your initial purchase. Look at your monthly bills, income, and savings to determine the magic number. 

If you don’t have much to spend right now, we recommend determining what you can afford to spend or save each month. You can either look for financing options that fit your monthly allowance or squirrel that amount away each month and buy furniture when you’ve saved enough. 

Be wary of opening credit cards with furniture stores. Even with 0% deferred interest, you’ll end up paying interest on the entire purchase if you don’t pay in full on time. 

4. Fill each space strategically

It’s time to grab your priority list from tip number two. Now that you have your budget in place and know which rooms to furnish first, you can start buying the items you need. When your budget runs out, save up and revisit your list when you’re ready to buy more. 

You might find it strange to have only the essentials at first, but if you’re strategic about your purchases, you’ll still be living happily. An apartment, for example, can be pretty comfortable with a quality mattress and bedframe, a cozy couch or loveseat for the living room, and a dining room set where you can also do your work. 

Once you’ve acquired your must-haves, re-organize what’s left on your list with the same strategic approach. Rinse and repeat until your home is 100% furnished. 

5. Value quality over quantity 

Don’t let your desire to fill your space with furniture get in the way of finding quality furniture that will last for years to come. If you try to buy everything at once, you’ll likely end up with cheap pressboard furniture that you have to replace sooner than you’d like. Low prices are great, but quality pieces will save you money in the long run. 

For example, if you buy a well-made dining set that can follow you from place to place, you’ll have the dining room taken care of for the long term. It’s not worth sacrificing the home you’ve been dreaming of just to fill up your space. 

6. Look for multifunctionality 

Purchasing multifunctional pieces of furniture can help fill the gap between wants and needs until you can afford to furnish everything. For example, a bar stool can double as a side table, a dining room table can double as a place to work, and a sectional sleeper can double as living room furniture and a guest bed. 

This helps with tip number five, quality over quantity. If a quality piece of furniture can serve two purposes, it’ll likely be easier to budget for than two pieces of mediocre furniture. 

7. Shop for bargains 

Just because you’re following tip number five, quality over quantity, doesn’t mean you need to buy at full price. Pay attention to sales cycles to make it easier to plan your purchases and bargain hunt. 

New furniture usually comes out around the end of summer and the end of winter. So, retailers often mark last year’s collections down during February and August to make room. If you can wait to buy until you see a seasonal sale, you’ll likely be able to afford better budget furniture. 

Shopping secondhand is also an excellent way to find quality furniture and home decor at discounted prices. Finally, don’t forget to ask about showroom or floor models, which are sometimes available with lower pricing because they’ve been assembled and lightly used. This can be especially useful at the mattress store where you want the highest quality you can afford for a good night’s sleep. 

3 quality pieces of essential budget furniture 

In the spirit of focusing on what you need over everything you want, we’ve highlighted three essentials below to get you started. A couch, a dining set, and the beginning of a complete bedroom furniture set will get you on your way to a fully furnished home. 

1. Athens 5-piece Counter Height Dining Set

This Athens 5-piece Counter Height Dining Set features a rustic look that’s affordable and stylish. The five-piece set includes one pedestal table and four chairs. It also includes four drop leaves that transform it from a smaller square shape to a larger round shape. Each chair has a comfortable, padded seat with light tan upholstery and an open, cross brace-style backrest. 

2. Brandon Queen Panel Bed

This Brandon Queen Panel Bed features an impressive headboard and low-slung footboard, creating a stunning transitional look at an affordable price. The bed frame is finished with an inviting, warm brown tone that goes with a range of color palettes. The clean and crisp lines create enduring style. 

This bed is tested to a static weight of 600 lbs. When you have room in your budget for the nice-to-haves, you can complete the set with the 2-drawer nightstand, 6-drawer dresser, 5-drawer chest, and framed mirror. 

3. Apperson Cushioned Back Sofa

This Apperson Cushioned Back Sofa is comfortable and chic with a transitional design that blends seamlessly into any living room. The soft grey upholstery enhances the simple silhouette, and two matching accent pillows give it an inviting touch. You may want to add a loveseat, recliner, sectional, or chaise down the road, but a simple sofa is an excellent place to begin. 

Ready to furnish your home for less?

With these helpful tips in mind, you’re more than ready to find the best budget furniture for your home. Remember, make a budget, start with the essentials, and shop strategically.

Check out the full catalog of furniture from Coaster Furniture to find the perfect quality pieces for your home. And if you plan to save money by hunting down seasonal sales, use our store locator to find locations near you.

Browse All Furniture