{"id":10891,"date":"2013-08-14T10:37:30","date_gmt":"2013-08-14T14:37:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/canadianbudgetbinder.com\/?p=10840"},"modified":"2025-02-18T06:40:02","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T06:40:02","slug":"youre-cheap-if-you-decorate-rooms-frugally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalskyweb.co\/canadianbudgetbinder.com\/2013\/08\/14\/youre-cheap-if-you-decorate-rooms-frugally\/","title":{"rendered":"You’re Cheap If You Decorate Rooms Frugally"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/span>Estimated reading time: <\/span>10<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create a stylish home on a budget. Find out how to decorate your house cheaply and achieve a beautiful and inviting space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve ever been judged or looked down upon because you decorate your home cheaply, don’t forget the purpose of your journey to debt-freedom<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, I don’t think you are cheap, and you will never hear me say that, trust me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A friend of my wife, who has a great job in a senior-level position, asks her husband if she feels that we are too cheap when decorating our house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I guess everyone has their definition of cheap and frugal, but for us, it’s simply spending less when we can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things To Do When Moving Into A New Home<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"How<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Many people skim online ads looking for a deal in their community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newlyweds and those moving into their first place typically have what they acquired over the years living at home or while away at school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With more and more students exiting school with student loans that may take them years to pay off,<\/a> <\/strong>scouting for discounts on home d\u00e9cor is worth the effort, in my opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Home, New Stuff<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Everything in Cheryl’s house (changed her name) is pristine and has the price tag to prove it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we were house-sitting their cat on the weekend, just going inside their house alerted us to the smell of a new home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She keeps it immaculate and spares no money when decorating the house inside and out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her theory is that since we have decent jobs, we shouldn’t need to buy anything but new because we earned it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s not about how much money you make; it’s how we save it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, I have to keep reminding myself of that so it sinks in even when the pressures of our friends try to sneak in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t worry about their thoughts; they are still our friends. I don’t need to follow through to be a “spender<\/strong>” like them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even top designers flock to second-hand shops<\/strong><\/a> looking for furniture they can re-cover or reuse for an upcoming project for all clients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe that many people associate a new home with new stuff, and that’s not always the most innovative way to think. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We prefer ‘new to me<\/strong>‘ stuff and shopping for new items at discount prices, which works equally fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people who come around think that our house is gorgeous inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’re Debt-Free<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

She also says we are very cheap by how we live our lives, considering we don’t need to as we are debt-free, although that wasn’t always the case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that we are practically mortgage-free<\/a>,<\/strong> we can splurge more on what we want, but we still can’t bring ourselves to spend like nobody is looking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It seems like it would defeat the purpose; we also have other goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having other goals when you are debt-free<\/strong><\/a> doesn’t mean going hog-wild with life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s how people get into trouble in the first place sometimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, no one bothers us when they think we are too frugal; it’s their opinion, and if it makes us happy and it’s not wild “cheapskates” unbelievable, then we’re pleased with that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you are moving into a new home or want to decorate rooms in your home or apartment the frugal way, it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the worst things about moving into a new home is the house interiors are empty, meaning each room you walk in needs a vision to bring it to life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may not be the worst thing in the world, but some people love decorating and find the right furniture, d\u00e9cor, and accessories to make the space livable, stress-free, and easy on the eye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They could care less for others, and any old furniture will do. Some vintage pieces do make a room stand out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things To Do When Moving Into A New Home<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are moving into a new home from an apartment, you likely already have furniture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should have a relatively good idea of where to put things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are moving into a new home after getting married or leaving your parents, you may not have to worry about hiring a rental truck to get you from point A to point B. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the time, you can stuff a vehicle of belongings or toss a bed in a friend’s truck to save some cash rather than renting a moving truck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, it’s nice to move to a new place without having too much stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing so allows you to take your time decorating rooms how you want without too much clutter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping organized is essential; otherwise, you end up with a mish-mash of items you don’t need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DIY Home Decor On A Budget<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our friend made her roller blinds instead of going to an expensive big box store or even costlier having them custom-made. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She used her sewing skills and made her own, which is excellent if you want to add your personal touch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are handy, there are many DIY ways to decorate your room, starting with a simple coat of paint and then searching for furniture to fit the space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I must caution that not everyone has the decorator’s eye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want help or a second opinion, call a friend whose home you adore to get their idea on your space and your visions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you like their work, you will likely want the advice they give you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a win-win situation without hiring a designer, which can be costly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we bought our home, we moved in from renting, so we didn’t have mung.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, we started to purchase items on sale at discount stores and kept our eyes open for any deals that came out in the flyers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friends and family were kind enough to donate items to us because they had doubles or no need for these things any longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of recycling or selling something, they asked us if we needed it first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most times, the answer was a yes because we didn’t realize how much we didn’t have when we bought our new home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also wanted to save our money for other ventures and not spend it decorating our home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips to get you started decorating your home in a budget-friendly way<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garage Sale Decor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We are garage sale<\/a> <\/strong>lovers, and although we don’t get out as often as we like now, we used to go almost every weekend we could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was probably the cheapest way for us to acquire what we needed to decorate rooms in the house. If you can bargain with a seller, you can sweeten the deal even more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t just offer what they are asking; make an offer and see if they will bite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They will accept your offer nine times out of 10, and you get the item you wanted for less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kijiji Decor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Search the free stuff classifieds<\/strong> on Kijiji or <\/span>find the category for what you are looking for and do a search.  <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You never know what you might find. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometim<\/span>es, people have leftover building materials they no longer want and will sell them cheaply or give them to you for free. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it’s not fr<\/span>ee, then learning the art of negotiation is a great way to haggle a deal from the seller that fits within your budget <\/strong><\/a>and makes them happy. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hand-Me-Downs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have family, friends, or kids moving out and have items they no longer need, they may send them your way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a great way to ensure items stay out of landfills, especially if they still have lots of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Free Stuff <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you find free stuff, heck, it’s like hitting the jackpot, and if you follow this blog, you know that on many occasions, we have found free stuff on the curb<\/strong> <\/a>that homeowners label ‘free,’ and we take it away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve also found some pretty cool free stuff in the past, probably the best being the remote control for our new ceiling fans in the garbage at a neighbor’s house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We decided not to buy the remote for one of our ceiling fans as it was a silly price of over $30, but now we have one for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discount Stores<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are plenty of great discount stores you can shop at, and if you love IKEA as much as we do, you can find great bargains for a reasonable price. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not everything is top-notch quality, but I’ve gotten some great deals that lasted me over the years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might also find great deals at scratch and dent shops in your local area or consignment stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second-Hand Stores<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have already gone to Value Village, The Salvation Army, and many other second-hand stores, you know there are deals to be had. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may have to pop in periodically to see what stock has come in, but if you’re lucky, you might find what you are looking for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep an open eye for discounts or 50% off days to sweeten the deal even more.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some shops also have rewards cards, so take advantage of them when you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rewards Points <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Collect rewards points<\/strong><\/a> on your credit card,<\/strong><\/a> and you may be able to redeem them for paint at Canadian Tire if you use the Canadian Tire MasterCard like I do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you love President’s Choice and collect PC Optimum points<\/a><\/strong>, you can redeem them for many household items in-store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When collecting points, always remember to have your card handy because points lost are like throwing money out the window. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With almost 7 million PC Optimum Points<\/a><\/strong> to spend, we know a thing or two about collecting them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just last week, we redeemed for a new food processor and frying pan, and although they are not used to decorating, it was still great to get free stuff with earned points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coupons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you watch, you will find coupons<\/a> <\/strong>in weekly flyers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know that Home Outfitters offers a coupon for 20% off if you buy one item at a regular price. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That might mean you could get curtains, pillows, lamps, bedding, etc, for a cheaper price if you cut out your coupon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do that every week, and you can start decorating your house frugally quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There you have it: some tips on finding frugal deals to decorate rooms in your house or apartment without breaking the bank. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never listen to those who make you feel as if you should be spending more or that buying used is for people who can’t afford new; it’s a load of you know what. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If someone thinks you are too cheap or living too frugally, remember to live as you want. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spend your money wisely, and the goals you set forth to accomplish will come your way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discussion: Where did you get the items to decorate your living space?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please leave me your comments below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for reading, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. CBB <\/p>\n\n\n\n