Decorating on a budget can seem daunting at first, especially if you have a look you want to create, but not the budget that is needed to achieve that look. I have learned how to save as much as possible on decor items for my home and want to help you do the same! Here are a few ways that you can start saving money while decorating your home.
1. Take Advantage of Store Rewards/Coupons/Loyalty Cards
One of my favorite stores to shop at is Kohl’s, mostly because of their Store Rewards program. Once you sign up you will receive emails with promotions and mailers in your mailbox. You want to pay attention to these because they often will send out mailers with a $10 off any purchase, 20-40% off coupons, or category coupons like $10/$50 Home Department Purchase. In addition to these coupons, you can earn points on your rewards card by making purchases. These points will add up and you will be able to earn $5 rewards pretty quickly which you can use on any purchase that is $5 or more.
One more way to save at Kohl’s is to take advantage of Kohl’s Cash, which happens often throughout the year. You can earn $10-$15 in Kohl’s Cash (similar to a normal coupon) when you spend a minimum amount. I have taken advantage of all of these discounts to find great deals on home decor for a fraction of the original price.
Another store I love to shop at is Cost Plus World Market – they give their Rewards Members awesome perks like coupons and exclusive deals straight to your inbox. I have scored great deals on dining chairs and baskets by taking advantage of sale prices, and then combing it with a $10/$30 or 20% off coupon that I had sitting in my email.
2. Use the “Save for later” Feature To Track Price Drops
Have you ever added an item to your online shopping cart, then changed your mind because the price was too high? My trick is to keep that item in my cart, but use the “save for later” feature to track the price to see if it has lowered since the last time I viewed it. It is almost a “lazy” way of waiting for something to go on sale, because I honestly hardly ever buy anything that is not on sale. I am a very thrifty shopper and I will wait as long as I can to get it for a better price. I will check on that cart every few days to see if the items have dropped in price, and they usually do go on sale eventually!
I use this to my advantage on home decor, clothing, household items, pretty much anything that I don’t need right away and can wait for a bit while I look for a deal.
3. Make Your Own DIY Decor – And Use Coupons!
My favorite way to decorate on a budget is to do it yourself! We have purchased many furniture items from Craigslist with the intention of painting/staining/re-vamping to be able to save money. I have created artwork, re-covered chairs, spray-painted frames (so, so many frames!), created my own printables, and done many other types of DIY projects. Other than Craigslist, there are many Facebook Buy/Sell/Trade Groups where you can find great deals on “project” pieces that you can re-vamp to make it look amazing again.
Many times I need items from Michaels or Hobby Lobby to complete these projects, and luckily both stores always have coupons available that you can pull up on your phone while you are waiting in line. I bookmark their coupon/website on my phone so I have it saved for when I am out shopping so I can pull it up very easily. They usually both offer a 40% off one regular priced item coupon each week, with the amount tending to change a bit. Around the holidays I’ve seen 50% coupons from Michaels, which is even better!
Sales tend to come in waves, like BOGO frame deals at Michaels or percentage off deals at Hobby Lobby. If the “metal” category isn’t on sale this week at Hobby Lobby, just wait a couple weeks and it will come back around. Sometimes Michaels even has coupons like 20% off your entire purchase, not just the usual 40% off of one regular price item coupon.
4. Sell Your Unwanted Decor Items
Tired of your current curtains or rug? By selling them in a garage sale, online through Craigslist, through a Facebook group, or on an app like Mercari you will earn some cash and also make room for your new updated items. That’s a win-win! If you are new to the Mercari app, you can get $2 off of your first purchase by using the code HDMYMH! It is very easy to use and you can even get your earnings deposited into your checking account, or save up your “balance” of what you’ve sold to use on purchasing things from other sellers.
5. Check Weekly Ads for Decor Promos
I will try to check the Target ad weekly to scan through and check for any home decor gift card deals. I have noticed that every few weeks or so they will have gift card promotions for when you spend a certain amount in a specific category. Just recently they had a “spend $50 & receive a $10 gift card” valid on any home department purchase. Those gift cards can come in handy when you are saving up for a new set of towels or comfy chair!
When you are trying to figure out how to find the money to fix up your place, these tips will help you be creative and make it work!
Do you have any other tips on saving on decor? Are you a frugal decorator like me? 😉
