One Hundred Dollars a Month

Welcome to my 52 Ways to Save $100 a Month series. We’re serious about saving money in 2016. Sometimes it’s the little things and sometimes it’s the big things. I’m here to walk you through some little things that can add up to BIG savings. 52 little things to be exact. Every week, join me back here for another small money saving tip or idea that might not seem like significant savings until you see the overall yearly savings. It might just blow your mind. So pop in each Tuesday and read a new tip that will help you on your way to save $100 a month!

This past year I’ve had to furnish not one, but 2 homes. Sure, we had a bunch of stuff from our last home, but a lot of the decor I had didn’t work in the new place {and the East Coast home I was starting from scratch}.

I sold a ton of our old stuff so I had a little stash of cash to redecorate the new place, but I wanted to make that money stretch as much as possible. So I didn’t buy new. I bought used. Pretty much everything was used. The beauty of buying used is that there are so many ways to find cool used stuff. You might have to be patient and work on your negotiator skills. Here are some of my favorite ways to buy used:

Thrift Stores: Thrift stores are my absolute favorites. I love love love them. I’ll even hit them up when I’m traveling. You can furnish an entire house and buy an entire wardrobe at about 80% off retail costs. They are the best. And there are so many treasures. So many I’m getting excited just thinking about my next trip. Here are my 10 Tips for Shopping at a Thrift Store.

Garage Sales: Almost as fun as thrift stores, just requires a little more effort moving from sale to sale. I suggest you go early {in the season and in the morning!}, check the ads for specific items you’re looking for and then get your negotiating face on. That’s what I like better than a thrift store, typically garage sale hosts will always negotiate!

Craigslist: I am probably the only person on the planet who is not a fan of Craigslist. Something about meeting a total stranger in a Walmart parking lot to do a transaction feels sketchy. The HH loves craigslist, though. To date, he has bought a weight lifting set, a punching bag, and some sort of weird storage rack for the garage. With my hatred outed, Craigslist is an amazing way to used items if you play it right. Don’t go alone, don’t meet in a dark parking lot at night and I suggest avoiding your house as a selling location if at all possible.

eBay: Find what you need. Bid. Buy. Enjoy. You save lots of money and someone gets rid of their used junk that becomes your new treasure.

Consignment Shops: This is how I’ve found some really great specific higher end furniture items. Certainly not thrift store prices, but if you are looking for some quality items, this is a great way to find them.

Your House: Seriously. Shop from your own home. Look in your garage, a closet, under your bed and see what you already own that might work in a new room or re-purposed as something else. Sometimes your own junk is a treasure.

One final thought on buying used, I once thought I still needed a number of items to finish my living room, so I was patiently picking up things when I saw a good deal in any of the places mentioned above. What I realized instead was that a little rearranging of what I currently had meant I didn’t need a single thing!

Do you buy used? Any hot spots for used items I missed?

How Much Can You Save: The sky’s the limit! Typically around 75% is the savings I see when I shop at thrift stores, but I’d say at least 50% is the norm.

More Ways to Save:

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Clean Out Your Closet {Week 1 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Break Up with Cable {Week 2 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Barter Better {Week 3 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Change Your Own Oil {Week 4 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Adjust Your Thermostat {Week 5 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Take Advantage of Your Perks {Week 6 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Pack Your Lunch {Week 7 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make It Yourself {Week 8 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Preserve Your Bounty {Week 9 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Keep the Change {Week 10 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | The Art of Borrowing {Week 11 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Ditch the Gym {Week 12 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Clip a Coupon {Week 13 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Start Your Garden From Seed {Week 14 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Learn to Cut Hair {Week 15 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Become a 1 Car Family {Week 16 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make a Phone Call {Week 17 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Shop Christmas in July {Week 18 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Grow a Garden {Week 19 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Just Say No {Week 20 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Go Generic {Week 21 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make a Budget {Week 22 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Use the Library {Week 23 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Kick the Soda Habit {Week 24 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Improve Your Credit Score {Week 25 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Shop Online {Week 26 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Save on Lodging {Week 27 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Play for Free {Week 28 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Save Big on Birthday Parties {Week 29 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Back to School Clothes on the Cheap {Week 30 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Inexpensively Entertaining {Week 31 of 52}