Real or Fake-does it really matter?
Have you ever went into someones house & kinda scanned the room to see how their home was set up? Have you gotten inspiration or learned what not to do in your own home? Are you willing to come out of pocket for that name brand Tiffany lamp or are you willing to scale back on the cost & purchase a Tiffany STYLE lamp? Let’s be honest, we have all done it a time or two..maybe 20, but regardless of how many times; you have in some way adapted to or adopted certain design traits when it come to how you personally live.
If you are more of the awesome off grid type, then this will not apply to you for the most part. However; if you are modern, then this will apply to you & then some. Most of society is caught up in “labeling.” Whether it be clothes, furniture, women’s purse, that gentleman’s “European Hand Bag”, shoes, lamps..etc. That list can go on & on, but there is an increase of society starting to pay attention to how their hard earned monies are being spent. Especially when it comes to their home & investing in it. So, today we are going to introduce some ways to save money-
1. Think you need to increase the size of your kitchen? Not so! Think re-organization! If you can re-organize and equip your kitchen for maximum usage, then you may not need to tear down that wall for extra space. Replace space–hogging shelves with cabinet–height pullout drawers that contain racks for canned goods and other items. You could easily shell out a few thousand for cabinets with upgrades like dividers, pull–out pot trays, and lazy Susan’s, but you’ll save many times that amount by not adding that addition you THOUGHT you needed.
Side note: Stovers Liquidation carries cabinets (sshhh)
2. Try that recycling center! You can save big money, by shopping for recycled light fixtures & building materials. Habitat for Humanity operates roughly about 400 Re Stores nationwide, which offer salvaged materials at half off home–center prices. You wont get so lucky with contractors using salvaged or refurbished home goods, simply because they do not want the liability of something going wrong. You as a homeowner & do-it-yourself-er could benefit greatly on such items.
3. Do your own demo! Time & time again, you will have an installer come into your home to give you that free estimate. Most of the time, they will include a “demo” price within that estimate. Offer your own services to save you money on that installation.
4. Tap into your contractors resources! If you are having a floor installed, don’t hesitate to ask your installer if he has odds/ends left over from other jobs. There are plenty of subcontractors out there that “throw” away extras off of their job sites!
5. Do your own “material pick-up”-often times when you are having a quantity of goods that are going to be installed into your home, you are going to be charged a “freight” or “delivery” charge. Why not pick your items up yourself to save money? You can easily purchase a single axle trailer to attach to your SUV or truck if you happen to own one. You may be able to borrow one for a day, if someone trusts you that much ;0)
6. Consider “look-a-likes”- there are thousands & thousands of material look a likes out there. For instance; Stovers Liquidation carries “Tiffany Style” lamps, & floor lamps. They are just as beautiful without that “Tiffany” price! You can also purchase look a like wood flooring; which we also carry. There are many benefits when it comes to flooring especially.
7. Wait for when that contractor “WANTS” your business! Most contractors & sub-contractors are self employed. There does come a time in certain parts of the year when there is “down time”. This is NOT a good time for ANY contractor, because that means they are not working. No work equals no money, so that would be a good time to tap into those resources.
8. Plan early!Scan those hardware stores, liquidation stores, way before you decide to start doing anything to your home. Have all your decisions made way before that contractor shows up. For instance; you want a certain type of floor, refrigerator, or stove. You may want that certain type of back splash, but the “allowance” from your contractor may be to low for what your looking for. So, it would be a good idea to already have the decision made.
9. Donate your “trash” to your local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store. They are always looking for materials to re-sell in their stores. You will also get a tax credit for when you file. It’s a win win for everyone!
10. Consider long term costs! Are you really going to save money in the long run when it comes to maintenance on your material. Or, will you end up spending more.