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Furniture stores can be crazy expensive. When I first got my apartment I went couch shopping and told the guy my budget for loveseat and sofa was $700. All he could show me were couches or loveseats that were $700 on their own. I ended up buying a friend's sofa. When furnishing on a budget here's a few things to keep in mind:

1.) Buy one really good piece. Pay for it new and work everything around it. It could be a table or the sofa but if it's a good solid piece, it will make everything else look more expensive.

2.) Go to the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army has some high quality, solid wood items that people donated and are now incredibly affordable. I once saw a solid wood coffee table in great shape for $16. It's worth checking out the Salvation Army and any other Thrift stores in the area.

3.) Hit the Flea Markets. People are always getting rid of great items. Get to the market early and scope out what you want. Later on in the day people may not want to lug it home and will drop the price to avoid repacking it.

4.) Remember your friends! If you have two friends who are moving in together, they are most likely going to be downsizing. They might have an extra dining room table, or a few chairs or even a sofa. I got mine for $250. It was in prime condition and my friend just had one too many sofas. He even dropped it off.

5.) Hit the Big Chains: Ikea, Target, Wal-Mart, Kohls and any other large retail chain. Go to clearance and shop. Clearance items are never a bad idea.

6.) Dumpster Dive! I have a fantastic and kitschy painting of a lion's head on black velvet. It's in a great carved wooden frame and looks incredible over my sofa. I found it on the curb.

7.) Leftovers work too. If you know someone who just painted a room, ask them for the leftover paint. Create elegance with an accent wall in different color from the common white or off-white.

8.) Don't forget Ebay! Ebay is the biggest flea market there is. Get lamps, old vases, antiques, paintings and more to dress up your place

9.) AC Moore Never underestimate the elegance of a vase or bowl filled with decorative rocks. Add some flowers from outside and you are designer chic!

I don't recommend taking fabric covered furniture off the curb. You don't know where it's been and what people have been spilling on the fabric and soaking into the stuffing. Be careful to look for a steam cleaned tag on thrift pieces and consider recovering items with fabric from a fabric warehouse. But everything else is fair game! If you're creative, consider modge podging images onto and old chair to make it unique and attractive. Take frames from the curb and use them on the walls to break up white space. There are a lot of ways to make your apartment attractive on a budget and you might even end up with something that better represents you.

Learn more about this author, Karen Kalbacher.
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