How to Save Money on Patio Furniture

Tisha Tolar — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:48:19 +0000

If you are anything like me, you tend to live outside during the warm summer months. Due to my affinity for sunshine and summer breezes, it is important to me that my patio becomes an extension of my living room during the summertime. Since we now have a pool, we spend even more time sitting outside, relaxing, working, or hanging out with family and friends.

I am not always able to create the most luxurious outdoor environment, but I have been working on perfecting my ability to create a comfortable outdoor living space that falls within my budget.

Here are some tips so you too can afford the outdoor furniture you’d like to have for summer. (See also: 50+ Ways to Have Free Outdoor Fun)

Try Layaway

There are still a handful of stores that offer layaway, including Kmart and Sears, which both sell a nice selection of patio furniture. If you are looking to buy a quality set of matching furniture, you can make it more affordable by paying it off a little bit at a time over a period of eight weeks rather than racking up new charges on your credit card or waiting to save up for the purchase.

Go Piece by Piece

If you can look beyond the notion of having a perfectly matching six-piece patio set, you can likely find several decent pieces and buy them one at a time. Look in different locations for the type of patio furniture you want, but don’t go for a complete set. You can add to your collection as you can afford it.

Buy Used

There are many used furniture stores and thrift shops that carry patio furniture. You can also get lucky at private yard sales or estate sales. Check out online or newspaper classifieds too. People who upgrade their own patio furniture will tend to sell their old set because they have no storage room and would like to make a little money back towards the purchase of the new stuff.

Check Out Discount Stores

There are many discount stores that specialize in buying unsold merchandise and reselling to the public for steep discounts. Keep an eye on store flyers or check out the store websites to see what’s new. The downside to this shopping method is that you never know when or where you’ll find something you love. Start putting some extra cash to the side as you do your search so when you find something you love, you can pay cash in full and beat other shoppers to the deal.

Upgrade Existing Furniture

Perhaps you are looking for new patio furniture only because you are sick of looking at the same thing you’ve had for years. If your current patio set is still in relatively good condition, consider giving it a new coat of paint, new cushions, or some other upgrade. You can save a lot of money by working with what you already have. With the popularity of do-it-yourself television shows and all the creative refurbishing resources out there, you should have no problem finding ways to spruce up your existing furniture.

This article is from Tisha Tolar of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: