6 Tips For Decorating On An Extremely Tight Budget

Wishing you could create a lovely home, but it’s just not in the budget?

This isn’t your normal budget interior design article; it’s for those who are truly pinching every penny. Not everyone has money to spend on decor, but we all want a comfortable home we can love and be proud of.

Here are 6 tips to decorate your home on a very tight budget!

Trust Me, I’ve Been There…

My husband and I have always been very frugal. We were so frugal that we slept on a hand-me-down mattress for 9 years with springs jabbing us until I got a free one by partnering with a brand as a then-new influencer. I still won’t spend money to decorate an area of my house until a brand sponsors the project… Hahaha!

Our priorities were to be debt-free by the time we turned 30. So he worked two jobs while I homeschooled our 3 kids and started my own business, all while stretching every penny. We spent the first 10 years of our marriage paying off college, house, and cars. These goals were more important to us than purchasing new furniture when hand-me-downs would suffice. So I chose to live with secondhand furniture, and any free clothing or housewares I scored online through Freecycle. We did without many niceties until we were completely debt-free with adequate savings for us and our children.

That said, I adored a beautifully decorated and organized space more than most. So, while finding the pennies to create my dream home was a challenge, I was willing to be creative to achieve it. 

Here are my keys to decorating on a non-existent budget…

1. Shop Deep Deals & Secondhand Stores

I’m always excited when I find a consistently good thrift shop. However, thrifting isn’t the only answer. Often, you can find a discount outlet or clearance warehouse that will sell brand-new items at a fraction of the original cost!

Here are several great options, from secondhand stores to deals on new items.

Thrift Store: Thrifting is always a great option! Then add your own personal flair to pieces with a DIY touch.

Discount Clearance Outlet: Many popular stores (like Amazon, Pottery Barn, etc.) either have an outlet of their own or sell their returned items to other outlets. Look up your nearest clearance outlet or bazaars known for selling things at deep discounts (sometimes up to 70% off!!)

Flea Market, Swap Meet, & Antique Fair: These regularly scheduled local fairs require a bit of a hunt for great deals. But haggling is an expected part, which means you can negotiate lower than the price tag!

Facebook Marketplace: Join local online garage sale groups through Facebook, or peruse Facebook Marketplace for just about anything!

Garage Sales / Yard sales: These tend to be a hit or miss, but you’ll usually get a deeper deal, and can haggle on the price.

Getting the deal at retail Stores: There are methods to get discounts at the dream stores themselves, such as signing up for floor (display) models, shopping discount aisles & racks, using discount codes & coupons, price matching, and more, depending on the policies of that store.

2. Use Coupon Codes, Deal Apps, or Price Match

I am a huge advocate of couponing, and clearly not just for groceries! There are often store apps or even coupon codes for household items. Keep a separate email for just junk mail, and sign up to newsletters to score that 15% off coupon code.

I recommend shopping at fabric/craft stores and hardware stores that accept competitor coupons. Once, I bought a couple of gallons of paint from Home Depot on sale and used a 40% off mailer coupon from Sherwin Williams! Store policies change, so do a little research before you go. Often, shops like hardware stores, fabric stores, office supply stores, big box stores, and supercenters will price match.

My favorite time of year for couponing is the Thanksgiving to Christmas season when stores (especially clothing stores) mail out coupons for $10 off any $10 or more purchase. Every time they send me one of these, I score a nearly free item… just look for a $10 item and only pay tax! If you can combine these promotional gift-card coupons with sales or other coupons (when allowed) you can score things almost free. See that picture of the receipt at the beginning of this post? That was a nice white dish from Kohls I had been eyeing that cost $24.99. I waited for it to go on sale at 50%, then used my $10 promotional coupon. My final cost after taxes was $2.66.

Just be careful not to fall prey to discounts codes that want you to spend more money to get the deal. Just because it costs less than normal doesn’t mean you can or should buy it. If a $500 figurine I love went on sale for $300…dude, it’s still a $300 figurine, I don’t ever need that in my life. Only apply this to items you can get for free, or are already on your ‘need’ list and you’ve been patiently waiting to buy.

3. Generate Supplemental Money For Decorating

Scoring deals when budget decorating doesn’t need to be your only strategy. If you have time, you can make supplemental money or even score free items.

Point-Based Cash Back Programs:

Many reward programs and apps pay you to get bombarded by ads from their sponsors, or shop through their browser extension. Programs like MyPoints, Rakuten, and others, give you points for every email/website you open, every search you do, shopping online, using their coupons, A/B testing videos and content, etc.

I stick to the bare minimum, things I already do. Like using their search engine or printing coupons for groceries…that’s it. Amazingly, I make enough points to redeem a $10-$25 gift card every quarter or so. I get a few extra bucks to spend guilt-free, then combine that with discounts to make it stretch.

Loyalty Programs, Reward Cards, & Credit Cards:

I don’t believe in debt and treat my credit card like a debit card. If it’s not in the budget, and you don’t have money for it, DON’T buy it!

However, credit card rewards can be beneficial if self-control isn’t an issue for you. Cash back, gift cards, and deep discounts at places I shop most often can help keep costs down. Plus, these brands often reward loyalty with extra coupon codes.

User Generated Content:

UGC content isn’t only for influencers with thousands of followers; you can create a side hustle that scores free home decor and makes a few extra bucks. UGC content is typically shared by a brand to their own channels or review pages…they don’t care if you have the followers, equipment, or polish of a pro content creator. Make your social channels public, make sure your feed is fairly aesthetically pleasing, show off videos and photos, and sign up for UGC platforms. You can also direct message small brands, or Amazon-based brands and propose a trade. A 60-second review video in exchange for product.

4. Give It A Glow Up (Repurpose Hand-Me-Downs)

When every major piece of furniture you own is either a hand-me-down or found on the side of the road, you learn how to give things a makeover. It becomes the saving grace of the ugly and mismatched. Sometimes, you have to have a little vision and revamp something entirely, but other times, all it takes to revamp an old piece of furniture is a fresh coat of paint!

The power of paint is the easiest way to get a big impact for less. You can give a whole new look to things you might not have considered!

Spray paint: decorative accents and accessories, metal bookcases, vases, etc.
Fabric paint: update old pieces like armchairs, or create a new design on throw pillows
Rub n Buff / Metallic Spray Paint: Give thrifted home decor small updates with metallic paint, like mirrors, vases, picture frames, etc.

5. Do It Yourself

Save money spent on handymen by doing projects yourself. Your DIY projects will be a source of pride, and it’s the perfect way to get high-end design without breaking the bank.

DIY is my favorite way to make a less expensive item look custom. Embellish a plain coffee table, turn a regular bookcase into a built-in, all without spending a lot of money.

You may think DIY means building things, but it means every part of a renovation, build, or crafty little project. I have made DIY art, created an accent wall with a new coat of paint, DIY’d decor items like trivets and kitchen holders, and even built my own outdoor sofa.

6. Patiently Curate Over Time

Remember that frugal decorating means patience. We won’t get the same satisfaction of seeing a room go from ugly to amazing in a weekend. It will become a labor of love that may take a while.

The good news is that your new home will grow in style as you do. Small changes over time are a great way to create a beautiful home filled with memories and cultivated skills.

Looking for even more budget decorating tips?

Follow my Pinterest board for creative ways to refresh your home for less.

Want some creative, budget-friendly solutions for styling your home?

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