BARGAIN SHOP FOR YOUR HOME

                   Whether you're furnishing a room or an entire home, getting function and style out of your finds at a decent price is the ultimate goal.  Stretch your budget for home decor with the following tips.

Go ahead and ask.
                    Shopping in a store and don't like a price tag?  Ask if it's negotiable. Why not?  The worst thing that can happen is the sales clerk will say, 'no,' if he or she does have some wiggle room on the price, you'll never know if you don't ask.
                    Love an item, but can't afford full price?  Ask when the next sale is coming.  See if you can get a discount by purchasing multiple items. If the store will be receiving a ton of new items son, the store owners are looking to clear out a lot of the current merchandise, which means big savings for you.
                    On Sunday you bought a desk for $200 and on Friday you discover it's on sale for $150.  Go back to the store with your receipt and ask for a price adjustment.  Some stores will grant your request with cash or store credit within a 10-day time frame, for example.

Shop second-hand stores, estate sales and curbs.
                    Sure, you want to furnish the house from attic to basement with new or collectible furniture, but consider how much more you can afford if you shop second-hand.  Check the newspapers and online at www.philly.com/marketplace, for bedroom sets, dressers, antiques and flooring.  Whileyou're there, look for estate and yard sale listings in your neighborhood.  Vintage clothing stores are often full of household trinkets and antiques, and sometimes they sell furniture, as well.  Look for wall art, fabric and figurines.
                   Like they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure.  If your willing to put in some elbow grease and fix up some furniture, check the street for free items.  Also, home demolitions can bring about quality goods at cheap prices.



Spend wisely.
                   Spend the bulk of your money on large, classic, quality-made purchases.  Don't dump a ton on trendy furniture or lighting, as you might be dying to replace it in a few years.  Instead, select pieces you can mix with a variety of styles, colors and patterns.  Then look for deals on the little things that make a home a home, like flowers vases, bookends and decorative pillows.  And if you must spend $500 on a table lamp, look for savings on the side table.  If the lamp's worth the price, it should command more attention than the table upon which it sits.  Also, ration your high-priced purchases for necessary items.  The gorgeous silver candlesticks you spotted at the department store for $300 cost just as much a leather recliner to round out your living room.  You can save a few bucks by decorating with knock-off candlesticks, but it's hard to replicate a leather chair.

Time your purchases.
                   Tools go on sale in June and December ---- for Father's Day and holiday gift shoppers.  Televisions go on sale right before the Super Bowl and during the holiday season.  Need patio furniture?  Shop in May and June for spring savings.  Need cookware and linen?  Try May, June and July, as sales line up with wedding seasons.  Look for savings during seasonal sales, and especially, during post-season sales.
                   Most department stores (and plenty of online shops) have traditional annual sales, including President's Day, Memorial Day weekend, Labor Day and many more.  If you have a favorite store, find out if there's an annual anniversary sale.
                   In this economy, stores and shoppers alike are open to bargain-basement prices and negotiations.  Hunt down these deals and you'll have a boutique-style home at discount prices.