Help with furniture
Top tips on the best ways to furnish your home on a budget.
How to furnish your home on a budget
Most of our homes come unfurnished, without beds, furniture, carpeting, and white goods like fridges and washing machines. However, there are lots of ways to furnish your home without spending lots of money.
Ask around
It can be surprisingly easy to get furniture for free. People often end up giving away their furniture and household items when they’re having a clear-out because it’s the easiest way to get rid of them. Ask family and friends if they have any items they are no longer using.
Check online
Websites like Freecycle, Freegle, Gumtree can have all kinds of free furniture, from small items like toasters and kettles to tables and even sofas. Have a look and see what you can find.
Buy second hand
Check out local charity shops and car boot sales, or go online to eBay and Facebook marketplace to see if you could bag a bargain.
The Reuse Network is another place you can find high-quality, affordable household items including furniture, electrical appliances, IT equipment and more.
Shop around
If you buy furniture new, remember to shop around for the best deals and keep your eyes out for sales. If you’re shopping online, compare prices between websites, and if shopping online, consider using a cashback website.
I don't think I would have been able to do this on my own, but Clarion were there to help me.
Michelle
Clarion resident
Our charitable foundation
Clarion Futures can help in lots of ways. We offer support in many areas, including helping with:
- money and household bills.
- jobs, apprenticeships and training.
- digital skills.
- mental health and wellbeing.
Borrowing money and using credit
If you want to buy something that you can’t afford, you might choose to borrow money. Always make sure you work out what the final price for your item will be, factoring in the extra cost of interest. Small weekly payments can really add up, especially over a long period of time.
Before you apply for a loan, make sure you’ve gone through all your money in and money out so you’re sure you can afford the payments.
Affordable borrowing providers offer fairer finance deals on household goods: Clarion is a partner with Leeds Credit Union.
What to know before using credit
You could use credit to buy your item, and pay it back over a period of time or at a later date. It’s a good idea to compare prices with other retailers to make sure your item isn’t overpriced and double-check that the shop you’re buying from is trustworthy.
Interest-free loans
Depending on what benefits you receive, you might be able to get an interest-free loan (also known as a budgeting advance or budgeting loan) from the government, where you only pay back what you borrow.
Budget planner
The independent Money Helper website has a simple online budget planner that can be really helpful. It shows what you can afford and how you might be able to save money.
Grants and funding for furniture
Grants from your local council
If you’ve struggled with homelessness or hardship in the past, you might be able to get a grant to help you buy white goods and furniture. Rules vary depending on where you live, so get in touch with your local council to find out more.
Funds from charities
You might also be able to access support schemes and funding from charities, which you can browse through on the Turn2Us grants search.
Financial help from Clarion Futures
We may be able to help you with funding to buy things like beds, fridges, freezers, cookers and washing machines.
This help is only for households in hardship and you must want to work with our money guidance team to think about changes you can make which will help put you in a stronger financial position.