Buying a couch, or sofa

[efcussins]

This year my wife and I decided that we are going to buy for the house a couch, for Christmas. The old couch is long over due for replacement. We are taking the next few weeks visiting local furniture stores.

We don't plan to buy it until like Christmas week.

What is your method when it comes time to buy furniture.

[SnoopyCool]

I like craigslist.

[disneysteve]

I would start looking at ads from your local stores to get an idea of prices. Decide how much you want to spend. Visit a few stores to check the options in person. Are they comfortable? Do they look well made? Ignore the 0% until 2097 offers and instead ask about cash discounts. Most places will knock off 10% or more for a cash purchase instead of "interest-free" financing (which isn't really free).

While I wouldn't buy a couch on craigslist, I would certainly sell the old one there. Whatever you get for it will help defray the cost of the new one.

[irmanator]

I have gotten free couches off craigslist. OMG the price of new couches is out of my league. I do admit i got lucky on that one. When I put the "wanted" ad up i didn't say i wanted it free but i did specify that i was low income and not too particular as long as it didn't smell or have stains. I had that for a year before my friend gave me a newer one because she was gifted a new one. I have never ever paid for a couch. Maybe after the kids move out but not feeling it now.

[disneysteve]

I want to reverse my previous post. There is nothing wrong with buying a second-hand couch. It occurred to me after posting that the first sofa (sofa-bed actually) that I ever owned was purchased used. That was in 1986 and I still have it in my basement. If you can find a well cared for sofa that is in considerably better shape than what it will be replacing, and save hundreds in the process compared to buying new, go for it.

[irmanator]

I was not contesting you Steve, just adding another opinion. :-)

I have 3 teenagers and a dog and 3 cats. Couches cost alot. If I bought a new brand new couch I would have to kill someone if they spilled anything on it. I would rather not. JMHO

It is bad enough that I HAD to get a new fridge suddenly and someone but no one will admit it bumped into it and scratched the paint on my first ever BRAND SPANKIN NEW fridge. Then they thought they were cute by putting a magnet that looked like a bandaid on the "booboo"

[efcussins]

Originally Posted by irmanator

I was not contesting you Steve, just adding another opinion. :-)

I have 3 teenagers and a dog and 3 cats. Couches cost alot. If I bought a new brand new couch I would have to kill someone if they spilled anything on it. I would rather not. JMHO

It is bad enough that I HAD to get a new fridge suddenly and someone but no one will admit it bumped into it and scratched the paint on my first ever BRAND SPANKIN NEW fridge. Then they thought they were cute by putting a magnet that looked like a bandaid on the "booboo"

My wife read your post. She said, that is me. Her biggest fear is we get a new sofa. I would be standing over the sofa pulling guard duty.

[irmanator]

See so it would maybe be better to get a good used one, then you can relax on it and not have to worry about it. :-)

[Credit Girl]

I would definitely look into getting a used couch as well. There is nothing wrong with that and you will definitely save lots of money!

[Saving_spree]

I usually look out for clearance section or buy them while they are on discount

[RAYT721]

There are various options available to you and the right answer basically depends on your wants, needs and budget. I would suggest paying cash regardless of the option that you ultimately go with. It's not wise to carry a credit card balance (or worse store credit) that will simply go on and on with paying interest on interest on interest. If you can afford and want new, shop around. You can get the manufacturer's name and model number/part number and then let your fingers do the clicking on the internet. Armed with pricing in hand the local store may just match a best price paid. They won't if you don't ask. There are discount wholesale furniture stores out there (mostly in No Carolina) that you can buy direct from and will be cheaper even with adding shipping. You should use a credit card for the initial purchase for security reasons but plan to pay it off ASAP after the product safely arrives. So many times consumers wander aimlessly into furniture stores and plop down hundreds of dollars on an impulse. Don't be one of them. Measure and negotiate. Now, there's nothing wrong with used. Some people have estate or moving sales and simply need to part ways with decent furniture. You'll probably save at least 50% off the cost of new. Bounce your butts off your potential sofas and realize that it's not always price that determines quality. I've gotten some very comfy seating with the lowest priced items in the stores. You've got time on your side so use it to your advantage. A sofa isn't a major purchase (like home or car) but it is worthy of your shopping around, negotiating and getting the right product at the right price at the right time.

[GrimJack]

rayt - you need to use some line-breaks and/or paragraphs to make that more readable. I have ADD and am just unable to get through a rectangular blob (I have not problem reading books that look like that but....)

Sorry, just sayin'.....

[creditcardfree]

Originally Posted by GrimJack

rayt - you need to use some line-breaks and/or paragraphs to make that more readable. I have ADD and am just unable to get through a rectangular blob (I have not problem reading books that look like that but....)

Sorry, just sayin'.....

I don't have ADD and I agree. Large paragraphs are very hard to read.

[RAYT721]

Let me apologize for the paragraphs. I am new to the board and wasn't aware. I'll try to use paragraphs or maybe not be so long-winded. Thanks for pointing it out.

[steenbean]

We bought our only sofa on craigslist for $200. We hauled the whole 4-piece sectional home 80 miles in the back of our truck and I vacuumed it about 20 times to get the smoke smell out and it was STILL cheaper than buying new!

[FHA Loan]

I'm not into buying other people's furniture where you don't know what has happened on it LOL, but if you are into it, I hear Craigslist is great...

Personally, I buy my furniture new from furniture stores like Bassett, Boyles, etc. If I cannot pay cash for it then I wait until they have a "Same as Cash" 0% interest for 1-2 year type deal and finance it. I make the monthly payment and spread it out over the period of the deal, making sure to pay the entire amount by the time the "deal" is up so they cannot go back and charge me the back interest.

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by GrimJack

rayt - you need to use some line-breaks and/or paragraphs to make that more readable. I have ADD and am just unable to get through a rectangular blob (I have not problem reading books that look like that but....)

Sorry, just sayin'.....

ROLF! I have to agree, but hope Rayt doesn't take it to hard, think of it as someone pointing out something in your teeth, we mean well.

Which brings up a point, is the internet ruining folks attention span? I too can read a book just fine, but I can't read long winded blog posts or comments without nice simple quick breaks. I even find leader guides to be a tough sell. Of course the constant interruptions by a rug rat might be part of my problem.

[murphyc]

That's easy. Borrow a pickup truck, take some cash and a friend and check out estate sales and even garage sales. I've seen so many great deals on gently used furniture, living room and bedroom suites, lamps, tables, entertainment center pieces, even appliances at places like this that I'd truly not bother with retail stores again if I really didn't have to.