finding a deal.

if you know me well, you know: I wont pay full price for anything,  I always use coupons, and I love finding finding amazing deals on quality (high end) products.

recently I have gotten some emails asking how I shop, where I shop, and ultimately how I find these deals.

even this week, while I have been working on my bedroom project it occurred to me that there are lots of ways to accomplish what you want, get the look you like, and not spend an arm and a leg.

our budget is small, but my taste is probably about 10 times bigger than what I can afford.

but, there are ways, and here are a few suggestions.

establish your budget. put the things you want most at the top of your list and work your way down. if you really want to bite the bullet and spend top dollar for a rug that you LOVE then you might want to think about spending less on accents and possibly using what you already have.

organize. namely, use pinterest, or something like it to come up with a big picture plan. when you know what looks you like, chances are you can find exactly what you want on sale or you can find a look alike for a lot less. (if you want a pinterest invite, email me, I have a bunch)

shop. if you are shopping online, google search coupon codes for the sites you are buying from, chances are you can save an additional 10% or get free shipping. if you are shopping in stores, browse the clearance racks and if possible look for printable coupons online before going into the stores.

make your own. if you cant find what you like, make it yourself. I tried out 3 sets of curtains for our dining room and never settled until I found some fabric I loved and I went from there. I didn't know a thing about sewing when I first came home as a mommy and now I'm picking it up, just with a little trial and error. and the best part, finally having curtains I loved has changed the look of our dining room. (ps-fabric.com, onlinefabricstore.net and the joann fabrics clearance racks are great places to find good fabric deals)

its really pretty simple, but following these things has saved us a lot of money.

here's the real life example.

I found a rug I loved on shades of light. it's usually a store I can't afford anything from, its my go to place for ideas and then I usually go elsewhere to find it for cheaper.

but on this occasion, it worked out because once I decided what size and color I wanted the price dropped $400. I'm not kidding. I don't know how it happened and I am praying the right size comes in the mail, but I took screen shots to show the deal that almost felt too good to be true.

design I wanted.

 color I wanted. 

more to come on our bedroom redesign later but, thanks to the coupon code discount from young house love, I only spent $154 and change, shipping included, for this beauty.

have more questions? feel free to shoot me an email. I always love talking deals.