Bar·gain [bahr-guhn]

noun: an advantageous purchase, esp. one acquired at less than the usual cost.

~~~~

I like clearance, wait... I love clearance. Clearance, $1 finds, and 50% off sales... its all great! While I rarely buy home decor or holiday decor, I do think this is an area you can really save your family money by buying with a few key tips in mind.

This fall, my home decorating inspiration came from Better Homes and Gardens magazine. The article showed some fall decor that very simply used dry white beans, funky gourds/pumpkins, and yellow foliage. Its those three items that inspired me the most because its clean and cheery without being too pumpkin-lishous or pilgrim-y. Below are photos of how I used that inspiration.

I already had most items shown in the first picture and I bought the white beans, two types of orange floral picks (just a short, inexpensive stick of foliage), two white craft pumpkins, two fresh green gourds, two star stand ornaments and the 5ft of orange garland. I spent about $30. I didn't find the yellow foliage I was looking for so I got the next best thing that I liked, the orange foliage picks and garland. The craft pumpkins were a bit of a splurge or an investment if you will, but everything else cost between $1-3 each, which I think is pretty good.

 
I usually just shop at craft stores or discount home stores like Target, TJ Maxx or even Walmart or Stienmart. I didn't buy any containers, I thought I would make do with anything I had at home and consider an extra purchase later if I wasn't quite happy. I handmade the chandelier light cuffs from halved toilet paper rolls then hot glued white beans to it. I love how those look!

Here are a few tips I try to follow when I feel like decorating. Each to his or her own of course but these fit my frugal fancy just right. Feel free to borrow these or throw them out the door!

1} Embrace knock-offs and bargain look-a-likes, especially if your inspiration comes from a magazine or an expensive home store. Try to analyze why you like something and if it has a basic feature you can incorporate easily. This way, you can better spot bargains that work for you rather than searching forever or paying a lot for an identical piece.

2}Re-use and Re-invent items you already have at home to help create your new look. Things like neutral colored candlesticks, plates, trays or containers, classic picture frames, place mats, or table runners. Neutral colors range from white and ivory to brown and tan to black and gray, even clear is neutral. These colors match any other color as a pair or can complement two to three colors.

3} Build your decor stock slowly. Buy as you can, and just like you've heard millions of times, less is more. One of my favorite times to buy home decor is after the holiday itself when stores offer 30-75% discounts. Here is a link for the best times of the year to buy home goods on sale. No reason you can't use it for a little while after a holiday and save it for next year.. after all, now that you've read this, you're only buying a few pieces that you love, on sale, and can re-use year after year...right?