Where to buy CHEAP furniture for new apt?

[wifi4lyfe]

So I'm living on my own for the 1st time, moving into my new apt in 2 days. I have NO furniture, only electronics (TV, home theater, computer, etc).

I'm wondering where you guys would recommend I buy CHEAP furniture. My obvious first thought was craigslist, but after checking out uhaul.com and finding out that the cheapest truck is $20 a day PLUS $.69/mi, I figured it might just be cheaper to pick up some stuff at walmart.com or target.com

Things I need: Couch, Bed, Dresser, nightstand, coffee table, TV stand with shelves for receiver/ps3, and maybe a couple other random things.

any suggestions? Even ikea is unfortunately out of my price range :-/

thanks!

PS: if you have any tips for someone living on their own for the 1st time (w/o roommates), feel free to share

 

[thehstrybean]

Screw a cheap uhaul, craigslist is the best. The free section always has stuff...

I moved out and have lived by myself for the past year. It's good. It can get lonely at times, but it's good...

 

[wifi4lyfe]

Well I meant the uhaul to pickup the bigger items off craigslist, I have a small car and don't know anyone in the area yet to borrow a truck

 

[ManyBeers]

Try thrift stores; Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.

 

[mugs]

Yard sales or craigslist. You don't know anyone with a pickup or van?

 

[wifi4lyfe]

Originally posted by: mugs
Yard sales or craigslist. You don't know anyone with a pickup or van?

i'll be new to the area, won't meet anyone until a week or so after I move in when classes start

 

[kaZ8Teen]

go hit up your ikea

 

[nanette1985]

Put up a sign at the nearest supermarket or other public place asking for free stuff.

Tie sofa (bed, etc) to top of your small car. Drive carefully.

 

[Squisher]

There are also people with pickups on craigslist offering to move stuff too.

 

[Nitemare]

IKEA has really cheap stuff

 

[CallMeJoe]

Originally posted by: ManyBeers
Try thrift stores; Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.

I second. There is much quality furniture available at some thrift stores. Just don't let ICRS catch you shopping there

 

[Gothgar]

I heard the Death Star has some free couches

 

[BeauJangles]

Yard sales are infinitely better than Ikea, you just need determination and an idea of what you want.

 

[chusteczka]

Ask yourself if you really need all those items.

 

[DrPizza]

"poor medical student" = I'll assume you don't drive a 2008 BMW or something. You can haul most furniture tied to the roof of your vehicle; drive slowly. Get some tie down straps, roll the windows down, and secure whatever's on your roof through the vehicle (Do NOT rely on rope; you won't be able to tighten it well enough.) You'll want to have a nice soft fluffy blanket to put underneath anything like a dresser, and you'll want someone to help you load & unload it. Before driving off with something like that on your roof, grab a hold of it and pull it forward & backwards as hard as you can. Your car should budge first, not the furniture. To help with any fears of your roof caving in - car roofs are supposed to be able to support 1 1/2 times the vehicles weight (or something like that) in case of roll-overs. Even 200 pounds is nothing, especially when the weight is spread out. Oh, and I see you're in Florida, so you probably don't have potholes like we do up in NY & PA. Watch out for potholes though.

Less likely option: get a trailer hitch on your vehicle. Uhaul rents trailers for $15 to $20 per day, period. No mileage. I've done that to haul a 600 pound pig to the butcher a couple years ago. If you should happen to rent one that smells like someone dumped an entire bottle of febreeze into it, that's the one I rented.

 

[nocash]

Look for estate auctions. Not the kind that are at someones house. There is one near me they have one every week, and have 4-5 estates in it. Mostly junk and $1 a box kinda crap. But usually very nice furniture, that sells for dirt cheap. Like $20 dinette sets and $10 sofas. The flea marketers and junk stores are the ones you bid against and they don't wanna pay anything.

 

[blustori]

I'd stear clear of used furniture. It reminds me of the Verminators episode where a girl bought used furniture from Craigslist and infested her whole apartment with bedbugs. If you do decide to get used furniture, make sure you do a good job of disinfecting it.

 

[summit]

go to penske
rent a truck
win

 

[adairusmc]

Starvation Army

 

[nonameo]

http://www.wired.com/culture/l...yle/news/2005/08/68492

 

[zinfamous]

it's 2008 and you haven't heard of Craigslist yet?

what is wrong with you?

 

[episodic]

Yard Sales, 2nd Hand stores - best source.

 

[Foxery]

Depending on how tight your budget is, try an Ashley Furniture. Their stuff looks better than it is on the showroom floor; the price and quality definitely falls under "you get what you pay for." i.e. You will find it quite comfy for a 4-year college stay, but have no qualms about throwing it in a dumpster after 4 years!

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: Squisher
There are also people with pickups on craigslist offering to move stuff too.

Dammit Jim! :thumbsup:
Apparently young MD is still too close to the forest to see the trees.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: wifi4lyfe
So I'm living on my own for the 1st time, moving into my new apt in 2 days. I have NO furniture, only electronics (TV, home theater, computer, etc).

I'm wondering where you guys would recommend I buy CHEAP furniture. My obvious first thought was craigslist, but after checking out uhaul.com and finding out that the cheapest truck is $20 a day PLUS $.69/mi, I figured it might just be cheaper to pick up some stuff at walmart.com or target.com

Things I need: Couch, Bed, Dresser, nightstand, coffee table, TV stand with shelves for receiver/ps3, and maybe a couple other random things.

any suggestions? Even ikea is unfortunately out of my price range :-/

thanks!

PS: if you have any tips for someone living on their own for the 1st time (w/o roommates), feel free to share

Be mindful of one's tendancy to try to "nest" too soon.
Try those "new wings " out for awhile, but listen to your inner voice as to what choices to make. Popular isn't as succesful as Appropriate as far as choices are concerned.