With the economic forecast looking as gloomy as it does you’d be forgiven for thinking that new bed purchase you’ve been hankering after is never gonna happen. It is fair to say that people tend to hold back on buying “big ticket” items at these times. However, if you are clever about it you can actually use the situation to your advantage and get some really good deals.

Here are my tips on buying furniture in the credit crunch:

1.    Get it for free. In recent years the concept of recycling and swapping unwanted furniture has really taken off on the internet. Make sure you check out sites like freecycle.org, gumtree.com and craigslist.com and see what’s available in your area. You can’t be too picky but you might find the perfect item at the best possible cost – nothing at all!

2.    Don’t dismiss second hand stores. Now is not the time to be snobbish. You might be pleasantly surprised at the standard of items you can find at a decent second hand store. OK so not all of the stuff you find there will be particularly new, stylish or well kept. But I’ve often come across some really solid pine and painted furniture at my local YMCA store!

3.    Bargain Bargain Bargain. The financial situation means the time is ripe to bargain on the final price, even in the large, established department stores. These big chains are falling overthemselves in desperation for your business. Trust me – sales assistants at these places are prepared to throw in discounts to win your business. If you want to pay a little less for that dining room furniture set, just ask them to knock some money off. You’ll be surprised at just how often they agree.

4.    Go online. The past few years have seen a lot of online furniture suppliers spring up. They can very often save you a lot of money. Often you can find the same pieces on a web-only store as you do in the big showrooms, at a much cheaper price. Don’t take my word for it – just look at the stats. In 2009, online furniture sales increased by 31% when compared to the previous year.

5.    Find a local supplier. You might not have thought so but smaller furniture suppliers can often be cheaper than the big chains. For starters, they tend to be friendlier and more willing to get you a good deal. Also, you often find beautiful handmade furniture made with solid wood rather than the mass produced veneer you get in the big stores. I’m speaking from experience here – I recently came across a gorgeous showroom close to where I live, offering great white bedroom furniture and accessories. I ended up stocking up my entire bedroom from there!

So don’t be too quick to dismiss those big purchases because of the financial crisis. You could end up with a great deal

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