Quick advice creating a budget?

Question

My husband & I are moving across country for his job. We've decided to sell a majority of our things in our current apartment as its a bit older & we are buying a home.

I'd like to come up with an estimated budget of how much we'd need to spend on new furniture etc. was wondering if anyone has suggestions on going about doing this? It's a 3 bedroom home.

Should I just go on sites like "target" & adding up things from my "cart?" Suggestions? I'm a little nervous I know we have the money I'm just not sure if we should buy little by little or all at once!

Thoughts? Thanks :)!

Answer 1

Budgeting is really just common sense and being organised. I'm an accountant, so you'd expect me to say that, but really it is.



1. List out what furniture you want to have.

2. Price that list. Where can you get the best buys from? Now you've got a more detailed list - I want THIS table and THESE chairs and THIS bed, and they will cost THIS much.

3. Total it up - there's your total budget.

4. When you've recovered from looking at that figure, what do you need immediately and what can you leave until later? Split the list out into "now" and "later", maybe even more columns for how much later.



Spreadsheets were made for budgeting - if you have a spreadsheet program on your computer, use it. It'll do all the adding up for you. List all the items down the side, and what month (or other time period) you plan to buy each one across the top. Put the price of everything in the appropriate place in this table, and totalling along the bottom gives you what you're planning to spend each month or other time period.



Believe it or not, that's exactly what companies do to prepare a cash flow budget! They do an estimate for each month of what money they expect to come in, what they expect to have to pay out, and then they can work out if they're going to need to borrow some money to tide things over. It works just as well for anyone.

Answer 2

if you aren't taking it with you, are you at least trying to get a few bucks for your old furniture? Would give you some money to start and avoid paying disposal costs. If they aren't worth selling see if you can donate them and get a receipt for the value, so you can claim a charitable donation next year on taxes. you will also save some money by not transporting them across the country. if it is just you and your husband you only really need to get 1 bed to start, so get an inexpensive set, but get a really good matress, you can shop online at Target to get ball park numbers. you might be able to get some really nice kitchen and living room furniture at a good consignment shop. I bought a nice solid oak table with 4 oak chairs under 200.00 After you are settled if you want a better bedroom set, move the cheaper one into a guest room and buy a nicer one for yourselves. Be frugal, identify as many consignement and nice second hand shops near where you are moving. Get the essentials first, and get the extras over time

Answer 3

things can add up pretty fast. Some of the basics you definitely need to account for are living room furniture to sit on, bed/mattress/ dressers, table/chair for kitchen, tv stand with new tv? possibly several if you want them in multiple rooms, then there are a few other things that might be necessary right away like window treatments



Checking out prices is definitely a good place to start to get a realistic budget. A new couch, tv/tv stand or just dressers will be significant money

Answer 4

It really depends on if you have a specific interior design planned. Based upon your question, my guess is you don't, which is perfectly ok too. But when you don't have a specific interior design planned its best to buy your furniture in pieces that allow you to options to put the puzzle together over time. By doing it over time, you will allow yourself design freedom. So for now focus on basic function and I highly recommend taking hubby along with you to make the major purchases like couches.



Plus you should shop around a bit too. Target is a great place to buy a tv stand, and knick knacks, but not other furniture. Plus other furniture stores can help you design what you have in mind without committing to buying from them. Good luck.

Answer 5

Figure out what you need, what you want, and what your requirements are.



You don't necessarily need to get everything at once; and you don't have to get your 'forever' furniture straight away. See what you can pick up cheap or free via Freegle / Freecycle, Gumtree / Craigslist etc