Find Affordable Furniture That Looks Expensive With These Simple Money-Saving Shopping Secrets
From white-label finds to secondhand scores, here's how to get affordable furniture you'll treasure
Between tariffs and the rising cost of materials, new home furnishings keep getting more expensive. The good news: You can still get the couches, tables and chairs you want while saving a bundle. Keep reading for easy strategies to do just that!
Get stylish lookalikes for less
Big retailers have a little secret: Many of their stylish pieces also appear at smaller stores for a lower price, assures interior design pro Andrea Hundley, who shares tips at DesignMorsels.com. And these aren’t “dupes” or “knockoffs”—they ’re the exact same items. It ’s all thanks to a practice called “white labeling,” she explains.
“This is when brands source items from the same manufacturers and then sell them at different prices.” Because the product names often vary depending on where they ’re sold, spotting matches on your own can be tricky.
Fortunately, you can uncover these white- label deals quickly, Hundley assures. Her strategies:
Upload a photo
When you spot a piece you love, snap a photo using Google Lens by tapping the camera icon on Google ’s search bar. If you find the item online, you can upload a screenshot the same way. The tool scans the web and shows op- tions that look identical, along with stores that carry them and the prices.
“To ensure what you buy is an exact match—and not a cheaply made lookalike—check the materials and country of origin,” Hundley advises.
Shop ‘found matches’
Visit Spoken.io and type in an item ’s name, or browse the curated collection.
“This site catalogs white-label products from all kinds of retailers,” Hundley says. Tap “shop” and filter by category, like coffee tables. Pick one you like, and you ’ll see a list of stores carrying it along with prices, so you can snag the best deal.
Take advantage of cyclical sales
Furniture stores roll out their steepest discounts at predictable points in the year. Join their email list, and not only will you typically receive a welcome coupon with serious savings, but many stores will also give you advance notice of these big-bargain windows, which include:
Changes of season
Major markdowns pop up right before the debut of new product lines in the spring and fall, says Hundley. You ’ll catch price drops in late January and early February leading into Presidents ’ Day, as well as late August and early September heading into Labor Day.
Floor model savings days
As stores phase out older collections, they clear out display pieces during an- nual or semi-annual sales, says Hundley. This is when you can score 15 percent, 25 percent even 50% off.
Special bonus days
Brick-and-mortar stores don ’t want to lose shoppers to online giants during sales events—so they often launch their own promotions to compete.
“When Amazon Prime Day comes around, for example, you ’ll see other retailers offering similar discounts,” says Hundley.
Score pre-loved furnishings
“Buying secondhand is the best way to get great deals on furniture,” says Hun- dley. Try flea markets, Facebook.com/ marketplace and eBay.com. And don ’t skip Etsy.com.
“Lots of people rehab antiques and ship them for much less than a new piece would cost.”
To ensure you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck, she advises taking a few steps:
Check the manufacturer
Look for a label or maker ’s mark, she advises. Then search the brand online to see if they have a reputation for strong craftsmanship.
“McGuire chairs, for example, have a brass plate on the back and are known for their high quality.”
Examine the weight
If you ’re shopping in person for an item made of wood, like a dresser, gently slide it or carefully lift it to get a sense of how heavy it feels. And if you ’re shopping online? Ask the seller for an approximate weight.
“Heavier pieces tend to be better made and more likely to be solid wood,” says Hundley.
This article originally appeared in the January 26, 2026 print issue of Woman’s World.
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