Our needs -
We needed a stand that would put the tv and components out of the reach of little hands. We needed a stand that offered some more storage as our first floor has just one tiny closet. We NEEDED a great deal on the price.
Our wants -
We wanted a nice looking piece of furniture - something that had clean lines and a modern feel. We wanted something that would last and something that could stand up to a family of boys.
As we shopped, we kept finding things that *could* work but just didn't fit what we were looking for. They were either too low, too high, too small to fit the components, too expensive, too flimsy. UNTIL.....
We found a furniture clearance center! Recently, a Levin Furniture Clearance center opened near us. Their regular prices were quite good compared to regular stores. Their quality was much higher than what we were finding at Walmart and Target. As we browsed, we discovered a scratch and dent section. SCORE! Initially we had planned on thinking outside the box and using a beautiful dresser that was missing a top center drawer as our tv stand with a center channel speaker in the open hole. That would have worked, but we found something we liked even better.
Here is what we got:
Pardon the little fingerprints on the screen - that hasn't been cleaned yet!
List price - $1599.99
Floor Sample Sale Price - $359
Scratch and Dent Sale Price $242
SWEET! The scratches are on the back. Everything else is great. It is ALL REAL WOOD! The bottom two drawers are cedar drawers and make our blankets smell fantastic.
Bottom line - to save money on furniture:
- shop around to determine your true needs and wants
- shop around to see what all your area offers
- don't be afraid to ask for a better price and even walk away (we've done this successfully in the past although not with this transaction)
- don't be afraid to think outside the box
