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Get the Best Bargains on Living Room Basics

By Nadine Cheung Posted 10:00AM 10/02/12 Savings Experiment, Home & Garden |
Savings Experiment: Big Box Living Room Challenge

Which discount retailer would you buy furniture from?

Did you find our video on living room furniture helpful?



You've moved into a great new place, but now you're tasked with filling it with furniture. There are plenty of stores where you can buy your essentials, but which will give you the most bang for your buck? Here, our experts determine which discount retailer is your best bet.

We came up with a list of living room essentials, including a couch, coffee table, two lamps, five picture frames, an end table, a light fixture, TV stand, candles, a magazine rack and shelving. Then we hit three major big box stores: Kmart, Target and Walmart. Comparatively, our shopping items cost $374.57 at Kmart, $359.12 at Target and $342.55 at Walmart, making Walmart the clear winner on price.

However, if you're willing to spend a little more for better quality, that will affect your overall total. If the lowest price is still your No. 1 goal, here's the best way to stretch your dollar.

coffee tableOur experts found that the coffee table is the biggest variable when it comes to furnishing your living room. When you subtract the cost of the coffee table from the equation, everything changes.

So, to get the best deal, cover the majority of your list at Kmart, but head to Target for your coffee table. The retailer's $30 model will land you the biggest savings, bringing the cost of your total list to $304.58. Now that's a bargain.
Tagged: big box retailers, coffee tables, décor, entertainment, for the home, furniture deals, living room, living room basics, living room essentials, saving on furnishings, saving on furniture, Savings

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135 Comments

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sherilynn54sw

I find keeping an open mind & knowing others have valuable ideas too can always help add inspiring tips to our daily lives.

Yesterday at 12:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
weeziebathome

Walmart is the clear winner on price - but do you really want to promote the way they treat their employees?

April 02 2013 at 4:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ExAZtential

There are numerous discount furniture outlet stores available. Most sell furniture in the catagories of; Good, Better, Best at price points that reflect the upgrades in quality and features. Toothpaste and other such items make sense from big box stores, say "NO" to Ottomans and 2 piece Bi-Sectionals from such stores.

April 02 2013 at 12:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lyndee

Yes...but this stuff will fall apart...lol you get what you pay for. You might do better going to a second hand store ..they have great finds. Sturdy things that people with more money than I have had bought for big money. Just sayin.

February 23 2013 at 10:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mouse

If you insist on new and only new furniture there are plenty of cheap deals at low end furniture stores and you can get better looking, more comfortable sets for about the same cost and they won't break when an overweight friend sits on a chair.

February 23 2013 at 8:44 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
K White

I'm not sure if you guys are serious. I would rather have an empty place than furniture from Kmart, Target, or Walmart. Decorative items, like lamps, mirrors, vases, and pillows from those stores are OK, but a couch is out of the question.

December 19 2012 at 6:58 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
David Brattain

Contraceptives?

December 19 2012 at 1:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bilhee

THe stuff you buy at all these stores is junk,,You are better getting decent stuff from a non-discount retailer

December 12 2012 at 8:18 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
babby201

Even a monkey would rather go to Ikea !!

December 12 2012 at 12:27 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
howlar2

Oh, I thought it was underwear.

December 11 2012 at 2:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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