Cheap yet (hopefully) chic!

So I am a saver. I feel guilty when I spend too much on something I don't really need. And if I spend a lot on something and then see it for less later on...oh it’s the worst!! When it comes to home decor or furniture I am a 'free is always better' type of person. Now mind you, I don't make 100k a yr. and have an extensive savings that allows me to purchase 'discount' furniture for 200 bucks. I'm sorry but 200 for a couch? No thanks. I'll make my own for that price!! So my 'saving' methods may be a little 'below' your standards and you know what? I'm ok with that! I know what I can afford and right now....it's not that much!! I should start applying this to grocery shopping because i tend to spend WAY too much there! I won’t spend 200 on a couch but that much in groceries? Ehh...I need 5 boxes of name brand fruit snacks and a 24 pack of mountain dew right? I have started clipping coupons but i keep forgetting them at home and the Kroger checkout lady never seems to accept "I left them at home but can you count them anyways?" I started writing a grocery list of specific items i have a coupon for so we will see this weekend if that helps. Anyways, back to the saving I actually do. First off, let me preface this by saying 1. I have no problem with stopping and loading up some random piece of furniture i found on the street (depending on the piece of course) and 2. I utilize the dollar tree to an obsessive extent. So now that you know where I’m coming from...let’s get started. 

These are part of my ALL PINK
bathroom!

First let's start with the dollar tree. Did you know that you can get almost anything there?? Tupperware, candles, brooms, dishes and so much more! It amazes me! There is a huge store right down the road from my house so I am super lucky!! So the first thing I got from this 'store of dreams' was flowers. I love flowers! I love the look, the ambiance, the smell, a lot of other things that I won't waste your time explaining... but my problem with them is that they die. And then I have to go back to the store, spend another 12 dollars on another bouquet just to have them die again. It's a vicious cycle. So I went to the dollar tree last week, saw FAKE flowers for a DOLLAR (hence the dollar part of dollar tree) and thought "the heck with real flowers! These beauties will never die!" The only issue is they don't smell and guess what else the 'Tree sells? Scented candles! In flowery scents. Problem solved. So I got about 10 individual flowers (if your picking up on this whole 'everything’s a dollar' thing then you know that means I spent 10$) and then I saw vases and thought 'score!' plus they’re plastic, huge plus since  glass doesn’t fare well in my house. I also found these white rocks that I put in the bottom of the vases to keep them from falling over and because it just looks so stylish. 

The rocks haven't worked  so well
for these...the cat has knocked them
over twice!

*not from dollar tree! These are from Lily for my birthday!
 "Lilies from Lily"  I included them because it was just so darn cute!

So My house if full of pink flowers. I am in love with all things pink (much to Jon's dismay) and so when i have a choice in color...guess what I choose. In fact if you have ever been in my bathroom you know that Jon sat back and let me go pink crazy. Everything from the towels to the rug is pink. Even the fake orchid is pink. Its ridiculous. But I love it and its my house so...I'm gonna go with it. 

so colorful!

The next awesome thing I got from this magical store was place mats. I was actually inspired by my mom when she informed me of the sweet deal she got on some at this very store. It was slightly difficult to find 6 in the same color but I succeeded! And they are so bright and happy its like bringing spring into the house, although I think the flowers accomplish that also. I got some Tupperware, a broom and some other odds and ends, but they're not nearly as interesting!!

The table was also free...not to brag or anything...

So now its time to cover the free furniture! First off, a lot of the furniture we have we got for free from a great place called The LifeBridge Center which helps people get whatever they may need to make a house a home!! When we first moved in, Jon and I joked that the only thing in the house we had actually bought was a picture of Marilyn Monroe from Blockbuster. But the two great finds I have found myself (both from the side of the road) are a coffee table and a couch. Now before you freak out at the idea of furniture from the street, remember what I said before, its not for everyone!! And not everything put on the curb is worth stopping for...trust me! But the coffee table has held up for almost a year and the couch is wonderful!!  Its white and has that 1930's feel with the exposed wood legs and

The cushion is stained so thats a white blanket covering it up.

all! The fabric isn't in the best condition but, as i posted before, it is on my list of things to do! Also the house it was in front of is about a block away from my house. I drove by in the morning and it wasn't there but upon driving by it again (about 3 hours later) I saw it and therefore established that it had not been sitting outside for days or anything. Plus it smelled normal (I made Jon do the smell test) so we're good! The plan is to reupholster it and make it as good as new! We'll see how that goes! So to sum all this up, dollar tree dollar tree dollar tree....and if you don't really care what others think (or you have a husband and his friend to go load it up for you) then that stuff on the curb may not be to bad! I think that especially applies to dressers, entertainment centers or shelves (which I also got!) because they're easily repainted! So have fun being thrifty and feel good about all that money you saved!!! And there are my ideas for staying as cheap as possible! Now its time for your adventure!! I reccomend starting at The Dollar Tree.