Stylish living and debt don’t have to go hand-in-hand. Whilst many people wish to live in a more stylish home, one of the main reasons stopping them is the cost of everything.
Many readers of Don’t Call Me Penny are seeking interior decorating and home maintenance advice that’s within their budget. Adding up all the costs can be a little daunting, but this shouldn’t stop you from seeking stylish living. After all, ‘style’ is subjective.
In reality, there are lots of ways in which you can save a surprising amount of money and still live in relative style and a great deal of comfort. In this article, I will outline three stylish living options you may wish to consider.
Build Your Own Home
It may be out of your comfort zone, but have you thought about the possibility of building your own home? While buying a pre-existing one can prove challenging, especially for those struggling to get a mortgage, building your own may be a better solution.
Stylish living is very personal so building your home means you can plan whatever you want – barn style, an open warehouse, small and fun, big and luxurious, sustainable, modern, or rustic – the options are as individual as you are.
No matter what kind of dream home you have always fantasized about, you can include as many or as few elements of that as you like. And because you are in control of the house and land, you can make it as big or as small a project as you like. This option may enable you to create the home you want within the budget you can afford. As an owner-builder, you have the ability to build what you need now and plan to extend in the future.
Further, Architects and Building Designers are well qualified to design an environmentally sustainable home on a small footprint. So if you only have a small amount of land, perhaps in the city, stylish living can still be achieved through thoughtful design. This option also enables you to stay true to your own ethical values and decorating instincts.
Learn How To Source Goods
Whether you are building a new home, or just renovating a room, you need to know how to find the best equipment, building supplies, furniture, and homewares.
Be prepared to search, ask questions, and negotiate for the best price. It’s a competitive market so you may find suppliers ready to either discount or provide added value. For example, pay for 5 cans of paint and get 2 additional cans free.
Going to budget stores and even thrift stores are a great start for stylish living on a budget – have you SEEN the quality of goods people donate to charity? And even if you don’t find what you need, these can be great places for a little vintage inspiration.
Winona by Slasky – Pop Art
Equipment can be hired instead of purchased and you may find budget equipment to suit your purpose. However, when purchasing anything buy the highest quality you can afford. Don’t skimp on equipment or supplies that have a serious role, like scaffolding, steel, supporting beams, etc.
Please visit two of our pages to help you out, What’s On Sale, for genuine savings on high-quality furniture and homewares and the NEW Interior Decorating Resources page which is a Directory of suppliers and retailers, many of whom supply on-line.
Living Communally
Generally, things are a lot cheaper when shared with other people. So if you’re keen on stylish living and have an outgoing personality you might want to consider living in a more communal way. This may mean that you turn your home into a larger space with plenty of shared living areas, for example. Or, developing a communal fruit, vegetable, and herb garden.
This can often be a great way to pool resources for any big changes that you do want to make. That way, you can get the kind of home you want but without much of the ongoing costs.
