How to Find Second Hand Furniture

You've just moved into a killer new apartment. You're out of your parents' house, ready to brave the new, exciting adult world on your own for the first time.The problem is, after your security deposit, your first month's rent, your starting phone, cable, gas and electric bill, you're pretty strapped for cash until your next paycheck comes in. You stare at your lonely air mattress lying ruefully on your bedroom floor and shake your head. What are you going to do?The solution? Second-hand furniture. But where can you find any? Here are some tips.

Things You'll Need

• A large truck or car that can transport the furniture you bought.
• A sturdy ramp to move items from the ground to your vehicle
• Some friends to help move furniture with you (optional)
• The Internet

Instructions

What you seek could be just outside your door

1. Gas up the pick-up and start cruising around! You are likely to see several homemade fliers and signs around your neighborhood and surrounding areas for garage or yard sales. People move all the time and don't like to haul all their belongings cross-country, or especially overseas. Also, with the United States in a recession, more and more people are eager to sell their old furniture and other items to make a few extra bucks. Take advantage of this and follow the signs!

2. Surf Craigslist for furniture for sale in your area. Sometimes people will even go so far as to deliver items themselves, although this is rare. Many listings include pictures of the furniture as well. When in doubt, email the seller to ask about the condition and price of the furniture.

3. Ask family members or friends if they are thinking about rid of any of their furniture or if they know anyone who is. Most of the time, people tend to procrastinate when it comes to getting rid of things that they no longer use; however, if they know a potential buyer is already interested, they may give that person first dibs.

4. Find second-hand furniture on auction sites, such as eBay. You can narrow your search by location as well and you will find that people in your area may offer a local pick-up option, so that you do not need to pay for the cost of delivery.

5. Attend auctions. You are apt to find unique second-hand furniture at auctions than typically found elsewhere. Look for dates of such auctions in advertisements in newspapers or in classified listings on-line.

Tips & Warnings

• Before offering to buy an item listed in an on-line posting, ask the owner if the item is on the ground floor of the building or, if it isn't, whether the building has an elevator. There are few things more frustrating than breaking your back -- sometimes almost literally -- while carrying a heavy couch or fridge down several flights of stairs.

• You may not feel comfortable buying second-hand sofas, couches, love seats and beds if you do not know the seller.

• Giving out your private phone number to a potential seller should be done at your own peril. Don't reveal this information to a stranger.