Creating a home office is not always an affordable venture, but it can be worth the investment when you're a professional who aims to work from home in the long term. For example, photographers, graphic designers, and content marketers are some types of professionals who may need a good home office that can allow them to work productively and efficiently. However, while the investment is indeed worth it, there are some ways that you can still save money when buying furniture. By saving some money, you can not only ensure that you get great equipment for you, but you can also use that money on other investments related to your work. Therefore, this guide offers 5 tips on how to save money when shopping for home office furniture.
It shows you how to prioritize your budget to buy pieces of furniture that you really need, and it explains some features that, while useful, can be a luxury that you can do without. So, let's get into these tips.
5 Tips on How to Save Money When Shopping for Home Office Furniture
The 5 tips on how to save money when shopping for home office furniture mentioned below take into account that you, as a user, are ready to invest in the necessary equipment to create a home office. Thus, it does not provide tips on modifying your existing chairs because dedicated ergonomic home office furniture will be much better for maximizing efficiency than anything else.
1. Plan Your Budget
An effective method to save money when buying home office furniture is to plan your budget. If you start buying products without first knowing how much money you should allocate to each product, you may overspend, or you may not be able to buy all of the products that you need.
Research Different Products to Plan Your Budget
So, the first thing you should do is spend some time reviewing the prices of various types of furniture for a home office on retailers' websites. Look for the differences in prices based on the features of a product. For example, if you're looking to buy an ergonomic office chair from FlexiSpot, you'll see that you have a range of products to consider, with price differences of over $200.
The most expensive model, the EOC 5002, comes with adjustable armrests, movable cushions, an extremely comfortable design, and an overall more luxurious feel for the users. On the other hand, the most affordable option, the EOC 3018, has limited armrest movement and does not have a superior backrest design, but it still has height adjustability, backrest reclining, and casters for easy movement.
So, looking at your options beforehand allows you to have an idea of how much each product costs and what features it offers.
Prioritize Specific Pieces of Home Office Furniture First
When operating on a budget, your goal with buying home office furniture should be to purchase products that you need. So, make sure that you first prioritize the furniture pieces that you will absolutely need to make your home office a functional space.
Two items you will need are an ergonomic chair and a home office desk. So, make sure that these two products take up most, if not all, of your budget. After that, you can start looking into other products, such as storage and organizational items. For example, if you deal with a lot of physical documentation, you may need a file cabinet to store your materials. However, if you work electronically, then you can save money and not buy such storage items.
2. Look at Products That Have Functionality But with More Affordable Mechanisms
The best example to consider for this method of saving is a height-adjustable office desk. If you look at your options at FlexiSpot, you'll see that you can buy a high-end desk that has motors to adjust the height with the click of a button. Of course, such a product can offer exceptional convenience, especially considering that you can use it to switch between standing and seated working positions. The desk comes with 3 memory settings, allowing you to save specific heights and then choose those presets whenever you want.
However, you can save quite a bit of money if you buy a crank-system height-adjustable office desk. This desk does not have a motor, so you can adjust the height by turning the crank. It's still an efficient system that's easy to use, providing a smooth system that can save you money. Of course, you'll skip out on the convenience of having a motorized system with memory presets, but the cost savings can allow you to shop on a budget or spend your money on other products.
You can also save more money if you purchase a fixed-height desk instead of one with a height adjustment. Every user does not need to shift between a standing and seated position, so they may not benefit from a height-adjustable desk. Fixed-height desks are usually designed for most users, allowing most people to work with them with ease. You can also look at the height and other dimensions of the fixed-height desk to see if that will work for you.
3. Consider Customizable Products
Another tip on how to save money when shopping for home office furniture is to consider customizable products. For example, the two desks linked above allow you to buy the frame of the desk and the tabletop separately. You have the choice of selecting different types of tabletops, some more premium than others. Therefore, you can save some money by selecting the more affordable options.
At the same time, you can also save money by simply buying the frame. For example, if you already have a useable tabletop, you won't need to spend money on that part, and you can simply buy the frame instead. So, something to keep in mind when creating your home office is to see what items you already have. You may not need to buy products as you can customize your existing furniture items with new purchases.
4. Shop for Products Offered at Discounted Prices
A simple yet effective tip is to buy pieces of furniture that are on discount. Various home office furniture retailers, such as FlexiSpot, offer various sales based on specific events or times of the year. For example, FlexiSpot typically offers a sale during the Holiday season, allowing professionals and students to buy furniture they need for the new year. These discounts can help you save even $100 on specific products if you're lucky.
So, waiting for the right time to buy your equipment can be a good way to save money. However, you should also keep in mind that products can go out of stock if the demand is high and you wait too long. It can also help to get in touch with the retailer to confirm how much stock is present and whether a sale on that product will occur in the near future. In addition to that, you can also sign up for furniture retailers' newsletters. This way, you'll get updates on new products and when there's a sale on specific items or the entire stock.
5. Buy High-Quality Home Office Furniture That Will Last
This guide on how to save money when shopping for home office furniture would not be complete if we did not mention how you should also consider long-term investments as well. For example, you should not buy low-quality products at cheap rates simply to save money on your initial investment. By doing so, you may actually increase the long-term costs.
The problem with such furniture is that it can break down quicker than high-quality and durable items. As a result, you may have to spend additional money on repairs and maintenance. On the other hand, if the furniture is not fixable, you may need to buy new furniture altogether. Therefore, you may spend more money on furniture over the years.
That is why it's crucial to look at the materials of your ergonomic furniture. For example, the ergonomic desk chair by Flexispot is made of durable materials that are built to last. Just make sure to take care of those furniture pieces to squeeze the most life out of them.
Moreover, it's also a good idea to look at user reviews and critics' opinions about specific products before you buy them. That way, you can get an idea of the product's build quality and whether it will hold up over time.
Final Thoughts
After reading these tips on how to save money when shopping for home office furniture, it's important to understand that buying home office furniture is a long-term investment. So, you shouldn't settle on the cheapest option available, and you don't need to buy the most expensive one out there. Instead, find something that is durable and fits your needs.
