You’ve finally got your new home. Congratulations! You’ve made the down payment, gotten the keys, gotten your belongings moved in and now it finally hits you just how much empty space you have to fill.

Furnishing a new home can be a joy. It can also be expensive, especially after you’ve spent so much on the house itself. How do you furnish your new home without breaking the bank?

But First, Visualize

Before you even move in, walk through the house and take some time to visualize how you’d like your home to look. Visit each room, with your partner if you have one, and spent about 10 minutes in each room visualizing how you’d like it to look.

While you’re visualizing, bring a notepad and make a "furnishing new home" checklist. List out the type of furniture you’d like to have in order to get each room looking the way you’d like, as well as smaller items. If you have a tablet computer with an Internet connection, you might even want search for images of the type of furniture you’d like to have.

Make a Budget

After you’ve gone through the rooms in your house and figured out what you’d like them to look like, it’s time to make your dreams mesh with reality. Start by pricing out all the items you’d like to buy, then total up the amount.

You might be tempted to low ball your estimate, especially once you start to realize how expensive this is going to get. Ignore that feeling—you’re setting up a goal right now. You’ll have plenty of chances to save money in the future.

Once you have your total, go to your budget. Create a category for new furniture and put aside money from each paycheck. Since you’ve also just bought a house, you might be able to use some of the money you’ve previously put into your house-buying fund.

Prioritize by Needs, Then Wants

Even though you have a budget for furniture and are setting aside money for it, you probably don’t want to wait until you have all the money you need before you start buying new furniture.

Instead, make a list of priority furniture for each room. You might want a sofa for the living room, for instance, or a kitchen table and at least one chair. Start saving up for those items first and buy them as you can afford it.

Don’t Pay Full Price

Now that you know what you want and what’s most important, start looking at prices. You should already have an idea of the furniture you’d most like to get, so now is the time to find the best possible price.

Most national furniture stores will have several sales throughout the year, as well as clearance items that are no longer being produced. You might also get a good discount on floor models with minor wear and tear.

You’ll also find sales and floor models at independent retailers, and as an added bonus they might be open to haggling. You can also visit bulk-item stores like Costco. While they will have a more limited selection, they make up for it with some fantastic prices.

Finally, don’t forget to shop second hand. Thrift stores and craigslist can provide some great deals.

Let First Alliance Credit Union Help You Save for New Furniture

Buying new furniture for new rooms can be a huge undertaking. Fortunately, all you need to do is plan, save and wait for the right moment to get the best price on your new furnishings.

While you’re waiting, put your money to good use by becoming a member of First Alliance Credit Union today. You can put your money in a savings account, a club account or even a certificate of deposit (CD) until you have enough money to start making the purchases you want for your home.

Want more information about how to save for big-ticket items like furniture? Listen to episode 25 of our Good Money Moves podcast, which is all about setting financial goals.