Oooo, couches on a budget... boy do I have a lot to say on this!
When my ex and I first got married, we bought a cheap "second hand" (probably passed through many more hands than just that) couch that was fake leather, but it was so terrible and the imitation leather kept on flaking off that we ended up dumpster diving another couch to replace it, not long after.
Then we moved into an apartment without any room for a couch, so we lived without a couch for a few years. Eventually we needed something more than just our dining room table to sit on, and we moved things around and found the space for a small couch from Ikea. Sorry, but it was terrible. The only positive I have to say about it was that it was very cheap comparatively, and it fit the space. Well, my kids decided that they'd try to ruin it the second we got it (intentionally taking the cover off of it and pouring cups of drink on it literally the first day) so I don't mind too much that it was such a terrible couch.
Once we moved to a normal sized apartment, we bought a microfiber couch, knowing that it is easy to clean, but its cheaper than leather... and it was really easy to clean, fortunately. My kids literally colored on it with markers and I was able to get that off. But since we didn't have the money to spend on a quality couch, the inside got ruined faster than the outside (I think a rare thing with a couch in a home with kids) and we felt wood when we went to sit down, so about 6 years on we needed to buy a new couch (we replaced the bigger one and left the less damaged smaller one) which we spent more on, to hopefully make it last longer.
So from experience, yes to microfiber. No to cheap couches to "save money" because they end up in the garbage really quickly and you end up needing to spend more money in the long run. But read more on how to pick the right budget friendly sofa for your family.
When you’re on a tight budget, you don’t want to have to deal with things like expensive couches. You want what you can afford without breaking the bank. The good news is that, with payment plans now readily available at all manner of retailers, more sofas than ever before are now within your reach.
Working Out Your Budget
When it comes to understanding what’s good for your budget, you have two options. You can go for something that’s in your budget, right now, no matter how poorly made it is. The issue with this approach, however, is that you may just end up spending more in the long run because you need to keep replacing your sofa. On the other hand, choosing a more expensive, timeless, built-to-last sofa can survive an entire lifetime, making it cheaper overall.
Regardless of which type of budgeter you are, you deserve a couch that works for your family. To help you decide, here’s a rundown of the best budget-friendly sofa types for your family:
Top Budget-Friendly or Value-Boosting Sofas for Your Family
Leather Sofas
If you want a couch that will last decades, this is the material you should go for. While the upfront price is going to be higher than other couches in this list, when you consider how well they hold up with proper care, you’ll start to realize that the cost per daily use for this sofa is actually one of the lowest on the list.
There are so many beautiful leather sofas as well, allowing you to choose a structured, stunning couch that will look continue to look great as your kids grow up then finally move out to live their own.
Chenille sofas
If you want a hard-wearing fabric couch that feels soft while also being easy to clean and care for, chenille is the way to go. It’s a combination of acrylic and cotton, which makes it very stain resistant while also having a plusher feel.
Microfiber sofas
Another very hardwearing and budget-friendly material is microfiber. This is a man-made material that’s stain resistant, and also tends to be on the cheaper side of the spectrum, allowing you to save big if your budget is particularly tight.
Sofa Beds or Storage Sofas
If you have a small space and need your sofa to work as hard as possible to make sense in your budget in the long run, then choose a two-in-one sofa type. Sofa beds are the perfect example of this. Now, you may realize that sofa beds are more expensive than standard sofa options, which doesn’t initially seem very budget friendly, but you also need to consider that buying a sofa bed means you don’t need to buy a mattress and bedframe.
The same goes for sofa storage. Instead of seeing them as a more expensive sofa, think of them instead as two pieces of furniture in one, so you end up saving.
Intersectional Sofas
If you move around a lot for whatever reason, then an intersectional sofa that can be pulled apart and put back together in different ways is essential. It means that you won’t need to buy a new couch every time you move because the old one didn’t fit or suit the space. With an intersectional couch, you can build your couch in a way that fits your new home well, while bringing it along with you for years.
Did you try to pick a specific couch to save your family money? What type of couch did you pick? Do you also have a ridiculous story with couches like I do?