To be a Savvy Shopper in Canada

What’s more exciting than having our own place is to decorate it. It took me almost five weeks to furnish my new home, and what an amazing experience it was. I went to furniture stores and visited websites to search for the best deals. From my experience, it can not only save money but also help me learn Canadian culture to be a savvy shopper in Canada.

IKEA is a good place to buy brand new furniture. There are lots of items there that you can choose from. I have to admit that at first I was confused with so many choices for couches, love chairs, chairs, TV stands, coffee tables, futons, day beds, ottomans, bed frames, slats, mattresses, night stands, wardrobes, and drawers. It was good, lingering at IKEA, for enriching my English vocabulary. But I couldn’t find the proper items as soon as possible.  So I had to change my way of shopping and began to focus on the living room and bedroom furniture that was on sale. Then I found what I really wanted quickly and saved at least 15%. Another way to shop on a budget is to move and install the furniture by yourself. I was totally shocked by the high fee of delivery and installment and started accepting the concept of DIY.

Kijiji is a website that can give you a helping hand in your hunt for used furniture that is affordable but of very high quality. I felt free to mail, text or phone the sellers who came from different countries and settled down in Toronto. I was impressed at both the multi-cultural society and the low prices of items. For example, a Russian young lady sent me a used feather couch for free. I bought an almost new drawer that was still in its packaging at half price from an Indian gentleman. I learned the importance of DIY again. In order to save money, my husband and I took apart of the furniture and put it back together by ourselves.

We've worked hard for our money. Shouldn't we get to keep some of it? In my personal opinion, the feeling of saving money is so wonderful. In addition, trying to be a savvy shopper like most of the Canadians is a useful way to learn Canadian culture.