20 Easy Ways To Find Free Furniture Near You

Did you know that there are tons of ways to actually find free furniture near you?

Having enough cash to be moving to your new place is one thing but then on top of that, trying to furnish your place is another big expense.

Getting new furniture can cost a lot of money, easily up to thousands of dollars.

Are there really ways to save money on furniture?

There are ways for you to save money on the cost of furniture by actually getting it for free!

When it’s time for you to invest in furniture whether you’re moving or you need to replace your living room set check out these easy ways to find free furniture near you.

26 Ways to Find Free Furniture Near You

The internet is the first place people go when they think about shopping.

You might be looking for certain things to furnish your living space and it’s not in your budget to buy furniture.

It can get expensive, especially furniture.

To give you an idea, an end table can go from $20 to $30 bought out of store like Walmart or Target and, if you walk into home goods stores like Marshalls to see what they have, it can be even more expensive, running up to $50- $70 and more so, if you need..

End tables
Coffee table
TV console
Dining room table
Chairs
Bedroom furniture like a bed, dresser, etc
Bar cart or other furniture

Why not get these for free?

You could use that money saved to put toward paying off your student loans, credit card debt, stashing away in emergency savings or for other uses.

Here are some resources to check out to find free furniture near you.

1. Facebook Groups

If you have Facebook then you have access to Facebook groups.

Facebook allows communities to be created and these communities are called Facebook groups.

There are groups on tons of different topics like vegan eating, homeschooling, starting a business, traveling for cheap, hosting AirBNB properties, etc.

You can also find Buy/Sell/Trade groups on Facebook!

These Buy/Sell/Trade groups are great resources for finding free or cheap goods for yourself or your home.

This is great for new mothers who may be looking for baby furniture, college kids who need small or large appliances for their apartment, or anybody trying to get a great deal on furniture and housewares.

Other examples of free stuff you can get from Facebook groups:

Gently used mattresses
Dishes
Flatware
Pet cages and pet supplies (for your dog or pet)
Exercise equipment
And much more!

Why are people giving away free stuff on Facebook?

There can be many reasons but commonly people have to move and they need to get rid of their stuff.

It can be a slow, tedious process to sell your stuff so giving it away for free is a much easier option that helps them get rid of their stuff before they move and helps the “buyer” get a free piece of furniture.

Other reasons people sell might include that they are replacing the item they are giving away with a newer version for themselves, they are having a lifestyle change (like marriage, divorce, etc.) and need to get rid of their furniture, they are moving into a minimalist way of living and giving away stuff, or other reasons.

How does the Buy/Sell/Trade Group Work?

People post stuff in Facebook groups that they are giving away.

And, people also post for things they are searching for.

To craft a post in one of these groups for something you are searching for, you will make an ISO post.

ISO stands for “in search of,” and this post will just detail exactly what you’re looking for, like:

ISO Living room couch to seat 2-3 people in the city of Baltimore, MD or surrounding area.

Other ways of searching for free stuff in these groups is to head to the group search area where you can type in what you’re looking for.

You can type words like “free,” for example and see what comes up in the group results.

How to Join a Buy/Sell/Trade Facebook Group

You’ll find that most of these groups are private.

A private group is created by a Facebook user who makes the group status private.

This means you will “Join” and be subject to approval by the group admin.

When you request to join the group, there may be a series of questions you have to answer.

Once answering those questions, the answers are reviewed by the admin and they make the decision if you can join or not.

How to Make Best Use of Facebook Buy/Sell/Trade Groups

Join many.

There will not be a shortage of these kinds of groups on Facebook.

Join a bunch in your area and look through each group well to find free furniture to furnish your space!

2. Ask Family and Friends

First and foremost, turn to family as a means to get free furniture for your place.

It’s great to start with people that you know and you might be surprised that family members have extra furniture, chairs, tables available for free, to you.

I remember when my sister moved to my city a few hours from our hometown and she needed a kitchen table.

I had an extra kitchen table set and was happy to provide to her.

So, it’s a win-win.

I was able to unload my extra kitchen table set and she got a free kitchen table and chairs which she needed for her place.

Next, ask your friends if they have free furniture available this is the next best route to asking family members.

3. Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is an untapped resource that many people forget about, for getting well-priced or free stuff.

Free furniture may be available if you can get a voucher from the Salvation Army.

If you’re under financial constraints this is a great for helping people on low income.

To learn more, just contact your local Salvation Army to find out more about their voucher program and to check your eligibility.

4. Craigslist

Craigslist is a real gold mine for finding free stuff from furniture, clothes, moving boxes, electronics and more.

It’s actually really not all that unusual to find free furniture.

While people do sell stuff on Craigslist, there are also people who give away items including furniture for free.

Usually the only stipulation is that you must haul it away, so make sure that you have adequate transportation to transport furniture to your home.

When you go to Craigslist for your city just do a search for free stuff in their search bar and select their “free stuff” option under the “for sale” category.

From there you’ll get a list of results and furniture may be among them.

5. IFTTT + Craigslist

Go to IFTTT and sign up for free.

IFTTT allows you to automate your life.

You can create a bunch of automated processes to hack your life, helping you be alerted to the weather, share stories on social media, turn on your A/C 30 minutes before you get home, turn off your lights when you leave your house, even unlock your front door when you get home.

The number of recipes you can create with IFTTT is endless.

If you’re not taking advantage of this, you’ve got to check it out.

IFTTT can even help you find free furniture for your space.

Find out how in this free tutorial.

6. Create an Amazon Wishlist

With Amazon Wishlist you can create a list for all your needs from upcoming shopping events, birthdays, anniversaries, and more.

It’s hugely beneficial in saving you time and a great option for getting gifts for loved ones.

Over the holidays I remember seeing friends in my feet and now seeing their Amazon Wishlist on Facebook sharing with family friends and peers and their network who would want to give them a holiday gift.

It makes it easier for those around you who want to get you a gift for a special occasion but don’t know what to get you.

It’s also a way to help others in need.

I saw frequent posts from families who could not afford Christmas due to hurricane, tornado or other devastation that impacted their family and finances.

Amazon Wishlist allows others to effortlessly purchase presents for their family and friends with ease.

For free furniture, it’s so easy.

Go on Amazon Wishlist and place your furniture favorites on your list.

That’s it!

Then, notify family and friends who can take the opportunity to buy you something that you need.

7. Hunt Garage Sales

Garage sales are ripe with free furniture deals.

Think about it.

At a garage sale you can find new and used goods that the owner is looking to get rid of.

They are selling and giving away a variety of things including free furniture.

Go to your local newspaper, search garage sales and visit in person to hunt for a great deal (free) furniture.

8. Freecycle

Freecycle is a website that matches people who are looking to recycle their stuff with people who are looking for free things.

So for example, if you’re looking to get rid of your old cupboard and you want to give it away for free, you might head over to Freecycle and find someone who you can give your cupboard to for free.

You can see how this is really a win-win for both people.

The person who wants to recycle their old stuff is able to do so and and get rid of their item and then the person who’s looking for the free item can do so and find what they need.

So everybody wins!

9. Church

If you are in a dire situation, consider reaching out to your local church.

Talk to them about your situation and ask if they know of any opportunity or resource to help you get free furniture locally.

A lot of people don’t know that church is really a great resource for getting free stuff because they are looking to help the community and help people in need, so don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help.

10. Goodwill

Goodwill is a really incredible organization and you may not know that they can actually help you pay for furniture!

I can tell you that my family personally has a lot of ties to Goodwill and we have donated a ton of different items over the years.

It helps us because we’re able to donate goods to an organization who will ensure that it will get it to people in need and it’s really super easy to donate.

Not only are there Goodwill stations located throughout my city for easy drop-off but a lot of people don’t know that they can actually come to you and pick up heavy or large furniture or equipment like beds, dressers, TVs, etc.

So Goodwill has a lot of different items available to them that they can actually give away to people in need.

You might be able to get a voucher from Goodwill to spend on furniture which is how they help you to buy furniture for your place.

How to get started?

Contact your nearest Goodwill location to ask about if they offer voucher program and how you can participate.

11. Social Media

Another way you can look to get free furniture is to ask your network on social media.

You might be surprised to learn how many people actually get on Facebook or Twitter, Instagram or other social networks and ask for free goods.

And people also get on social media to announce that they have furniture and goods that they no longer want or need and are trying to give away for free.

Don’t be afraid to post on social media asking if anyone has any furniture item that they would be open to donating for free.

12. College Campuses on Move-Out Day

In college cities, on moving day you can find a really big selection of items that students no longer need and are looking to get rid of.

Students empty out their dorms and apartments during the Spring season.

They don’t have anywhere to store their furniture during summer which means that you may be able to find a big variety of items including free furniture that you can get your hands on.

And then again in late summer and early fall when leases at apartment complexes renew, this is another great time to get free furniture.

You may be able to find abandoned desks, tables, couches, and other furniture in good condition that are just left on the side of the road or near a dumpster at an apartment community.

How can you take advantage of move out day in college towns?

All you need to do is drive around college campuses on move out day and you’ll be able to see are free stuff is available.

13. Storage Facilities

If you’ve ever been watched Storage Wars or similar TV shows that showcase storage unit auctions then you know that these places can really be a great place to grab free stuff!

This is how a storage auction works:

Buyers will bid on storage units that have been abandoned.

After they win the auction for that storage unit, they will sift through the unit to find items of value that they like and then discard the remaining items.

For those items that the buyers are not interested in, they are likely going to throw them away so, to hand them over to you is something that they’ll be happy to do because it means less work for them having to transport and throw away those unwanted goods.

Make sense?

You can click this resource to find a list of storage auctions in your area.

You can also use the resource, AuctionZip.com to search for upcoming storage auctions or you can always contact storage facilities in your local area to ask about any upcoming events and auctions.

14. Gift Cards

If there is an upcoming event approaching like Christmas or your birthday, ask family members for gift cards as your present.

Then you’ll be able to have free money available to see you to use at furniture stores.

You can also look at bartering gift cards.

For example if you have a gift card to Best Buy, we know that you won’t be able to buy a couch from Best Buy so you can trade that gift card with your friend has a Walmart gift card.

Easy.

This is one of the easiest ways for you to get money to spend on furniture that’s not coming out of your pocket.

15. Reddit

Reddit is an excellent resource for finding free stuff online.

There are subreddits like Recycling, Barter and others where you can find some really great freebies.

To find free items available, head to those subreddits and others so you can scout out free furniture items and other free Goods that may be available.

16. Online Forums

Just like on social media, head to online forums and ask friends and peers if anyone is giving away free furniture.

There may even be a section on your forum where people can buy sell and trade items.

17. Local Furniture Banks

Some cities have local furniture banks where they give away free furniture to people in need, to combat homelessness and help people who are in need who have lost their jobs, or victims of disasters like hurricanes or tornadoes, etc.

A great way to find these is to search for “furniture bank” or “furniture bank + your city” online.

18. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook groups up above are a good option for finding free stuff like free furniture but another great place to get free furniture is Facebook Marketplace.

Now, Facebook Marketplace is traditionally known for an online market for the purpose of buying and selling goods but you can also find some free items in the marketplace.

So, all you have to do is head to Facebook Marketplace and do a search to see if you can find some freebies in your local area.

19. Red Cross

For victims of natural disaster, the Red Cross can help.

They may be able to assist with helping you get free furniture.

Contact Red Cross for more information.

20. Heroes Warehouse

They offer free furniture for veterans.

Their goal is to provide previously homeless veterans and their families with furniture (plus other essential goods) for their home.

Head here to learn more about Heroes Warehouse.

21. Furniture Giveaways

Another way that you can score free furniture is by participating in (and hopefully winning) a furniture giveaway.

Giveaways are more plentiful than you might think and many people aren’t taking advantage which means that there’s less competition, giving you more of a chance to possibly win furniture in a giveaway!

To find these giveaways go online and search “furniture giveaway” or similar term to see what you can find.

22. SnaffleUp

SnaffleUp offers a free service to help owners of unwanted goods donate their stuff to be recycled or given away for free to others.

They fully embrace the “reusing” lifestyle and encourage others to foster change about the perception that old items should be thrown out instead of recycled.

You can search their database of free goods right from their homepage, in a bunch of categories like:

Appliances
Arts and crafts
Books and magazines
Health and beauty
Furniture and household
And, more!

23. Heavy Trash Day

On heavy trash day, drive around to see what you can find.

In our neighborhood, in the last few months I’ve seen mattresses, dressers, TV’s, TV consoles, and full length mirrors.

Don’t miss this opportunity to easily pick up free stuff, especially large items and furniture for free.

24. Do a Swap

Do a swap with a family member, friend, or even a stranger.

You get a couch in exchange for an extra dresser you have, for example.

Or, you can arrange a similar swap.

Find swap opportunities in bartering groups on Facebook and other online communities.

25. Earn gift cards or cash to buy furniture

You can find free furniture new by buying furniture using gift cards and money that you earn.

We’ve talked about many ways that you can earn gift cards in cash on Frugal for Less through rewards websites and “get paid to sites” where you can actually make money doing simple tasks like completing surveys, watching videos, online shopping, browsing the internet, discovering stuff online, playing games. and more.

The way these sites work is simple.

You do tasks in exchange for compensation.

Some of the sites work on a point system where you’ll complete tasks for points and then you can redeem those points for gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, PayPal or you can get cash via Paypal deposit, Venmo, or direct deposit to your bank account.

This is flexible work which means that they can work around your current work schedule.

A lot of these sites let you access them 24/7 which means that you get the freedom and flexibility to choose your own work schedule, pick when you’d like to complete these tasks, and have total control over your income, making as little or as much as you’d like.

Some examples of these sites include:

Survey Sites

Another way you can earn gift cards for cash to buy furniture is by taking paid online surveys.

Paid online surveys work similarly to the sites shared above where you complete tasks for compensation.

With paid online survey sites you earn money for taking surveys so it’s really neat because you actually get paid to share your honest opinion.

Here’s how it works:

First, you sign up to the survey site for free.

Then, you can you complete your profile.

Lastly, you can access survey sites and start answering surveys right away.

Now, you won’t get rich taking paid online surveys.

This is not an opportunity to make a full-time income.

This is just a way for you to make a little extra money which you can use for a variety of purposes like increasing your savings, saving for retirement, paying off debt, or buying furniture.

26. Start a Side Hustle

Side hustling is a cool way to make some extra cash on the side.

You can take on a side hustle for a few weeks, few months or longer, to pay for an upcoming large expense, like furniture, build your emergency savings, pay off debt or other reasons.

Here are some examples of side hustles you can take on to make extra money for furniture:

Dog walking
Babysitting
Landscaping
Start a blog
Become a social media influencer
Freelance copywriting
Freelance graphic design
Video editing
Transcription
Ecommerce
Flipping Goods
Drive for Lyft or Uber
Deliver Groceries with Instacart
Deliver Food with Doordash

Dog walking

If you’re an animal lover then dog walking might be the perfect side hustle for you.

You’ll get paid to walk dogs.

So this might involve walking one or more dogs at the same time as well as scooping dog poop and cleaning up after the animal before returning the dog to their owner.

There are two approaches you can take to this:

Work for yourself
Work for a dog walking company

The first way you can take on dog walking as a side hustle is to start a dog-walking company for yourself.

So this will be your own dog walking business.

You’ll make all the rules including setting your rates for walking dogs, determining your hours of operation, how many dogs you walk at once, and other staples for the business.

This might be a good fit for you if you’ve always wanted to own your own business and you love being the boss and making the rules.

The only caveat to this approach is that there is substantially more work involved than if you work for a dog walking company.

For example, you’ll be responsible for finding your own clients.

You also need to do business taxes, decide if you’ll have a business location or space, as well as any required permits or licenses that you might need for your business, among other things.

More risk, more reward possibly.

The next approach is to work for a dog walking company.

There are many dog walking companies available like Wag or Rover.

Depending on the company that you work for, you might be working as an independent contractor or as an employee.

As an independent contractor, keep in mind that you will be responsible for doing your own taxes.

What’s great about working with a dog walking company is that they have done all the legwork for you, so all you have to do is show up to your shift and you’ll be given instructions and a dog, or dogs to walk.

Easy.

Babysitting

Babysitting is another side hustle that you can take up and it’s great if you love being around kids.

Some tasks you might do as a babysitter is watching the child or multiple kids when their parents are away and you might be doing things like taking them to the park, preparing small snacks and meals, helping them with homework, reading them a bedtime story, and putting them to bed among other things.

To be matched with kids as a babysitter, you can join websites like Sitter City or Care.

Landscaping

Landscaping involves the grooming of lawns, bushes and greenery that’s attached to property like trees, flower gardens, front and back lawns, etc.

You might do things like:

Mowing lawns
Weed work
Planting flower beds
Trimming bushes
And, more!

For those who want to be active and on their feet a lot in a job where the time goes by quickly, landscaping might be for you.

You can work for a landscaping company or start your own landscaping business.

Starting a blog

Blogging is a very fruitful way to make money working from home.

People love blogging because it allows you to explore your passion, create community, become an expert in your field, educate, help others, inspire and more.

To learn how to start a blog check out our free seven-step detailed guide on how to start your own blog.

Blogging is a hobby that turns full-time for many people.

There are many ways you can monetize your blog so you can make money working from home including through advertising, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and your own products and services.

There are a ton of bloggers that earn far more than they would working for a company.

Pick a passionate topic you have interest in.

Create your blog.

Write interesting content and connect with your audience.

Promote your work and monetize your blog.

And, you can start earning money beginning on day 1

Click here to read more on how you can monetize your blog.

Social media influencer

As a social media influencer you’ll make money influencing your audience.

You can be an influencer on a variety of different social networks like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, or others.

You get paid by brands who want you to represent them to your audience.

For example, if you’re a style blogger, you might have a fashion designer approach you requesting you represent them and share their products with your Instagram audience of 50,000 followers.

They might offer to pay you $5,000 to write and photograph 3 Instagram posts and share with your Instagram network.

This is an example of a brand collaboration or sponsorship.

These sponsorships can be very lucrative and are just one way to monetize your influence as a social media influencer.

If you already have a large following on social media, this might be a great path to take to make extra money on the side to use toward your furniture needs.

If you don’t have a large following, this can still be a lucrative path you can take to make extra money, though it can take time before you earn your first dollar, as you are building up your social following.

Copywriting

If you’re a writer, then why not do some freelance copywriting for extra money.

You can find copywriting jobs in a variety of places online and offline, including:

Craigslist
Upwork
Facebook and other social networks
Indeed and other job banks

First, find clients.

Then, work.

Lastly, get paid.

It’s a simple formula that you can rinse and repeat to make money as a freelance copywriter.

Graphic Design

For designers, take your skills freelance and work one on one with clients as a freelance designer.

You can get paid to design social media graphics, book covers, branding, and more.

You can find work in the places we mentioned above, like social media, job banks and other places.

Don’t forget your own network as well, like your email list if you have one or family/friends.

Video Editing

Video editing is a growing field that has become more in demand year after year.

If you have a knack for editing videos, this could be for you.

There are a lot of professionals that are in need for quality video editors, like YouTube influencers, e-commerce store owners, attorneys, real estate agents, and more.

You can also open up your own storefront on marketplaces like Fiverr so you can plant yourself online and wait for clients to come to you.

You can also be proactive, create your own website and hunt for the best clients that you can work for.

Either way, this is a lucrative opportunity to make more money to aid your quest for furnishing your place.

Transcription

In the transcription industry, transcriptionists get paid to type what they hear.

You will listen to audio files and type what you hear.

That’s it!

It doesn’t take much skill but you should be a fast typist with great attention to detail and patience.

You will be typing audio as you hear it, following a style guide and you can make up to $25/hour or more working as a transcriptionist.

This is a work from home job that is an awesome supplement to your income.

It’s also an opportunity that can easily turn full-time so there are many directions you can take this.

Ecommerce

Another cool opportunity to make some extra money by opening your own ecommerce store.

You can sell a variety of different products based on what you choose to carry in your store, including clothing and footwear, home goods, furniture, consumer electronics, etc.

If you’ve ever been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and you I think you would be interesting to run your own ecommerce store, then dive in!

We recommend the platform, Shopify to run your store.

It’s a one stop shop for all your eCommerce needs, with awesome features like access to experts who can help you with customer service, marketing, fulfillment and more.

The Shopify platform is also affordably-priced and you’ll be able to run your store very easily so you can devote your time to customers and finding the best products to carry in your online store.

When I ran my Shopify store several years ago it was an awesome experience.

I was able to replace my day job income within a year.

My first week running the store is when I earned my first $25 in my first order and the rest was history.

One year later I quit my 9-to-5 job and took on the e-commerce store full time.

Making that decision helped me take the store to the next level reaching hundreds of thousands of customers and achieving five-figure months during its peak.

It was super rewarding and a great opportunity that helped me achieve a full-time living of my dreams.

Flipping Goods

Next, you can break and to retail arbitrage and look at flipping goods for extra money.

This is exactly what it sounds like.

You find goods that are lower-priced and you resell for a higher price keeping the difference as profit.

For example, you can head to Walmart and find a scarf on sale for $3.

Then turn around and resell that scarf on Amazon for $15 pocketing the profit, $12.

This is exactly how retail arbitrage works.

You take advantage of the price differences in the market to make a profit and people are doing this full-time.

I used to do retail arbitrage during the holiday season every year.

I would start around late October and begin sourcing products on sale and things around my home and take that business until the end of the year, earning between $500 to $1,000 extra.

What’s great about retail arbitrage is that it extends to products and many different industries from home goods, furniture, apparel, toiletries, beauty products, auto accessories, and more.

If you are interested in starting your own business flipping products then you can begin by sourcing goods from your own home.

So, you can go around your house, room by room and make a pile of products that you could sell.

This could include new and used small appliances, extra clothes, outgrown clothes, kids toys, home decor goods like linens, pillows, and more.

Where to Flip?

You can flip products online and offline, in places like thrift stores, consignment stores, flea markets, garage sales, Ebay, Amazon, other online marketplaces, and places like Letgo, Offer Up, on social media, etc.

Drive for Lyft or Uber

Driving for Lyft or Uber means that you’ll get to work from the comfort of your own car.

Your work will be to taxi people to and from destinations using your car.

This is pretty easy work and it’s great if you love driving.

There are requirements for Lyft and Uber including vehicle requirements so you want to make sure that you can meet these requirements in order to work as a driver.

Check out our Lyft review.

You can read our Uber review here.

Deliver Groceries with Instacart

If you’re not too fond of taxiing people around, what about delivering groceries?

As an Instacart driver you’ll be in charge of delivering groceries from the grocery store to customers.

There’s also an in-store shopper position where you don’t you need to use your car for the job.

Instead, you’ll be getting paid to shop for groceries in store.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for ways to find free furniture near you, give these ideas a try and see what you think.

With this list you can find free sofas, bedroom furniture and much more.

What do you think?

What are some ways you’ve gotten free furniture?

Share your thoughts below in comments.

20 Easy Ways To Find Free Furniture Near You
Jennifer Leach

from Frugal For Less https://ift.tt/2UJe6K3