#since its apparently impossible to find an apartment in my budget around here

[j-esbian]

HOAs are fucking wild. you're telling me that even if i legally own this home, i still have landlord rules. who the fuck cares if i have pets in the house that i own. it's my problem to clean up after them.

and who the fuck cares!!! about the color of my curtains!!!!!!!

[queenmylovely]

High Infidelity II

Summary: Ben hardy x fem!reader. Ben returns and you have to make a decision.

Word Count: 3.9k

Warnings: cussing, some angst, smut (protected sex, fingering, etc.) (18+!! marked with ***)

A/N: Alright, here we have the second part of this series and I do wanna say that there is, barring any over-writing, there is only one part left. This part shows more of reader’s relationship with Ben and develops things. I really tried to show reader’s thought process and emotions and think I was able to get that through, but I’d love to hear your opinion as well so please leave some feedback in the form of tags, replies, asks, or messages, because I really do love hearing from you!

Part I, Masterlist; BLM Resources

(he’s pretty, gif by @mrbenhardys​)

💖💖💖

Over the next two days, you still felt horrible. It was the weekend, so at least you didn’t have to deal with the first onslaught of guilt while at work, but that didn’t stop you from feeling it. Ben tried to call and facetime you a couple more times, but, again, you declined with whatever excuse you could think up, knowing your mistake would be written all over your face if you did pick up. Ben didn’t reply to your excuses, instead texting that he’ll just tell you when he sees you.

Since you knew that wouldn’t be for multiple weeks, you’re sure you’d work out what to do by then. The main dilemma, of course, was whether to tell him what you had done. A lie certainly didn’t feel like a good idea, but you didn’t see how the truth would help in this situation. You knew you would never do the same thing again. You loved Ben, you didn’t want to hurt him by telling him what happened. But lying would mean that it would always be on your mind, and you would have to be careful not to let it slip, which seemed impossible. And Ben had put such an emphasis on honesty when the two of you first became serious.

Thinking back to those conversations that had been a little awkward at first but ultimately necessary, you couldn’t believe it was really going to be three years in just five days. Then your stomach sunk and you couldn’t help but start to get mad Ben wasn’t going to be here for it. The irrational and prideful part of yourself questioned why you were feeling so terrible about what you had done when Ben had been so absent for so long and was missing this big marker for your relationship. You spent about an hour pacing around your room and working yourself up to being furious with him again and were getting close to knocking back a couple drinks and--

Your phone rang and you looked down to see it was Ben. Letting it ring out, you picked it up when it was done to send an excuse. But it was open to your recents and you saw Ben’s name with the little blue heart next to it. And next to it was (5). As in, five missed calls from him in a row, and that was only from the past three days. If you hadn’t received any calls from your mom, boss, best friend, or spam callers, the number would have been closer to two dozen over the past two weeks.

A pang went through your heart and you realized he was still trying and here you were, doing what you did and ignoring his calls. You sat down where you were on the rug beside your bed and put your head between your knees. Taking deep breaths, you tried to calm the rush and swell of emotions that seemed to be fighting for front and center in your head. Guilt, anger, and most of all, disappointment in both yourself and Ben, crowded your mind and threatened to overwhelm when suddenly you heard the sound of a door opening.

Your head shot up and you listened closer, realizing it was your front door. Although you knew that only one other person had the key, you were still confused as you rushed to get up and go down the hallway to the living room the front door opened into.

And there he was, setting down a duffel bag and backpack, sliding down the handle of the suitcase. Ben. He looked painfully good for having just got off a long plane ride, in his grey joggers and sweatshirt and messy hair with sunglasses pushed to the crown of his head. Your breath hitched looking at him, and that’s when Ben realized you were in the room and looked up, tired face still turning into a look of relief at being home despite the recent unease in your relationship.

The look broke your heart and rid you of any restraint; you rushed forward into his already opening arms and just felt him around you. Tears filled your eyes and fell down your face when you squeezed them shut, wanting to ignore everything but Ben in that moment. After a minute, he pulled back, using his thumbs to gently wipe the tears.

“I’ve missed you so much, sweetheart,” Ben said, a hint of a troubled look on his face.

“I missed you too, so much, Ben,” you replied and Ben’s worry was visibly eased. He brought you back to him and kissed you sweetly, softly, but for only a moment.

“I want to apologize. I’m so sorry that I haven’t been more available to you,” he started.

“Wait, how are you here right now? I thought you were going to be on set for another month,” you pointed out.

“We drove like four hours away to find the weather we needed because the budget was apparently getting too tight to wait,” Ben explained and you nodded in understanding.

Ben led you over to the couch, holding your hands in his as he continued, “But I know that I need to prioritize our communication and make time for us to talk, whether it’s in person or over the phone. And I need to check in with you and really make sure you’re okay, not only wait for you to tell me what’s wrong. I’m sorry I haven’t done that in the past.”

Looking at you so earnestly, you could tell that Ben meant what he said and he would really try in the future to be better. So you decided to do the same, and it’s easy to forgive him for poor communication when you know what you’ve done.

“Thank you, Ben. I’m sorry too, I also need to work on my communication because I think about stuff on my own and feel like I’ve expressed it when I actually haven’t. I know that your career is important and I’m so proud of you for all you do. I know I can support you more and put up with just seeing your face over a screen for a couple months at a time in order to do so,” you smiled at Ben assuringly and he grinned back, his happiness filling you with warmth from inside out.

“I love you,” he told you, leaning close.

“I love you too,” you replied before pressing your lips to his.

Ben sighed into the kiss happily and you sighed too, in relief. The two of you had gotten over your fight, and Ben was going to be in town for your anniversary; there was no point in breaking his heart with what you had done when you had the rest of your lives together to make up for it.

_____

A workweek of trying to push any lingering guilt from your mind, and Friday was upon you. Ben had made reservations at one of your favorite restaurants at 8:00pm, so you had more than enough time to go home and get ready.

Opening the door of the apartment, you found it completely spotless, practically cleaner than it had been before the two of you moved in. Everything was in its place and your favorite candle was burning on the coffee table a safe distance away from a bouquet of your favorite flowers.

Ben had been doing things like this all week, trying to be the best boyfriend he could be. He cooked all but two of your meals together, and the other two were your favorite kinds of takeout. Then he did the dishes and would’ve done the laundry if you hadn’t ordered him away. It made your stomach turn with shame and you wouldn’t have let him do any of it, but it made him so happy and you figured you could deal with the feeling for him.

“Ben?” you called out, not hearing him anywhere.

“In here,” he called from the office that you shared. You walked in and he turned around in the office chair to smile at you. “How do you like the apartment?”

“It’s great and the flowers are really lovely, but you don’t need to keep doing all this stuff. We’re supposed to have a partnership, let me do some of the work,” you reminded him before giving him a chaste kiss.

“Well I just kinda still feel bad about everything,” he replied, holding your hand where it was on his shoulder.

You lifted it and pressed it to his cheek instead with a small sigh, “You shouldn’t.”

Ben turned his head to the side and kissed your palm, the move making your heart ache. “I’ve got that video meeting in a few but it’ll be done by 6:45.”

Nodding as he let your hand go, you backed out of the room and he watched you until you got to the doorway. He turned around and started typing a few things and you stared for a  minute, unsure of what exactly you had done to deserve him and all too aware of what you had done not to. Closing the door almost all the way, you went to your bedroom and started looking through your closet for the outfit you wanted. Finding it, you took it into the en suite with you, hanging it up on the back of the door for a bit of a steam before you undressed and got into the shower.

Washing your body, your fingers grazed over the last greenish-yellow hints of a bruise on your waist. You hadn’t noticed it right away, but Ben had, the morning after he had returned home.

__

The two of you were getting ready for the day, and when you took off your pajamas, Ben asked, “Where did you get that?”

You didn’t even know what he was talking about and asked, “What?”

He came over to you and ran his fingers carefully over the bruise that was a little smaller than a large coin, more of an oval shape than a perfect circle. “This, is it sore?”

“Oh,” you said quietly, heart racing and hoping it wasn’t loud enough for Ben to hear as you thought up an excuse. “I ran into a filing cabinet at work because I was looking at my phone.”

Ben chuckled and he said good-naturedly, “You know I always say that you’ve got to watch where you’re going.”

“You do,” you said with a small smile and Ben kissed your forehead before going back to getting ready.

And while you felt relief that Ben had accepted the excuse no matter how much it looked like the shape of a thumb. But you couldn’t escape the gnawing feeling in your gut at what it actually was: a lie.

Over time, hiding your secret became your priority, not your relationship, not Ben, not the upcoming anniversary, and certainly not yourself. You were always on the lookout for the next reason you would have to lie, and there was no shortage. Ben hadn’t suspected anything; it wasn’t in his realm of possibilities. But multiple times a day something would come up where lying was a necessity.

On Tuesday when the two of you were cuddling on the couch after dinner, he asked what you had done on Friday, just making conversation, and you paused before saying that you had just had a drink at home and watched tv. You were glad that you had separate bank accounts so he couldn’t see the charge for the uber or drink at the pub.

Wednesday was worse. You were tidying up in the living room when Ben came home from an audition and went into the bedroom to change out of his nice clothes.

“What’s this lighter?” you heard him call from the bedroom and you panicked quietly. There was only one actual answer as to how it had gotten there but when he walked in the room with it in his hand, you gave him a different one.

“Oh I got that last time I was at the corner store for my candles cause I had misplaced my other one. Where did you find it?” you said nonchalantly, taking it in your hands and flicking it on once. Luckily it was just a cheap butane lighter that was made out of black plastic.

“It was on the floor just under my side of the bed,” Ben explained.

“Must’ve fallen out of my pocket. I totally forgot about it because I found the other one,” you said with a shrug and then the subject was dropped as Ben pulled you down with him on the couch, taking the lighter from your hands and tossing it on the coffee table.

Thursday really made you think about how you got so good at lying. You didn’t know why at the time (though you now figured it was so he could change them when he cleaned the entire flat), but Ben had asked where the other set of sheets were.

After you had showered that night, you had noticed that the sheets were sweaty, smelled like that guy, and even had some… evidence of his contributions on them and had decided to cut your losses and just throw them away.

“I was eating in bed a while ago and spilled spaghetti. I thought we need new ones anyway so I just threw them away,” you told him with a sheepish smile.

“You were eating spaghetti in bed?” Ben asked incredulously and you knew he was at least half-teasing.

“I was feeling incredibly lazy. Don’t worry, I’ve learned my lesson. Food only above the covers from now on,” you responded and Ben nodded, laughing and pulling you to him.

__

Showering, dressing, makeup, and hair done, you were ready around when Ben was done with his call, with plenty of time before you had to leave. So you decided to watch Ben get ready and help when wanted. He took you up on that with his hair, unable to get it exactly how he wanted in the back. Watching him put on his suit, even though it was one of his more casual ones without a tie, you found yourself biting your lip and thinking about just how good he looked in it.

Maybe tonight’s the night, you thought. The two of you hadn’t had sex since he had been back, a little too tentative in the newly repaired relationship to go pushing each other too quickly. Plus, Ben was just getting over his jetlag and had been going to bed around 9:00pm every night.

When he was ready, you shared a quick kiss before you grabbed your things and headed out.

The table was ready for you when you got there and you smiled at Ben once you were sat down, picking up the menus to look over the drinks. By the time the drinks and food had arrived, you were well into comfortable conversation, talking about whatever came to mind.

“I wonder if the match tomorrow will be a good one. I missed it last week,” Ben commented before taking a big bite of his pasta.

You took a sip of your drink before replying, “I heard that last week’s was boring.”

Ben looked at you quizzically, “Where’d you hear that? I thought you didn’t associate with anyone that watches football. Thought i was the exception.”

This time your stomach didn’t even drop, your heartrate didn’t even increase as you thought up an answer, “Oh someone from school posted on instagram about it.”

Ben nodded and the conversation turned to something else. As Ben was talking, you thought about the last week. Considering all that had happened without Ben ever finding out what you did, you were confident that you could keep this up and were relieved by the realization. Your relationship would stay intact, and honestly you didn’t even feel very bad about the excuses anymore, because you knew they were necessary to stay with Ben and keep him happy.

The two of you finished dinner and shared dessert before leaving the restaurant. Ben drove home and there was a palpable tension in the air, the good kind where your senses were on fire waiting for when you could touch him.

A quick rush to the apartment later and the two of you were giddily making your way to your bedroom. Ben closed the door behind you and then brought his hands to your hips, pulling you close to him. Your hands came to rest on his chest and you leaned up as he leaned down, bringing your lips together in a soft kiss. It made you feel secure and safe, knowing that Ben loved and wanted you.

***

Ben deepened the kiss with his tongue against yours, still slow but just as passionate. You pushed his jacket off of his shoulders and he let it fall to the floor. Then you ran your hands from his chest to his abs, feeling his muscles through his shirt with a smile that made you break the kiss. Turning around, you moved your hair to the side so Ben could unzip your dress. You let that fall too, and then the two of you were kicking off your shoes, sharing a laugh.

As evidence of how well he listened to you, Ben didn’t try to take off his own clothes yet. You grabbed his hand and guided him to sit at the headboard, legs out in front of him. Then you straddled his lap and kissed him again. One of his hands tangled in your hair, the other on your waist to keep you close.

Your hands went to the buttons of his shirt, unbuttoning them one at a time. After the second one you broke the kiss and started kissing the bare skin exposed by your hands. Before the last two, you brought your mouth to his again, undoing them and then helping him take the shirt off without breaking the kiss.

Running your hands from his chest to his abs again, this time you appreciated the bare skin and lightly dragged your nails over it. Ben pulled back to breathe in sharply and you took the opportunity to kiss down his jaw to his neck. As you kissed and sucked, trying to locate his sweet spot after all that time apart, your hands dropped to undo his belt buckle and then the button and zipper. One of your hands reached under the waistband of his trousers to palm his hardening length over his underwear. You felt Ben’s moan with your lips on his neck and smiled, bringing your hand back to your side. Then you took his pants and underwear down with his help. When they’re off, you reached back and undid your bra, tossing it to the floor and then getting up from the bed.

You slid your underwear down your legs, stepping out of them as you watched Ben watching you. Then you got on the bed next to him and he turned on his side, bringing his hands to your face to kiss you. One hand on his chest, the other in his hair, you enjoyed the moment, enjoyed not rushing, just being together. Ben’s hands glided from your face to your breasts to your waist, pulling you even closer to him.

Completely relaxed, it took you by surprise when Ben moved your bodies until you’re laying on your back and he’s on top of you. You laughed into his mouth and he smiled quickly before kissing your jaw, taking the same route you had on him just minutes ago. And just like yours, his hand slipped lower, in between your thighs.

A finger ran through your folds from your entrance to your clit. It felt good already and you sighed slowly, tightening your grip in his hair. Ben’s middle finger slowly pressed into you and his thumb found your clit, a moan escaping you as the two worked together. You spread your legs and after a little bit, Ben added his ring finger and a small gasp left you. You knew Ben was trying to help you get ready for him, as well as just make you feel good, but it’s not as necessary as he might think, so when you felt the first stirrings of your high building, you decided you’d rather just have him inside of you.

“Ben, Ben, I’m ready, want you,” you said, using your hand in his hair to pull him back from your neck.

“Yeah?” he asked softly before pressing an equally soft kiss to your lips.

You looked at him, so in love, and nodded, a small smile gracing your features. Ben smiled back and then leaned as far as he could to his side of the bed, reaching into his bedside table for a condom. A small part of you winced but you suppressed it, grabbing the packet from him and then rolling the condom onto his dick. You gave it a couple slow pumps and Ben made a sound in the back of his throat.

He brushed your hand away softly, grabbing his dick in his own hand and then situating his body over yours. As he lined his cock up with your entrance, you wrapped your legs around him and then he pushed into you slowly and firmly, a satisfied sigh leaving you both. Ben’s mouth returned to your neck for a few kisses while you adjusted.

Ben pulled out and pushed back in, going slow and deep, letting both of you feel every single movement. You knew it would take you longer, but you didn’t say anything. It helped that you knew Ben would always take care of you.

Over time, your pleasure built, and the sounds that Ben was making were only adding to that.

“Fuck, Ben,” you moaned and he lifted his head from your neck.

“Does that feel good?” Ben asked, biting his lip as he saw the desire in your eyes.

Your eyes drifted to his lips and your brows furrowed, “Yeah-- oh, oh--” your response was cut off when one of his hands slipped between you and started rubbing your clit again.

Pulling him down to you, you kissed him and while it was interrupted occasionally by both of your moans, it was worth it. The pleasure was starting to fill your head like a fog and you once again tightened your grip in Ben’s hair.

“I’m- oh fuck- I’m close,” Ben warned. “Are you?”

“Mhmmm, so close,” you replied and within seconds, Ben’s hips sped up just a little and that was enough to set you off, making you come with a strained moan. Your pussy clenched around Ben and that was all he needed, his high moan sending another bolt of pleasure through you even as your high seemed all consuming.

Ben rode you through your highs, only stopping when you let your legs down from around him. Laying on top of you carefully, he nuzzled into your neck and you started playing with his hair as your breathing evened out.

***

“Oh I missed this, missed you,” Ben said with a breathy laugh and you joined in.

“Me too, fuck, me too,” you returned, and though it was true, what you were feeling was more complicated than that. But then Ben pressed a kiss to the side of your neck and you felt the trouble wash away as you smiled.

💖💖💖

p.s. if anyone would like to send in their predictions for how this ends, I will neither confirm nor deny but I would really really be interested to see!!!

Permanent taglist: @riseetothesun @caborhapch​​ @drowseoftaylor​​ @queenlover05​ @johndeaconshands​ @supersonicfreddie​ @stardust-galaxies​​ @madamsledge​

Series taglist: @theonsasheart​ @itscale​ 

If you would like to be added to the taglist for this series or my permanent one, just send me a message or ask!

[somewhere-in-my-weird-mind]

What did he just say? - Sebastian Stan

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x Female!Reader

Request: Prompt #9 “You know who I’m hot for”

Word Count: 5.1 K

Warning: None as far as I can remember... though maybe there’s a bit of swearing spread through it... But honestly, I’ve got a sailors mouth and I’ve lost track of how much my characters do the same by now. The real warning should be about a shirtless and wet Sebastian Stan... Proceed at own caution!

A/N: So... (She says after having not written a single thing or made it seem like she was still alive for two whole years) I’m back! Life’s kinda going to shit, but by some miracle, it’s meant that I’ve had some spare time and energy that I could invest in writing again. So, here we are. 

In an attempt to help the new spirit of writing flow to keep going, I might lose some old request in my inbox that’s now been taking up space for like the last 3 or 4 years, and instead, I’m going to open it up again to new requests. If you’re an old follower who actually made a request, that I didn’t finish writing because life and time went on, I’m really sorry for letting it go. But if you want, please send me a new one, and I’ll do my best at writing it this time! 

But enough chatting, here’s some Seb fluff get together for ya!

It had all started out with an eviction notice. The apartment building you had been staying in for the past couple of years now, after you first made the move to New York, had been bought up by someone who’s plan had seemed to be knock your building down, only to build some new, modern and most likely expensive as hell apartments instead. Now you’re not saying that the place didn’t need a good loving hand, the elevator had been broken down for 2 years now, and the heating bill was always high in the winter due to cracks letting all the cold in. But it was still your home, and just your luck, it had seemed it had been one of the last, somewhat decent apartments in New York, for a somewhat decent price.

That had at least been your judgment in the month you tried, desperately finding some place new to stay, with the eviction notice hanging over your head, telling you that you only had a month to find a new place to live. And anyone who knows New York, and its realtor market, while being on a strict budget, knows that’s an impossible feat. It wasn’t that it had been for a lack of trying, considering how you had almost spent more money on transport that month, looking at apartments you had found on odd listed pages around town, than you had on food. For a brief moment, you even thought you had succeeded the impossible task, when you had finally found a place. Only for it to be snatched up right under your nose, and you were back to ground zero.

It was in that moment of weakness and despair, you had gotten the call. A friend of yours had been trying to help you out with your situation, but apparently when you had that conversation to her, you hadn’t mentioned how you kind of wanted to keep it a quiet thing, maybe because you knew that they were exactly the kind of person to lecture you on how accepting help isn’t a bad thing. So in your attempt to avoid the lecture, you had forgotten your mutual friend, and just how much your friend didn’t mind asking other people for help.

Hence, the call.

Now, the thing is, yes, Sebastian Stan calling you and telling you that you could just stay in his spare room until you figured it out, was a really convincing argument. After all, you’ve been at his place loads of times, and you’ve seen his bathroom and dreamed of hanging out in that bathtub, and you’ve sat on that couch and fallen asleep on it way too many times. So yeah staying there wouldn’t be too bad, also because it would give you a more manageable time window to look at places, considering that you were going to be evicted in a matter of weeks. It’s not a bad offer, is the point.

But there is however another side to that good point, and that’s how even after weeks now, you still haven’t been able to get that question out of your head. That damn question that your friend asked you, and a question that seemed to unravel everything you thought you knew.

“So what is it with you and Sebastian?” Your friend asked you, just as you were stuffing your face with the popcorns she had brought to you on the couch, in the middle of your marvel marathon.

“Huh?” you asked, as it was currently all the noise you were capable of making with a mouth full of popcorn.

“You and Sebastian, what’s happening there, are you hitting that?” She asked as conveniently Sebastian’s face appeared on the screen as Bucky Barnes.

“Wait, what! Hitting that?” You exclaimed as you managed to swallow the popcorn.

“Yeah, I mean cheers if you are, because, well, look at that body,” She said as the screen was focusing on Bucky’s mind getting wiped, while also showing a good look of a pretty impressive body that Sebastian was the proud owner off.

“No, no we’re just friends” You laughed, though you did keep looking to appreciate that body a bit longer, because, well yeah, damn.

“Wait really? Your friend turned away from the screen and looked at you as if she didn’t quite believe you.

“Yeah, we’re just friends, nothing more. Besides, it wasn’t even that long ago since he broke it off with his ex”

“First of all, that is like a year ago now, which you should know since you helped him get over that, which is also why I’m asking, just how did you help him get over it, with cuddling or with bow chica wow wow” You friend sang, causing you to laugh.

“What, oh god no”

“Oh please, as if you didn’t want to hit that”

“That’s not what I meant, I just meant, well, we’re friends, so yeah no, no ‘Bow chica wow wow’ just, the good old take out and movie marathons, and being there when he need to talk, it works all the time.”

“Is that really all it is?” Your friend asked, looking like that was definitely not the response she had expected.

“Yeah, just friends.” You said and returned back to the screen. But there didn’t go long before you turned back to her again. “Okay, I gotta ask though, why did you think there was more?”

“Well, it’s the way the two of you are together. Like, ever since you moved to New York the two of you have been hanging out a ton, and after he broke it off with his girlfriend it was like I could barely reach you sometimes. And then, well then there’s the way that he looks at you sometimes like you hung the sun or something like that. Not to mention the fact that even when he’s away for movie stuff, the two of you talk every day, like what was it a bit under a month ago that the two of you passed your 400 days snapchat streak. So yeah, I don’t know, it just seems like maybe there was something more there. But I might be wrong”

Sometimes you hoped she was wrong, that it was just her imagining it, but ever since she mentioned it, the thought had barely left your mind.

So when he called you, offering you to invade his space for however long you needed it, well then you blamed her for thinking more into it than there might be. So that had been why you had first told him that it was a nice thought, but that you didn’t want to be a bother to him any more than you already did. So instead you kept looking, but after you woke up with a hangover the first of January, and you knew you only had a week to find someplace to be, you realised that there was nothing else to do, so you called up and even more hungover Sebastian.

That had been two weeks ago. And still no apartment.

You were currently spread out on the couch in Sebastian’s very comfortable apartment, enjoying his Netflix account connected to the quite nicely sized TV. But to your defence, you had deserved it. You were exhausted, both physically after having spent so much time, both in your lunch break and after work trying to meet different realtors to help you find a place. And then mentally exhausted, because just like the many other times you’d talked to them, they had not given you any good news. You were starting to consider maybe changing realtors, especially after the horrible place you were shown last week, with a murphy bed installed that didn’t even have enough room to be completely unfolded.

So yeah, you’d say you deserved to lounge a little bit, and forget your troubles watching Netflix, and eating Sebastian’s snacks, that he technically wasn’t allowed to eat anyhow, with him being on a new strict diet and training regime for a new movie. On the topic of training, the stench of a sweaty Sebastian having come back from the gym, warned you of him being there before his greeting did.

“Don’t they have shower at your fancy fitness place?” You called out as you heard steps walking over to the couch.

“They do. But it’s much more fun to come home and annoy you like this” Sebastian laughed as he jumped over the couch and got his one arm around you as he sat down, right next to you, like that was the only option on the massive couch.

“Ugh, you’re disgusting” You groaned as you tried to get away from the sweaty embrace, much to Sebastian’s amusement. As a payback you decided to turn around to punch him in the arm, only to be met by rock hard muscle that really was just not fair on any normal human being. The same way that the sight of Sebastian sitting there in a wife beater, sweat glistening off him (because the idiot probably decided to run back from the gym, because yeah sure, that’s what sensible people do) just staring at you with such glee in his eyes, while shaking a little bit from his laughter, really was not fair on any normal human being, much less you.

But no, get that thought out of your head, you were not going to start thinking those kinds of thoughts about him. Instead you decided to turn around to continue watching the Netflix, while pretending that it was your disgust with his sweat that made you blush, not any other reason, nope, nothing at all.

“Well I would say it’s an appropriate payback for you messing up my Netflix recommendation with you watching teenage girl dramas, I’ll let you know it never suggested Riverdale to me before you came in and messed up my streaming history”

“Oh please, don’t pretend like you don’t very well recognise the title of the show. When I clicked in on it, it asked me if I wanted to continue watching it” You said with a chuckle pointing at the TV showing Serena van der Woodsen having a series conversation with Dan Humphrey. You decided to focus completely on how ridiculous and upper class they were being, instead of focusing on the close proximity Sebastian was sitting.

“Alright, well I can reason it with revisiting old memories, what’s your excuse for sitting here alone watching Gossip Girl” Sebastian asked looking at you for an answer.

“Well it’s partly because it’s funny to see you looking all scrawny and awkward and posh in it-“

“Hey, I was like 27 at that point” Sebastian interjected, looking almost genuinely offended if it wasn’t because of the small smile he always seemed to wear around you.

“Yeah, yeah whatever, if you would have let me finish, you’d known that I really didn’t focus too much on you in it” You felt yourself say, while also knowing that it wasn’t completely true.

“Right, then do tell, what is the reason that you oh so love this show, of questionable quality” He asked while looking intensely at you for an answer. Again, him and his intensive focus on you, you didn’t like how much it affected you, because when it did, you had an extra hard time ignoring how much it just really shouldn’t, because playing with that idea was a dangerous thing, that you knew were never ever going to happen anyhow.

“I have the hots for Chace Crawford” You said, and turned around to watch the show again, hoping that it would stop the stare coming at you from the side, from a certain sweaty someone.

Turns out it only amplified the stare he was sending her, but it did stop the oncoming questions, as he had somewhat fallen quiet.

“Oh, well, he’s a good guy.” Sebastian added after the silence seemed to have become too long.

Thing is, it’s a pivotal part of their friendship that you knew just when something affected him, and that you then weren’t afraid to tease him about it. That’s how it had always been, and that’s how it was always going to be, you knew that. So it was really a duty to keep this going, after all it would be a let-down to everything you stood for, if he would go around thinking you wouldn’t annoy him anymore.

“Wait, you must have his number don’t you? Could you hit him up for me, hell you could give me his phone number!” You said excitedly, partly because you could really see how much this was bothering him, which just made you want to push it further. And, then the idea of hitting Chase up wasn’t really that bad of an idea either.

“C’mon. Do me a favour, give me his number. Let me have a chance with Nate Archibald” You were full on teasingly poking him now in his sides, which finally made his smile come out again.

“How about no” Sebastian laughed and tapped your nose, much to your annoyance.

“How about a trade then. Tell me who you’re hot for, and I will do my best at trying to get their number. It’s most likely going to be an impossible feat, but I will try my best anyhow.” You thought it was going to be a great way of continuing to tease him, only, suddenly you saw the smile falter a little bit.

“You know who I’m hot for” He finally said, but the joking seemed to have faltered a bit. Maybe he was just tired after the workout, that happened sometimes.

“Well, clearly I don’t. So, c’mon, tell me, is it someone that I have a chance of getting their number to make it a fair deal” You asked, turning around to face Sebastian completely, he repaid the favour, and suddenly it all seemed a lot less funny. Sebastian’s smile had faltered again, until there were no smile at all left. Instead what was left, was a Sebastian you had only seen a couple of times before. A Sebastian who wasn’t the same one that the public saw, a Sebastian that wasn’t even the same that most of his friends saw. But it was one that you had seen.

“I already have their number” He said and turned around to face you, though not really looking at you, instead looking at his hands that he was fiddling. Because he was genuinely nervous about something.

“Well that’s good then” You said in a calm notion, causing Sebastian to look up at you again. “That’s like a severe advantage you have then.” The only response you got was a small nod from him, and you knew that this person he was talking about, was someone serious. Your heart ached a little bit, and you knew why, but this wasn’t your time and place for this. No you knew that his face meant that he was struggling with this, and his friend, you had a duty to help him. And that duty meant pushing down everything else you were feeling right now.

“So you have this person’s number, and you clearly have the hots for her. I’m not seeing a reason why you haven’t called this person up then.” You didn’t exactly know what you expected, but the silence you were met with, and Sebastian just fiddling his fingers as the only somewhat response, wasn’t what you had expected.

“Okay. How about this” You started, causing Sebastian to look up. “What if I help you with what you should tell her? I’ll help you come up with a line that’s so irresistible, that she simply can’t not tell you she’ll go out with you” You tried saying it with a smile, and you think you mainly succeeded, but it wasn’t like Sebastian’s facial reaction gave you any clear answer to that.

He seemed to be thinking deeply, like the thought of getting help to tell the person you liked, that you actually liked them, was something he had to consider. You knew you didn’t have to consider it if someone offered it to you. Because sitting here, right across from the guy you liked, you couldn’t help but think that you would definitely accept some help right now, if it meant you could figure out a way to tell him what you felt. But no, instead you were sitting here, offering him help, on how to tell some girl that he liked her. Because that’s just how good your life was going right now.

“Okay” Sebastian finally said, and looked at you suddenly with a smile on his face, and a certain fire and certainty, that suddenly made you so much more jealous of this girl that made him feel like that.

“Well a good start would be to tell her that you’ve been thinking about her[SMS1] . It’ll make most girls feel appreciated, well when it isn’t from some creepy stalker, but when it’s from someone who actually cares. And when she knows that you do, then that’s when you ask her out.”

“It’s that simple then is it?” Sebastian said with a little smile, like he knew something you didn’t.

“I mean, if you do it right, then… yeah” You said, trying not to let the smile get to you.

“Huh” Sebastian just said before looking like he was wondering something, whatever it was, you didn’t know, but maybe it was the silence that became too much, or it was just you wanting to find another way of hurting yourself that you started up the conversation again.

“So who is it?” You asked with a smile you hoped didn’t look as fake as it felt. Everything was fine, and you were fine, and there were no reasons why you shouldn’t be smiling now. You were just helping out a friend of yours. That’s what this was.

“You wanna know who I’m hot for?” Sebastian asked with a little smile, probably one that thinking about whichever girl that he was thinking of who he was hot for. It should make you happy, really it should, he was happy, and you were happy that he was happy. That’s how friendship works.

“Clearly, since I’m asking” You lied. Because having a name for this person might not help you, it was probably going to be some very famous actress of something, someone amazing that you had no chance of measuring up to.

“Well” He started. Here it comes, the name that you were going to be thinking of for almost every day from now on. The woman you had no chance of measuring up to, the woman who had won Sebastian’s heart, the woman who –“

“It’s you” The woman who was you? What.

“Anyway, I’m going to head to the shower” Sebastian said and suddenly very quickly left you there alone on the couch, with a question that felt larger than life.

You?

He was hot for… you?

No that couldn’t be. He couldn’t be.

At least that’s the thought stream you’ve had for the past years. From almost the moment you had met Sebastian, you had been attracted by him. Then again that wasn’t really any news to anyone who met Sebastian. But then you had gotten to know him, and you had found this sort of gentleness about him. The way that he met anyone with such love and kindness, that only increased when you really got to know him, and he let you in. It surprised you that not more people fell in love with him. Or maybe they did, you wouldn’t be surprised, the same way you weren’t surprised when Sebastian talked about some girl, because off course he would find someone to love.

You just didn’t know that you could be that person.

Because that’s what he had said right? When you had asked, he had said you. He had said he had the hots for you.

Honestly, who even says they’ve got the hots for someone anymore. Well apparently you did, but you meant it about some person you saw on the TV, like those imaginative crushes you got, celebrity crushes, that’s who you had the hots for. So what about him, what did he mean when he said he had the hots for you.

You needed to know.

Deciding enough was enough, as your inner monologue wasn’t going to help you clear this up in any way, you jumped over the edge of the couch and ran through the hallway until you reached the bathroom door, where you stopped and started hammering down the door, until finally it opened.

“Oy, I was showering” Sebastian complained as he opened the door, standing there dripping water down on the carpet in the hallway, while only standing there in just a towel around his waist. Because, yeah sure, this was something you could handle, seeing him standing there, showing off his very, very defined abs, glistening wet, and did she mention very defined.

Weren’t there something you needed to do?

Oh right.

“Don’t oy me” You finally managed to get out. “You can’t just say something like that, and then walk away without giving me any explanation” You yelled angrily, because you were angry. Angry that he was now pretending like you hadn’t just had that conversation a minute ago, leaving you there on the couch having to figure out everything on your own.

“I thought I explained myself pretty alright” Sebastian said with a small smile, like this was all to his amusement.

“Yeah no, you didn’t explain. You just said you had the hots for me, what the fuck is that even supposed to mean?” You asked waving your arms around the air, in hopes that it would clarify for him, that you had no fucking clue, and maybe that smile he was wearing wasn’t really helping you deal with this very well.

“Just that. That I have the hots for you” Sebastian replied, once again with that little smile.

You were slowly starting to start a vendetta against that smile. Because when the two of you were joking and he gave that smile, you could appreciate it, but this, this was something completely different, and it felt like a really bad joke.

It seemed your silence and lack of understanding finally seemed to get to Sebastian, the smile on his lips faltered a bit and he tightened the towel around his waist before he looked down on his feet, like he was trying to figure out what to tell you. You heard him mutter something that sounded a bit like he was saying ‘what was it she said I should say’ before he suddenly met your eyes again, and opened his mouth.

“I’ve been thinking about you” He said. You stayed silent though, because you were sort of expecting there to be something more after that. Except there wasn’t.

“What, that’s all you’re going to say?” You exclaimed while looking at Sebastian like he was mad. Because, well you kind of thought he was, who says that and then just leave it be.

“That’s what you told me to say” Sebastian called, as seemingly your frustrations seemed to have rubbed on him as well. Well good.

“Well it’s not that simple”

“But that’s what you said”

“Oh don’t use my words against me” You snapped, you were not the one on trial here, it was him and his rubbish way of making himself clear.

“Okay. Fine. “Sebastian thundered before lowering his arm that had just been waving in the air because of his frustration a second ago. “I’ll use my own words then” He said before taking a deep sigh. Somehow, you already knew then you weren’t ready to hear them, but there was no stopping it now.

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. That much is true. For a long while, I had gotten really good at not thinking about you on a constant, even though I had been wanting to do just that for a long time. But then suddenly, you were everywhere. I thought I did a kindness to a friend and it was just going to be just that. But then suddenly I’m being tortured with your favourite shirts being in the wash all the time, and with that brand of yoghurt you like so much in the fridge right in eye sight whenever I open it, and then your fluffy pillows you’ve left scattered over the couch, that are like way too comfortable. It’s impossible not to be reminded of you, no matter where I look. And it turns out, maybe what I thought was just torture, was something more. Because when I can’t stop thinking about you, it gets real hard to subside these feelings I’ve been feeling for a really long time. Until I realised, I just couldn’t anymore” Sebastian ranted, until he finally, took a deep breath, and seemed to realise he was done.

Well what does anyone say to that? Apparently your stupid mind had already thought of something.

“No.” Real articulate Y/N, real articulate “You don’t have any feelings for me. You can’t.” Those were the words that had been swirling around your brain ever since Sebastian had left you on the couch, because they were the only ones that made any sense.

“Who says that.” Sebastian asked, looking at you again, this time without a smile, and without that shield he sometimes put up to be the happy and all dandy Sebastian Stan, famous actor. No this Sebastian, this was the one that wore no shield to protect himself, this was the one who bared everything to you. You had seen it multiple times before, but it had never hit you as hard as it had now.

“I do” You whispered, as if speaking too loudly now would break the heavy feeling that was weighting both of you down right now.

“Why?” Sebastian whispered, as if he was feeling the same way.

“Because…” you started, attempting to find head and tails in all these feelings you were feeling right now. “Well because we’ve been friends for 5 years now, and not once in that time have you ever made a move?” Well, almost, not counting five minutes ago on that couch, when he had done exactly that.

Maybe he had been thinking the same thing, because he took one step closer to you, so close that you could feel the steam coming off his chest from the shower you had interrupted.

“What if I did” He muttered, before licking his lips, and suddenly any agitation you had, almost seemed to melt away, as your eye was drawn to his lips, that were now looking slightly moist, and soft, god so soft.

“I don’t know” You replied just as quietly, simultaneously feeling like you were on fire, and like you could just let go of everything and float down the river.

“Well it was just a minute ago you were screaming at me looking for a definitive answer to your question, and now you don’t even want to give me one” That little smile was back on his lips, and suddenly you didn’t hate it as much. As much. You still hated it a little bit. And maybe that was why you made your decision very quickly.

“You want a definitive answer? Fine, I’ll give you one” You said, sounding a lot more sure in yourself than you were. But one thing you were sure off, was that what you were planning next, you didn’t think Sebastian would mind that much, if everything he had said the last couple of minutes were true. And as much as you had been unsure about whether it was before, that little smile he was giving, and that raw honesty he had showed you before, made you 99% certain.

So certain, that you decided to say ‘fuck you’ to that other 1%, as you reached up your hands, one to fit in his wet hair, and another on his neck, before you pulled him down, and you met those kissable lips you had thought way too much about lately, with your own.

It only took a brief moment of shock, before Sebastian enthusiastically greeted your lips with his, and made sure that 99% got rounded up to a round number. Especially because kissing Sebastian felt as natural as breathing air, while also being as addicting as a sniff of coke.

It was a natural respondent between the two of you, of who took control and who gave leeway, only for it to change just as quickly again. And it wasn’t just your mouths that was making you lose all control, it was everything from how close Sebastian was standing, to his hand in your hair, to the stubble burn that made you lose a sense of time, until you finally had to pull apart to take a breath.

Which was why you now stood there, in the doorway, both of you staring at each other with blown pupils and heaving chests, with not an inch of space between you.

“You really need to take that shower now” You somehow managed to breathe out.

“Oh, shit, sorry, yes, I must stink” Sebastian took a step back and shook his head to clear it off the fuzziness state, that you apparently hadn’t been the only one feeling. “I’ll get cleaned up, and then maybe we can continue this afterwards” It was like the moment he had disconnected the physical touch of you, he was back to the same Sebastian that had decided skipping over the couch to avoid a conversation was the best choice. And one thing you knew for sure, was that you were not planning to go back to that. Not after this. Not ever again.

“Or” You said, now with a small smirk that could compete against Sebastian’s you were sure. “I could just join you” As soon as the words had left your mouth, you could see how Sebastian’s pupils dilated even more, though you weren’t fully sure how it was possible, but you loved it all the same.

“Yup. Yeah. I like that idea, a lot better” Was all Sebastian said before taking your arm and pulling you into the bathroom to join him with such eagerness you couldn’t help but giggle a bit. Though you were quickly interrupted from laughing by two lips meeting yours again. It wasn’t like you were complaining though, quite the opposite.

Permanent tagging:  @savaneafricaine   @purple-storm @cmbequestrian2402  @m4df4n 

Tell me if you wanna be tagged, either permanently or just for Sebastian imagines 

[mryddinwilt]

CS Oneshot: So Much For My Happy Ending

A Secret Santa gift for @jenswans. It was lovely getting to know you and you have been ridiculously patient with me! I hope this domestic modern AU with multiple meet-cutes exceeds expectations! You absolutely deserve it and much more! 

5k | T | FF.net | AO3  

The morning wind held a hint of spring as Emma yanked on the door to the coffee shop. She had been living in Boston for three months but had yet to find a regular coffee place. The place closest to her house was too pretentious, the one down the street had good coffee but was always crowded with college students, the one on the corner was decent but the blonde barista kept hitting on her. Emma didn’t think she was picky she just wanted a place that served simple, no frills, quality coffee, without ridiculous lines or having to endure awkward flirting.

Emma had high hopes that Cafe Hollow, despite its strange name, could be her place. It was painted in rich neutrals and littered with no-nonsense tables, the music was at a reasonable volume, the line was short, and the menu was a simple black signboard with white letters posted above the register offering simply coffee, espresso, Americano, and cappuccino and no option for sizes. Emma smiled–this was her kind of place.

“I don’t understand. You have milk, you have coffee why can’t you just make me a latte?” The raven haired woman at the front complained in an over-loud voice. Emma rolled her eyes. Why was it so hard to just order what was on the menu?

“This isn’t Starbucks.” Emma heard a male voice mutter lowly behind her and she nodded

“How can you even call yourself a cafe if you don’t serve latte’s?” The irate customer’s pitch rose.

“Seriously?” Emma murmured.

“Someone should tell her there are four other coffee shops on this block that would happily accept her patronage.” The voice added in a rich English accent. Emma gave a chuckle and glanced back to say hello to her fellow annoyed customer but stopped short.

 He was a taller man with dark brown hair, a strong jaw covered in scruff, and a mouth quirked into a smirk that Emma found both endearing and dangerous. She gave him a small smile back as her heart did a strange leap and she turned back around to see the woman leaving in a huff. Emma pretended to be interested in the menu as she tried to center herself. It had been a long time since she had felt such an instant attraction–not since Neal– and the thought disturbed her, set all her personal alarms ringing. She ordered her coffee to-go and was striding out the door before the guy had a chance to try talking to her again.

Emma didn’t go back to Cafe Hollow. She told herself it was because their coffee was weak but deep down she knew it was because she didn’t want to run into “coffee guy” again. She knew it was ridiculous but after Neal, after being abandoned and betrayed, she just couldn’t trust herself or her gut when it came to men. Especially not drop-dead gorgeous men with accents and hair that looked softer than a puppy’s fur. She threw herself into her work that week taking on more skips than usual to make sure she was distracted.

That’s how she ended up at a bar called Neverland in a skin-tight red dress and heels that were killing her as she waited for her skip to show his face. She was busy watching the door when someone slid next to her.

“What a charming coincidence.”

Emma’s breath caught. Seriously? What were the odds? She turned from the door to face “coffee guy”. This time she noticed that he apparently didn’t like to do up the buttons on his shirt and he had a generous amount of chest hair. Despite the warming of her blood, she kept her face neutral.

“Is it?”

He chuckled. “You probably don’t remember but we were in line at a coffee shop not too long ago.”

“Sorry. Doesn’t ring a bell.”

He kept his smile but Emma saw a flash of disappointment behind his eyes and it made her want to come clean. Instead, she walked away and out of the bar. She was halfway home before she remembered that she had been there to do a job. She caught the guy two days later coming out of his girlfriend’s house.

Four days after that Boston was hit by a late Spring storm and Emma found herself trudging down the street trying to avoid the patches of ice as she ran down a lead on an embezzler. Her head was bowed against the cold when someone slammed into her and she went sprawling to the ground with them on top. When she finally registered who it was she cursed.

“Damn it.”

It was “coffee guy” and this time he was so close that she noticed a strange gold halo in his blue-green eyes.

“Apologies. I slipped and–“ He cut off as his eyes widened in recognition. “It’s you!”

He looked so utterly delighted with the turn of events that Emma felt herself flush. Was it possible he thought of her as often as she thought of him? Because she did think of him and found herself wondering just who he was and if he was as interesting as his accent and face suggested. But thinking about him was far different from having him on top of her and she felt her need to run rising up inside her. She pushed at his chest and he rolled off of her. Emma got to her feet awkwardly.

“At least tell me your name?” He asked from the ground. But she ignored him and took off as fast as possible, half-worried he would chase her even as she was sure he wouldn’t.

Despite her desire to not see him again, Emma found herself looking for him and she told herself it was only to be able to avoid another meeting. A week past with no sign of him and then two and Emma began to relax, the universe had given up on throwing them together. In the middle of the third week they found asbestos in her apartment and she was told she needed to be out by Friday.

It seemed almost impossible to find a temporary, furnished, place on such short notice. Everything she looked at was either far outside her budget or not available for weeks. She had lived out of her car before and could do it again but she thought she had put those days behind her. Desperate she refreshed the web page and a new listing appeared. With low expectations, she clicked on the link and was pleasantly surprised by the photos of a spacious apartment even better located than her place. The rent was reasonable, it was furnished, and available on a month-by-month basis. Worried she would miss her chance she pulled out her phone and sent a text.

Is your room still available to rent?

I posted it ten minutes ago…

So that’s a yes?

Emma knew she probably wasn’t making the best first impression but she was too anxious to care.

Yes. It’s available.

I’ll take it.

You don’t want to look at it first?

No. Pictures look great and it’s only temporary.

Emma’s stomach rolled as she waited for a reply. She needed that place.

I’ll pay you three months in advance.

Welcome aboard. I will take down the listing. I get home around 6 come by anytime after that.

K. See you then.

She gave a little fist pump and knocked her hand into the roof of the bug; ignoring the pain she smiled. It was the victory she desperately needed this week. She wasn’t worried about living with a stranger; she had spent her whole life living with strangers in foster homes and was pretty sure that whoever her roommate was she could handle it.

That evening just before seven Emma parked her bug outside the apartment building and sent a text to let them know she was on her way up. Then she climbed the three flights to the door with a shiny “J” on it. She knocked and waited with only mild apprehension. The door swung open and Emma’s jaw dropped.

“Seriously?”

Standing before her was coffee guy in a black v-neck sweater, jeans, and a smile on his face that was both shocked and pleased.

“Well, lass, this is serendipitous.”

And she knew it wasn’t his fault, that it was the universe punishing her by throwing him in her path over and over when she had decided to never see him again, but she couldn’t help being angry. “That’s one word for it.”

He chuckled, his voice deep and rich. “Now is that any way to treat your new roommate?”

As she looked at his smug grin she thought about turning and walking away but that would mean sleeping in the bug or spending a fortune on a hotel room and tomorrow she would be right back to apartment hunting.

She sighed and stuck out her hand. “Emma Swan”

“Killian Jones” He shook her hand slowly his thumb rubbing against the back of it. She pulled away. His forehead crinkled and she wondered if he felt it too that weird jolt of electricity–the feeling of deja vu when they touched. But if he did he didn’t say anything he just turned aside and swept his arm out. “After you, milady.”

And it was a ridiculous thing to say but he somehow made it sound almost normal. When she walked by she noticed that his left hand wasn’t a hand at all but a prosthetic. She didn’t call attention to it but wondered again just what his story was.

The apartment looked even better than the pictures which annoyed Emma. As he gave her a quick tour she was careful not to look at him and focused on her surroundings instead. When they got to the bedroom that would be hers and he asked if she had any questions she finally turned to him.

He was leaning against the door frame smiling as he watched her and the only question she could think of was if he always looked so damn attractive. She frowned.

“It’s an apartment, not rocket science,” she replied.

He smirked. “Ms. Swan I think this is the start of something beautiful.” She gave him a sarcastic smile. He pushed himself off the doorframe as he dug into the pocket of his jeans. “Here is your key.”

Emma held out her hand and he dropped the key into her palm.

“I made enough dinner for two if you are interested in fish and chips.”

“Not hungry.”

He paused giving her a searching look before nodding and leaving the room.

Emma sank down on the bed–it was soft and she was pretty sure the sheets and duvet were new–and rubbed the key absently. She thought briefly again of just walking away but then chided herself. She was an adult and while Killian Jones was handsome and attractive there was no reason they needed to become involved just because they lived together. Plus she had a sneaking suspicion that if she walked away they would just end up meeting again. She gritted her teeth and then dug into her wallet for the rent money.

She set the cash on the table next to his food. “Three months as promised.”

He didn’t even glance at the money, just fixed her with a wide grin.

“I’m going to get my stuff.”

He half-rose. “Do you need a hand?”

“Is that a joke?” She said flatly and then felt cruel when she saw the way his smile tightened. “It’s just a few boxes.”

He shrugged. “If you insist.”

Emma appreciated him not pressing the issue or making a big deal about her lack of stuff. When she came back up with her boxes he was gone and she breathed a sigh of relief.

She didn’t see him the rest of the evening–probably because she didn’t leave her room until she was sure he was asleep in his–and the next morning she got up early so she could avoid him again. When she got home late that night there was a note and a plate of food in the microwave but no sign of her roommate and Emma didn’t check to see if he was in his room. She managed to almost entirely avoid him for a week before the early mornings and late nights caught up with her and she woke up with a headache and lungs full of congestion. She still tried to work but her brain was too foggy and halfway through the day she went back to the apartment. She ended up on the couch heavily medicated and watching The Office. Somewhere between Jim returning and the beach party she fell asleep.

When she awoke it was to the sound of someone in the kitchen. She laid there wondering if she could wait for him to leave and then slink off into her room but then she got a whiff of what he was cooking and her stomach grumbled. She let out a groan and sat up.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Killian said in a far too chipper tone.

She glared at him; with matted hair, runny nose, and couch cushion creases on her face she was anything but beautiful. He grinned back as he moved toward her with a steaming bowl.

“Is that?”

“Soup,” he finished as he offered the bowl. “I also made grilled cheese if you are interested.”

Emma felt her mouth water and she must have made a face because Killian’s smile grew as she took the bowl and wordlessly he went back to the kitchen for the sandwiches.

They ate in silence. Emma too hungry to be polite and Killian too polite to try and make small talk. She did keep darting glances to him and occasionally caught him studying her as if she was a math book and he was trying to work out her equations. When she finished she put her bowl on the table and looked at him. She felt suddenly awkward.

“Thank you. For the food.” And she hoped he understood that she meant not just the soup but all the meals she had found waiting for her each night.

He hummed and gave her a look that was familiar though she was positive she had never seen it before. It was mischievous as if he wanted to tease her but was holding back. And her sickness had definitely lowered her barriers because she found herself half-smiling at him.

“What?”

“Oh, I was just thinking about the many ways a person can show gratitude.” And his tongue darted to his lips in a way that spelled trouble. She rolled her eyes.

“Okay, buddy. While you do that I am going to bed.” She stood up and immediately regretted it. Her vision swam with black and she felt herself sway. Killian was suddenly before her his hand and prosthetic at her shoulders. She blinked and waited for the dizziness to clear and when it did she was confronted with Killian’s concerned blue-green eyes.

“I’m fine,” she muttered.

“You sure, love?”

She nodded and he moved back but when Emma took a step the dizziness rushed up and she swayed again. Strong arms came around her and before she could protest she was being lifted up. She was too disoriented to even protest as he carried her toward her room.

“Don’t worry, Swan. I tend to have this effect on women.” And despite feeling like a rung out dishtowel Emma smiled into his chest. He laid her gently down on her unmade bed and then disappeared only to return with a water bottle and some pills. “Now take these and get some sleep,” he said in a no-nonsense tone.

“Aye, aye Captain.”

He looked surprised for a moment and then nodded. “Right. I’ll be outside just call if you need anything.”

He walked out and closed the door quietly. Emma took her medicine and turned over in her bed, her heart swelling with something foreign. It felt nice to have someone take care of her. To be sick and but not alone was a new experience for her and instead of giving herself a lecture she gave a little smile and then drifted back to sleep.

The next morning there were eggs waiting for her and a note in a flowy script encouraging her to get better. That night Emma made dinner for the both of them and when Killian came home she didn’t run into her room but stayed and ate with him. The only indication that he noticed a change was the occasional arching of his eyebrow and the twitching of his lips from a suppressed smile. They talked and Emma was relieved to discover that Killian was both interesting and funny.

It turned out that he worked on a sailboat taking rich tourists out on the water or doing private cruises and had a wealth of stories to share. When Emma told him about her job he grinned.

“I knew you were a tough lass.”

She tried hard not to preen at his compliment. It was a nice change to have a guy impressed by her profession. After they finished eating he insisted on doing dishes and though Emma slipped back into her room immediately she didn’t set her alarm for an early wake-up.

After that Emma no longer tried to avoid Killian. They would get ready in the mornings on top of each other. Trading off shower time and brushing their teeth together became a habit. There were a few awkward moments– like when she forgot her robe and had to run to her room in nothing but a towel or when he came out of his room with his dress shirt unbuttoned and Emma spilled her milk in her distraction– but none of it made her want to go back to avoiding him. If they were both home at night, which happened more often than not, they would have dinner together and watch something on the TV. It became easy and familiar in a way Emma hadn’t thought possible and she wondered why she had resisted getting to know him in the first place.

Killian never asked questions about her past and it took Emma awhile to realize it was because he didn’t want to answer questions about his. And that was something they shared in addition to their sense of humor and taste in food. Killian continued to make the occasional innuendo but he never tried to push their relationship beyond a friendship and Emma was grateful that he wasn’t interested in over-complicating things. But there were times when she caught an expression or look in his eyes and she knew that if she gave him proper encouragement he would be very eager for some complications. But being friends was as far as Emma would allow herself to go and most days she was bewildered at her letting him in even that far. After two weeks she started to feel an impending sense of doom. There was no way her life could ever be this good.

Weeks went by and nothing happened. Killian didn’t get on her nerves or suddenly reveal himself to be an ax murderer. He was sensitive, funny and kind, and she found herself wanting to be around him and texting him during the day. Work was profitable and her skips easy to find. Life was practically perfect and Emma continued to distrust it. When would the other shoe drop?

She started to pick fights with Killian. She gave him a hard time about the volume of the television or leaving dishes out but he didn’t rise to the bait; just gave her a searching look or a sarcastic comment. She wanted him to push her away, to prove what she knew deep down was going to happen eventually, he would get bored with her, he would leave her. And when he didn’t she just got angrier. So she decided to leave instead.

She was in the middle of packing her clothes when he got home and started calling for her.

“Swan? I’m too tired to cook. I was thinking of ordering take–“ He paused in the doorway. “What’s going on?”

She refused to look at him. “I am moving to New York.” He didn’t respond. Her declaration hung between them as she continued to throw things in her box. His steps were heavy on the carpet as he moved behind her. He placed a hand on her arm but she shook it off.

“You can keep the rent money I won’t need it.” She ignored his proximity. There was another loaded pause.

“Don’t run away from me.” His voice was thick with emotion and she couldn’t stop herself from turning to look at him.

His eyes pierced her and struck at her already aching heart. “Emma, please stay. I know you are scared but give me a chance.”

Her heart hammered in her chest as she swayed toward him. “I can’t take the chance that I am wrong about you.”

“I would never hurt you, Emma.”

She looked into his eyes, so open and honest, and knew he was telling the truth. In that moment she knew he wouldn’t leave her or let her down like so many others had. On instinct, she closed the distance between them.

The kiss was intense, their lips sliding and tongues tangling, but also achingly familiar; as if she had kissed him before and somehow forgotten it. When she broke the kiss, Killian chased her lips and she smiled as he drew her back in. It was a perfect moment but in the back of her mind she felt a twinge of disquiet. She pulled away.

“This is wrong,” she murmured. Killian’s mouth twisted into a frown. “Not you,” she shook her head and stroked his cheek “It’s something else, something just not right. We aren’t supposed to be…” she trailed off.

“Emma I have no desire to pressure you. If you still want to go–“

“No.” She surprised herself with her vehemence. “It’s not that, not anymore. It’s just everything. My life is too good, it’s too easy. Does that, does that make any sense?” Emma was sure she sounded like a lunatic but then Killian’s forehead creased and he nodded.

“Aye.”

“Really?”

He scratched behind his ear. “It’s strange because I feel happy but I also feel as if I don’t deserve to be happy. As if I am not worthy of such a life.”

“Exactly! It’s like a happy ending in a fairytale but fairytales aren’t real.” Killian smirked. “What?”

“Oh nothing, love, but I do believe you just called me your happy ending.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I said.”

He hummed looking unconvinced and so she punched him which earned her another knee-weakening kiss.

This time when they broke apart she licked her lips and caught her breath before speaking.

“I’m serious Killian this just doesn’t seem real.”

And the moment she said it she felt a thrill of truth run up her spine. Startled she looked around the bedroom and suddenly felt that she was looking at a painting–an approximation of a room, not a real place.

“Well, you just had to go and ruin it.”

Emma jerked from Killian’s arms to turn and see a smug-faced, blonde, teenage, boy leaning against her doorframe.

“Bloody hell.”

“Who–“ Emma started to ask but before she could finish she knew the answer. “Pan”

The magic fell from her mind and she remembered. After they rescued Neal she had gotten separated from the group and wandered until she had run into Hook. Then Pan had shown up spouting nonsense about giving the Savior a happy ending.

“You know this magic has kept men occupied for years. Remember Starkey Hook? How he loved getting lost in my little paradise?”

“Starkey,” Killian said like it was a revelation.

Pan nodded. “But you Emma, you can’t even be distracted for one night with your happy ending even with your pirate along for the ride. Magic gave you a perfect little life and you still had to find fault in it. Guess you really are a little lost girl who can never believe that she will be happy even in her fantasy land.”

Something in Emma snapped and she rushed at Pan but as she did the room melted away and she found herself surrounded by a thicket of bushes.

“Damn it.” She kicked at the air wanting badly to hit something. She spun around to see Killian, back in his pirate clothes and lost in thought. She knew they should probably talk about the weird spell they had been under but she needed to get back to her parents and to save Henry. How long had they been under the spell? It had felt like months but Pan had said it had only been a night.

“Do you know how to get back to camp,” she asked abruptly.

Killian snapped from his thoughts and looked around. What he saw in the never-ending green Emma didn’t know but he nodded and began to move.

They walked in silence and while Emma was worried about her family she couldn’t help thinking about what had just happened and what Pan had said. Had the magic truly given her a happy ending or just a twisted version that Pan thought she would enjoy? It wasn’t that she hadn’t been happy it just hadn’t felt like true happiness. Maybe because real happiness needed to be earned? Killian was just ahead of her and she wanted to ask him what he thought but he didn’t seem interested in conversation. It was probably for the best since she was still trying to reconcile Captain Hook with the roommate she had been living with for months.

When they emerged into the camp everyone came running. Her mother and father asked where she had been while Regina’s eyes darted between her and Hook as if that was all the explanation she needed.

“Pan caught us in some magical trap,” Emma explained. “But…uh…we escaped.”

“How?” Regina asked infusing the word with more skepticism than Emma had thought possible for a single syllable.

“The demon underestimated Miss Swan. A failure in judgment I believe you share with him.”

Emma felt a swell a pride at Killian’s words.

Regina rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” And mercilessly the subject was dropped. Emma darted a glance at Hook intending to thank him but he was moving away and her mother was drawing her close.

“Neal went looking for you.” Mary-Margaret gave her a look that Emma pointedly ignored. She really didn’t have room in her head to deal with Neal or her mother’s not-so-subtle hints about him.

“Yeah well, looks like I didn’t need his help.” Emma winced at the bitterness of her tone. “Sorry. I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.”

Her parents nodded sympathetically.

“Of course Emma we understand,” Mary-Margaret said.

“Actually we should go get Regina to call Neal back with that magic walkie-talkie thing,” David said. He planted a kiss on her forehead and then pulled his wife away with him.

Emma sighed. Having parents was harder than she imagined as a kid. Maybe that’s why they weren’t part of her little fake reality? Too much complication? Or maybe Pan was right, maybe she was too broken to ever even consider loving parents or family a possibility in her life.

Lost in her thoughts she wandered over to the fire where Killian sat staring into the flames with his flask in hand. She stood looking at him for a long moment but he didn’t acknowledge her presence. The Killian she had shared an apartment with had been all smiles and innuendoes but Emma realized that had been part of the unreality–Killian wasn’t Killian without his brooding.

She sat down beside him but not close enough to touch.

“Killian, about what happened–“

“You needn’t worry, Swan. I won’t divulge your secret.”

“No. I’m not worried about that.” He turned to her with a raised eyebrow. “I want to understand how the magic worked. Did Pan create it or did I create it or was it a little of both of us?”

He gave a harsh chuckle. “Oh, I think it’s rather obvious it was Pan’s creation.”

“Why? Because Henry wasn’t there?”

“That and the addition of a certain devilishly handsome suitor are pretty big clues.” He gave her a mocking smile. “Pan overestimated my charms when it came to you, love. And in doing so gave his game away.” He tipped his flask toward her before taking a long pull.

Emma opened her mouth to contradict him and then closed it. The happy fantasy version of Emma had taken months and lots of serendipitous events–probably intervention by Pan now that she thought of it– before she had been able to let Killian in, what chance did regular, lost girl, Emma have? And yet she couldn’t let Killian think that she felt nothing for him, that the reason the fantasy had fallen apart was because she couldn’t, even under influence of magic, imagine being with him.

“I think it was a bit of me and a bit of Pan.”

Killian snorted and Emma could see he was determined to believe that she didn’t care. Stubbornly she continued.

“You and me that’s not what gave the magic away.”

“No?” He tossed her a carefully bored look. But she wasn’t fooled she could see the spark of hope behind his mask.

“Naw. It was the apartment. A place that size in central Boston, for that price? That’s the real fantasy.”

His laugh was short but genuine and the smile that lingered after told Emma that he understood, that he was willing to wait for her to figure herself out, just like he had in Boston. And as she stood and moved to her bedroll she wondered if maybe her and Killian being together wasn’t so much of a fantasy after all.

I told you I would somehow make it in Neverland! Hope you liked it! 

[tophateliquids]

The Vapes I Must Bring Along If the End of the World was Coming

  Last weekend I watched the hit sci-fi film from China, The Wandering World, which depicts how people around the world manage to save the Earth from being swallowed by the continually swelling Sun. The topic like such natural disaster is commonly seen on the screen. To my surprise, I noticed one thing that is different in this movie, the vape. It appears in the scene that an engineer, who joins the troop, and cuts the wires to save lives. Before taking action, he seems to smoke so that he can keep calm. Considering the background of the setting, it is my opinion that it would be impossible to produce real tobacco. Some audience deduce it is not real cigarette but a vape.

This familiar scene provokes my imagination on the possible tragic ending of the world: I tend to vape when I feel stressed, Armageddon would surely make me nervous. What if I was in the same situation as the characters are in the movie, which vapes do I want to puff for the last time?

Apparently, the planet won’t explode without any warning signs. In other words, the whole system of the Earth could operate as we are used to, the logistics may fall apart, and the communication at that time would be a great problem. I’m not a passive person or trying to cause unnecessary worries, but imagining and preparing for the worst future. Here are some devices that I have to bring with me until my last minute on this planet.

  Choose an AIO Device

I always crave for portable and light devices. An All-in-one (AIO) is ideal for me, especially when I need to visit my friends within the remaining time. The battery is normally built-in and chargeable via a USB port. What I need to do is simply squeeze E-juice into the tank.

Aspire Breeze 2 was the very first AIO kit that I possessed. I noticed it in a local cigarette shop, I thought it a lighter at the first sight. Stylish and simple, it caught my attention at once. I had heard of such compact and convenient vapes but never gave them a try. Breeze 2 has accompanied me for a long time, meeting friends who don’t smoke, struggling with the projects in the workplace or having a break between two intensive meetings. It can be hidden from the public as well as my family. Vape does not produce the toxic gas as the cigarettes do, according to the research, but my mom considers them as the same one.

    The 1000mAh battery of the Breeze 2 means I can use it all day along without charging it. The coil installation is easy, too: remove the drip tip and airflow component, then pull out the coil and replace with the new one. I can’t find easier ones in other series or brands. Plus, the different ohms coils (1.0 and 0.6) are included in the box, which provide more choices for vaping experience. Personally, I love the heavy cloud which offers me heavenly experience, the sub-ohm tank is more suitable for me.

When I was looking for the greater capacity, Nautilus AIO came into my sight. It is 4.5mL, which is slightly larger than Breeze 2’s 3.0mL, but still fits in my pocket. In addition, its BVC coil aroused my curiosity, which is built vertically and not like traditional horizontal ones. The flavor even tastes better! I have decided to try out all the new BVC coil since then.

    Match with Tanks

After vaping Nautius AlO, I started to pick my own tanks because of the BVC coil. As for doomsday, my last wish is to vape as much as I can. The vape device had better have greater taste and vapor but occupies less room. Only changing tanks on one mod is perfect because it gives me a feeling of minimalism and saves money at the same time.

The newly launched Nautilus 2S tank comes with a lower resistance of 0.4 ohm, which name indicates it contains a BVC. The airflow from five small holes to a wider slot allows me to personalize the vaporizer as I wish. Normally, I choose sub-ohm coils and wide slot for heavier clouds (I am not a cloud chaser but enjoy being surrounded by clouds). Filling e-juice from the top of the tank is super clean and simple due to childproof design. Although I do not have kids, but it also frees me from messing up my hand and table. What’s more, I have not been afraid of the possible leaking ever since!

    My best friend sent me a Tigon Tank as my birthday gift, though she barely knows about vaping, she heard that I am chasing the Aspire series. The tank inherits the advantages of Nautilus, such as child resistance and leak proof. The highlight I find is that the Tigon tank can still hold the e-liquid while changing the coil, because it has a spring loaded sleeve that can shut the wicking holes. I will definitely bring this cherished present from my friend with me.

    By looking through the Aspire official website, the features of Cleito 120 Pro tank and Nepho Tank illustrate they can satisfy my demand as well. On a tight budget, I can only choose one of them. It is a hard choice since both of them do good jobs in increasing flavor and vapor, as well as the rainbow finish! Finally, the Nepho Tank becomes my next tank due to its larger volume, 4mL. I am not saying the larger the volume, the better experience it will be, but the bigger capacity gives me a sense of safety, and some may think it is an unnecessary 1mL extra. It also fits well on any mods.

    In terms of the mod, my choice goes for the Aspire Tigon, the solid and ergonomic appearance can not only hold all tanks, but is comfortable in the hand. The stick-like shape can be put in handbag, purse or pocket. It won’t look trouble to be with me in the last days on the dying Earth.

  DIY Your Own E-juice

I don’t know the future or if an accident which comes first, a well-rounded preparation sounds wiser than nothing prepared. Less shops are likely to sell E-liquids since workers and shop owners may reunite with their families and wait for the last minutes of their lives. But I can still make the ‘juice’ with my favourite flavors, such as butter and toast.

The ingredients include VG, PG (which are used as base liquids), and Nicotine (if you like) and water-soluble flavor concentrates. The other required equipment are digital kitchen scales, pipettes, syringes, glass bottles and dropper caps, which are required to measure and hold the ingredients. The ratios of VG and PG depends on personal preference. If you like the strong throat hit, you may add more PG; if you chase the heavy clouds, you can mix with more VG instead. More detailed information about DIY E-liquid you can find on the vaping communities and Youtube.

I slide into my bed after wondering a long time, the Blues from my neighbor and the moonlight outside the window suggest everything goes smoothly, tonight is far away from doomsday.

  This article was written in English and submitted by a Chinese national, living in China. It was not translated. Aspire customers enjoy our products all over the world! They all Aspire to be!

The Vapes I Must Bring Along If the End of the World was Coming was originally posted by E-Sigaret Nieuws

[captain-spookycandycollecti-blog]

Tuve un choque que tan bien volvera a quedar mi auto?

"Tuve un choque que tan bien volvera a quedar mi auto?

Que tal amigos soy de Mex. DF y el pasado viernes 29 de Agosto tuve un choque, mi auto es un Honda Accord Coupe 2012... exactamente me golpearon en la llanta trasera de lado del conductor, esto hizo que le salieran las bolsas de aire laterales, de cortina y provocando que toda la llanta quedara chueca, la carroceria en el area del salpicadero realmente no quedo muy afectada, afortunadamente? el seguro mando mi auto a la agencia Honda y no a un tallercito de esos que luego ni hacen las cosas bien

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Aside from the credit card companies, how can you insure a rental car in Ontario. Is it possible to purchase car insurance if you don't own a car?""

Whats the best health insurance for a pregnant mother?

best health insurance thats practically freee......

Health Insurance?

anybody got any good advice am looking for health insurance my husband retires soon and we will need to get our own Health insurance. looked at blue cross and health partners but it so expensive anyone no anyone more affordable ty for any info.

Cheap auto insurance in miami?

Does anyone know of a cheap auto insurance company in miami? i am 20 years old and i have gotten quotes from Esurance, geico, and progressive. the cheapest was Geico and it was $278 a month for the Basic coverage. I own my car and it is a 2003 Hyundai Tiburon""

What will insurance on this car cost for me monthly?

Hi, I'm going for my G2 end test today, so hopefully I pass and get my G. Here's a bit of information you should know in order to answer this question assuming I have my G license: - I'm 23 - Male - I live in Ontario - I got a DUI in December 2008 as a G2 driver, however it wasn't a criminal offense since I only blew .02 (one drink) - I plan on putting the insurance on a 2004 Hyundai Accent, still in excellent condition - I will be a secondary driver on this car, my girlfriend being the primary I think that's all you need to know, If I missed anything that might help, ask, and I'll edit this question! - Thanks!""

How much a motor scooter cost in Australia?

How much a motor scooter for a girl (going to c cost in Australia? How much it cost for registration and insurance? What are other costs incured ?

Low Cost Affordable Individual Hmo Health Insurance Question:?

Are there any easy to access resource for low cost affordable individual hmo health insurance? I've looked a little, but found nothing. Any tips, or ideas? low cost affordable individual hmo health insurance sites? Anything you can share would be cool. Thanks""

Car Insurance Price..........?

I have a question on Car Insurance price.. In the state of Virginia If I get my license at 16, and not drive till I'm 18, meaning I let my license sit, is my insurance going to be cheaper when I turn 18? So basically, is my insurance going to be cheaper if I get my license at 16, than 18?""

Can i put my 20 year old daughter on my health insurance?

MY 20 year old daughter doesn't live at home but needs health insurance can I add to my health insurance

Speeding ticket in california with no inssurance?

My friend jst bought a car from sacramento and i was driving it since it was manual he was jst learning and i was speeding in the freeway on a 70 went 86 and i got pulled over .. with no insurance since we were going to transfer hes old insurance in hes old car to this new one toyota xrs 06... how much will it cost me for the ticket and the no insurance please help me i have no idea what to do ?

What is a good cheap dual sport motorcycle for starters?

im looking for a dual sport motorcycle 250cc. i need something that is cheap and easy to learn on, good on insurance (yes a dream bike) im turning 16 in august and cant wait to get my first bike. im partialy getting a dual sport because they are easy to learn on but because i live in canada and if im going to have a bik im not letting it sit in the garage for 6-7 months of the year. also if there are any good suggestions for good cheap gear (gloves helmet and jacket) im 16 5 ft 11 and about 180 lbs. im not looking for an extreme bike just something that can handle a some rain and snow and get me from home to school and work. for the bike i am not willing to go over $4000. right now i am considering yamaha xt250, suzuki dr200se (does anyone know if they make a 250? i couldnt seem to find one) yes i fully understand the dangers of riding thats why im only looking at 250cc cuz i dont plan on using highway but i still need a bike i can use for the test which has a highway portion. and are there any suggestions for good motorcycle schools? right now it seems the closest one is at durham college ( i live in pickering ontario)""

Is my car legal to drive in California?

I bought a '79 El Camino in Oregon this past summer. They don't have any smog laws there, but in California they do. It hasn't passed a smog test because it needs a catalytic converter, and I can't afford that now. The tags don't expire until March, the car is registered to me, and I have insurance. And it still has the Oregon plates.""

What are a few cars that are cheap to insure and cheap to run for a 17 year old?

Wanting to know 4 or 5 cars that you think are ideal for a 17 year to insure and be able to run?

Tuve un choque que tan bien volvera a quedar mi auto?

Que tal amigos soy de Mex. DF y el pasado viernes 29 de Agosto tuve un choque, mi auto es un Honda Accord Coupe 2012... exactamente me golpearon en la llanta trasera de lado del conductor, esto hizo que le salieran las bolsas de aire laterales, de cortina y provocando que toda la llanta quedara chueca, la carroceria en el area del salpicadero realmente no quedo muy afectada, afortunadamente? el seguro mando mi auto a la agencia Honda y no a un tallercito de esos que luego ni hacen las cosas bien

Car insurance on parent's insurance??? NCB?

I have no idea when it comes to insurance but basically if i get on my parent's insurance...can i still mount up 2 years no claims... or does it not count so that when i get my own insurance it's like starting from scratch?

What are some affordable cars for an 18 year old to own that is 5 years old or newer?

When I say own, I mean that the individual is paying for gas, maintenance, and insurance.""

Seriously...How do you really understand your car insurance coverage?

It's certain things that the company doesn't make very known about how much is paid if an accident occurs. Can someone help me? I recently purchased a policy with Geico. 500 deductible on comp and colli. Still owe 14,500 on car and it's only worth 10,000 per blue book. My goodness. This world is not fair. Father save us. So many people out to get over on consumers.""

UK. Do you need insurance to learn to drive with your parents car?

i have my provisional Is the insurance expensive?

How much would insurance cost for this motorcycle?

Hey guys I know you can't give me a direct quote or anything like that, but if you had to guess or anybody who you knew had one it would be pretty cool. Im 17 now turning 18, I have my own insurance and I've been driving for a year without an incident so my rates are about to go down. Its a 2013 r1, what would the price range be per month?""

Best ways to lower the car insurance for a 17 year old male?

Hiya. :) And yeah, this is a lovely situation, lol. :P I'm aware that no matter how I look at this, the price is going to be a punch to the head. But I'm in need of a car ...show more""

Why is my insurance qoutes so high!?

hey all, I am a 17 year old male, live in cumbria. i realise this is a c rated insurance post code, i understand that. what i do not understand is why when i put in qoutes for the exact same car, exact same details all bar the name, my insurance skyrockets. i get qoutes of 3200 on a corsa 1.0 and the like (small, 1.2 or less cars) whereas friends, even 1 of which lives 5 doors away from me, get qoutes of about 2400. why is this? i understand the post code part, but the thing is all my friends being qouted live in the same area, in the same town, same estate in fact, our first four letters of our postcodes are the same, i thought this was what determined the post code factor. im currently a student, ive put down i have held my license for 4 months, i am the registered owner and keeper of the car, i am the policy holder, even added a parent with 30+ years experience on (which by the way only saved me 100) and i got 3200. my friend on the same street got 2400. why is this? also, can anyone recommend a cheap insurance company, as a young driver? eg. under 19 really, because i know car insurance has almost doubled in like 3 years. no wonder people are illegaly driving with this daylight robbery scam called insurance. thanks""

What insurances offer cheaper policies?

I'm looking into some automobile insurance. I would like to know about some affordable insurances. Thank you for your help. Have a great day!

What can I do about my car insurance?

My son wrecked my 2007 Dodge Ram1500 6/23/09. My mother offered to apply the truck to her insuance for lower rates. I ask the agent for full coverage because it had a lien on it with collion, now the insurance won't pay because they saud I have libility w/no collion, I'm sick, so it's a battle what can I do, please help""

Insurance Quote on WRX for 19 Year Old?

Hi im just curious if anyone out there could tell me what im probably going to be paying for a 2009 Subaru WRX. Im 19, male, and in my second year of college no tickets only one accident which WASNT my fault. Progressive wants to charge me $466 a MONTH. car would be payed off after 1 month and i live at home with parents HELP ME!""

How to get cheaper car insurance?

im 17 and just passed my driving test, Ive got a 1.4l Peugeot 106 but I can't find car insurance any cheaper than about 3500 no matter where I look! I've spent hours looking online but it's all too expensive. Anyone know any cheaper insurance companies or have any tips??""

Where can I get affordable liability insurance for small moving company?

I am looking to start a moving business and I need to find reliable and affordable liability insurance.

Car Insurance Question?

I'm a 16 year old girl with a car, and I wanted to know how much my car insurance price will range in. I'll be driving a white sedan (say a Corolla/Mazda 3, 2005-2007). How much will be my car insurance?""

Cheapest insurance company for young drivers?

Just wondering what the cheapest place for a young driver to get insurered is from people's experience, thank you""

Where can I find cheap insurance at 17 years old with car modifications...?

Hi, i'm about to turn 17, will have a year 2000 renault clio, and would like to know where the cheapest place for car insurance is. The only modifications I want is new back light covers and a CD player. Directline do not insure 17 year olds with modifications. Not even with a different CD player... Thanks""

Does full coverage insurance replace your car if totaled?

How much do insurance companies pay you on a vehicle if it is totaled? how much it is worth or how much you paid for it

Why is my car insurance so high?

Im 17. Have a Peugeot 306 and im paying 533 on a provisional license.. however i have my test in 4 days and expect to pass.. my insurance will increase to over 2500.. My car is 1.4L on a P reg (1997) and im currently with Quinn Direct, my friends of the same age with similar cars are being quoted 900 to 1500.. why is mine so high!?!""

Is it a smart Idea to get a Life Insurance at the age of 21?

Is it a smart Idea to get a Life Insurance at the age of 21?

Sports car vs. compact SUV insurance?

I currently have a 2007 Pontiac G5, classified as sports car according to my insurance broker and pay quite a bit because I am young. I'm considering buy a 2008 compact SUV Kia Sportage, would insurance be higher or stay about the same?""

Insurance companies (health insurance)....need help?

hello, anyone know anything about insurance companies? meaning how do they make their money? to to setup? for example a health insurance company.... what does it exactly do? how hard is it to setup? tried searching the net on how to setup a health insurance company, no help...thanks""

I want to buy a car insurance by different address?

i want to buy a car insurance by different address which where i lived now. is that getting a problem ?

Need health insurance coverage for pregnancy?

I am currently pregnant with my first child and my fiance and I are both self-employed. We are looking for a new insurance policy the covers maternity care. The one we have now does not cover maternity and the hospital bills for the delivery seem to be quite high. Does anyone know of any companies that offer coverage?

I don't have dental insurance.?

I don't have dental insurance and I haven't been to the dentist in years. Anyone know of any good dental discounts or insurance. I really want to go and get a cleaning and check up. I think i'll need some work done considering my jaw hurts and the gap in my teeth seems to be getting wider. Anyone else not have dental insurance? Thanks for the help

What would my Car Insurance Rates be?

Im 17, male, and I'm wondering what car insurance rates would be for me. What would they be for a 2008/2009 Honda civic, simplest version? What would they be if it was the same car but a few years older? Same questions for a Toyota corolla. I have done drivers education, which should help lower the rates.""

I need liability insurance?

I'm 20 years old almost 21 and I've had a permit for a year next month on the 14th. I want to get a driver's license asap. I know I need liability insurance in order to get it but how do I do that if I can't get insurance without a license? Everytime I call the dmv they say I have to go in person to have my question answered only problem with that is I live 20 miles from the nearest one and no way to get there in the day time. Someone please help!

Tuve un choque que tan bien volvera a quedar mi auto?

Que tal amigos soy de Mex. DF y el pasado viernes 29 de Agosto tuve un choque, mi auto es un Honda Accord Coupe 2012... exactamente me golpearon en la llanta trasera de lado del conductor, esto hizo que le salieran las bolsas de aire laterales, de cortina y provocando que toda la llanta quedara chueca, la carroceria en el area del salpicadero realmente no quedo muy afectada, afortunadamente? el seguro mando mi auto a la agencia Honda y no a un tallercito de esos que luego ni hacen las cosas bien

What would my Allstate car insurance be? If i buy a sports car..?

I'm 19 years old and never had an accident record or traffic record before; I'm currently a member of Allstate insurance company under my dad's insurance. I have a 2005 Honda Accord EX and paying $2400 a year... is that alot?? IF! i sell my car and get myself a 2003-2004 G35 coupe, how much would my car insurance be??""

""Is anyone with Endsleigh for their car insurance, and has done pass plus?""

How much did you save? I am 18 and am about to buy my first car after using my mums. I did pass plus but on confused.com quote it doesn't ask if i have it. Well anyway, endsleigh is the cheapest quote but i was wondering how much i will save when they know i have pass plus?""

Should i get life insurance or not?

i know the end is near for me and i think it would be good for me to get life insurance ive destroyed myself and my own life i think it would be appropriate for me to get life insurance so the funeral could at least be covered thanks 10 points

What is the estimated price of being added onto a parents car insurance?

i am 16 sorting out the finances of my future car and have noticed the unreal car insurance price for a little car such as a nissan almera and am thinking of going onto my parents car insurance.

How can I get the lowest car insurance payment?

I am 25. I want to buy a cheap car with one way insurance. thanks a lot

Why are the insurance rates high on a Ford Mustang?

Why are the insurance rates high on a Ford Mustang?

What happen if I don't pay my car insurance?

I woul like to switch to another company that's going be cheaper, but I was wondering can I just not pay my old car insurance and start laying my new car insurance company, or do I need to finish with all the months that they gave me the insurance card for (it was for 6 months, 3 months left).""

Can a 17 year old purchase health insurance?

I am seventeen years old and i no longer live with my parents(with their permission), and they do not have health insurance. I have terrible eyesight and am on my last pair of contact lenses that are not in very good shape themselves.I have a job but it would take a long time for me to save up enough money to take care of all of the costs included in getting my contacts. I need to know if i can purchase health insurance or if i am eligible for any type of coverage?""

Where do I look for health insurance for my family?

Can i call insurance agents and get quotes from them for free? my husband is self employed do they have any health insurance specifically for that?

Buying a new car on pay monthly + insurance ?

Hello, I am 17 years old. If I were to buy a new car on pay monthly (e.g Ford Fiesta/Fiat 500 at 150 per month) then does this include road tax and insurance? If not, then what would it cost me in terms of insurance (I live in london, and will keep my car in a locked garage)""

""What can i do? i am a 20yr old male, living in southern california with no job or insurance?""

i went to the hospital a couple days ago for chest pain, ended up being fine. i got the bill today for 15,000 dollars. like i said i have no insurance or job and currently living with a friend. i do side jobs to pay a little rent and for food. do i qualify for medi cal or CSM? i move from friend to friends house. parents live back in Illinois i have only a brother that lives out here. is their anything i can do to get this bill to go away? i also have no car or own anything of significant value.. no bank accounts.""

""Going to LA for week, how much does it cost to rent a car?""

I don't want anything too fancy but nothing crap if you know what I mean....just a decent car that will do me for a week. I know insurance will be a killer especially as I am under 25, but my boyfriend is 27 so if we put it in his name will it make it any cheaper? Oh and if anyone knows a good company to rent from, please let me know.....will it be best to go straight to the rental place that's in the airport? Thanks!""

How much is auto insurance in China for an American?

I'm studying in China for about 18 months. I want to buy a car there and drive it. I've already figured out the licensing stuff, no big deal, but how much/how do I get car insurance in China?""

""Can someone advise car insurance, selling car?""

I am due to sell my car soon, which I will be advertising but obviously as I need to keep it on the road whilst advertising I need to insure it. I have received an annual quote from my usual insurance company however do not want to pay for a whole year as this would not make sense should I see the car in a couple of months etc. Would it be possible to pay monthly via my insurance company and reduce the added extras such as a hire car and legal expenses etc seeing as the car won't be in use? And does anyone know if I can cancel the policy straight away once the car is sold and I have confirmation I am no longer the registered keeper? I have never sold a car before so am a little in the dark so far as insurance goes on a car you are not really using. Thanks""

Car insurance- how do I do it.....?

I am looking for a car to buy but I want to know how much it will cost beore I decide on a car. Is there a way of finding this out without actually having the car yet? I have tried guessing but the search cant find the model or registration year and then it asks for the name that the vehicle is registered to. I am looking at a Nissan Figaro 1.0 automatic, Smart car automatic, peugeot 206 automatic or Mazda 2 (automatic) can anyone help me?""

Best way to insure multiple cars?

I have six cars that need to have at least liability insurance. Some of these cars I drive very seldom and it is a pain to have to pay for individual insurance on each car when I can only drive one at a time. Is there any way I can get a blanket liability policy that would cover me no matter which car I drive? It seems silly to have to insure the car rather than the driver.

Car insurance definitions?

in car insurance, what are the definitions of: Policy Premium Deductible""

Does car insurance depend on how much miles you drive?

will my car insurance be cheaper if i chose less miles on my insurance quote and how does the insurance company know how much miles i drive

Heallth insurance for the self employed?

I need dental and health insurance for an affordable price. I am unmarried.... what can I do? who offers it? how much will it cost?

""On average what would cost more, Universal Health care or Insurance premiums?

per person which would cost more?

Would insurance on a 1992 lexus sc 300 be expensive? im 18 year old in riverside california?

yes i recently just got my license and im only 18 in riverside california

Where do I find health insurance for low income families?

My children are on state funded health insurance, but my husband and I are uninsured. He is a full-time student and I work 2 part-time jobs. Neither of my jobs offer me health insurance because the companies are small. I've looked into student health insurance, but it's REALLY expensive. Doesn't Obamacare allow for insurance options for low-income families? Or do we have to wait until he graduates and gets a job to be able to get health insurance???""

What is the average car insurance rate for a teenager?

I am currently under my mom's insurance. I don't know what she has, but she said after I get my license I need to give her $1200 up front for my part of the insurance. Is there anything cheaper I can get on my own? JSYK: I am a 17 year old about to get a license in 10 days. I have a 3.8 GPA and got over a 90 on the written portion to get my permit. I live in New Jersey, and I am a female. I currently have about $1,100 saved from working the passed few months but I need some of it for band camp and I am paying for my car. My parents won't put anything forth to help me with the payments.""

Health insurance??..?

I need it. going to pay out-of-pocket. 40 year old non smoking female, healthy. Any tips? Anything I should know? I've never shopped for health insurance, have no idea what I'm doing.""

Where can I find Affordable Health Insurance in Florida?

Where can I find Affordable Health Insurance in Florida?

Tuve un choque que tan bien volvera a quedar mi auto?

Que tal amigos soy de Mex. DF y el pasado viernes 29 de Agosto tuve un choque, mi auto es un Honda Accord Coupe 2012... exactamente me golpearon en la llanta trasera de lado del conductor, esto hizo que le salieran las bolsas de aire laterales, de cortina y provocando que toda la llanta quedara chueca, la carroceria en el area del salpicadero realmente no quedo muy afectada, afortunadamente? el seguro mando mi auto a la agencia Honda y no a un tallercito de esos que luego ni hacen las cosas bien

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-much-would-my-little-sisters-car-insurance-william-sampson/"

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) published first on http://ift.tt/2qxZz2j

[chocdono]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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from mix1 http://ift.tt/2tzAaXj via with this info

[sherlocklexa]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

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[petraself]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

!function(d,s,id){ var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https'; if(!d.getElementById(id)) { e = d.createElement(s); e.id = id; e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js'; d.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') { window.__stp.init(); } }(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) published first on http://ift.tt/1kI9W8s

[darensmurray]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

!function(d,s,id){ var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https'; if(!d.getElementById(id)) { e = d.createElement(s); e.id = id; e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js'; d.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') { window.__stp.init(); } }(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+

[bespokekitchesldn]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

!function(d,s,id){ var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https'; if(!d.getElementById(id)) { e = d.createElement(s); e.id = id; e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js'; d.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') { window.__stp.init(); } }(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+

from The Ugly Duckling House https://www.uglyducklinghouse.com/finding-the-perfect-gray-sectional-and-tips-on-haggling-furniture-prices/

[garagedoorsbrighton]

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

!function(d,s,id){ var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https'; if(!d.getElementById(id)) { e = d.createElement(s); e.id = id; e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js'; d.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') { window.__stp.init(); } }(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

!function(d,s,id){ var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https'; if(!d.getElementById(id)) { e = d.createElement(s); e.id = id; e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js'; d.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') { window.__stp.init(); } }(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+

Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) published first on http://ift.tt/2qxZz2j

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Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices)

There comes a time in every renovator’s story where they start to look around and realize, holy cow… my house is really starting to look like a home. After more than seven years of getting my hands (and feet) very, very dirty, I am getting more of an opportunity to sit back and actually enjoy this space I’ve worked so hard at. This doesn’t mean that my house has reached completion (and in truth, probably never will), but there are times when I sit down and drink my morning coffee and instead of thinking about how I need to finish sanding that last coat of joint compound on the walls, I look around and think: how the heck have I managed to have this small of a couch in the living room?

The answer, of course, is that it’s mostly just been me and Charlie in this house for more than half a decade. And even though I don’t exactly encourage her to sit on the couch with me, there has always been just enough room for the two of us. Plus, sitting down as a renovator isn’t a thing you get to do, uninterrupted, for very long either.  So as far as priorities go, this wasn’t one of them. It didn’t seem to bother the furball, either.

But over time, that changed a little. I have more time for cooking myself a meal in my renovated kitchen, running a load of laundry… normal homeowner things. That’s how I found myself getting rid of the things I’ve owned since I lived in an apartment (in 2009!), like my old coffee and side tables. And how I finally bought a rug the right size for the room. Recently, there have been two more bodies added to the mix, which left us with a very crowded — and hilarious — Sunday morning routine.

Sunday morning should be about sitting around in pjs and drinking coffee before getting ready. Charlie wasn’t having it. These photos were not flattering. But they are funny.

Lately, I’ve been trying to save up for some things that have long been planned for, but I haven’t had the resources to do yet. Among those are things like an actual vacation (when you’re self-employed, “getting away” is more like working with nicer scenery nearby, so I’m trying to plan a little better this time), the master bathroom renovation, and some exterior upgrades. And one more thing: my new living room sectional!

wooooooo hooooo!!!

Charlie’s all: meh.

My living room now has seating for more than one person and her shouldn’t-be-allowed-on-the-couch pup! I gave a sneak peek on IG Stories not long ago, but we’ve had just over a week to get used to it (still moving furniture around and getting everything arranged… thus the lack of styled room shots).

I got it from a local supplier called Exclusive Furnishings (for those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I’m sorry but I couldn’t find a website! Please reach out to me if you need the address.). Of course, Charlie immediately made herself comfortable and has established ownership on the side that also lets her monitor things out of the front windows:

sigh… she’s already got that pillow covered in dog hair

Now there are no more longing looks from her when two people and one 10-lb dog are sitting snugly with no room left.

This also solves a somewhat awkward crowding issue I had for my birthday this year when there was nowhere else for my friends to sit together except the dining room. I swear I’m an adult.

But now, I have a very beautiful gray sectional and not a beige couch from my old apartment days that clashes with every other piece of furniture. I haven’t sold it yet on Craigslist though, so it’s taking up space in my dining room as if I’ve got theater seating:

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy being able to sit down without fighting for space in my own house. It was a big purchase and I spent a long time looking for the right piece, but it wound up being harder to find something comfortable (something I could nap on) versus something I could both afford and fit into the room. Plus, I did something a little fun: I haggled my way into saving more than $300 off the original cost! I learned some good tips from my negotiating class back in grad school, and they came in handy once again:

Tips on Haggling for Discount Furniture

1. Do your research

We all knew that as a person who studies reviews like they’re gospel, I was going to give you this advice first! But I firmly believe that no arsenal is better than a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I like to look at reviews of stores on Yelp or Google to see if the place is known for negotiating prices. I also get a sense of how much they’re willing to come down on those prices from those same reviews, how nice their service is, and what is or is not expected to be included, such as delivery (more on delivery specifically below), how much follow up is required if you place an order (more on that, too).

It will also teach you some surprising details. For instance, did you know that some big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes will bargain? I have a post about my own experience on that here.

2. Set your budget and stick to it.

Once you’ve done some research online, you’ll have an idea of how much “cheap” furniture pieces are going for as well as what the luxury brands are charging. Some things are just immediately apparent, such as trends in colors and which ones are going for more (just on color or fabric alone, some pieces will be more expensive due to demand… which is usually an easy place to start negotiating by asking for the same price). In my case, I knew that I wanted a sectional and set my budget to try to find a sectional for less than $1,000, ideally for around $800-900 — difficult, but not impossible.

3. Get comfortable asking for a better deal.

Ask! Ask! Ask! Plenty of people willing to negotiate on price aren’t going to just tell you they are (some will start right away depending on the industry, some won’t). You will often only know once you ask. It will feel embarrassing at first, but it will start to feel less forced with a little practice. In certain industries (like discount furniture), it’s anticipated. Consider too your approach: instead of asking “Can I get a discount?” which may come off haughty, ask “Is this the best price I can get on this?” or “Would you take X?” Or, suggest what your budget is and ask if they can help you meet it. This is definitely a catch more flies with honey than vinegar situation. Talk to the other person as respectfully as you can and listen to their justifications if they give them (because sometimes acknowledging that you’ve heard them is part of it) — not as an opponent.

4. Be prepared to justify your reasoning and be ready to walk away.

If you know that company X is selling a competitively-priced item, if you found a flaw, or if you know that the couch comes in another color or finish at a different price, etc., you can use that to justify why you think your offer is fair instead of sounding like you plucked it out of thin air. Grabbing onto actual reasons makes your offer sound a little more fortified, even if it’s a minor detail from your perspective for why you want it (you can still suggest it’s something you’re willing to take off of the seller’s hands despite its imperfections, right?).

Be prepared to let your own physical presence — or lack thereof — do part of your negotiating, too. Walking you to a different part of the store (such as to the sales desk), involving a manager (“passing the buck”), or other actions are well-known tactics that sellers might use to make you feel like you’re less in control. You can use that same tactic for your own advantage and start walking toward the door. Many times they’ll start throwing out numbers after two or three steps.

5. After asking for what you want, keep quiet and observe.

Silence is a very powerful bargaining tool. Nervous chatter or talking like you think you’re slick (from you or the seller) is easy to pick up on. When you go mum, sellers will sometimes try to fill that void with details or puff up their pitch (perhaps assuming it will interrupt your objections). If they interpret your silence for unhappiness, they might repackage their offer while including something else thrown in, such as free delivery or $100 off. If they repackage it more than once, you will be able to take a mental tally of the kinds of things they’re willing to throw in for free, and can even ask for all of those things ($100 off AND free delivery, for example) as part of agreeing to buy.

6. Be willing to wait or to pick up yourself.

Smaller furniture stores have limited inventory. Some have to place an order for every piece they sell on their floor, while some have stock right in the back and you’re looking at the floor model. You can use either angle, such as buying the floor model for a discount (since technically it’s used with who knows how many people have already put their gross butts on it) or offering to wait 4-6 weeks for the order to come in and asking for a discount because of the wait time. And if you have a truck (or a handsome bearded dude with a truck, coughcough), offer to pick up directly and nix the delivery cost. This isn’t necessarily bargaining advice, but a protect-your-investment advice: third party delivery companies can be kind of shady — refusing to take back the item if it’s damaged, refusing to take it back if it’s the wrong item, etc. The dispute can lead to some really happy customers (especially on reviews! remember that when looking at them), so keep it in mind.

7. Offer cash.

Cash still rules in terms of lacking transaction fees, netting a little bit more to the seller’s bottom line. It’s enough of a bargaining chip to ask for, but I don’t recommend this if you’re at all worried about the store delivering on their word (such as if you have to make a special order and it won’t be available for pickup for weeks, if it’s not a chain, if all sales are final and you get the used-car vibe, etc.). Take pictures of your receipts and call them frequently!

My own haggling story

Just because I find these things useful as a real-world example, I’ll offer my own. I live in a part of town that has lots of outlets, discount suppliers, and fabricators not too far away, so friends and family will often try to come up this way when they want to find showrooms or get an idea on their next room renovation cost. Back in June, I went out with my mom and sister to do some shopping, not really thinking that I would actually have a new sectional purchased by the end of the day, but I’d already done a lot of research (so I was interested, but in no rush… ready to walk away). When we got done with our errands, I went to a few more stores by myself and used the same explanation with each one: told them exactly what I was looking for and what my budget was (medium gray sectional, $800-900). With nothing yet promising, I finally walked into what I expected to be my second-to-last or third-to-last furniture store of the day, and immediately saw a sectional I liked:

I dislike everything else in this room.

It was comfy. It wasn’t too dark or too light (Charlie’s fur! Stella’s fur!). It wasn’t microfiber (to each their own but I’m not a fan). The cushions were washable. I wanted it. But the tag said that it was originally $2200 and now discounted at $1100 (50% off). It would be easy to assume that this was as low as they would go. Or, perhaps, the $2200 was totally made up and $1100 was their normal asking price meant to psychologically make me think I was already getting a bargain (given that everything in the store had a discount tag, that’s a likely scenario).

Immediately after sitting down, I was approached by a salesman who I told the same details: I wanted a gray sectional but my budget was $800-900. He shook his head while showing me a different gray sectional that was cheaper but so uncomfortable that I immediately got right back up. I thanked him and asked if he had anything similar to the first sectional (the one I wanted) in my price range. He insisted no, but showed me a gray sofa (which was also no, because I wanted something with more seating). He kept talking (very fast) and lowered the price on the first piece I looked at to $1000. I again thanked him but said if he couldn’t meet my budget, I’d have to just keep looking; I didn’t mind and wasn’t in a rush (casually, not sternly). I took a few steps to the door before he said “hold on” and walked over to his manager. He told him I wanted the sectional, but my budget was $800 (silently making a note that since he said $800, $900 was now not something I would bring up again). The manager shook his head and then took me back over to the first sectional, lifted up the cushions and made a big, elaborate explanation for its quality; I silently smiled and shook my head in agreement acknowledging that yes, I understood it was well-made. But I repeated that I wasn’t in a hurry so no big deal, I would just keep looking until I found one that fit my budget, thank you, as I walked toward the exit again.

Then he offered: if I was willing to wait for a new one to come in, he’d let me have the new one (not the floor model) for $800 due to the wait time to get it in. Sold. But since this wasn’t a chain and I didn’t know much about past customers, I made copies of the receipt, took pictures of the item with my phone (so that I could easily say if the fabric order was wrong), etc. I paid with my card just for the sake of disputing the charge if there was an issue (I was just super paranoid since I was getting that this-could-be-a-ripoff vibe). And while it took a little longer to get it to arrive than estimated (it was supposed to be 4 weeks, but there was also the 4th of July holiday), I picked up my new sectional and it’s absolutely perfect! Including taxes, I saved a total of $318 off the sticker price, and substantially more if their original price was at all truthful (doubtful, but my $800 sectional is plenty of a bargain for me anyway).

I’ll have more photos of the rearranged living room soon, but I am still really happy with the result! It fits around the new DIY coffee table nicely (okay, truth be told, I planned for that) and everyone seems pretty content with the pick.

The view’s a little nicer, that’s for sure.

I know finding this one locally doesn’t help those of you who are looking but not in the Atlanta area, so I’ve picked out some options below for you too! Just scroll through the links below (FYI, if you were to purchase one of them, I get a small cut as an affiliate but it won’t increase your purchase price… thanks for supporting this site!).

Online Picks for Gray Sectionals

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Have you made any furniture purchases lately? Have any of your own bargaining tips that you found especially effective?

The post Finding the Perfect Gray Sectional (and Tips on Haggling Furniture Prices) appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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