Your home is your sanctuary. It’s the place you come home to everyday after work. It’s the last thing you see before you fall asleep, and the first thing you see when you awake. Considering how much of our lives are spent at home, it’s important to have an environment that we enjoy; comfortable, practical, and aesthetically pleasing. Unfortunately interior design isn’t always cheap. Here are five ways you can save money doing it

1. Rejuvenate With New Colors of Paint

You can swing by Home Depot (or any hardware store) and pick up a gallon of paint for under twenty dollars, so there’s really no excuse not to paint. This is especially true for smaller spaces, like apartments. It won’t cost you much to paint them, so why not give it whirl? Transform your dull, standard white walls, to a warm “Shitake Mushroom” or cool “Nantucket Fog” and the difference will astound you!

2. Buy From Costco and Sam’s Club

Many people forget that the warehouse clubs also sell a number of interior design products. For example, Sams Club sells housewares, furniture, and even live plants! If you pay for it with your Sams Club Discover credit card, you’ll save even more with the cash back rewards.

3. Check Estate Auctions

One of the cheapest places to snatch up affordable furniture and decorative items are at local estate auctions. First of all, the quality is generally way better than what you can buy new, since the items for sale are usually decades old. Secondly, the prices are usually way lower than anywhere else. This is especially true for the ones that take place in rural areas.

4. Cash Out Your Credit Card Rewards

Perhaps you have some cash back or rewards accumulated on your card… why not cash them out? For example, Discover credit cards (like the Discover Open Road) will let you redeem your rewards for gift cards. To sweeten the pot, they will even give you up to double the amount when you opt for gift cards instead of cash. But regardless of your card issuer, why not cash out those points for a Sams Club or Home Depot gift card you can use to pay for your new design?

5. Ask Friends & Relatives For Old Items

As the old saying goes, one man’s junk is another’s treasure. This is especially true when it comes to interior design. Many people have loads of great stuff stashed away in their basement, simply because it doesn’t match their current style. Or they may not be using it because there is a blemish (i.e. a table that needs new varnish). Check with your friends, family, and neighbors to see if they have anything you might be interested in. They will probably give it to you for free, for trade, or at a very reasonable price.