If you're upgrading your kitchen, you probably already know that the cost of new cabinets can consume a large part of your budget. If you add the installation as well, you may find that you have little left for extra ingredients.
The good news is that kitchen cabinets can massively cut your cabinet costs. If you are willing to compromise on a few things and you are able to do a bit of home improvement to the units, you can save some serious money. Sure, you have to work a little harder than ordering the entire ready-made package from a supplier, but the savings are certainly worth the effort when you're ready to work for them:
Get on all online giveaways and sales sites
Renovators, homeowners, retailers and others are giving away kitchen cabinets for free. Sure, they could be a color you don't like or they could be made from materials that are expensive to dispose of, but none of this is a problem for you. Just make sure you react quickly to ads and set up notifications for your search so you can get in there and get those goods. Try to use different search terms so you can see all of the ads. It's also important to remember that you will likely need to pick up the items yourself. So have a guy with a van handy if you don't have the transportation and manpower at home.
Local ads
In supermarkets, post boards and newspaper windows, ads are being served by people who still like to use the old-fashioned form of advertising. Don't bypass these ads as most of the people shop online now and you will have less competition on these paper billboards.
Ex display
In various sales outlets, Ex-Display units are offered for sale at a reduced price. Don't be afraid to turn to these outlets and ask if something is available there. The discount rate is unlikely to be as low as it is on used goods, but it is still cheaper than buying new goods.
House evictions
There are companies that specialize in house clearance that sell online for items that they clear. They may also be listed on certain online bid pages. It is therefore good to look for them. This is a good place to get kitchen cabinets as they come at a good discount. Not only that, there may also be some outdated cabinets that need lots of love that are very cheap and ready for you to put your own stamp on.
You could post an ad
Consider running a search ad so that you publish your details to anyone who may be removing their kitchen cabinets. If a person wants to remove their cabinets from the comfort of their home or from a cheap self-storage unit without worrying about jumping or hauling around to tip, your ad can save them a lot of hassle.
Auctions
Auctions are conducted not only for antiques and collectibles, but also for housewares and house clearings. They can be held by an auction house or inexpensive self storage that sells goods in abandoned units (see www.storing.com). There are usually display days, whether online or in person, so that you can find out about the offer. If you bid on your kitchen units that day, you can get yourself a bargain.
The above tips require some work on your part. Not only do they require you to go through the hassle of sourcing cheap kitchen cabinets, they also require you to work with them to make them look great. However, the result is beautiful kitchen cabinets that cost much, much less than buying new cabinets, leaving you with a bigger budget to improve on the rest of the space.
