My New couch

So I've been wanting a new couch for downstairs for quite awhile now. Yes, that was 'want'. I am not sure what the definition of 'need' is really. There NEEDS to be a place to sit.. no question. There is a couch set downstairs....my old one from upstairs. It was purchased in July of 1991 so that couch is officially 19 years old now. It was the first set we bought as a couple right after we got married. Went through a lot of moves and a lot of memories.  It's seen better days. It isnt' tattered. We've kept good care of it. When you sit on it you sink down practically to the floor. The springs are gone. On the back there are a few spots where the frame is starting to come through and in two spots on the back, there are tears.

Again it's on the back so it's not like no one can see. So is the new couch a need or a want? At what point in the lifespan of furniture does it become a need?

I've been keeping my eye out for a decent priced sectional for quite some time. It's a very small space down there. Narrow in width and there really isn't room for the puffy sided 3 piece set as we have now. An L shaped sectional would fit in the space perfectly and give enough seating.

Now DS1 says Ohh mom can we get a sectional like Aunty has with cupholders????? I laugh. I say 'hon aunty's sectional is about $4000. We do NOT have that kind of money'. He scoffs in disbelief that something with  cups costs that much and can't make the leap to name brand, style, cost  etc.

So on July 1 Long weekend, the Brick is advertizing a sectional that is in the shape I want and the colours I want. Win win. I text hubby to get his thoughts (though I will be the one paying for it) and he says we will go look at it.

So we do. Now we are just small town Brick here not big city. There was ONE guy working that Sunday afternoon and we were kept waiting 25 minutes while he dealt with another pair of customers. During that time we decided that two sectionals fit my price range and the needs of our space. Problem is, the first sectional I look at has the L jut out on the wrong side. The fabric feels weird, to be honest, and the back cushions are velcroed to the back frame of the couch. ewww.  The second one that fits is going the right way but it's in light cream. No way I am putting a couch in light cream down in an area where two teens hang out.

Still we wait patiently for the salesman. When he finally comes I am down to two questions . "Does this sectional have a reverse profile that juts out the other way?" No. "ok does THAT sectional come in any other colour but cream?" No. so we walked out. He didn't offer to look anything up. He didn't try any other couches. Not much 'sales' in the man LOL

So I came home disappointed. Hubby suggested we go to the two independently owned (and often more pricey) furniture stores. I say again, my budget is X and I can't see finding anything in those stores for that price.

Tuesday he comes home from work and says " Let's go to store A". eh might as well. was raining and I wasn't doing anything. It's where we got our upstairs set, which cost a fair bit (by my definition LOL). There I saw lots of leather sectionals. I do not want leather. There I saw sectionals with cupholders like my sister has. I actually went home and got DS1 so he could see the price tags attached to those and know I wasn't lying LOL

Hubby found a couch/loveseat in the colours I like. The fabric I like. In my price range. We're limited in choice. The bigger cities might deliver if we found something there but it would cost the earth for the 95 minute one way trip. I said to hubby 'yanno if this couch set were available in a sectional that was the right shape, I'd get it'.

It does :-) And it was in the right price range! The only catch was that they are still in a cargo holding in whatever country they come from...China I think...and they won't be over here until September. Done!!

That gives me time to clean out the rec room. To plan a good garage sale. To get the rest of the money together.

The total cost of the sectional with all the taxes is $1099.99. I got to sit on it's couch version and liked the feel of the fabric and the support. I got to see inside the back to see the springs and supports. I hate buying things without seeing them first.

I paid a $275 deposit down and I owe $824.99 when it comes in.

I did stop and think "wow that's almost 2 extra months of lump sum payments on my vehicle. maybe I should put the money towards that???" The reality is that I won't be done paying off my vehicle for 2 years at least (which is still about 2 years earlier than it's 60 month loan period'. That would put DS1 almost gone from the house. Be nice if he got to sit on the new furniture LOL. I am not stealing from any other pot to pay for this. I have / will have the money when it comes in , in September.

I know. That's a whole lot of blabbering about a new couch.  The thing is, I've never saved up ahead of time (or had the plans to have the cash) before I've bought a piece of furniture. I've always just bought and 'we'll figure out how to reallllly pay for it later'.

I see that as a good thing. Here is a pic of the exact piece I bought.