Nobody can say no to a bargain without feeling some degree of remorse. When you see the prices of those silk bed sheets get slashed (whoa, 50 percent off and they still cost a fortune), you feel a little pang of guilt when you decide not to buy it.

One good thing that comes out of being broke: I buy cheap stuff that looks great!

That probably explains why five years ago, I decided to buy a cabinet for PhP2,500, a cabinet made of laminated wood, which I had to assemble at home. The store was selling the already-assembled cabinet, but it would have cost me an extra PhP1,500.

Broke, Not Broken

I was broke and, trying to channel the cheapskate in me to survive life in the city, I opted for the yet-to-be-assembled purchase. Assembling some cabinet ain’t rocket science, right?

It wasn’t, but toes got injured. Fingers got cut. Things fell. To be more precise, things fell apart– until I got someone else to help (how did I know it was a two-man job?).

You can bet my cat got traumatized as he witnessed all the bloodbath.

Anyway, that was five years ago. This year, drum roll, please… I’m still buying cheap finds because yes, I’m still a little bit broke and I’m still decorating on a tight budget.

No thanks to the expensive tickets I had to buy so that I could ask someone to accompany me on an airplane trip which is actually the first one I would be taking (I know, I know, I live in the boondocks or something). No thanks to the fact that I had surgery a few months back and I’m still recovering – not from the procedure itself, but the fees I paid.

Reading about my being broke is probably bumming you out, but don’t be. There is an upside.

Home Improvement Ideas: Cheap Finds for Your Home

How could I protect my couch from fraying if I couldn’t afford slip covers? How could I get more storage room if I couldn’t afford cabinets? Where could I buy cheap lamps that didn’t look like they would short-circuit anytime soon?

Because of budget constraints, I had to get creative. Ah, finding the answers to those questions made being broke look good.

Now, it’s time for you to feel good about beautifying your home on a budget. It’s time for you to feel good about these cheap finds you can use for your home.

Cheap find number 1:

Microfiber mat as pile rug: PhP600

I bought a microfiber rug for PhP600 from the bathroom section and made it into an area rug. You can’t buy a pile rug at the carpet store for the same price. I swear; I looked.

I believe the rug was priced at around PhP1,000, but it was on sale when I got it. Lucky me!

Cheap find number 2:

Two storage boxes as side table: PhP600 each

I needed a side table that would hide all of the clutter I had lying around the living room. A foldable storage box I purchased not too long ago turned out to be my cat’s favorite scratching post, which meant it had to retire before it even came of age.

Since I didn’t want to waste money on some side table made of laminated wood that would warp in a couple of years, I decided to improvise. I remembered seeing beautiful boxes made of banig the last time I went to the mall and I knew that if I put them on top of each other, they’d make a pretty, makeshift side table.

When I went back to the mall, the boxes were on sale! They were at 50 percent off when I went back to take a look at them!

My prayers had been answered. My papers found a new home in them, too, by the way. Clutter problem, solved.

Cheap find number 3:

Discounted lamp: PhP1000