Furniture Oh Furniture! Freebies Oh My!

My husband and I seem to stumble in various ways to getting discounted or free furniture or various other items...a lot. This doesn't discount the VERY expensive bed we just bought my son. It just happens that we either gain furniture and other things from family members, people moving away/out of the country or for some weird other reasons. I for one...am not complaining.

We have gotten freebies here or there. I've gotten great hand me down clothes from Moms that spent even more money then I do on children's clothing (yes that is possible). Would I like $50 shoes for my baby that can't walk yet? Sure! Its not that I am bragging. I liked the shoes and thought I'd buy another pair, which is why I looked into it, but declined once I saw the prices. We've also gotten other things from people moving out of the country like barely used winter coats, hot wheel cars, a kids easel and a pretty awesome Buzz Lightyear that my son loves. Who's complaining? Not me!

Now most of the furniture we have gotten fits right with our taste. No light wood furniture or elaborately plush Victorian furniture. There is nothing wrong with it, its just not us. We've gotten beautifully carved wood buffets, a huge mirror, a pool table, tables, etc., Yesterday we gained three book shelves, one with cabinets and the other we can always add cabinets to. At first I was a little uneasy with putting more furniture inside a moderately sized town home, but then as I was organizing and putting toys away last night into them, I fell in love. The new furniture members of my household were a means of organization! How glorious is that?

I can't begin to wonder how much we have saved saying yes to getting used (yet new to us) things inside our home. Its interesting how people will give away perfectly good and useful items. I am not snobby when it comes to gladly receiving second hand items. Our microwave died this week. We want to save up for a microwave we can install above our stove and we didn't want to purchase one immediately but with a toddler in the house it was almost a must. Funny enough, a old but good microwave came through. With a little bit of cleaning its as good as new.

Have any of you gotten away with some great freebies or deals you've loved?