5 Great Places to Buy Housewares for Cheap

Home decor and furnishings are truly my Achilles' heel, and now that I'm buying a house, I only expect the problem to get worse. I'm always on the lookout for a good deal on throw pillows, cookware, and bed sheets, and some sources are better than others for offering the right combination of selection and price. Here are five of my favorite places to buy inexpensive home goods.

1. Target

Visiting Target can be dangerous for my budget, and it's due to the many cheap and adorable housewares to be found within its aisles. As a result, I don't visit my local store often, and if I need something from Target (it also offers great prices on OTC medications and toiletries), I generally buy it online.

Why is Target a good place for cheap housewares? There are a few reasons. Its end caps in the home section aisles often feature clearance-priced items, which can save you a ton of money if you spot something you like (and ideally, need).

And its house brands are especially great -- I'm a major fan of the Threshold line of bed linens -- the Performance sheets are 400 thread count 100% cotton, and they wash and wear beautifully, with no pilling (like you'd find with bed sheets that aren't 100% cotton). I've sworn by them for years. Also, if you like candles, Target has a stellar selection for every budget.

2. At Home

Are you lucky enough to have an At Home store in your area? You might be -- this big-box housewares superstore has more than 250 locations in 40 states. The average store size is 100,000 square feet, and you can find options for indoor living space as well as outdoor living space. Failing that, you can also shop online.

Furniture, holiday decor, even something essential like storage boxes for your closets -- it's all there. Like at Target, At Home frequently runs sales, both clearance and otherwise. And if you enjoy perusing holiday decor after the holiday has passed, you'll find lots of chances for a smaller credit card tab in the process of shopping there.

3. Your local thrift store

While I wouldn't necessarily advise buying soft furniture (such as a couch), small appliances (unless they have been tested and work properly/safely), or anything that can't effectively be deep cleaned, your local thrift store is a hidden gem for cheap houseware purchases.

In particular, you might find shockingly low prices (often less than $1 apiece) on items like mugs and other dishware, especially if you love vintage looks. Check out the selection of artwork, too -- it's become a big trend to buy cheap paintings and then modify them to make them unique and fun.

Just note that proceeds earned by some thrift stores go to benefit certain charitable organizations. So if you're concerned that your values may not align with those of the benefiting nonprofit, shop accordingly.

4. A restaurant supply store

OK, here's one you may not have considered. Need to furnish your kitchen? Then you absolutely need to visit your local restaurant supply store! Go to Google and search "(your city name) restaurant supplies" and see what comes up.

In most cases, these stores are open to the public, which means you. They primarily cater to restaurant owners and other food service operations, so they will not be organized the way, say, Bed Bath & Beyond (RIP) used to be, with brightly lit aisles and nice displays.

But what you'll get in exchange is cheap prices on bulletproof equipment for serious cooking. This means you might not find fancy-shaped cake pans -- but you will find sturdy round ones in a variety of sizes. Need sheet pans for baking dozens of holiday cookies? Look to your restaurant supply store. My most recent acquisitions from one in my area include a large plastic cutting board and an excellent wok.

5. Amazon -- sometimes

I'm an Amazon fan, and it can sometimes be a good place to find inexpensive housewares. In particular, I've had success with buying dishes, small appliances, and curtains from Amazon. These items go on sale periodically, and it's worth popping over to check prices when Amazon is running a big shopping event, like Prime Day -- if you need, say, a new vacuum, this is often a good time to find a deal.

And while it's nice to look at curtains in person and buy them from a place like Target or At Home, a problem I've run into is not finding enough of the size/color you need in stock. One big perk of buying from Amazon is being able to read reviews from shoppers just like you. Just be mindful of fake reviews.

If you love being able to make your house more beautiful, more comfortable, and more functional for less money, I urge you to check out these options for housewares. You never know what you'll find -- and it might even be on sale.