We all know just how hard it is to buy a house these days and I have to admit, if it wasn't for my partner, it would still be completely out of the question for our family. Property prices in our local area are very high, so we've been exploring our options and looking into other, less traditional possibilities, such as self-build homes, which are often more affordable and made from sustainable materials.

It's not just the expense of buying or building a property that you have to consider though. The decorating and furnishing of your property needs to be factored into your budget too. After all, it's these personal touches that will turn a place from 'house' to 'home.'

The good news is, if you're willing to think a little outside the box and embrace sustainability, there are plenty of ways you can save Money on styling your home...

There's nothing wrong with collecting ideas from homeware magazines and browsing the latest furniture collections online but consider this - not everything you buy for your home needs to be new. In fact, you can save a lot of money by upcycling old furniture and giving it a new lease of life. 

Both myself and my partner share a love for vintage and rustic furniture. We find it more homely and plan to upcycle as much as possible. We've been lucky enough to receive a few pieces of furniture from family that we'll be able to do up for our future home. Most pieces just need a little TLC but we also plan to reupholster a lovely armchair we've been given, so it's more to our taste. Sure, it'll take time but it'll be worth it.

Facebook Marketplace is the go-to site for picking up good quality, secondhand furniture, for next to nothing. It's also a great place for purchasing white goods like fridges and freezers too. There's no buying or selling fees involved and you can narrow down your search to your local area, so you won't spend a fortune on fuel either!

Did you know you can also avoid buying new and save a lot of money on bigger purchases like your kitchen? Ex Display Kitchens are a fantastic way of getting an almost new kitchen but for a more affordable price. There are companies out there that specialise in second hand kitchens and other things like bathroom suites, so it's definitely worth doing a little research. It's an ethical choice that makes financial sense too.

You can save a lot of money when doing up your home by doing as much as you can yourself (or y'know roping in your family and friends to help!) I am extremely lucky that both my partner and my dad love making things and are really good at it too. Josh has so many unique ideas for furniture he wants to make for our home and I love that they'll give it a really personal touch. My dad also used to have a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom fitting business, so I'm hoping to call in a favour (or fifty) when the time comes!

Although I'm not so handy with a hammer and saw, I'm not too shabby when it comes to painting. My mum and I made a wonderful job of the tearoom we owned a couple of years ago. It was hard work but we saved ourselves so much money on a painter and decorator! I plan to do the same with our future house.

Have you got any more tips to help save money on decorating and furnishing your home? I'd love to hear them so share below or tweet me @meganjane03.

Meg x