I like cheap, the cheaper the better. I use yard sales and thrift shops a lot.

As young parents with little money, we learned to make-do; to get along with what we had. I have completely furnished a two-bedroom house for fifty dollars, and it looked good. My husband painted and re-glued while I cleaned and polished. Authentic old furniture magically appeared to be antiques to friends and family. They eyed it greedily and we glowed.

Our house was always filled with a passel of kids, so nicks and scrapes were common to our furniture. I didn