Making rooms on a budget!

[95cute51]

I would like to thank mama cat for making the first part of this thread!

If you have tips or a picture of your budget room don't be afraid to post!

TABLE OF CONTENTS!

Part One............................Introduction
Part Two...........................Mamacat's tips for saving & earning!
Part Three........................Mamacat's budget room picture!
Part Four.........................Mamacat's KC info about room!
Part Five..........................95cute51's budget room picture!
Part Six.............................95cute51's KC info about room!
Part Seven.........................95cute51's few KC tips!
Part Eight...........................Links for members budget room posts!
Part Nine............................Tips from members!
Part Ten.............................People who contributed to the Budget room thread!

-----------------------------------------------Part One-------------------------------------------------
--A big topic has been new rooms and of course the KC needed to decorate them. We work hard for our money and want to get the best value for our KC while still having gorgeous rooms for our little webbies. We’re starting this thread to give (and get) suggestions on how to have a simply lavish room for your pet at the best price. Sometimes this is simply impossible, for example, when you simply MUST have some of Arte’s rares in your room. But, even so, you can still manage to save some money by a little judicious planning.
---------------------------------Part Two--------------------------------------------------------------
--Here are some tips we have for saving money and getting the most value for your KC:

--1. Invest in a storage room. Yes, it is 1000KC for a big room, but you can store all your unused items there until you decide what to do with them. I keep beds, lamps, rugs, W Shop sale items, extra holiday items and exclusive pet items there until the decorating bug hits me and I come up with a plan. I have 4 beds in it right now (with 4 pets sleeping in them) until I collect all I need to create each new room.
--2. Be patient – check items on sale at the W Shop regularly. If you really like something, but don’t know what to do with it, you may want to get it anyway. My son decorated almost his entire love monkey room with items he liked but didn’t really know what to do with until suddenly it all came together. He traded or used coupons for the rest.
--3. Get coupons! Pay attention to Today’s Activities and get as many coupons as you can. They are an especially good value when you use them on something that is already on sale at the W Shop.
--4. W Shop themes are nice, but don’t be afraid to think out of the box. There are only so many and there are lots of other items for sale that you might not think about if you just stick with the themes.
--5. Save items you don’t want and trade them (beware of scammers). If you are gifted, trade them with other WIs. This means they need to be of decent value. Don’t expect to get a Super Bed in exchange for an outdoor hammock. In fact, don’t even try! Bad karma will get you every time. Be aware of the value of your item and the item you want and trade accordingly.
--6. This means – take the time to get familiar with the W Shop, check out the recipe section and get familiar with the foods. Look in Collecterz Corner and see what is rare and study the pictures a bit.
--7. Watch the W Shop sales. Chances are that if one item from a particular theme is for sale, others from that same theme will be on sale in the next day or two.
--8. Consider getting a second account. Use that KC to buy extra rares. How frustrating is it when Arte has a chair on sale and you can only buy one! Of course you have to build up some KC there too since Arte isn’t cheap, but it can be done. It also means extra coupons!
--9. Put more than one pet in a room. Webbies are quite friendly and love to share. They don’t mind having roommates.
--10. Hey, we work hard for that KC but, really, it’s OK to pay full price once in a while (I can’t believe I’m saying this) to get that last thing needed to make the room perfect.

-------------Part Three--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay, enough said (by me at least) on what will help. Here’s an example of one of my rooms.



Since I just learned how to take pictures on the computer recently you will have to bear with my work.

Please feel free to add suggestions or post your own rooms with their special savings. If you are computer challenged like me, there are several good threads on how to get pics off your computer. Or just list the items in your room and how much you saved. Of course we’d really like to see the rooms so we can share decorating ideas as well, but any tips on saving that KC are appreciated.

----------Part Four------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are my savings:
$1,000 Room – used $1,000 coin from pet adoption - free
$100 Black & White Tile Flooring – 40% off - $60
$175 Elegant Exposed Brick Walls – 40% off - $105
$50 Amaryllis x 3 – 25% off - $38 each
$195 Car Counter x 2 – 30% off - $137 each
$550 Car Hood Stove – 40% off - $330
$250 Toy Trunk – 30% off - $175
$375 Checkered Flag Fridge – 40% off - $225
$1,200 Speedy Sleeper Bed – 50% off - $600
$650 Sedan Sofa – 50% off - $325
$180 Rolling Racer Chair x 2 - $108 each
$310 Catalytic Coffee Table – 40% off - $190
$150 Checkered Trophy Pedestal - 15% off - $105
$310 Armchair Racer x 2 – 40% off - $210 each
$850 Big Racer TV – 50% off - $425
$175 Cukoo Cat Clock – free
$175 Propeller Plane – free
$55 W Cares Jacket – free
$2250 Crown of Wonder – free (with a lot of hard work)

Grand total -- $2994
Full retail would be…
Wait for it…
This does not include clothing…
$5980 Kinz Cash!!! I saved $2986! All because I got those W Shop coupons and used other items that came with my pets. Show us what you can do on a budget. We all need some good ideas

-------------------Part Five----------------------------------------------------------------------------
95cute51's corner!

This is a room i made on a budget.



Looks great huh? and expensive... But it is not! That is why it is a budget room! Sure I know we can't always make a budget room But this one is and it was simple! My favorite bed is the rose bed and it costs 600 KC. It has been my favorite from the start it is so pretty and cheap! Mamcat sure has some great tips!

--------------------------------Part Six----------------------------------------------------------------
My savings on my sky room-
$1000- Room
$100- Sky walls
$395 Cream Vanilla Bed x 2- Curio Shop Sale- $375 each
$150 Blue Skies Counters x 6- $120 each
$395 Striped Bed x 2- 40% off- $237 each
$1600 Condo TV- Gift- FREE
$125 Cream Side Table x 2-25% off- 94 each
$45 Orchid x 2
$110 Ponytail Palm- 10% off- 99
FREE Estore Fridge
FREE Jelly Bean Tree
FREE Pegasus Couch
FREE Prismatic Chair (2)
FREE Rainbow Coffee Table (2)
FREE Blue Lava (2)
FREE Alley Cat Window!

My total actually spent- $3421
Real Total without Sales- $5630
Money Saved- $2209
Doesn’t include clothes!
Ok, I didn’t save as much as mamacat, but it is still a good deal because I did save quite a bit. A good room at a decent price for 4 beds, a mini kitchen, and a mini living room. The floors were free because they already came when I bought the room and looked great with the walls! Show us what you can do on a budget!

---------------------------------Part Seven------------------------------------------------------------
I too have many storage rooms- one for food- for beds (all being used)- tables- chairs. I saw mamacat's son's love monkey room and it looked great!

My biggest saving tip is to make a goal. I pick say 30,000 if i have a little below like 26,000 and I never go any lower, just higher. I limit my spending and make more so now i have a lot and you can get there too!

Remember to Share your budget rooms because we all want more examples of what budgeting looks like

I would like to say thank you to mama cat for making the top of this thread, and for her idea, tips, and info.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------Part Eight-------------------
LINKS!
Mamacat's out door budget room. Post #6
Askelly's pretty pink bathroom for a budget! Post #33
Mamacat's many budget rooms (4 I think) Post #43
95cute51's storage rooms Post #49
MissPremie's Lovely Lamb's budget room! Post #52
Mamacat's game room! Post #87
95cute51's Argish Pirate Room! Post #88
95cute51's Spa Room! Post #109

--------------------------------------------Part Nine----------------------------------------------------
TIPS FROM MEMBERS!

Originally Posted by auntjenny7

Hey, great work on your thread! I wanted to share a money saving tip with you. Instead of buying large rooms to turn into my storage rooms, I use the free medium rooms that we get with our first 10 adoptions (I only have 6 webbies adopted so far). Those rooms are usually stuck in random, awkward places anyway.You can still cram quite a bit in there, I think I was able to arrange 11 rattan toy boxes in a medium storage room, so my webbies could maneuver the room easily. You can also hang extra posters, clocks, and windows on the walls of your storage rooms. I also frequently recommend substituting the creamy vanilla furniture for the more expensive condo theme furniture. The sofas are almost identical, except in price!

Originally Posted by ilovewebkinz100

This thread looks great! What I suggest is going with the more simple, generic rooms, (Kids Room Theme). This will give you an easy way to limit yourself. I also suggest buying only one of the more expensive things like a bed from a certain theme. You can also buy things for your room at different times. One last suggestion; go with a medium room. With a medium room it is the perfect size to design in a good way but not overdue it so you lose to much money.


Sorry if I wasn't very helpful, my webbies are very spoiled, as I have no problem limiting myself on money.

Originally Posted by mamacat

Another tip for everyone. Don't be discouraged about getting 10% or 20% coupons. Use them when there s a W Shop item for sale and get an even better price! Or use them for small items like flowers for your room.

Originally Posted by puppylover2009

Say you buy something for a room and you don't like the way it looks... (I do this all the time!!!)
Don't sell it, keep it for another room or put it in you storage room! oh. I love the thread!!!

Originally Posted by bluey1998

This guide is going great! I've already read EVERY single comment and I think it's going well. You can really go on a room that looks expensive and unique, but it can be so cheap. I've got a few rooms that is a mix of Wshop items and are really cheap to get... Maybe I could get a pic and post here sometime.

Tip: Try getting some cheap accesories like flowers and it could really give a little zing to it to give more pride in it. And it doesn't hurt to go trading in the trading room either.
You can also considering going in Quizzy's Corner and you could get a ton of kinz cash.

Originally Posted by meggiemooz

Hi cute, and GREAT thread! I really am going to use it!!
Tip: A lot of the time, items from the same theme are on sale at the same time. So maybe buy 2 or 3 of the sale items for one theme, wait a week to a few days, and buy 2 or 3 sale items from a different theme. Then, you can make a sale room combining a bunch of different themes!! It certainly will be unique!! Also, save your 1000 KC coins for emergencies!! Like if that special rare is at the Curio Shop and you ALMOST have enough $$ for it! Trust me, it comes in handy!
~meggie

Originally Posted by jj8

hey! :0 great thread i also have a tip!!


when you go to buy and make a room for that new webbie go to the sale and try to make a room out of that and your storage items you can spend a little kc on ur room **** think of how much cheaper also you csan buy the furniture on sale and keep buying and eventually make a room with it!

----------------------Part Ten----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contributors to this Thread (ones who put tips or pics)
1. mamacat
2. 95cute51
3. Askelly
4. Auntjenny7
5. ilovewebkinz100
6. puppylover
7. misspremie
8. bluey1998
9. meggiemooz
10. jj8

[mamacat]

Great job, Cute

Thanks

[jamcat108]

Great job, cute

I'm sending everyone here.
Aslo rated it

[Kid Keegan]

WOW! I've got one room that I've 'branched' out in. The others I've pretty much stuck to the 'theme'. Between the rooms shown above and the ones I've seen on the March thread I'm impressed - and on a budget . . .

[95cute51]

Thank you, you three. ha ha. thank you for sending every one jamcat. I am now putting it in my siggie.

[mamacat]

Good idea, cute

---------- mamacat added 242 Minutes and 9 Seconds later ----------

Here's one of my outdoor yards:



The, items in this yard cost, altogether, $11,518 KC, but by trading, using pet exclusives and lots of coupons, it only cost $3788 KC - a savings of $7730. As you can see -- many of my pets share rooms. Chirpey and Mooly have invived Bubbles over for a swim!

I have to admit that the two biggest items were the Rock Garden and Hot Air Balloon which I had to get at Arte's. But I bought the Rock Garden on my second account, as well as the Flagstone Path Tiles (took almost a week to send them all over), but you can see by the savings that it was all worth it. That's why I recommend the 2nd account, to garden and make money for your new, gorgeous "budget" room.

Enjoy

[95cute51]

Ok I added you to the list, looks great!

---------- 95cute51 added 303 Minutes and 11 Seconds later ----------

any one else??? please!

[mamacat]

Cute,

My next room will be on a budget but only with items from the W Shop for people who don't get much chane to buy rares or get exclusives.

Any other ideas? What type of room would you like to do? Maybe we should do a kitchen, bath, family room or something.

[95cute51]

I actually ran out of ideas... just not as creative these days. But your great idea on W shop only sounds good! cant wait to see it!

[mamacat]

I'll try to get ot together by this weekend if not sooner.