Have you ever wondered what items are worth investing a little more in? Or what things you should try to save money on when shopping? It’s a really good question, and if you’re shopping for items for your apartment, here are a few tips to help.

Splurge:

• Mattress: The average mattress lasts between 7-10 years, and considering you sleep on it every night, this is one item you should splurge on. Head to a reputable furniture store or mattress dealer and test several different ones. 
• Sofa or Couch: This is another item where you most likely want to splurge a bit. Because it’s likely that your sofa or couch is going to be a highly-used piece of living room furniture, you want one that will last. Find one that fits your decorating style and ask about the warranty. Fabrics often have a one-year warranty, and materials and workmanship are often warranted for five years.
• Often Used Appliances: Appliances that you are going to use regularly are worth spending some more money on. If you use your coffee machine, espresso maker, toaster oven, or other appliances daily, then pay a bit more.
• Cookware: If you cook often, you want to make sure you have good cookware. Heavier cookware usually conducts heat better, and while you don’t need to buy the heaviest cookware out there, avoid thin and flimsy pieces.
• Duvet: A duvet is a great investment piece because you can always swap out your duvet cover. Find the right “weight” for you and then figure out what you’d like for a “filling” – down or something hypoallergenic. 
• Art Work: Art is always something that comes down to your individual tastes, but if you’re considering purchasing larger pieces, then you may want to invest some money here. 

Save:

• Headboard: Headboards are one piece of furniture where you can save money. (In fact, lots of people don’t even have one!) You can get creative and make your own headboard – just check some of the DIY sites.
• Area Rugs: Area rugs are a great way to change up the look of a room. With that in mind, don’t spend a lot of money on them if you are the type of person who likes to change things up when it comes to home decorating.
• Lesser Used Appliances: Does your crockpot sit in the cupboard only to be used every few months? How about your waffle maker? Don’t spend a lot of money on appliances that don’t get used often. 
• Cutlery: While you are probably going to use your cutlery every day, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to find a decent quality set. And, cutlery is one of those things that seems to disappear over time (because you leave a spoon or two at the office) – so eventually, you’re going to have to buy more. 
• Duvet Cover: While you should invest in your duvet, your duvet cover doesn’t need to cost a fortune. This allows you to change it out as often as you like and not feel guilty because of the money you spent on it.
• Other Accessories/Decor: While art for your walls may be an area where you spend some money, the rest of the accessories around your home should not be expensive. This means you can change them often, and if they get knocked over and broken, there’s no worry.

What things do you splurge on when it comes to your apartment? And where do you like to save money? The most important thing is to buy what you love, make it work with your style, and fit your budget!