We needed some furniture because some of our existing pieces were in need of replacement. A couch with worn springs, an entertainment center which was too small. And in doing some spring cleaning we threw out some stuff that created some empty space that needed some furniture to fill it up with.
Being on a tight budget and having a large family doesn't really leave a lot of funds available to do furniture shopping. We used to be able to go to Macy's or Scandinavian Designs and pay 1000 bucks for a single chair. Not anymore. Money is pretty tight so we have to get the most for our money.
My wife started looking to Craigslist for furniture and we found some really amazing stuff for sale. I mean really nice stuff that was barely used and some in brand new condition!
We picked up nice staging furniture and a pristine condition couch in Vallejo. An end table and toy bins in Fairfield. A beautiful chaise lounge chair in Windsor. Picked up another toy bin in American Canyon. A couch and ottoman in San Francisco. A bookcase also in San Francisco. An entertainment center in Fairfield. A rug and an entryway table in Palo Alto. You get the idea. A ton of stuff over a couple months or so.
We pretty much filled two rooms with furniture from Craigslist for under $1000! Really nice stuff too.
My advice is look in nice areas if you want to find nice furniture. They are your best bet to find some really nice stuff for great prices. We picked up nice pieces in San Rafael as well.
If you are patient, spend some time looking at ads, and have a few bucks to spare, you can find some great deals and possibly redecorate your pad on the cheap. The key is to be patient in finding stuff. It may take a few weeks to find just the right deal but it'll be worth your while.