Before you bought your new house, you pulled out all the stops you could as far as getting the best deal. You checked out banks, credit unions, online banks, and private lenders for mortgages (Visit Cannect). You negotiated and finagled your way to the lowest price you could get on the home. You even looked for a home that had some fixing up needed so you could work that angle during negotiations.

Well, you got the piece of real estate that you wanted, at the price and the mortgage rate you wanted, and now it is time to do that fixing up. And why on Earth would you give up the bargain hunting now? You don't want all those savings to go to waste by shirking the work of securing good bargains on your renovation materials, and we have the right kitchen and bath ideas to help you get started on your way to saving even more money while turning your home into a dream.

First of all, ignore all the home improvement and big box stores for now. If none of the other spots work out you'll go to them last, but right now you are going to look for deals with all the diligence of an executive search. And that means starting where the real bargains are; person to person sales.

Pick up a copy of your local buy and sell and see what's listed for kitchen appliances, flooring, and cabinets. I'm always surprised by some of the high quality material that can be found here; stores went out of business, people bought more than they needed, the reasons are endless. But of course it's not the reasons that matter, it's the fact you can get this material inexpensively with a quick call using your cell phone.

Don't leave your negotiating skills behind at this point either; many times people list their goods in the buy and sell for much higher than they would actually accept for them. Whittle them down a bit, and always check prices online to make sure you aren't overbidding.

Speaking of bidding, going to auctions is another great way to find bargains on renovating materials. If you hear of a store or restaurant going out of business, find out where the auction will be for the fixtures and appliances they used. It's guaranteed to be heavy duty and probably chic as well.

When all other options fail, it's time to hit the retail stores (after eBay of course) to see what you can get. Coupons, yearly sales, and comparison shopping will all help you get the best deals here.

Whether you are looking at a condo townhouse for sale or buying the materials needed to renovate them, don't leave your bargain hunting skills at the door. Never settle for the first price you see.