Art is one of those things in life which makes life better.  It doesn’t meet basic survival needs, but it does make life more colorful.  It’s a sign of making it past the basic survival level and into thriving on some level.  However, not everyone thrives at the same level at the same time.  Many people are indeed past basic survival but still can’t afford to drop $5000 into art on a whim.  So, what do you do when you want to buy art but must live within a budget?  That’s what we’re discussing today.

Let’s start with the following.  Budgets come in different sizes.  I don’t know what your personal budget is.  However, I can give you some basic advice which you may choose to follow.  Take what’s given here and tailor it to your circumstances.  If something won’t work for you, then discard it guilt-free.  It’s your money, after all.  But do keep in mind that I’m not giving you financial advice.

Set a Maximum Amount to Spend on Art When Shopping

This is a very common piece of advice for many financial circumstances.  Set a maximum amount to spend and then STICK TO IT.  While art will add color and joy to your life, you don’t need it to survive (unlike food).  Art is a luxury purchase.  If you find you have the spare cash, then, by all means, spend it how you will.  But you will do yourself a favor if you only buy art according to your preset budget.  If you stick to (or even go under) your art budget, then you need not worry about whether or not you can buy food or pay bills.  You’ll know that you can.  What freedom that feeling is!

Buy Prints of Art Instead of Originals

Prints are often mass-generated.  Thus they carry a much smaller price tag than original pieces of art do.  However, they are often the best idea for someone buying art on a budget.  Whether or not prints are better than originals is a different discussion which I made in the article linked here.  When it comes to budgets, prints are the much more wallet-friendly option.  In the end, a print will provide you much of the same viewing pleasure as an original piece of art will.  Perhaps you can upgrade later as your budget allows.

Buy Smaller Versions of the Art You Want

This might seem similar to the previous point.  However, it is a bit different.  After all, there are some kinds of art which you cannot buy an original of.  Only prints are available.  Also, artists often offer different sizes of prints for sale.  The price of the art scales directly with the size of the art.  So, if you’re on a budget, you might consider buying a smaller version of a piece you love.  This might yield a double-fold benefit for you as a smaller version of an art piece will have a smaller price tag in addition to being much easier to transport at the same time.

Shop for Similar Art with Lower Price Tags

They say that there’s nothing new under the sun.  In many ways this is true.  Artists often create art inspired by the artists of the past.  Also, they may have converging thoughts, ideas, mediums, and styles.  The internet has really opened up the door when it comes to art shopping.  If you want to buy art while on a budget, then there are options for you.  It will require some time and research on your part, but you should be able to locate something you like within your price range.

Save Up for Bigger Purchases

Perhaps you really want to buy that big expensive original piece of art.  However, you must still mind your budget.  There’s even an option for you.  Save up for that big purchase.  Set aside some money according to an interval you specify and keep that money until you have enough to make the purchase.  You might also look into payment plans or lay-away options if there are any.  Using this method and exercising patience, you may empower yourself to buy the art you want while on a budget.  Delayed gratification can really pay off.

Avoid Using Credit to Buy Art

I covered this topic in more depth in my article about buying art on credit.  To sum up the important points relevant here, if you want to buy art on a budget, then you should avoid buying art on credit.  Using credit will only take you down a dangerous financial path.  If it were as simple as repaying the principle debt, then you could consider using credit.  However, that’s not how debt works in our society.  You must consider the interest as well.  The interest attached to your purchase may make things worse for you overall.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a few ways for the budget-conscious art buyer to buy the kinds of art they want.  Yes, even you can buy beautiful art for your home or office.  However, you must place a higher weight upon how much you can spend.  Still, you can make it work.

Have you used one or more of these methods to procure art for your enrichment?  I’d love to hear about your experience.  Please share in the comments section below.