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72 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k s e p t e m b e r / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 4 staying on budget When my husband and I signed the lease on our fi rst massage offi ce, we had a shared room and a miniscule budget. You may fi nd yourself in the same boat, needing to set up your massage space on the cheap. If so, these tips will help you put some pizzazz into your practice without breaking the bank. 1. If you'll be painting, consider asking for "mis-tinted" paint at a home improvement store. These are paints that were mixed incorrectly and didn't turn out exactly the right color. You're likely to fi nd a shade that will work great for your project. I've purchased 1-gallon cans of mis-tinted paint for as little as $5, and 5-gallon buckets for $20. 2. Many museum and gallery gift shops operate online stores where they offer affordable posters and prints of famous art pieces in their collections. (Did you know you can even browse the gift shop of The Louvre in Paris online?) If you'd like to make a reproduction of a piece of your own artwork or a favorite photo, you can create a customized canvas print quite inexpensively using local or online sources. 3. Purchasing secondhand items can save you a bundle. Craigslist, thrift stores, garage sales, fl ea markets, estate sales, and local classifi ed ads can be great sources. Prices are usually negotiable, especially on Craigslist, if the item has been listed for some time and the ad is due to expire soon. 4. When shopping garage sales and estate sales, note that Fridays are usually the fi rst day of the sale, so you're likely to fi nd the best selection then. However, by Sunday, you'll have a better chance of negotiating the prices. 5. Before shopping for décor elements, create a "look book" that includes photos and measurements of items you've already acquired, samples of your color scheme, swatches of fabrics, paint chips, and other visuals you can reference while shopping. This helps ensure you'll only purchase items that will fi t into your design (both esthetically and dimensionally). Pinterest is a digital way to collect photos of items you admire, plan to purchase, or already own. Whipping out your phone or tablet at the store, perusing your "pin boards," and comparing prospective purchases with items that have already staked their claim in your design can save you tons of money and time.