With the autumn months on their way, you may be looking for hobbies that will keep you entertained while outdoor activities aren’t as convenient. Piano is a great option for people of all ages and can help performances in school while also relieving stress. Unfortunately, the cost of a piano can be very intimidating for some budgets though. There are a few ways to get around the major costs, which will make your hobby seem even more realistic. With a piano in the home, you can avoid pricey entertainment charges while offering the family a new form of entertainment that will helps in many aspects of life. So, don’t let the price tag get you down because these tips will help you cut down on the big costs.

1. Go with a Keyboard
If you’re just toying around with the concept of a piano then you may want to take a step back and consider buying a keyboard instead. Keyboards are perfect for beginners as there is actually less keys than on a full sized piano. This will make getting the hang of the basic notes and chords a breeze. Keyboards are obviously smaller in size too, which means you won’t have to rearrange your life if you’re not ready to have it on display. Apart from the size of the board, you can also get one that is energy efficient or runs on batteries, which is perfect if you like to keep your energy bill low. When shopping for a keyboard price will probably be a big concern as you probably won’t want to splurge if you’re just starting out. If you look around and follow sales, you should be able to find one for less than $100. Thrift stores and second hand music stores may also have them for a bit less, so don’t be afraid to shop around. If the piano hobby doesn’t work out, these items are much easier to sell too, so you won’t have to wait some time to get your money back.

2. Buy Second Hand
Regular sized pianos do run quite a bit of money, but one way to combat this purchase is to look around for a used piano. There’s a lot of these on the market, so you don’t have to consider new models first. Flea markets are usually a great place to look as many people will sell off relatives’ antiques and items they don’t have room for here. Of course, that doesn’t mean that a regularly charity shop or even a yard sale won’t have them. You may even consider looking on your local listings, but make sure to properly look over any piano you may consider. If all else fails, you may want to take to the internet, but be warned that shipping prices can be astronomical. Another option is to try a piano store. Some will sell used pianos, but the prices may be higher than you’d like.

3. Rent
There’s no rule saying you have to go out and buy a piano right away. In fact, a lot of places will actually allow you to rent one so you don’t have to worry about the commitment if you’re not sure that a piano will be a hit in your home. To do this, you may want to call around local piano stores to see if they offer rentals to customers. You may only have a select few options to choose from, but it will still give you a chance to check out a model you’re interested in to see if it’s the right fit. If not, then you can always return the model and try out something else. Be careful though, as some companies may charge high shipping prices. You may also want to check to see if the store offers a rent to own policy, just in case you fall in love with the piano you rent.

4. Consider Options
Deciding to buy a piano is only the beginning of a long process. For starters, the first thing you need to know is if you’re going to want a digital or acoustic piano. This is where a lot of people get stuck because there’s lots of great benefits for both options. Acoustic pianos don’t actually draw in power from the home, which comes in handy if you’re looking to keep the cost of energy down. Although they don’t charge on a daily basis, you will have to pay to get the acoustic piano tuned at least twice a year unless you do the tuning yourself. Digital pianos, on the other hand, don’t really need a lot of maintenance, but they do draw power which is a problem for some users. Although they can easily be unplugged when not in use, if this is an issue. Of course, this decision may be hard enough, but if you do end up choosing an acoustic model, your choices are still incredibly open. For instance, you have the options of grand pianos, baby grand pianos or upright pianos. If you’re having trouble deciding do a little research. You may also want to take to a forum to get advice as other piano owners should be able to steer you in the right direction better than a sales person could.

5. Know What You Want
After you’ve considered your options, you may want to do shopping around online to see what options you have to work with. Although it’s always nice to see the piano in person first, going online can actually help you decide what direction you’d like to go in before you go to the piano store. This is crucial, especially if you’re going to buy a brand new piano. Usually, those who go into a store and aren’t sure what they’re in the market for end up spending way too much money due to the sales person trying to get them to choose the pricier items in the store. Having a strong hold of what you want will make it much easier to say no, so you don’t go over your budget.

6. Mind the Display
Pianos can be expensive if you don’t know how to care for them. However, a lot of this can be maintained simply by paying attention to the way you display your piano. It’s hard to resist placing your piano in that perfect spot of the home where you know everyone is going to be wowed by it. All though it may be aesthetically pleasing, there’s a whole lot that could be wrong about the spot in regards to your piano. One simple pointer is to keep your piano out of direct sunlight. This is due to the fact that sunlight will fade and possibly warp the piano’s appearance, thus causing you to lose out money on your investment if you ever do decide to sell it. Another major thing to keep an eye on is humidity and temperature. Ideally, the piano would be placed in a room that has an even temperature as fluctuations can cause damage to the wood and chords. You may want to consider buying a dehumidifier for the room too, as this will help combat humidity when it is at its worst.

7. Keep it Clean
Another thing you may want to consider when it comes to your piano is how often you need to clean it. A lot of pianos need work done daily, but don’t panic, because it usually isn’t a whole lot of work! Generally, you want to keep your piano dust free, not just for appearance but because you don’t want the tiny creases of the keys to get blocked with dusty materials. You also want to make sure your keys are very clean. If you have ivory keys then this can be more of a challenge, especially since it’s a little harder to keep these from turning yellow. One of the best things you can do for your keys is to ensure your piano has a cover over them. A lot of pianos already come with this, but you may have to buy something if you choose an older model. The inside of acoustic pianos can be trouble to clean too and if you’re not certain what to do, you may have to hire a professional to do the job every few months.

8. Shop Sales
You may be surprised to know that there are sales for pianos, even though they may not be heavily advertised. Try visiting your local music store around a holiday that’s usually known for major sales; such as Labor Day, Memorial Day and Black Friday. You may be surprised as to how much you can get off the retail price of your piano this way. Of course, tax free weekends may also be a good time to get a great deal on your new piano as it will automatically prevent you from having to pay over the price tag. If you’re in the market for a digital piano then you may want to consider waiting until late August. This is when new models are being released, so you can get a better deal on something a little older and around your budget.

9. Free Sheet Music
Although the piano is definitely the most expensive item on the menu, you may run into a few problems that could make your budget go downhill after you make your initial purchase. Sheet music, for instance, can cost a small fortune in stores. There’s lot of books available, which will make learning new music a lot of fun, but when you consider the price you may only want to buy one or two pieces to save money. This can really be frustrating if you bore of the same practice songs every day, which may cause you or other family members to lose interest in the new hobby. Of course, if you want sheet music you don’t really have to look any further than the internet. There’s actually numerous websites that will allow you to download sheet music for absolutely nothing. These are usually classic songs too, which are very good for beginners and intermediate students, as well as advanced students looking for a challenge with more intricate pieces.

10. Free Lessons
Piano lessons are also a huge deal when it comes to the overall price of your new instrument. In short, you don’t have to really pay for these either. A lot of schools or clubs will offer free instructions after school to help kids benefit from the skills. However, if there’s no program like this in your area then have no fear! You can go online and find piano lessons for any skill range at no extra cost. Try to look on your favorite tutorial sites to see if you can find a set of lessons that suit your needs. You may need a different type of tutorial for everyone in the family, so you may have to do some looking around before you find the perfect match. You may even want to get together as a family to share what you learned and offer tips that you picked up while you were working on your personal lessons. This is a great way to peer-review which will bring comfort to the task and will make new players feel less vulnerable.

Having a piano is a great way to kill some time while adding a great hobby to your down time. With these simple tips you can greatly cut down on the price of your piano and everything that goes along with it. Now, you’ll be able to enjoy this amazing instrument without having to stress over the price tag!