When it comes to items for her home, Cheryl Franco strives to get the best bottom-dollar deal.

Maybe it's just the way her mother taught her to shop, or perhaps because she has three kids and one on the way. Then again, it could be because she and her contractor husband are simply handy.

Joey Ivansco, jivansco@ajc.com/AJC (ENLARGE)

Cheryl Franco of Lilburn, with daughter Georgeanne, shops for sinks and doors at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Need a new sink? She tries the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. How about a new door? She'll consider salvage yards. And a new bench or chair? She's not above rummaging through trash.

Yes, she admits, she's been known to Dumpster dive for a cast-off treasure, such as a nightstand she refurbished and painted for her daughter's bedroom.

"I'm not too proud," she said. "I don't go purposefully looking — I just keep my eyes open to see what's there."

On a recent shopping trip at the ReStore on Memorial Drive, Franco explained that she and her husband are building a cabin on their Lilburn property; frequenting thrift stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army helps them save money that they can put toward their children or the occasional splurge.

She has her limits — all upholstery must be new.

"I'd prefer to spend a little more on that, because I save on everything else," she said.

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