Rugsdirect has many of the same rugs you will find in all the other sites like Wayfair but much cheaper. And there is a super sale going on right now with some great deals. Like 70 percent off. And they ship very quickly. Like getting a rug within a few days of ordering. More on reddit.com

The vast majority of rugs should indeed be BIFL provided you take decent care of it and buy a quality rug from the start. There are several distributors online who sell really ratty, low quality rugs at prices believed to be too good to be true, and while the rug will last years and years and years… you’re better off shelling a few hundred more and getting something of higher quality made with better yarns, fibers, updated machines or tools, and better trade/labor practices. Websites off the top of my head that I would include in this low tier: nearly everything off Amazon and Target and Wayfair, RugsUSA, a good majority of Etsy sellers. There are some good Etsy rug sellers, but be wary and do your research. RugsUSA, in my opinion, peddles cheap crap, uses deceptive photos, and the return process is a pain in the ass. Avoid Ruggable… excessively overpriced. In the tier above that would be west elm, crate and barrel. I really do think IKEA has decent rugs if you’re willing to splurge beyond the basics. Serena and Lilly looks decent. I’ve had great pleasure shopping on Revival. I think they have a good mix of new pieces and vintage one of a kind. Try them out for sure. Rug trade is one of the oldest professions in the modern world. If you live in a major city, take the time to explore the area for great rug stores, traders, and vendors. They’ll have some amazing pieces that truly will last a lifetime. One last thing is to narrow down where the rug is going to go and what yarns or fibers it should contain. Natural fibers will feel better under your feet, but avoid linen and especially jute if it’s an indoor rug. Cannot stress enough to avoid any and all jute, hell I’d recommend avoiding it even for outdoor too. Feels like garbage. Synthetic fiber rugs with polypropylene or polyester will be at significantly cheaper price points, but IMO not that great of a rug. More on reddit.com

This thread is making me feel like a garbage person lol. I get mine from rugs.com or rugsusa.com. Hoping to upgrade to a ruggable, but that’s about where my budget maxes out. It truly does come down to needs and use though. I have a kid. She’s a messy kid. Like, pathologically…she is a sensory seeker and slime, play doh, water activities, etc are going to happen. My house is tiny and we eat in the living room a lot. And I get bored and like to switch things up. Cheaper rugs make the most sense for us so we can replace them guilt-free every few years (except the guilt of overconsumption). More on reddit.com

I went to local stores that sell brand name rugs to get a feel. There were definitely some brands I didn’t like the feel/price of and others I did. Take photos of anything you like because you can use google lens to reverse search it and find it on discount sites like wayfair (they often use fake brand names so it doesn’t dilute the brand’s image). My wool ones I just bought online because I wanted thick, dense ones and so that was easier to tell online and those turned out great. I agree $400 for that size is gonna be a huge stretch for wool though, you’d have to get lucky with a good sale. Also a rug pad is key to making it comfortable to sit on. I went with some rug padding from Home Depot and it’s amazing. It makes some of my rugs almost feel bouncy. Even under thick rugs it’s a noticeable difference. If it helps I got good prices on two of my rugs at bed, bath, and beyond. They always have additional coupons too, but it’s hit or miss if they’ll work on rugs. Also you might be surprised to find local stores with good deals. TJ Maxx/Home Sense but also just local to you places. Several times they beat out online prices for me. More on reddit.com