BARGAINS : CORT FURNISHING SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS.

Byline: Trisha King & Deborah Newmark

Whether you're furnishing your first apartment or are in need of an end table or two, buying recycled furniture could save you a lot of money. Cort Furniture Rental Clearance Center has furniture, decorator items, appliances and small electronic goods for home or office discounted 30 percent to 70 percent below retail.

On the day of our visit, several Mission-style coffee tables were priced at $190 and $200. Made by Bassett, these tables retail new for $390 to $420. End, coffee and sofa tables made of wrought iron, oak and beveled glass were $276 to $356 instead of $315 to $500 retail.

Cort Furniture Rental Clearance Center - in Glendale, Compton, Torrance and a new one to open in Sherman Oaks toward the end of the year - receive weekly shipments, so there's always something new to see. Merchandise is made up of previously leased, name-brand furniture, as well as overstock items that never have been leased. For the most part, age and wear determine the discounts.

Most of the furniture was in good condition, such as a Broyhill, eight-piece dining room set in the Fontana line for $1,200 ($1,700 or more retail). High-back velvet chairs (the staff calls them ``Star Trek'' chairs) from Barclay were $460 rather than $900 retail.

In addition to furniture, all refrigerators by makers such as G.E. were $250 ($500 and more retail); 19-inch RCA color televisions were $130, and lamps, including names such as Stiffel, were priced mostly $16 to $70.

If necessary, items can be brought in from other clearance centers at no extra charge. By the way, if you apply for a Cort credit card, you'll receive an additional 10 percent discount, whether you're approved for credit or not. The discount applies to the entire purchase, not just one item.

Cort Furniture Rental Clearance Center is at 225 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale; [phone]. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa are accepted.

Inside info

At Lighting Liquidators, while supply lasts, you can purchase a Tiffany-style, stained-glass table, floor or hanging pendent lamp at 50 percent and more off retail. Prices start at $49.90 (retail around $100). One of the store's more fancy designs is a Wisteria-style hanging pendent lamp with a 1,550 panes of glass for $299.99 (retail about $1,000). Lighting Liquidators is at 561 W. Colorado St., Glendale; [phone]. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

THE Computer School offers a six-hour computer class with one PC per student and a maximum of four students per class for $149 (elsewhere $179). You take the class either in one full-day course or two half-day sessions. THE Computer School is at 23241 Ventura Blvd., Suite 100-H, Woodland Hills; [phone]. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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Photo: Televisions are among the items discounted at Cort Furniture Rental Clearance Center. Furniture, decorator items, appliances and small electronic goods are discounted 30 percent to 70 percent below retail.

John McCoy/Daily News