You are definitely starting to convince me. Right now we are lucking for a sofa set. Perhaps that’s why she’s saying used furniture is “gross.” You know what’s funny, one of her favorite television programs is the Antiques RoadShow!
I can understand why she feels that used upholstery is a little disgusting. Depends on where it comes from. You never know what bug eggs might be in something from the Salvation Army. When I suggested buying used, I was thinking more of bedstead, tables, dressers, chests, wardrobes, sideboard, etc.—the hard goods.
Rather than get a “sofa set” (by which I’m guessing you mean a sofa and matching loveseat), you might consider buying a sofa and two chairs that match each other but complement, rather than exactly match, the sofa; plus one accent chair of a different style altogether. This will give you much more flexibility as you move and your lives change; you can rearrange the component pieces, move them to different rooms, change things up in a way you can’t do with a sofa set. It also means you could buy a single sofa today and have something to sit on, then go back for chairs later when you see a sale and have a bit more money.