There comes a time in every struggling New Yorker?s life when?thankfully, finally?the days of ramen noodles, funky-smelling futons, and five roommates are over. Not that you?re on to luxury condos and Ethan Allen chaise longues, but if you?re celebrating the fact that you can finally afford to buy wine that doesn?t come in a box, you know what we?re talking about. When that day arrives, head over to one of the Housing Works thrift stores to upgrade the Ikea sofa/bookshelf/night table for a piece of furniture with a little more personality. A couple of cool finds on a recent trip to the West Village store included a $50 wrought-iron chandelier, a fancy armchair upholstered in an attractive autumnal rust color for $125, and several adorable $5 birdhouses. The Upper West Side location was sporting a $45 vintage telephone with a fabric cord and brass details and a five-foot-tall, $225 pie safe?essentially a large cabinet with intricately designed metal panels. Meanwhile, the Upper East Side store was promoting a chocolate-brown leather swivel chair for $265. Some of the locations have a pretty limited variety of furniture, so make sure to call before you go to see what?s in stock. Even if all you pick up is a vase, you can feel good about spending your hard-earned money there: Profits from Housing Works thrift stores, as well as its online auctions and Soho bookstore caf?, are used to assist homeless New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS.