Guest Blogger Tonya~Decorating With Thrift Store Finds

We don’t have many home furnishings and what we do have are locked in a storage unit hours away. I just don’t know when we’ll make the trek to Ohio to claim our things.

In the meantime, we’d invited friends to visit and we had to have a place for them to sit. I decided to visit a few thrift stores hoping to find a decent inexpensive couch that we could live with, but what I found amazed me!

At our first stop, my son discovered this:

An awesome Lazy Boy couch for only $75! I couldn’t believe our good fortune! The other couches were all priced more than double at $250! I didn’t waste anytime letting the attendant know that we’d be buying it.

I also found an adorable brown, green and pink pillow to match, thinking I’d grab a brown throw to tone down the color since my daughter was not a fan. So, when I walked into our home and saw the color of the walls, my first thought was that I’d be repainting, but on a return trip to the thrift store to actually pick up the couch, I found these pillows for $4 each. Could they be anymore perfect?

They match the couch and the wall and tie the two together perfectly!

I also found a few other items that I really adore, like this brand new chair for $75:

I plan to recover the cushions or purchase new ones.

I also found this brand new mirror for $20 and the wall stickies for $2, which I love since visiting the Statue of Liberty was one of our favorite trips.

Two sheer panels for the window- $4 each, new.

Rug for entry way- $6, new.

Rug placed in front of couch- $10, not sure if this one is going to stay in this room, but I love it and our puppy loves it. You’ll regularly catch him rolling all over it.

Second Mirror that is waiting for me to decide exactly where I want it to hang, only $25, new.

Unique wood shaving wreath- $5, new. I’m also not 100% sure this will remain in this room, but like the rug, I really loved it.

Final cost so far, $234 for the furniture and accessories. I’m really pleased with how it’s all coming together, what do you think?

Not bad considering it all came from the thrift store, is it?

Tonya Prater and her family have been traveling full time while living in an RV. They are a Christian homeschoolers who have just recently settled back down into a home. She is sharing her thrifty finds as she sets up house and continues homeschooling her children. You can read about her past adventures, as well as her new ones at Live the Adventure.

This post is linked to Thrifty Thursday, Strut Your Stuff, Transformation Thursday, Things I Love Thursday

Continue reading Guest Blogger Tonya~Decorating With Thrift Store Finds …

From Econobusters.

August 5, 2010 | Filed Under Frugal Living | Leave a Comment

Five Challenges of Buying Used – and How to Overcome Them

I revel in used stuff.

I use PaperBackSwap almost religiously. I love shopping at thrift stores and consignment shops. I look forward to yard sales and make a day out of “community yard sale day.”

Undeniably, though, there are drawbacks. Sure, you get a nice financial bargain, but no purchase is a perfect one. Whenever I talk about my love of buying things used, I hear from people about the problems of buying used – and some of the same topics come up time and time again.

Used stuff smells funny or isn’t clean
Used books can sometimes smell musty. Used clothes sometimes don’t seem perfectly clean. The same goes with used dishes and countless other items. The amazing thing, though, is that things can actually be cleaned really easily.

Take those used clothes home and give them a washing before you wear them. Take used dishes home with you and scrub them. It doesn’t take that long and isn’t that hard – really!

If an item smells musty, it’s probably got a high moisture content and a touch of mold. Sit it in front of a running fan for a while, then put it in a box with a dish of baking soda for a few days. The musty smell will be gone.

It takes too much time to buy used stuff
Compared to just running down to Wal-Mart and picking up whatever $3 shirts they have freshly imported from China, buying used does take more time than buying new. However, if you normally invest at least some time in the purchase of an item, it’s not particularly more time effective to go to a “name” retailer than it is to buy used.

The key is patience. It’s not a matter of taking too much time to find what you want when shopping used. It’s more a matter of convenience. If you expect that you’re going to go out for a day of shopping and come home with two outfits, period, then you’re missing the point of buying used.

The point of buying used is to slowly make a list of the stuff you need. “I sure could replace that lawnmower … and I do need some new shirts … and maybe I could use a few cheap books, too.” That’s the attitude to take when you’re shopping used.

I feel cheap buying used stuff
The good old cult of the new rears its ugly head again and again. The idea that something “new” is inherently better than something “used” is often wrong, particularly when you consider that the “used” item is for sale at a lower price than the new item.

I view it a bit differently. For me, a good used item often has most of its lifetime left, but you’re only paying a fraction of the cost for it. Used books. Used shirts. Used pants. Used dishes. Used Kitchen Aid stand mixers. Most of the time, when you find these items used, most of their useful life is ahead of them.

I have a used stand mixer in my kitchen that would have cost $600 if I had purchased it new. Many (possibly most – I’d have to count) of the shirts in my closet, the ones I don’t mind wearing to any event, were purchased used.

The idea that we need new, new, new is planted in our heads by marketers who have a product to sell, so they make new look as sexy as possible and used look as unsexy as possible. In truth, used merely means you’re finding a new home for something great.

Used stores and sales simply don’t have the specific item I need
If you’re shopping for something highly specific, you’re likely going to have to pay for that specificity. Specificity has a price. If you must have a blue striped shirt made with at least 80% cotton, you’re going to have to search more and likely have to pay more than if you simply need a new dress shirt for work.

This is particularly true when buying used. If you go to a used sale with a highly specific item in mind, you’re likely going to be disappointed. The more general your desire, the more likely you are to find success.

So instead of looking for a very specific shirt, simply go in with the mindset that you simply need a shirt that fits. Instead of looking for a specific kind of dish, go in with a general idea of dishes you might buy. You’re much more likely to find just what you need if you’re a little less specific in your desires.

Used stuff is junk; no one else wants it
Over the years, I’ve taken a lot of high quality items to thrift stores. I’ve taken barely-worn clothes that just didn’t fit but were missing tags and gift receipts. I’ve taken countless gifts such as dinner plates because they were gifted without receipts. I’ve taken piles of barely watched DVDs and barely listened CDs. I’ve taken children’s toys that our kids simply don’t play with – practically new items.

And so do other people.

There’s an awful lot of good stuff at secondhand stores. Yes, there’s some dreadful junk, too. But that’s easy enough to handle – just ignore it and look for stuff you actually want.

I have no interest in 95% of the junk at an average thrift sale. I also have no interest in 95% of the junk at your typical department store. So what’s the difference?

Continue reading Five Challenges of Buying Used – and How to Overcome Them …

From The Simple Dollar.

May 27, 2010 | Filed Under Frugal Living | Leave a Comment

Some budget home improvements

vintage cleaner
photo by garlandcannon

Your home can influence your mood. When it seems upside down or outdated, you might feel overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated or dissatisfied. Maybe you wish you could remodel a room or move into a new and improved house. You don’t need a high-cost solution. A few small tweaks can change your entire perspective, lift your spirits, and make you stop hating your surroundings. At the very least, it will make it more tolerable while you continue to save to perhaps make more costly improvements later.
What low-cost solutions have you made to your home?
Here are a few ideas.

SPRING CLEAN: Clutter weighs you down. Go room to room, and clean and organize. Wash your windows, and then open them up and let the sunlight pour in. Rent a carpet cleaner, and steam-clean your carpets. If you’re still unhappy with the results, check online for carpet remnants on Freecycle, Craigslist, eBay Classifieds or at local stores. Or wait for clearance sales to get an area rug at a home-improvement store. If you miss the clearance sales, many home-improvement stores will price-match and beat the lowest price you’re able to find elsewhere. (Some beat it and provide an additional 10 percent discount.) Scrub kitchen and bathroom tile grout. Walls and back splashes get dingy, and they’re often overlooked during routine cleaning.

SECONDHAND SHOP: Look for accessories such as valances, place mats, quilts, wall art or picture frames, lamps (improved lighting will make a huge difference in any room), tablecloths, cloth napkins, glassware and candles. Or look for furniture such as a coffee table, bookcase or end tables that with a little paint or elbow grease will work out perfectly in your home. Many garage sales and thrift stores have brand-new items and unique vintage items, too. Rather than feeling depressed when looking at home-decor shows or magazines, take notes and look for cheaper ways to achieve a similar look.

REPAIR: Small home repairs start to stack up. Tackle a few. These little annoyances can make you feel as if your house is falling apart. Make the time to change the light bulbs, repair a screen, patch holes in the walls, or fix a leaky faucet or slow sink drain.

PLANTS: Ask for cuttings from family and friends to add inside or outside your home. Or shop smart and purchase plants that propagate easily, so you have plenty of new plants to give as gifts or trade with others. Plants can be moved to different areas of your home, and you can decorate them with silk floral picks, dried floral materials, ribbons or a new container for each season or holiday.

MINI SPRUCING UP: Small changes such as buying new bath towels, oven mitts, dish towels, pillows, a shower curtain, throw blankets or slipcovers can accessorize an otherwise boring room. This is especially helpful when you’re afraid to start a major project — such as painting the walls — for fear the rest of the room will look even more outdated. Sometimes painting a ceiling, trim or molding can provide better results than painting the entire room. Rearrange a few things. Maybe you can better position your furniture or switch entire rooms to serve a new and improved purpose.

Continue reading Some budget home improvements …

From Frugal Village.

May 14, 2010 | Filed Under Frugal Living | Leave a Comment

Bakery outlet stores in Michigan

We’ve been chatting about bakery thrift stores lately, and Jolyn at Bargains to Bounty has now compiled a big list of bakery thrift shops in Michigan.

Continue reading Bakery outlet stores in Michigan …

From Monroe on a Budget.

May 12, 2010 | Filed Under Frugal Living | Leave a Comment

Freebie Friday

Sorry that I did not post a Weekend Wonders this week. I wasn’t able to go to any garage sales since I was busy with a drama for my church, but I plan on hitting the thrift stores and some garage sales this weekend so hopefully I can find some great deals!

This week’s newsletter will be about Easter. I have found some really neat links to share with you and I don’t want you to miss out, so be sure and sign up if you can.

The newest Digest and Molly members section is in its final stages for April. If you sign up now, you won’t miss out on the new links we have added recently!

Here are the freebies for this week:

Sign up to receive two free Art Expo tickets when you use the promo code AENY2010. This will take place in NYC on 3/27/10 and 3/28/10. This offer is limited to the first 5,000 people who sign up.
Sign up to receive a free sample of True Lemon. This offer is available to U.S. residents only, while supplies last.
Sign up to receive a free Special K Meal Bar and 2-$1 off coupons.
Fave Diets is offering a free Healthy Snack Recipe ebook.
Download a free interactive edition of National Geographic magazine through 4/2/10.
Get a free sample of Cinch Energy Tea Mix when you fill out the survey.
Get a free video rental at Blockbuster Express with the code G2U13B4. This code is good 3/31 only. Click here to find a location near you
StinkAtNothing.com is looking for t-shirt testers. Sign up here for the shirt. Once you receive it you can evaluate it here.
Kidthing is offering four free Dr. Seuss Book Downloads when you use the code KTCODE-NEA5RAA (you will need to enter this code in the search box of the store page). Free books are Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, Horton Hears a Who and The Cat in the Hat. After you add the items to your cart and make your $0.00 purchase, click on “purchase history”, then select your order and click “download all”.
Yahweh’s Restoration Ministry is offering many free religious literature booklets including Celebrating Easter the Fertility of it All.
Sign up for Buddig Lunch Club and you will be sent a survey about their new packaging for their Deli Cuts brand lunch meat. As a thank you for completing this survey, they will send you a free Buddig lunch bag. Offer ends April 6, 2010.
Baby Barn is offering free samples of two 2.5 oz. bottles of their most popular products: Baby Body and Hair Wash and Soft Skin Baby Lotion.
Loving Pets is offering 5 free sample packs of All Natural Gourmet Wraps treats for dogs.
Bruster’s Ice Cream is offering several freebies. All kids under 40 inches tall get a free baby cone. Get a free doggy sundae when you bring your canine to the store. And when you sign up for their Sweet Rewards Club, receive a special offer just for joining, and a special gift on your birthday and membership anniversary.
Sign up to receive a free Gluten Free Cereal Sample plus possible samples of other products.
Sign up to receive a free sample of Nutra Salt Sea Salt. This offer is good through 4/1/10 or while supplies last.
BJ’s Wholesale Club is offering a free 60 day club pass good for new members only. This offer expires 7/5/10. Click here for a location near you.
Domino’s is offering a free Chocolate Lava Crunch Cake when you take a survey about your most recent Domino’s order and overall experience. You will receive a code at the end of the survey which can be used with a delivery purchase only.
Click here to get a printable coupon for a free Elizabeth Arden Skin Care Sample.
Visit Stellarium.org for a free planetarium software download. This will show you a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or telescope.
Spirit 1 Christian Broadcasting Network is offering a free Bible in King James or American Standard versions.
Gibson has 730 free Online Music Lessons that you can view. Lessons available are for the guitar, bass, drums, piano, and more; for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students. Some of the lessons also include a free downloadable PDF of the sheet music used in the lesson.
Send a free card to a soldier with Snapio.com.
Get a free GeoTrax DVD “Steamer & Samuel Save the Day” with 4 episodes from Mattel.

Have a great weekend friends!

Continue reading Freebie Friday …

From Econobusters.

March 26, 2010 | Filed Under Frugal Living | Leave a Comment

15 Examples of Finding Ways to Enjoy Your Hobbies with Minimal Spending

One big problem that many people have when they adopt a frugal lifestyle is the perceived reduction in enjoyment they’re going to have in their hobbies. Entertainment spending is one of the obvious places to cut in a budget because it’s not a base need, but it is a very painful cut. If done recklessly, it can certainly reduce one’s enjoyment of day to day life.

This is certainly something that has challenged me over the past few years. I’ve got several hobbies that could seemingly be very expensive on their own but, with some footwork and forethought, I’ve found ways to trim their costs down to almost nothing while still retaining what I enjoy about each one.

Over the last week, I’ve also talked to several people I know who simultaneously have seemingly expensive hobbies yet enjoy them with minimal cost. I made a list of many of these hobbies and the methods used to reduce their costs. If you don’t see your hobby listed below but have a great idea for how to reduce the cost of it, mention the hobby and the cost-cutting method in the comments.

Antiquing Focus on really mastering how to value particular types of items – vintage toys, etc. Save your buying impulses until you’re absolutely sure you spy an underpriced item that you can turn over.

Board games Hit thrift stores regularly as you’ll often find great, complete games for almost nothing. Before you buy new games, attend sessions at your local game store where you can demo such games and try them out. Build friendships with other people who enjoy board games and play their games as often as they play yours.

Camping Buy equipment that will last and will work in lots of environments (so you don’t have to buy multiples). Don’t get too much equipment, as you can make a lot of things with what you find on hand – a tent, a sleeping bag, and a utility tool will work for many people. Don’t buy stuff because you think you might use it or need it.

Coin collecting Know your hobby. Know what rare coins have value, particularly ones that look similar to coins made today. Sift through change you get and find ways to accumulate more change without spending (like getting rolls of pennies or dimes at the bank). Understand what you really enjoy about coin collecting and focus on that.

Comics Check your local library if you enjoy reading comics – they often stock annuals and other collections. Start a “comic circle” where you each buy certain comics then swap them around the circle. For collectors, know the market cold and look in unusual places for bargains, like yard sales.

Cooking Minimize your equipment – you don’t need dozens pots and pans. Cook for yourself, not just to impress others (this improves your skill and saves money on meals). Master the use of ingredients you can easily grow (like our chive patch and our asparagus patch, which require no maintenance at all and just produce free food for us).

Gardening Compost as much as you can as it will reduce your fertilizing costs. Build friendships with other gardeners and share equipment. Harvest seeds and save them for spring.

Golfing Try golfing at the community courses near you instead of at the country club, as municipal courses are often far less expensive and yet still a lot of fun. Once you have a set of clubs, stick with it and only “upgrade” when there are liquidation sales or something else that’s completely exceptional. Don’t be afraid to use “lost” balls – balls hit out in the middle of nowhere and considered “lost” by other golfers – pick them up and toss them in your bag. Get a golf bag with wheels or a pull cart and get some exercise instead of renting a golf cart.

Hunting Handle the meat packing and processing yourself. Don’t buy “special clothes” for hunting beyond what’s required to keep you safe – just add layers in the winter. Focus on specific types of hunting instead of buying a weapon for everything.

Magic: the Gathering Instead of playing in the expensive competitive Standard environment, play Limited instead. Build a “draft cube” (basically, a big, diverse pile of cards) and play using that, particularly when you attend events. Ask to borrow full decks from players that have lots of cards.

Movies Eat a snack and drink a big glass of water before hitting the theater. Don’t buy a DVD unless you’ve already watched a movie multiple times in a theater or as a rental. Swap DVDs (temporarily) with friends. Go to discount theaters instead of “first-run” theaters and you’ll save most of the cost of a ticket.

Pets Volunteer your time at a pet shelter, as it will allow you to bond with lots of pets, help to make sure those most in need are cared for, and also help you to find the perfect match. Learn what an animal’s true dietary needs are and focus on meeting that instead of just buying a big bag of Ol’ Roy – not only is it better for them, it’s often cheaper.

Reading Join your local library – or even volunteer there. Swap books with your friends. Join a service like PaperBackSwap and swap online.

Scrapbooking Keep in mind why you’re scrapbooking – it’s to preserve memories. Don’t spend your money on expensive decorating elements that don’t really mean anything at all. Use highly inexpensive or throwaway items for your decorative elements instead – let that be another channel for your creativity.

Video games Trade games with friends. Play through games all the way before picking up a new one. Buy used games – and trade in any games you have that you won’t likely play again. Never buy new releases – wait until the price starts to drop and you save money while still enjoying the same game.

There are a few themes that run through many of these tips that bear repeating, because they help save money with any hobby.

Build friendships with people who have the same hobby. You can share ideas and equipment with them.
Minimize your equipment. Don’t buy stuff just because you think it might have a use. Go minimal, then expand if you have a true need.
Avoid the “cult of the new.” Never buy a new release. If you wait a little while, you can usually get the same item for less.
Understand what aspects of the hobby you truly enjoy. Maybe it’s just the collecting nature. Maybe it’s just the act of what you’re doing. Whatever it is, spend some time figuring it out, as it will often lead you to savings.

Continue reading 15 Examples of Finding Ways to Enjoy Your Hobbies with Minimal Spending …

From The Simple Dollar.

March 15, 2010 | Filed Under Frugal Living | Leave a Comment

An Argument for Secondhand Store Clothes, Even If You Must Dress Nicely

Monica writes in:

I don’t understand how you can recommend that people shop in thrift stores for clothes. The stuff there is usually worn out and just looks bad and outdated. I would never wear that stuff to work.

It sounds to me like you’ve made up your mind about thrift stores and secondhand stores before even stepping inside the door. I’ll make the case anyway.

First of all, I won’t buy the vast majority of clothing on sale at such a store. I’m with Monica on this one – most of the stuff there can be pretty worn out. I’ve seen lots of threadbare sweaters, worn out dress pants, and other items that, if they were in my home, would be meeting the rag bag.

Those aren’t the items I’m shopping for. The reason I go is to look through a long rack of clothes and find two or three items that are barely worn. How do quality items of clothing get to the secondhand store? A person gains or loses a lot of weight. A person passes away. A person decides they just don’t like how the item looks on them. A person is a clotheshorse who only wears an item a couple of times before getting rid of it. Each of these cases can result in some very nice clothes on the rack at the secondhand shop.

If you don’t like the item, don’t buy it. However, there are a lot of gems buried on the racks if you’ll spend some time digging through them.

Second, my biggest focus for clothing buys – once they meet a minimum standard of quality – really is cost per use. Yes, unquestionably, I could go to a store like Men’s Wearhouse, find a high quality article of clothing, and wear it, say, sixty times over the course of several years. That article of clothing might cost me $60, so the cost per use would be $1 per use.

On the other hand, I might find a nice item at the secondhand store. It might have been worn a few times already, so I might only get fifteen wears out of it instead of the sixty I might get from the new shirt. However, that secondhand item only cost me $3. That’s $0.20 per use.

I will take the second item of clothing any day of the week.

What about the time cost? Time cost is one of the first things people mention when they hear a money-saving tactic that they’re unsure about. Human beings are creatures of habit and if we can find a good reason to retain that habit (or even a not-so-good reason), we’ll use it. Time cost is often that reason.

However, in this situation, time cost matters little. I go clothes shopping twice a year, period.

In the spring, I’ll dig out all of my summer clothes (in fact, I’m intending to do this this weekend), determine what needs to go and what can stay, and then figure out if I need to add some clothes to the mix or if I have enough. I do the same thing in the fall with my winter clothes.

Once that’s done, I actually make a shopping list for clothes. I need some number of dress shirts, some number of jeans, some number of shorts, some number of khakis, some number of underwear – you get the idea. Then, I go shopping.

If I use secondhand store clothes in this process, I still just rotate them out at season’s end if they’re too worn, the same thing I’ll do with clothes that are purchased new. I’ll still go clothes shopping twice a year, regardless of whether I’ve bought new or used clothes in the past.

What this comes down to is simple: spending control. I keep a pretty tight rein on my clothes shopping habits. I simply don’t go clothes shopping more than twice a year. Because of that, I don’t devote much time in a given calendar year to picking out new clothes – and I don’t spend nearly as much money, either.

At its heart, an awful lot of frugality and financial success comes down to control over your spending. If you have firm control over how your money leaves your wallet, it’s often shocking how many ways there are to cut your spending without cutting your quality of life one iota.

Continue reading An Argument for Secondhand Store Clothes, Even If You Must Dress Nicely …

From The Simple Dollar.

March 12, 2010 | Filed Under Frugal Living | Leave a Comment

Make movie-theater popcorn at home

popcornbowls Make movie theater popcorn at home
photo by aspaonline

DEAR SARA: We used to have a hot-air popcorn maker back in the day, and its long since been history. Now I’m looking around for hot-air popcorn makers, and they’re kind of overpriced, around $50. I’m trying to make popcorn without the oils/butter, etc. Some of the reviews I’ve read have said the units are too hot to touch after you’ve popped the corn or it shoots scalding hot kernels out of the machine at you. Just wondered how you pop your popcorn, not the microwave bag kind, and if you could recommend a popcorn maker. — Libby, Canada

DEAR LIBBY: Popcorn poppers are very easy to find secondhand. Look in garage sales, thrift stores or online on Freecycle, Kijiji.com or eBay.com. If you’re looking to buy new, I’d continue to watch sales. Most air poppers are going to shoot a kernel or two. West Bend makes great air poppers. Their older model, Poppery II (found secondhand), can double as a coffee-bean roaster, too. You can read more about it at www.frugalvillage.com/2007/12/27/gourmet-coffee-on-the-cheap. But if you want a recommendation, I’d buy a Whirly Pop stovetop popper. It does use a little oil to prevent sticking, but is cheap to buy ($20 or so new). You’ll love the taste (like movie theater popcorn), every kernel pops, it’s long-lasting and the experience is just more fun.

DEAR SARA: What’s the best place to order new checks? I need new checks, and I know I can find them cheaper than through my bank. Any suggestions for specific companies? There’s about a million and a half of them online. I would like to find one that has a debit register too, the little register that fits with your debit card. Thanks. — Akolb, Louisiana

DEAR AKOLB: I’d call your bank and see if they offer any discounts or if there’s any way to get free checks. You can also buy them through Wal-Mart (www.walmartchecks.com) or Costco at a discount. You’re right: There are a ton of online sources. Places such as checksunlimited.com, 4checks.com and bestvaluechecks.com all offer discount checks. You can also print your own checks using software such as Checksoft Personal Deluxe, which you can find at stores such as Staples. I write very few checks and get them through my credit union. Be sure to verify your checks for accuracy.

DEAR SARA: I made a two-layer cake tonight and do not have a cake dome or any container big enough to fit it in. It’s frosted with store-bought frosting. How should I go about storing it? Foil? — Rhayne, New Jersey

DEAR RHAYNE: I’d place a large bowl or pan over the top or insert toothpicks into it and cover loosely with plastic wrap. You can check a local bakery or grocery store bakery and see if they’ll sell you a cake box or container. If your store-bought frosting isn’t extremely perishable (no dairy or uncooked eggs), then your cake can set out on the counter. Wrap like I mentioned above or at least use a loose-foiled tent. Now might be a good time to invest in a cake keeper, too.