{ShopGirl} on a budget

thrifty projects and gifts...

2011-06-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

It's graduation gift season...

and as is the case every year, I have a hard time trying to decide what to give for gifts.

Because I'm on a tight budget, I always try to find something creative and inexpensive

and at the same time usable...

So this is what I came up with this year...

A little bit of this

{most of which was already on hand}

A little cutting and gluing...

more cutting and gluing...

Add a white board marker...

Simple, but usable gifts...

And since I had several frames sitting around the house that I've been waiting to use,

I decided to make two more for myself...

One for the kitchen to use for a calendar/memo board...

And one in the bathroom for quotes and notes...

I've picked up both of the frames at Goodwill for a couple of dollars over the last year. The paper backing was gift wrap- purchased a while ago at Target. And I bought white board markers at the Dollar store. It's a cheap and easy way to pass a little encouragement to your family...

we've all been having a good time posting notes to each other.

This morning I was greeted with

"Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful" from my daughter.

Tomorrow she'll probably find something like

"True beauty starts deep within your soul"...

A fraud...

2011-05-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

I just noticed I've been missing here for quite some time.

No excuses

Just life being life.

That, and I realized recently that I am not the die-hard frugal girl I thought I was.

Let me explain...

The other night I was watching "Extreme Couponing" with my 20 year old son

{don't judge me, he is home from college for the summer and we were bonding}

He was in shock and utter awe over the shopping trips these people were taking.

Some of them not only saved money,

but they also MADE money by purchasing certain items with certain coupons.

*Being a college student he was also shocked by the hoarder mentality some of them deny having

and blurted out something like,

"Hey, I'm fixin' to get me some of those Hamburger Helpers...that stuff's awesome!"

{Ewww...I stop at serving a box of that to my family. Just can't do it.}

I'm not going to lie, that show gives me a headache

and takes my stress level up several notches.

And so, here's the pitiful, honest truth...

I like a bargain

I like lots of bargains

But I'd rather have nothing if it means I have to spend hours and days

searching for

clipping

filing

organizing

in order to take a trip to the grocery store.

{I mean no disrespect to those who make it a habit to clip coupons daily

more power to you,

I think what you're doing to save your family's money is commendable...}

To my family:

I'm sorry, kids, but I'd rather you go without food altogether

than have to endure such

mental gymnastics

just to put food on our table.

So in honor of everyone out there who just gasped at the disrespect I haveblurted out

I will see your coupon-frenzy

and raise you one website.

Go ahead,

leave me to my TLC Extreme Couponing bad attitude

and go save yourself some money HERE.

But just to prove that I have not totally lost all desire to save a buck,

here's a picture of a recent Craig's list purchase.

There's actually four chairs w/cushions and a ceramic tiled table with a firepit in the center-

it also has the option to change it out for an ice bin.

Not bad for $60.

I also purchased a futon mattress for a frame we had sitting around here for $30.

Considering what each of these would cost new, I think they were pretty good deals.

I may not be an extreme couponer,

but I can hunt down a bargain when I need one.

MASSIVE yard sale..

2011-04-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

I vowed NEVER to do one EVER again...

multiple times.

BUT...here I go again, giving in to the temptation to purge.

Again.

This time, though, I'm tag-teaming it with my friend, Janelle and some other creative ladies..

it feels much less stressful, much less pressure...

but let me tell you, IT WILL BE HUGE and you won't want to miss it!!!

Check out Janelle's description and and a peek at the last few years of

Barn Sales at her house:

Here are the details:

{3rd Annual Barn Sale at Janelle's House}

128 Lancaster Avenue
Strasburg, PA 17579

~Friday, May 6th 4pm-7pm~
~Saturday, May 7th 7am-2pm~

This week at Goodwill...

2011-04-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

Someone picked up THIS:

{he also had to take a trip to Guitar Center for 12 strings}

But, he was proud of his $14 purchase

And it really is quite entertaining watching him play

I picked up these three sweeties

The inside of the Vintage train case is in perfect condition.

I didn't need it, but for $.97 how can you not purchase it for storage?!?

The two plaid cases made their way to my oldest son's basement bedroom.

I'll have to wait until he's back from college to find out what he will store in them....

{his room offers a large amount of options to choose from-

shoes, magazines, books, cd's, junk, dirty laundry, etc etc}

Anytime I find something old and well-loved,

I wonder about its history...

Where did it come from?

Where has it been?

Who used it?

What secrets does it hold?

These two came home with me on a different Goodwill trip.

They were just the right color and just the right price

They are a little overly loved

but their flaws are somewhat comforting.

"Frugality without creativity is deprivation."

-Amy Dacyczyn

If you're looking for a freebie,

head over HERE to one of my favorite blogs for a chance to win a brand new pair of running shoes!

And while you're there,

scroll down for a peek at the sweetest dog EV-er!

SPRING freebies....

2011-03-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

My friend Janelle over at Three Men and Their Ladies is having a

Spring Giveaway...

If you want a chance to win THIS

Then head over HERE right quick!

Yesterday I signed up for another giveaway HERE

It's so similar, I would be happy for either one to come in my mail!

I've been thinking about putting together my own giveaway...

these two make me feel creative.

I'll get working on that and let you know when it happens!

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!

~Mark Twain

stumbling...

2011-03-04T13:34:00.000-08:00

You know how part of the reason we "thrift-lovers" enjoy the hunt is because it's just challenging...

and the other reason is because we live in a throw-away society, so re-using something makes us feel like we're giving back...and the other reason is because it is cost effective and makes sense to our budget????

{Longest run-on sentence I've written today}

Yeah...well, I realize that I can easily over-spend by the sheer force of allowing myself to walk in the doors of my favorite Bargain Barn. And, frankly, I probably have more stuff than I need simply because

I liked it

and

it was cheap.

For this reason, I am practicing self-control when I drive down Route 30

and am tempted to turn Left into my favorite

Goodwill Wonderland.

As a result this blog has sat stagnant because I had

nothing new and thrifty to be excited about.

I also have zero advice or suggestions

that are worth writing down.

{Unless, "just don't get in your car and drive out of your driveway" sounds like good advice to you.}

I guess you could say I'm in a creative funk.

So, to shake out of it

or at least to see what others are doing with their creative juices,

I've joined stumble upon.

It's a massive internet conglomeration of

everyone in the whole wide world and their sister

I don't really understand it all yet.

It's just too big.

But I think they're on to the next big internet craze.

It's like a great big marriage of Google, the blogging world, youtube, Martha Stewart, CNN, your local Library, Home Depot and every other random thing you can think of.

You pick your category of choice,

press "stumble"

and spend the next hour looking at everything you ever wanted to know about that category.

It's really crazy.

And somewhat overwhelming.

But sometimes I go there just because...

and perhaps in the hope of stumbling upon someone else's creative juicy-juice

and having it spill on me.

Like just now, when I stumbled, I found this place

Check her out, she seems to have a lot to say today about being frugal.

But don't be gone for too long...

I might actually slip in someone else's creative juice and

post something worth noting.

Dear blog,

2011-02-15T20:56:00.000-08:00

I have been unkind.

I have neglected your needs.

I have not filled you up with new things.

I have not given you new tunes.

I have taken a blogcation.

Please forgive me for being so harsh.

I didn't mean for it to happen.

But LIFE happened...

and you didn't.

I promise to show you a little love very soon.

I promise.

Just give me a little more time.

{Google images}

♥ShopGirl

MORE paper, glue, and glitter

2010-12-19T17:38:00.000-08:00

I'm still working on projects around here.

Today I worked on more of these...

and these....

The scent of these candles...

heavenly...

The second project of the day called for these supplies...

and a little of this...

I cut the newspaper into scores of ruffled-edged circles of different sizes...

then I layered them into piles of 4 or 5 pieces,

and carefully burned the outer edges of each piece...

{NOTE: do not do this in front of your small children! Also, I found it easiest to burn my

pieces in front of the fireplace since several of them caught completely on fire and had to be

tossed in to avoid catching my sweater on fire!}

I glued each piece to the one on top of it, added a glittered button to the center and that's it!

I'm planning to use them in one of my Christmas projects, but I can't show it here yet...

don't want to ruin the surprise.

I'm working on another project, inspired by this plague I found HERE:

more to come later...

Shhh....don't tell...

2010-12-15T14:15:00.000-08:00

On a roll...finally seeing some gifts completed....

Candles all glittered and dressed up...

{each candle/matchbox gift cost $3 and change}

A work in process....

but it's a secret, so don't tell...

{supplies for this project cost $8-ish}

Reminding myself NEVER to try to cut foam board again...

Can't show what it became...

maybe after Christmas

There's still a lot to finish up...

and next week the baking-gifts start,

but stress is not allowed,

so I'm pacing myself.

A little crafting...

2010-12-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

So this week it's time to get started on the projects that I'm making for Christmas gifts.

I'm not sure why I always put things off until the last minute, but I always do...

My pile is ready and tomorrow is the day it all starts.

And just when I thought I had it all figured out and had all of my supplies ready,

I came across THIS

Isn't it the cutest??!

You can find the instructions to make it HERE

Shucks...

Looks like another trip to Michaels.

Merry crafting!

Christmas coupons...

2010-12-08T06:41:00.000-08:00

I'm off to do a little Christmas shopping today. We're totally cutting back this year and focusing in a different direction than "us". So anyone on my Christmas list will likely be getting something homemade or extremely on SALE.

Here's a few coupons I'm using today that you might find useful too!

Click HERE for a link to a 50% off AC Moore coupon.

You'll be prompted to put in your zip code to find your nearest store,

then you'll see a link to their current coupon.

{I had trouble printing it out--it was HUGE--you'll need to resize it in your printer options}

Click HERE for a link to a 20% off Bed Bath & Beyond coupon.

I looked and looked for a ready to print coupon, but didn't find one in the amount of time I wanted to spend looking. Eventually I signed up for BB&B emailing list and was immediately sent a 20% off coupon.

You could also click HERE for coupons for a large list of stores and restaurants.

Also, if you have lots of time on your hands before you head out to shop,

click HERE for a host of thrifty shopping ideas and deals.

One more great coupon HERE if you're into shoes and boots that are practically FREE!

Off to AC Moore where I will hopefully be inspired to be creative...

Here's hoping!

Christmas bargains...and remembering the Gift.

2010-12-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

We're always on a budget around here, and Christmas time is no different. So, to kick things off this season, I unwrapped my decorations to see what was needed. We're in a bigger house this year, so it was almost necessary to add a few more things to stretch what I already had...

Of course, I had to stop here:

{Print a $10 OFF coupon HERE}

and here:

{They posted a few Holiday budget tips you might want to read HERE}

Merry Christmas sign $2.99

Pink Christmas tree $2.99

Silver glitter electric candles $1.99-$2.99

{Silver and Green Christmas trees unwrapped from last year...}

{7' Fraser Fir- Costco $33.99}

Silver glitter words $1-$2.99

Silver tinsel wreath from last year

{Made with a Dollar Tree wreath and balls}

Goodwill Christmas ball wreath $3

"Joy"- free

Glitter birds- $1

Blue mercury glass votives - $1

I found a few non-Christmas items on one of my recent Goodwill trips...

LOVE these pink veggie dishes.

I paid $4 for both!

I spied these beauties hiding in a corner but couldn't think of a reason to buy them for myself, so I picked them up for a photographer friend to use in her photoshoots...

there was a bonus cosmetic bag inside the small one!

Aren't they sweet!?!

I can't wait to see how she uses them..

{I'm sure she'll put them to good use!}

www.amberjacobyphotography.com

23 more days until Christmas...in case you've lost track.

Take a moment to reflect on the Greatness of this season.

Stop here:

have one or two of these:

And

RELAX.

I mean, at this time

NEXT year will your family

remember the gifts you were so

stressed over finding and wrapping THIS

year? And, in TEN years will they even remember

ANY of the gifts you've stressed over all these years???

Doubtful.

Remember the original Gift...and don't stress over the imitations....

Giveaway...

2010-11-17T05:41:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've signed on here...so I'm redeeming my absence by tipping you off on a great giveaway you might want to run out and enter.

Check out the camera strap giveaway on Simply Handmade by Paige.

You'll be suprised to find that Paige is 14 years old...She's amazing!

Peruse her blog while you're there and check out her etsy site, too.

Paige has alot of talent and a great future of design and fashion ahead of her!

Paige's giveaway is a camera strap created by Ruthanne at "Eclectic Whatnot".

My favorite by far is the Pink Lady on the top left corner of the picture...♥♥♥

I'm certainly hoping that random.org will pick me!!!

Free to me...

2010-10-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

The other day I grabbed my computer and a notebook and headed to Panera...my FAVorite spot to sit and catch up on important things. I spend alot of time there...it's kind of like my winter home. I try hard not to break my food budget there...and can really be happy with a refillable cup of coffee or iced tea. {unless someone beside me is indulging in something better}

They don't know me by name in there...but they do recognize me. For instance, when I showed up the other day to buy an iced tea, the cashier was shocked to find out that I did not have a Panera Rewards Card, and said, "For as much time as you spend in here, I'm really surprised you don't have a card yet!"

Guilty as charged.

So, here's where the good stuff comes...the reason why this post exists on my "budget-friendly" blog. Not only am I now the proud owner of my very own Panera Rewards card, but just for signing up my card now has on it a FREE LATTE for me! Mind you, I've never actually PURCHASED a latte at Panera {I'm cheap, remember?} so to have one waiting for me for FREE...that's my kind of deal. Not only that, but I discovered that they have all kinds of their recipes on their website. {those are FREE too...bonus!}

I wonder if I will ever forego this:

in order to make it cheaper for myself at home?

I should...I'm just not sure I can give up my second home.

It's supposed to be a little cooler around here tomorrow...

sounds like it may be a LATTE DAY for me.

If you have not retrieved your own Panera Rewards Card yet, do NOT hesitate any longer.

You have a freebie waiting for you!

...and check out those recipes - they are FREE too!

http://www.mypanera.com/recipes.php

Then head on over to WISEBREAD and read this article about the "Latte Factor"...
what do YOU think?

a SmOkIn HoT facelift...

2010-09-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

I'm not a brass lover.

So when I look at something like this, I'm not sure what to do with it. My parents lived in this house most of my life and my mom always wanted to give the mantel a facelift, too. It started out a dark, drab brown...she gave it a coat of white paint...she hung pretty plates across it...and I'm sure it had all manner of looks over the years that I can't even remember. But the bones of it stayed the same.

I think it's time for a little more change...

I'm just not sure where to start. It has start with eliminating the brass accents SOMEhow.

I've thought about a coat of paint...but the heat could cause it to bubble.

And I've thought about ripping the doors off and eliminating them altogether...but that multiplies the chances of having critters flying in.

So...at this point I have no real plans...except to admit that something has to be done.

I found some other people with similar dilemas who solved them like this:

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2009/10/some-like-it-hot/#more-2291

and this:

http://oursuburbancottage.blogspot.com/2010/01/de-brassifying-fireplace-surround.html

and this:

http://applestonecottage.blogspot.com/2009/07/fireplace-and-door-facelift-met-monday.html

I'm loving on this:

it's the cutest resin applique that I think would look great in that big blank space on the mantel.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

Fall is coming and because I've never had a fireplace in my own home before, I have a feeling this one will be burning alot this year...so this project is on the front burner...

stay tuned...

table dreams and rescued chairs...

2010-09-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

In August I blogged here about an empty spot in my sunroom that needed a small table. In my mind's eye I had the exact table picked out. I don't know where I'd seen it before, but I had the scalloped edges and twisty legs all dreamed up...all that was left was to actually locate it. So, the space remained empty and an amount of $100 was put aside that I was allowing myself to spend on it. After many repeated trips to all my local "Thrifty spots", I finally discovered THE table...the EXACT one that was in my mind.

Funny thing is, it was owned by a friend of mine, Vern, who hosts several large Barn Sales a year...

and apparently she had been trying to sell it for quite some time.

{Duh, probably saw it in her barn and overlooked it at a time I wasn't looking for it!} Vern had given her a great paint finish-which was even MORE appealing to me. Better yet, by the time I found her, she was marked down to $35 dollars!

So here she is, in my sunroom on the day I brought her home.

Her scalloped edges were exactly as I "remembered" her....

I added a set of plank-bottom chairs I've had for about 20 years. I've never really loved them, but I already owned them so I wasn't about to purchase more. Unfortunately, they made the table look dingy and lifeless.

...So, they got a paint job, too...

Paired with a chandelier, I think they look alot better...although they are still awaiting a coat of glaze that will darken and age them just a bit.

For the price of about $50 my space is filled and it works.

Another recent thrifty purchase is this chair...

she's a little shabby...but sturdy, and with a paint job I love...

So, for $5 and the addition of a chairpad I bought years ago for about $2 at Goodwill...

...it was the perfect piece to accompany this...

a little re-do...

2010-09-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

With our recent move has come many projects. Sometimes those projects create more projects. I'm always trying to save a dollar, so I try to either reuse what I have or redo something I find to fit both my style and my budget. If you recall, I've been on the hunt for a table for my family room.

I wrote about it here.

The search has taken me on several trips to different Thrift shops, Second-hand stores and yard sales. I try to go in with only this purchase in mind...but sometimes I get distracted from the goal and find another project in the making.

Like this little beauty I found recently at Goodwill for $5.

It reminded me of a frame I fell in love with recently at IKEA.

I stood beside it and struggled over buying it, but ended up leaving it

there because I couldn't justify the price. {$24.99}

I had a mirror that has sat for years in my attic because I loathed the goldish finish, so I decided both would get the same makeover and be used in separate rooms. I've struggled to find just a couple of touches of turquois in both my family room and my half bath and these were the perfect inexpensive solution.

The frame joined an ongoing collection of mirrors...

And the mirror covered up an empty wall in the family room...

I already had the can of paint, so this project ended up costing only $5...which is my kind of makeover!

As for the table I was originally looking for...I finally found it.

But I'll save that story for another day.

"The best way for a person to have happy thoughts is to count his blessings and not his cash."

--Author Unknown

The hunt is on...

2010-08-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

Summer has officially ended for us around here. School has started and taken with it our carefree way of life. The day now starts at 6:00am instead of whenever I feel like it. As much as I am a morning rebel, I kind of like that we've been forced back onto a seemingly normal schedule. We've had a strange summer of painting, packing and moving....and then again paperwork, packing and moving of my college-bound son. All of which has been well-worth the effort, but makes me even more blissfully aware of the new-found quiet that greets me the moment the bus takes off with my kids each morning. It won't always be this way...I'm on a job hunt...but for now, it's affording me the time to catch up on things like bills and undone projects leftover from our move.

One of the things I've put in the back of my mind all summer is the search for cushions for my kitchen island stools. While the chairs are terribly uncomfortable right now, it just hasn't been a priority to sit online for hours and search for the ones I've dreamed up in my head. I did find a website, though, that has me curious.

http://www.bedbathstore.com/

Check it out. If I can't find exactly what I'm looking for here, with all of the styles and variety, then I'm not sure I'll find them elsewhere.

Here's a few that caught my eye:

I like the stripe ok, even though I'm really looking for a floral. But priced at $14.99 each...I might be persuaded to become a striped fan.

This floral is a little closer to what I'm looking for and only $19.99 each, but still, not the right pattern.

This is the closest to what I'm looking for on the Bed Bath Store website. The price of $27.99 each is NOT going to happen, but I'm getting closer. I like how they're made- with the tufting and the piping. But I'm afraid that my biggest hindrance is the fact that I've got fabric sitting next to my sewing machine that I'm really sold on using.

I have been saving this Cath Kidston fabric for just the right project, and I think this is the one. I love all the quality and the styles of the ones I saw on the Bed Bath Store site, but I'm not sure I want to attempt making them...So I guess I'll wait a little longer and keep hunting for a solution to the dilemma.

I got distracted on the Bed Bath website, because the store is so big. I hopped around from Chair pads, to furniture, to bedding, to rugs, to storage solutions, to the Clearance section and still didn't see the whole website! Although I won't be purchasing chair pads from them, I've added them to my favorites for the future. It will probably come in handy once I start working on all my unfinished projects.

{I'm starting to think about enjoying my fireplace in a few months...maybe by then this little beauty will have found its' way to the Clearance section!}

With the free shipping offer {on purchases over $89} I'm sure I'll be returning!

MIA...

2010-08-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

but I'm back now. Between weeks of packing and getting ready for a move and then a week of vacation, this summer has been somewhat of a blur. But, now that the suitcases are unpacked, it's time to get down to the business of settling in and making this house our home.

I don't have to tell you I'm thrifty {not to be confused with cheap}. I love the thrill of a bargain-especially an unexpected one. Which, of course, is why my latest Goodwill purchase made my heart pump doubletime. I stopped in because I had walked away from a steal of a cupboard the day before that I should have purchased for a mere $19...but I didn't. Upon further consideration, I decided the next day to go back and find it...of course, it was gone. BUT...as "luck" would have it, someone had just slid the sweetest bench out the back door- it wasn't even priced yet! You can believe that I drug that thing with me all the way across the room to ask someone to price it for me! Shallow, I know, but I couldn't just let her sit there and risk her being taken to someone else's home, now could I?

Besides, there was no need to justify this purchase, since she was priced at $12.99 MINUS the 20% discount I pulled from the basket at the register.
CHA-ching!

I had some help from my mom and my daughter {she looks thrilled, doesn't she?} dragging her out to the backseat of my car....

She now graces the end of my bed.

she's not in perfect condition- you can see the small tear on the left side- but, she's been well-preserved by someone. I'd love to know her story- she's quite old- stuffed with horsehair or something similar {making her less than comfortable to sit on, but that's not really why I bought her, is it?!}. I imagine she graced the home of an older woman for many years, then was donated when the woman passed on- the family seeing her as just an old piece of junk, rather than the story-teller that she is.

I have a dozen more projects that involve paint...but I'm on a painting sabatical...not sure when I'll return.

This piece was finally finished just before the move.

It's amazing how a can of paint can transform something.

Remember when it looked like THIS?

I think it needs clear glass knobs now- the original ones might be a little too dark, but I'm waiting for a sale.

The sideboard sits in my diningroom now- along with a miss-matched table and chair set that also got a white paint job. I already had all of those pieces, so it cost me the balance of the can of paint. The chandelier came from the old house, too. I have a large empty wall that needs something {like the cupboard I passed up!}, but I'm willing to wait till the right bargain shows up.

I have another large space in need of a bargain. I've got my eye peeled for a small scalloped edge table that seats about four. I know exactly what I'm looking for, but haven't found it yet on the thrify-circuit. I thought I found it the other day at an antique shop for $40, but it was too worn and warped. I'll be stopping by all my local thrift shops often until I find her...and I will find her!

She looks something like this...only not so "la-de-da"...mine has the same shape but probably needs a good coat of paint.

I'll probably be back from paint sabatical right about the time I find her...

A new coat...

2010-06-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Remember this?

...it's FINALLY getting a makeover...

It's still in progress, but I'm liking the new coat already. Some would say don't mess with the finish {but in reality, it wasn't all that great-lots of nicks and discolorations} but my new motto is this:

If you don't like it- paint it and make it new. At least that's what I keep telling myself. I don't really even like to paint, but for some reason I started and now I have to finish!

It was $8 well spent! Inside the doors I found three different variations of vintage Contact Paper - none that I had any desire to keep, but it sort of told me about the woman who once owned it. Also, there were about 10 little cup hooks on the inside of the left cabinet...seems someone had a tea cup collection at one time. I wonder, as I paint, where this piece has been...what stories it could tell. It'll never fetch a hefty price at a sale, but it's exactly the thing that will suit my diningroom well.

I'm working on painting a bunch of mismatched pieces the same color...that makes it a set, right?

Another couple of days and I think it'll be ready for more pics!

"Happiness is making the most of what you have."

{Rosamunde Pilcher}

Budget lesson of the day:

2010-06-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

Today's budget-minded lesson: Don't go to the mall.

I avoid the place if at all possible. Not because I hate to shop - Au contraire! I love to shop...but when I walk into the mall I suddenly go weak in the knees and forget all about the fact that I'm on a tight budget...suddenly, rather than being content with what I have, I want MORE. My daughter has it way worse than I do. I made the mistake of taking her to the mall last night - just for something to do. Even though she knew we weren't going to buy, but to LOOK, I still must have heard "Oooh, I want one of these!" a half-million times. NOT that she thought I would cave and hand the Debit card over - she knows better than that - but still...I had to hear it. And really, she was just being outwardly honest...because inside I was doing the same thing...just with better restraint, of course.

You can cut all the coupons you want, but unless you have a specific need or purpose in mind, bottom line is this: STAY AWAY FROM THE MALL, GIRLS! BUT...if you do frequent the mall and come out empty handed and happen to feel a real let-down, you might consider keeping your eyes peeled on the way home for a little hidden treasure. By treasure I mean trash...you know, the good kind of trash that other people haul out next to their big blue receptacles in the name of junk. Maybe there's a good reason for them to haul it out there, maybe they're downsizing or possibly making room for something newer and shinier....but whatever the reason, if you look REAL hard and stop your whining about not buying something at the mall, you just might see these little treasures calling for you to take them home.

No way I would have found THESE at the mall for free...

but I did find them in someone's trash pile on the way home.
They need a little loving and a few cushions, but they'll do just fine on my porch...THAT'S my kind of bargain - FREE!

Lulu & Tutz SALE

2010-06-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

I am officially purging my inventory...

My sister and I closed {Lulu & Tutz}, our "Vintage and New" Home Boutique last summer after several years of running the business together. It was the best job I've ever had {outside of my home, of course!} and it was sad packing it all up and putting it in storage. BUT, it's all coming out of storage this weekend for a HUGE garage SALE. I'd hoped it would be unpacked into a new shop location, but it doesn't look promising in the near future...so it must be sold instead. We're moving soon, and there's just no reason to drag it along to the new house. The whole street is having a sale on Saturday, so it's a great day to maximize your bargain hunting!

Join us, it all must GO....and the prices are CHEAP!

Friday and Saturday

8am-??

{125 Miller Street

Strasburg}

furnishing the house...

2010-05-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

My family is moving in the next month, and it's come to my attention that we are in need of a few pieces of furniture to fill in some empty rooms. As always, my budget is tight, so I'm on HIGH ALERT for bargains. But not just bargains for the sake of bargains...a houseful of junk is not the goal.

I'm looking for good stuff, cheap! {But not what Ollies claims to offer}

So...just like LAST Saturday, I drug my daughter to a local household auction. And, just like LAST Saturday, she complained. So, I gave in and bought her an "Icy" and we made it through the day.

In the end, it worked out to my advantage when we claimed ownership of a bed {w/mattresses included} for $40 for my son...

....and a side board for the dining room.

With a coat of white paint I think she will be well worth the $8

I spent on her!

I'm on the lookout for a set of couches for the tv room...I have doubts that I will find good, cleans one at an auction, but I haven't given up the search just yet! There are a few Thrift and Second-hand shops I'm planning to frequent at a steady pace.

Stay tuned, more bargains to come, I'm SURE of it!

Starbucks coupon!

2010-05-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

The weather is warm, I'm thinking FRAPPACINOs at Starbucks...add a pile of the latest home magazines and I'm in coffee-house heaven!!

Join me at Barnes and Noble from now till Monday

and enjoy a BOGO Frappacino of your choice!

YUMmy!

Click here

WARNING:
All words to Starbucks song playing in background are NOT endorsed by blog owner....
but the toon was too catchy to pass up!

How to save $$ on your Water Bill..

2010-03-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

If you get up one day and your sink is clogged for the second time in two weeks, you should call the plumber

If he is busy and cannot come for 10 DAYS to replace the old pipes that have completely closed up and refuse to swallow even a drop of water....

If you cannot run your dishwasher for that entire 10 DAYS because it uses the same clogged pipe that refuses to drain...

If your sink has filled up again with the few dishes you own that are not already sitting dirty in your dishwasher...

then you should definitely fill a large bowl with soapy water and start washing. BUT {and here's where the water saving plans come in} make sure that not even a drop of water goes down your drain, so do NOT turn the water on full blast. A trickle will have to be enough.

AND...when that bowl of water gets filled with dirty-dish water, then dump it in ANOTHER large bowl...which you will need to promptly empty outside in the flowerbeds so that you can refill it again. {But be sure to dump in multiple sites, lest you should end up with water in your basement.}

When you have accomplished all of this AGAIN...stack, the clean dishes in the neatest pile possible to drip- dry. Don't even bother to put them away, because someone in your family will be using them again in a few mintues, and you'll need to start the process over....AGAIN.

While you may not like it, get used to it...you have just managed to save a few dollars on your water/sewer bill. And, perhaps you will have a greater appreciation for women who have to wash their dishes like THIS every day....

REJECTED...

2010-03-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

So, I officially decided NOT to purchase the Hubba Bubba bench from the last post. She was rejected. The reason is really none other than conviction! It was just plain too much for my budget, and the Layaway plan was really nothing other than a trap....and I decided to RUN and not look back before I got stuck in it.

So...SHE will be remembered fondly, but will not be coming home to live with me. In her place, I have decided to be on the look out for a suitable knock-off. One that might include a little hard work and attention, but that I can enjoy, guilt-free.

Auction season is approaching {can you hear my heart beating faster, or is that just me??}....and I have to wonder if perhaps HER sweet twin is waiting for me in someone's garage or basement. Granted, I might not recognize her at first....

she might look like this:

OR LIKE THIS:

OR SIMILAR TO THIS:

{images from Google}

But, when I find her for a few bucks {And I WILL find her!}, slap on some white paint, add some cute fabric and a set of wheels....she will be just what I've been looking for.

{Lesson learned:}

Dream big, but don't spend big. Be patient, don't jump too soon.

Your wallet will thank you...

Hubba Bubba Bench...

2010-03-10T12:53:00.000-08:00

In light of yesterdays post...I can't help but share this picture with you.

I was shopping around town- actually, just browsing, and from the far end of the store, under the spot light, where the "Hallelujah" chorus was playing softly in the background was this bubble-gum pink beauty. I looked her over top to bottom. Sat on her. Planned exactly where she should live in my house.

Chatted with Liliana, the saleswoman, about her.

And then, got up and left her there.

I just couldn't justify it. If I told you it was $90 you might think she is a steal...but my budget took on a voice of its own while I was sitting there in that spotlight and convinced me it would be wrong for me to take her home to live happily ever after with me. I hate that voice.

BUT...on the way home, while I was busy wiping the tears out of my eyes because there was definitely dust in them, I cleverly remembered that this store, in fact, has LAYAWAY!!!!!!! I didn't turn around...didn't go running back in to rescue her...yet. That would be totally greedy of me. But...my car might make a wrong turn and accidently end up in that driveway later today..and then I would definitely have to see if my friend Liliana would like to help me LAY-her-AWAY for a length of time while I collect my dollars and cents from all manner of sources.

{I'm still working on how I feel about Layaway...it's not quite at the level of using credit...but I'm not sure it's not its evil sister}

She may wait for me...or she may have already been adopted into some other lucky family. I hope she's waiting for me...but I'll remember her fondly if she's moved on. I'll frame her picture and remember the short time we had together.

breaking the bank...

2010-03-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things is finding a great bargain. I love when I find exactly what I'm looking for AND it's at a great price...like this lampshade...

I'm kind of a fan of Target's Shabby Chic line...but I haven't been impressed by the lampshades lately. If you squint real hard, you can see that my new lampshade comes from this line (maybe last year's???) But, the best part of the shade is the price tag -can you see that it says $2.99? No kidding! I bought two of these lamps a while ago at the Christmas Tree Shop (I splurged at $16.99 each) but I've been unable to find just the right shades for them....until today when I RETURNED to the Christmas Tree Shop. Bad news: there was only one. Good news: they ordered two more for me. I'll have to drive a half hour to pick them up, but that kind of math makes sense to me, you know?

My lamp is sitting on my other find of the week. She is a very cheery shade of pink and is the cutest shape, don't you think? She was also a bargain - $2.50 in the Target Dollar bins!

Not bad for a week of bargain-shopping, right?

Next hunt I'm looking for one of these...

I'd like it to be under $5, too....what are the chances?

Ugly pictures and desk chairs unite...

2010-03-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

I was almost embarrassed to walk around the Thrift Store the other day with this hideous picture.

I actually picked it up because the frame was cute- and only $6. It's not a high-quality piece...I'm not sure what it's even made out of - not wood! But, still, I thought it had potential to be re-purposed into something a little cuter.

I haven't decided what it'll become...the ugly poster has been thrown away and already it looks better.

Maybe it'll be reincarnated into a bulletin board, or a chalkboard, or perhaps it will remain naked and just be a frame.

{picture courtesy of Cozy Cottage Slipcovers}

I found this great photo the other day while googling slip covers. How cute! I think I've seen a million of those ugly desk chairs at Goodwill over the years. I probably had one once. A little fabric goes a long way and is alot cheaper than buying a new chair! I'm afraid I won't be giving the Cozy Cottage my dollars and cents anytime soon- while very beautifully done, they're a bit pricy for me, but I think I could come up with something similar. I'm seriously considering getting a desk job just so I can sit on one of those all day.

Thrifty WetJet refill alternatives...

2010-02-26T09:08:00.000-08:00

Mind you, I just bought my WetJet yesterday, and as much as I enjoyed trying it out, I did not go so crazy that the solution is empty...YET. But, since they supply you with a tiny little bottle of solution and only two measly cleaning pads, I thought I'd do a little Google search to find out what kind of cheaper alternatives I might find when the time comes to refill. (I noticed that a box of 12 pads was just under $7 at Target and the solution is just under $5 for less than 2L)

You find out all sorts of things when you do a Google search. For instance:

*Apparently some would argue that the Wet Jet cleaning solution is toxic to small animals- even resulting in death (I know this because I just read a whole excerpt someone wrote on a forum which included a toxicology report)

*Also, some people are SO thrifty that they would actually KEEP the empty solution bottles and refill them with a homemade solution. (Truth be told, my mind was already heading there...til I read the "how-to" below)

*In order to save and reuse the solution bottle you have to do minor surgery and actually use POWER tools:

Here's what a few WetJet thrifters had to say HERE:

"When using a Swiffer Wet Jet, the replacement bottles can get pretty expensive. I discovered that you can take the cap off the bottle (I used a strap wrench which you can find in the tool department at Sears...)"
"I cut the neck off another plastic bottle, cut a hole in the bottom of the swiffer bottle and hot glued the other neck onto it. Now I just unscrew the cap and I buy the 409 copy cat cleaner at the dollar store.."
"I did the taking off of the cap but found it soon started to leak. I drilled a half-inch hole in the top, pour my solution in with a funnel and put a cork in it. I've been using the same Swiffer bottle for over a year."
"I have had success refilling the bottle by using the turkey injector." Not sure I want to spend Thanksgiving at THAT house!

*I found some recipes I may try before buying a new bottle of WetJet cleaner:

1 part ammonia to 3 parts water
water, vinegar, a little biodegradable dishsoap, and some lemon juice.
Murphy's and water solution for hardwood floors

I also found ideas for thrifty replacement of the cleaning pads....I'm never disappointed with Google's ability to find the most creative results!

"Always Over Nite pads work so well. I know it sounds funny, but they are excellent"
"Attach the "hook" side of a Velcro-type product in strips on the bottom of the Swiffer head. Then, purchase a piece of super absorbent cloth- reusable and washable solution"
"I just purchased a washable microfiber mop pad from Target in the floor care section with the Method products. The pad sticks onto the Velcro part of the Wet Jet mop and is washable (machine or by hand) up to "50" times and then reusable. The mop pad was $4.99 which seems a great price for reusing and good for the environment."

Sounds like alot of work to save a few bucks...but, I think I'll give one or two of these options a try and see how it works...Meanwhile, Emma is enjoying the novelty of it...and I'm ok with that!

Don't mock me...

2010-02-25T12:47:00.000-08:00

My friends say I am thrify or maybe downright pathetic. But, in my heart of hearts I don't really think that I am...my wallet would agree with my friends, but my taste would beg to differ. I am thrify because I must be, and along the way I have learned to enjoy the hunt of a good deal. And, my tastes have changed in the process. No longer do I desire designer everything...I've found that I actually really LOVE to find "one of a kind" treasures. My heart pounds when I pass a flea market or a country auction...I have no doubt that there are bargains standing by just waiting to be found by me!

I happened to be blessed to live in Lancaster County, PA where there are flea markets, auctions and yard sales a-plenty on any given summer weekend. And during the dreary months of winter, there are at least a handful of other options to be had by thrifty shoppers like me.

I'm not exactly sure what direction this blog will evolve into, but the underlying tone will be that it's O-KAY to be thrifty if you're living on a budget. (You might even find it's ok to be thrifty if you're blessed to NOT be living on a budget, but I doubt you will find that advice here...just saying.) Not only is it ok to be thrifty, I think you can be thrifty while still looking like you have more than two dimes to rub together. Thrifty does not equal frumpy, cheap or dirty. It just means you are careful with your money and actually enjoy the hunt of a bargain. I like the mall and Boutiques as much as any other woman...but as a general rule, I don't pull my wallet out for just any full-price item - it has to earn the right to come live with me.

That reminds me of my favorite part of today...it goes like this:

I went to Target this afternoon

(I had a coupon for $5 off a Swiffer Wet Jet AND my body was craving a popcorn combo)...

*WetJet, popcorn combo, bonus $.99 cute pink containers*

...as I was walking through the front doors I heard a little girl and her mom walking in behind me. I only vaguely paid attention to what the little girl was saying, but I got the feeling she was working on her mother's last nerve. I'm pretty sure I was right, because as they whizzed by me in their red cart, the little girl asked her mom, "What am I getting, mommy? Huh? What am I getting???" Without missing a beat, her mom shot back, "You're lucky if you get a ride home."

{New Arrival}

2010-02-24T10:32:00.000-08:00

Hang with me, here, as I go through the birthing process of a newborn baby blog. I'm still gathering my thoughts and intentions for this new project...and just like newborn babies, it takes a while to get in the swing of things...

Keep checking back...I'll be up and running real soon!
In the meantime, you can find me here