More Frugal Before Breakfast Than Others Are All Day Long

by Katy on October 22, 2014 · 30 comments

Today I drove my son to school, which passed us by a local business that had put out some stuff for free including this five-panel door:

Free door

I dropped my son at school and then swung back around to snap it up, as I’ve been wanting to make a headboard from an old door. And me being me, I didn’t want to pay for one. I confirmed with the workers that the door was indeed free. They then joked about whether or not I also wanted this free toilet.

Free toilet

I went and looked at it and noticed how the toilet seat looked brand new and had chrome hardware. And since my toilet seat does not look brand new, (thanks to an alcohol swipe that my son left on it overnight) I indeed did take the toilet seat.

After I’d gone home to grab some gloves.

Toilet selfie

I’m cheap, but still have some semblance of pride. (By the way I checked on Home Depot’s website, and this is a $37 toilet seat. Which means I keep getting an ad for this toilet seat on every website I visit!)

Katy Wolk-Stanley

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }

Susan Marsh October 22, 2014 at 11:12 am

Gotta love it! That door will make a great headboard! – I hope you share pictures when you have it completed! 🙂

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Katy October 22, 2014 at 12:13 pm

Try and stop me!

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Catherine Wood October 22, 2014 at 11:15 am

You are a brave woman, and I admire that. I’ll take a lot of things from the side of the road, but unscrewing a toilet seat would make me pause. That door, though; great find! What size bed will it match? My king needs a headboard, maybe I’ll start looking for abandoned doors.

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Carolyn Arnett November 20, 2023 at 6:02 am

If you have a Restore near you, check it out for doors. The one near me had stacks of doors stored vertically so you can actually see them. Did not check prices (not free of course) because I haven’t needed a door.

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Emily @ Simple Cheap Mom October 22, 2014 at 11:45 am

The door will make a wonderful headboard.

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Elizabeth Vega October 22, 2014 at 11:54 am

Ok I just bought a new toilet seat (apartment living: they always have the cheapest plastic toilet seats, yuck) so I can personally confirm that was a rockin’ good idea to take one home.

I bet the door headboard will look awesome, too. Can’t wait to see pictures…

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Katy October 22, 2014 at 12:13 pm

I’ll share pictures when the project is completed, although I don’t tend to jump on projects this time of year, so it might take awhile.

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Karen October 22, 2014 at 1:07 pm

If you really want to get rid of that toilet seat ad, try clearing the cookies from your browser.

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Katy October 22, 2014 at 1:33 pm

Nah, it doesn’t really bother me. It’s kind of funny to have it follow me from site to site.

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The Frugal Shrink October 22, 2014 at 1:42 pm

LOVE this!!! And this is why you are one of my very favorite bloggers.

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AnnDenee October 22, 2014 at 1:59 pm

Love love the door! And great score on the toilet seat!

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Linda October 22, 2014 at 2:14 pm

I too wanted a Door headboard. I never found a FREE one or even one CHEAP enough for me to want to pay. I did get a free piece of MDF and some molding and made a door look alike. You can’t be frugal without being creative enough to work with what you’ve got.
Congratulations on your find, I cant wait to see the “after” pictures

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Barb @ 1SentenceDiary October 23, 2014 at 6:35 am

“You can’t be frugal without being creative enough to work with what you’ve got.” Right on.
I find that coming up with a creative solution is often extremely satisfying, too.

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Marcia October 22, 2014 at 2:32 pm

“After I’d gone home to grab some gloves.”

MeThinks: Good idea to always carry a pair or even a package of disposable gloves in my vehicle…..

Great find, and you have a good eye!

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PoppyEcho October 22, 2014 at 5:36 pm

haha. I also am getting more and more extreme, while still trying to “maintain self respect” as you put it, I call it “not alienate myself from everyone as too yucky”.

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Allison October 22, 2014 at 6:46 pm

And if it doesn’t have a free sign on it I will stop and ask. I just scored one of those nice little greenhouse seedstarters…..they are about $60 for the cheapest I could find anywhere. Love it!

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K D October 23, 2014 at 5:31 am

I guess you have your son to thank for needing a ride to school. I love both your finds. I was heart broken to throw out an old (blue) toilet. I listed it on Freecycle and put a free sign on it but after a while we figured the neighbors were more than tired of seeing it.

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Monica October 23, 2014 at 6:22 am

It is illegal in some states (like here in Connecticut) to resell a toilet.

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WilliamB October 25, 2014 at 12:00 pm

I thought that depended on whether the toiled conformed to water requirements…

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Jen October 23, 2014 at 5:39 am

I love great finds like that!

I got a 5-panel door free from work. I used it to make a headboard for my king-size bed. I put some pics up on my blog if you need some inspiration: http://thepipelife.blogspot.com/2014/08/i-love-it-when-plan-comes-together.html

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Vickie October 23, 2014 at 6:17 am

Good job, Katy!!
I love that door and BTW, I’d have taken that toilet seat too. Why pay for something perfectly good, that you can get for free.

That window would make good cold frames for someone that gardens. 🙂

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erin @ dfmi designs October 23, 2014 at 6:31 am

Ha! Good for you! Savings are savings! And that door is awesome! Nice find!

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Megan October 23, 2014 at 8:51 am

Way to go Katy! I credit you with continuing to change and challenge the way I look at the world around me!!! Your awesome ideas are contagious!

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Julia October 26, 2014 at 4:40 pm

LOVE the idea of the old door for a head board! And totally free, how awesome! Just found your blog and I will be visiting again, thank you.

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Valerie March 18, 2017 at 3:01 pm

Nice door! You are very cratfy inded, the gloves what a genius Idea!

When I had no money I would dumpster dive for fruit and veg at the local fruit store….

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Coral Clarke February 22, 2024 at 4:30 am

I love that algorithms have suggested you are now building a collection of toilet seats, and should be encouraged!

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