Five Frugal Things -- It Turns Out The Hockney was a Temporary Acquisition
1) I got an eager buyer for my David Hockney poster after having decided that it was a keeper. A lot of the things in my house end up as temporary, which is just how it goes as a reseller. Either due to upgrading or simply being willing to hold onto something until I get the right price. That price? $100.
I was never going to sell my framed vintage Hockney poster for less than a hundred dollars. It was initially part of the $100 Goodwill Gift Card Challenge, but I added the $9.99 initial cost back into the challenge when I thought I was keeping it.
Luckily my husband and I have a lot of artwork and as a thrifter I know that new acquisitions are just around the corner. I shuffled a few pieces around, which means that my grandfather-in-law's 1928 Olympics wool jersey can enjoy a new spot in the house.
Please enjoy that our regular dining room chairs are crowded higgledy piggledy into this space as we enjoy their thrifted Broyhill Brasilia counterparts.
2) I listed my "free box" Rejuvenation light fixture on eBay for just fifty bucks and already have two watchers, which is a good sign. I'm not sure I have a box that'll work to mail it out, but I can always create a Frankenbox when it sells.
Keep in mind that it costs $269 to buy a new version of this fixture.
3) My husband pulled a bag of his homemade meatballs from the freezer and put together a delicious pasta dinner for us using what we had on hand. We then topped our plates with fresh basil from my transplanted Trader Joe's greenery.
It's not doing as well as it should, which is probably due to the shady nature of my backyard, but I moved it to a sunnier spot for a better chance at success.
It's just like parenting -- you do everything you can to set your kids up for success, but at a certain point it's up to them.
4) I'm 54 pages into my library book and looking forward to dedicating some uninterrupted focus to the story.
5) I hemmed a pair of pants that I bought off eBay a couple months ago. They were supposedly the exact same size as a perfectly fitting pair that I already own, but we all know that's never the case.
The waistband being a touch too tight is an issue for another day.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
I was greeted by a $17 and change refund check from Allstate. I’m sure it’s part of our safe drivers program
I told two items on Poshmark and got one it the mail today. I’ll have to Frankenbox the other to mail tomorrow.
I listed some other items on another site.
I’m working a gig Friday and Sunday which pays $100/day plus lunch
I think a number of readers read Louise Penny's books? She and journalist Melissa Fung have a new release, "The Last Mandarin", a contemporary thriller.
I didn’t know this - thank you!
Yep, I had a similar issue with 3 pairs of jeans I ordered with the exact style number I copied off my current excellent fitting ones.
They are a full size too large!
Luckily I’m an excellent seamstress and will rework them. Still frustrating.
1. I packed a burnt bologna and cheese sandwich for lunch and a peanut butter and honey sandwich for supper along with an apple bc ny new job of being self employed called for me to go talk to witnesses, etc. and to make home visits. I am not giving up toting my lunch to work!!! Save lots of $$$$$.
2. I was able to walk an hour at the crack of dawn which is so much better than walking late in the evening!
3. I filled up at the cheaper place around here which was still no bargain but I needed gas… $4.06 a gallon… ugh.
4. I rearranged my home office once again.
5. I have my windows up enjoying the evening breeze after monsoon like rains in the middle of the day! I will be reading a library book until I fall asleep and just enjoying myself! No unhinged boss calls at 2 am!! Yay!!
Kind of too bad that the Hockney sold, since it suited that wall so well. But $100 is hard to ignore!
I have arrived at my first stop of my road trip. I filled up the tank this morning for $4.68, which I thought was a great price, but as soon as I crossed the state border it was a dollar cheaper. Oh well, I didn't have enough gas to get that far.
I stopped for lunch at a rather inconvenient plaza. There wasn't much to choose from, for a frugal meal. I settled on Panera, and it was about $9. I had a packed cooler in the trunk, but I didn't want to crack it open just yet -- and there was no place to eat outside.
My traveling companion and I have heard reports of flooding in the Asheville area. We are watching the forecast, but cautiously optimistic that in two days' time this will not be a problem.
That's about it so far.
Oh wait -- I found a set of ear plugs, sealed in a bag -- and two pennies.
Aww, I loved your David Hockney artwork. It was perfect in there IMO. But it went to a good cause!
1. Let my yard man use one of my city-issued yard waste trash cans to put in some brush. He was working for my next door neighbor and ran out of cans and bags. This might not seem frugal, but I'm counting on them reciprocating, ie, returning the favor sometime in the future. When I have lots of oak leaves falling, I can use all the cans (and help) I can get!
2. After removing some shelving that wasn't working in there, I re-arranged my closet hall/dressing room so that I could store all my shoes a lot more efficiently. The shelving, meanwhile, is doing duty in the garage.
3. Culled some clothes from my closet. Things I haven't worn in ages but are still good. They are getting donated to the thrift store that had the bag sale (where I got all those good slacks for $10). Turn about is fair play!
4. Got out the sewing kit to hem some dressy slacks that are frayed at the bottom; they were a tad too long anyway, since I only wear flats these days. I may also cut off some torn khaki slacks and hem them to wear as shorts.
5. Gave away some large faded flower pots to a gardening friend. They've probably been in my garage since Methuselah was a baby, LOL. My friend plans to get some of that Krylon spray paint designed for plastic to pretty them up and put them on the balcony of her new apartment.
We're looking at last minute flights for MIL's service and they are not cheap. But money is a tool and I'm thankful to have that tool right now.
The good news is that the garden produce is rolling in and I don't need to buy any greens for a while. The blackberries cover our fruit needs. We don't mind eating the same thing on repeat while it's in season.
I'm nearly finished sewing the trousers I've been working on. Fabric cost me $2.
A friend gave me 2 items to sell and keep the money. I got a free outdoor side table and 2 chairs yesterday and promptly listed the 2 outdoor chairs that I didn't like. They sold this morning. It's a beautiful way to furnish one's house. My sister was here and she kept commenting how lovely my house was. My house is a third of the size of her house and my husband earns a quarter of what her husband did (he just retired), but I still manage to make a nice place on a shoestring budget.