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I continue to sell a few things here and there including a vintage picnic basket, some midcentury salad tongs and a Portland Thorns scarf.
I listed a small dresser on eBay, which is a first for me as I normally sell furniture locally through Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. I have zero interest in packaging and shipping enormously heavy items, so I marked this piece as “local pickup only” as an experiment. It’s a semi-desirable piece, so I figured I’d try to widen the net. It’s from the vintage (but currently popular) Thomasville “Allegro” line, which people love to repaint in shiny bright colors, so I’m hoping this will help find a buyer who’s looking for this exact piece.
Needless to say, it’s a $4.99 Goodwill find.
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I had a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for a nearby pizza joint, so my son and I walked the half-mile or so to the restaurant. I knew my son would appreciate the pizza slices more than I would, so I slammed down a PB&J before leaving the house. I was able to treat him to dinner for $3.25 (plus $1 tip) and ended up accepting a free slice as they’d initially messed up his order.
We also walked past a free box which included a cool baseball cap for him, as well as two cheese shaped cardboard cat scratchers, which I normally cost $27 apiece. I came home and washed up the cap and subjected the scratchers to a thorough inspection before sprinkling them with fresh catnip and setting them next to our couches.
Not bad for $4.25!
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I bought tickets for my son and I to visit New York City for the second half of August. My son’ll be hanging out with his cousin, and I’ll be helping my sister set up her Bronx high school classroom where she’s been hired to teach Earth Science.
I should have bought the tickets ages ago, but was unsure of dates, which means that I have no crazy cheap fare to brag about. However, I did watch fares closely enough to know to I needed to pounce when they hit just (ha!) $400 apiece. I stalked costs through Google Flights, which I like better than the popup hell that is Expedia or Travelocity.
There’s inevitable buyer’s remorse when booking travel, as there will always be a cheaper flight, but in the end it’s done and time to move on. To fun stuff like what I can only assume is the joy of a non-air conditioned NYC classroom in late August.
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I started listening to Jeanette Wells’ “The Silver Star” through the free Libby app, my daughter and I went in person to her medical clinic to investigate why a bill was being denied by insurance and I bought nothing except groceries. I’ll need spending money for my NYC trip!
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I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar gold-plated apartment in the sky.
Now your turn. What frugal things have you been up to?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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Disclosure: The eBay link is an affiliate link, which means that I earn a small percentage from any purchases you make through eBay within a few days of clicking on my link. This costs nothing extra to you.
The Amazon link is not an affiliate link, as I would prefer that people buy used or buy local.
{ 63 comments… read them below or add one }
1. I called the company that we have deliver heating oil and arranged for them to fill our tank. It was only half empty but it is usually cheaper this time of year. It was a good deal even though it will be a few months before we heat the house.
2. Our Brother printer thought the toner in the printer cartridge was too low to keep printing. I covered the eye with electrical tape and it tricked the printer into continuing to use the cartridge. I will decide when it needs to be replaced, not Brother. This keeps my 8 year old, $30.50 floor model, printer going at a low cost.
3. Meals have been at home. I just made a batch of gluten free granola. Dinner will be planned-overs tonight.
4. We continue to borrow books, ebooks, books on CD, and DVDs from the library. I listened to some TedX talks while working in the kitchen today.
5. I’m talking with my sister to figure out if nieces and nephews age out of birthday gift receiving once they are established adults.
KD, Re: Your #5. I’ll be interested to know what you & your sister decide about birthday gift giving for nieces & nephews. I continued giving birthday $ through college but discontinued once they graduated. I still give $ at Christmas.
I stop gifting my nieces and nephews when they’re 18/out of high school. Then Christmas and birthday gifts cease.
My in-laws told me that the reason that they continued to give birthday gifts to my children after they were adults but not to their other grandchildren was because mine always wrote them long thank-you letters and they did not remember ever being thanked by their other grandchildren. They kept one taped inside the kitchen dish cupboard door that my oldest wrote when he was 9 thanking them for the nice school shirt, not like the ugly one his mom got him!
1. Attended Yappy Hour at the dog park we belong to. I helped myself to a glass of free wine and enjoyed all the cute pooches.
2. I’ve sold another item on Ebay. My daughter tried on a dress we got from a free pile and it fit perfectly. She washed the other items to take to Plato’s closet.
3. My daughters and I watched Hidden Figures in the nice cool basement. It was a DVD I picked up from the library. I also picked up the first season of Game of Thrones which we haven’t seen. We’ll see what all the hype is about.
4. My daughter brought me a large bag of dog treats that her boyfriends uncle gave her. Not sure where he works but he said he could give her free allergy medicine also. Nice of him.
5. Yesterday I took my car in for the free recall fix of an airbag. My daughter picked me up and we combined errands picking up groceries, going to the library etc. I got $18 off my groceries with rewards and a free ice cream coupon I received. I also received a nice size check from a class action lawsuit.
Jill A., Game of Thrones, in my humble opinion, lives up to the hype. I don’t say that about many TV shows, to be honest. The sets and scenery, the costumes, the story lines, twists and turns….it’s great. Season 1 is my favorite.
Having said all that – you do need to have a strong stomach for violence, and be okay with (sometimes gratuitous) nudity and sexual content. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.
I watched the first episode of GOT, and I was not a fan. You might want to watch the first episode alone, as I would not have been comfortable watching it with my mother.
Thank you. Luckily my daughter isn’t easily embarrassed but I’ll keep it in mind.
I just completed a 31-day no spend. My very first! Amazed I didn’t feel deprived! Plan to push forward to ninety days.
That is fabulous!
I love the chest by the way Katy. I can’t believe you found that at Goodwill. I have thrift store envy.
That’s how I feel about all flight purchases. I stalk rates for a while. (Skyscanner is my new go-to.) Then I buy when it looks cheap. Then I see it lower and kick myself.
1) I used a CVS extra care buck that was expiring today toward a bag of suckers for the kids. The sucking will help pop their ears on our flight on Friday. I was already in CVS for a vaccine, so I was very happy to avoid a Target run.
2) I was organized in recording all shared expenses for a trip this past weekend. I am just waiting for one from a friend before I split the whole thing and get money back from the others.
3) Successfully resisted the temptation to go through a drive through yesterday. I had food at home.
4) Bought the stuff at Aldi to prepare a simple and easy meal for friends who just had a baby instead of picking up takeout for them or giving gift cards.
5) I have been researching refi options since yesterday when we got a mailing saying rates are about to go down. Sounds like the cheaper rate will knock two years off our mortgage (we’ll go down to a fifteen year) and put $200 more per payment on the principal.
My FFT:
1. Going on a work trip next week. Some meals are provided and I will be reimbursed for other meals. I will bring my own snacks for the plane and will probably hit up a grocery store for breakfast items. I will also try to take advantage of any meals being served as a part of various sessions. Just because work is paying I will still try to be frugal. There are several free events that will allow me to enjoy the regional food and entertainment options so I won’t be missing out on any of that. On the way back, I will stop in Seattle to see my family and since it’s on the way back from the work trip, the airfare is covered.
2. Didn’t buy any new clothes, shoes, or accessories for my work trip. No manicures etc. Didn’t buy any travel sized toiletries and will just use what I already have.
3. Going to the Rugby World Cup in Japan in early October. I have a place to stay for free so just looking for cheap airfare, although I will probably end up winging it and flying employee standby, which is the cheapest option but I run the risk of not getting on. I travel to Japan often so know how to eat and get around for cheap and we tend to cook/eat most meals at “home”, ride the bus, or walk whenever possible.
4. Was thinking about joining a running clinic to help train for a marathon but decided to save myself the money. While it is sometimes nice to run with other people, have someone else come up with the training plan, and supply aid stations for long runs, when I really think about it, I like having the flexibility of running solo and running when and where it’s convenient for me.
5. Same old, same old. Bringing lunch from home, drinking coffee from home, reading library books, trying to resist temptation to eat out, trying not to run the A/C very often, etc.
Oh my boys would be jealous of your rugby trip! They love the game and both either still play or played.
1. Thanking God for the rain storm that washed my car and watered the garden and pots. 🙂 The rainwater will also bless my garden/pots later this coming week as I was able to collect it-in up turned recycling container lids and empty buckets I left on the deck. Hauled out the plastic pool stored in the garage to collect even more water!
2. Ate from the garden several times this week for lunch using the lettuce and spinach as toppings for my cheese nachos. Can’t wait for the tomatoes to ripen! Drying another batch of herbs on the porch and squirreling away reusable containers like plastic parmesan cheese containers to store them in once dry.
3. Shopped at Kroger yesterday with excellent savings on OTC drug I take every day as the store brand was on sale for $14.99 and had a $4 coupon on top of that, store brand preserves/jam, etc. two of the items rang up incorrectly- went to the service desk to get the adjustment and asked for the five times refund based on our state law which was an additional $5 off.
4. Got a check in the mail for over $98 from a settlement from Hearst magazines. The kicker was it was a free magazine from doing a survey! Super grateful.
5. Enjoying library books on: cd (Becoming) while washing dishes, hard back (Pachinko) and through Hoopla while falling a sleep (An Irish Country Doctor) and watched season 1-3 dvd’s Veronica Mars with my daughter. If the library was a person I would marry it as I would never be bored! 😉
I loved listening to Becoming! Michelle Obama is so down to earth. I love her.
1. I just posted 6 ½ ways we saved our money and the world, in the past few months, at my website. https://www.marybethdanielson.com/content/how-i-saved-tens-thousands-dollars-lately-and-also-got-new-kazoo
2. I met friends this morning at the locally-owned coffee place in my old hometown. Takes an hour to get there so today I brought a pb and raisin sandwich in the car; half for breakfast on the way there, half for lunch on the way home.
3. Filled up our hybrid car on the way. No coupons, no deals, but getting 37 mpg has shrunk our gasoline budget by more than half.
4. Last night I finished the 6th of the 7 Shardlake novels by C. J. Sansom. I had no idea I was going to like Tudor/murders galore/detective novels this much – learned about it here in NCA. Library novels, of course.
5. Completed the online stuff to get our part of the Equifax compensation. Not only were both my husband and I on the data breach list, we had corrupted charges when it happened, and we have the receipts from freezing our credit reports back then.
“pb and raisin sandwich“ I may have just found DH’s new fave sandwich
My husband always puts blueberries on his PB sandwiches. They ARE delicious, but the blueberries squirt and drip, so when I drive, it’s raisins….
I LOVE the Shardlake novels. I wish he wrote faster!
1. Sheriff closed cthouse bc of sewer issue so I got to come home early. 2. I had a wreck. I am ok, but car is not. This I frugal bc I won’t have a medical bill. We will ignore the car bill for the moment and be grateful for no injuries. Not my fault. Hood of 18 wheeler blew into my car. 18 wheeler kept going. 3. I received a free homemade banana pudding from my coworker. I guess I looked like death warmed over…..lol. 4. Rental is paid by my insurance and I am enjoying it. Santa Fe.by ???? anyhoo, it is roomy…5. I signed up for free credit monitoring for 10 yrs regarding Equifax breach……6. A nap is in order. I could clean house but no, just no.
That sounds like a terrifying accident and I am glad you are okay! I didn’t know trucks could come apart like that.
Yikes!! How awful! Glad you’re okay.
Yeah, I didn’t know it either. It was at night. The tow guy ( he has been towing for 32 years and he was so interesting to talk to) says parts can blow off like that and that I needed to be glad it was plastic, not metal…..yikes!
Cindy: Adding my relief and good wishes to those of others about your accident. That could have been SO much worse. Glad you’re OK>
Thanks!
I should clarify that I don’t know if it was the hood of the 18 wheeler who blew past me or if was hood of another 18 wheeler in the road and the one passing me knocked it to my lane. It was pitch black and well, I didn’t have time to brake or react. Anyhoo, tow guy says there are truck parts all over the interstates and it’s not uncommon for them to cause wrecks blowouts etc. ….
1. Replaced a plastic hook that broke on my retractable clothesline with a $1.00 S hook. New clothesline would have been $22 for the length I need.
2. Canned 12 jars of Tomato/Peach Salsa using our homegrown produce. Gifts for Christmas!
3. Will cut out rounds of Christmas fabric for the jars, using jute twine and cards I already have to “decorate” the canning jars. Bought the fabric for $2 at a thrift store and this is the second year using it with much more for future projects.
4. Using garden produce for all our meals for the past month.
5. Sold some books on eBay. Passing some others around with friends. Picked up a rare magazine at a church yard sale last week -looking forward to seeing what it sells for on eBay. It is “Sing Out!” – a folk song magazine. This one features Bob Dylan.
1. My first full month as a freelancer has ended and I’ve made slightly more than I did as an employee. But I’ve worked fewer hours with lower regular expenses. So far it’s been a worthwhile change for my family.
2. Took my eldest to get her license yesterday and we went to the big shopping mall nearby. We bought a couple of rolls of sushi but otherwise just looked at everything and tasted some free samples.
3. Before I left I put dinner in the crockpot. When I got home I just had to prepare potatoes. I prepared some for tonight as well so I don’t have to do that job tonight.
4. My husband made more of his delicious sourdough.
5. Read the Tightwad Gazette cover to cover again. I was struck by how many of the ideas in that book have become regular practice in our home. Many years ago I gave a copy to my SIL (about ten years younger). She also does many of the things suggested by Amy. That book is over twenty years old but still relevant.
Congrats on a successful first month! Freelancing is both freeing and frightening, so glad for you that it is working out.
Great news on the freelance! Woot woot!
The Tightwad Gazette is a wonderful source of information and encouragement. She is my frugal guru. 🙂
Patricia/FL
+1 on Patricia K’s comment, re: both the freelance success and the TG. I have a complete set of the original TG newsletters: My mother subscribed to it from issue 1 on, and I learned about it from her. (These might be worth something on eBay now, but I can’t bear to part with them.) And best wishes to you, Amy Dacyczyn, wherever you are (Maine or elsewhere). The world needed you then, and it needs you now.
I think they would be worth something.
I ran across an interview with Amy D on YouTube a while back. She still lives much the same as she did 30 years ago. Here’s the link if you are interested. I hope it works https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AUFyD-FTf-E
Thanks Bee. Nice to see Amy D again and to actually see how living the frugal life style has impacted her life in so many positive ways. Also nice to see how her choices have carried over to her children. Wow, her daughter’s drawing style is so like Amy’s in the framed picture! I have a copy of the TG and still refer back to it, especially the recipes. She was the one who got me on the frugal bandwagon so many years ago.
I saw this last time you posted it and loved it so much I just watched it again, thanks!
Curriculum exchange is holding a telescope for us and my husband was willing to take a bunch of curriculum to donate anyway, so no extra trip or gas.
Combining errands today with our piano lessons. Will pick up donation receipt for tax season. Lots of out grown kids clothes and things that I’m swimming in from my weight loss.
Congratulations on the weight loss. Any tips you’d like to share
My plate works pretty well for me. Lost 50 that way and then had gastric bypass surgery in May. Lost 34 since.
Congrats on your success!
1. My dd’s grad gift was a night in a tiny house. We did it last night and packed all our own food to avoid eating the over priced food in the tiny house. so fun! Great quality family time. We hiked this morning before leaving.
2. Grabbed a large bag of coffee grounds from Starbucks for our compost.
3. Payed my nephew to stay at my house while we were gone to take care of the animals. Supporting my broke nephew and cheaper than a kennel.
4. Bought an LED desk lamp for my dd. Price on the shelf was $5.99, rang up $19.99. I said something and the manager gave me the $5.99 price.
5. Used up some oldish string cheese and scrounged to make homemade pizza pockets for dinner tonight. Salvaged 2 very ripe bananas for banana muffins.
1. Received a 30% off coupon in the mail from CVS so made a careful shopping list of toiletries and saved $9.92. Took a chance that needed ant spray would be cheaper at grocery store even without coupon and it was by $0.80 so since I was happy.
2. Walked to the dentist for a cleaning this morning and happily accepted a new toothbrush and travel size toothpaste.
3. Found out where to purchase a replacement frig door shelf nearby and will do so next time I am over that way.
4. I am making a concerted effort to make sure any plastic bag that enters our life is reused at least once if only for cleaning up after the dog. Frugal and helps the planet.
We have been on vacation so I don’t have many right now!
1. Redeemed punch card for free frozen yogurt
2. Picked up 3 boxes of “stuff” gal couldn’t sell who was moving. Donated to Assistance League. I did keep a couple of plastic storage boxes
3. Bought $6 in cleaning supplies from same gal. All full, unopened bottles.
4. Bought 3 new binders for .80/each at thrift store. I’ll be donating to church for their back to school giveaway
5. Sold 2 items this week=$45.
Some of my frugals are just frugals for others.
1. Took bonus son to the airport and picked him up on his return. Let him leave his car at our house to save parking fees.
2. Kept the two granddogs while son’s family was away, to save them boarding fees.
3. Helped my friend make green pepper relish and was gifted with some to take home.
4. Shopped for a ceiling fan for a new room we are having added. The one we wanted was out of stock. The nearest store that had them was about 25 miles away. When we got there, we found that the fan we wanted was on sale for almost $30 less than regular price.
5. Watching Midsomer Murders on Roku, reading library books, playing Words with Friends with grown up children. Free entertainment.
6. Trying to weed the flower beds early in the day before the temps get too hot. Doing a little bit each day and slowly the job is getting done.
My FFTs:
1. Had my yearly physical today and had a good time talking to my doctor – he’s a goofball. Heard about his bursitis in his knee that got a cortisone shot and then got infected. He did his own wound care and just about passed out!
2. Ask dr. about the “new” shingles vaccine and he said he couldn’t get it for the office but to try the drug store and it will go through our insurance. If hubs and I get it done before the end of the year it will be free.
3. On the way home from the doctor stopped at the library to pick up 2 books and dropped my property taxes at town hall saving .50 on a stamp. Everything was done in a loop so no extra gas used.
4. Hubs found out from his job that our daughter can go on Cobra for health insurance through his employer. It will be $540/month extra and that includes health, prescription and dental coverage. She will have to kick in for that as her insulin for her Type 1 diabetes is priced outrageously.
5. We’ve had a few thunder storms which to me mean summer more than hot weather. Love listening to the thunder.
Here in Maine you need a MD’s script to be called into drug store prior to administration so check about that. So check your state to see if that is true as well. We get ours at Walgreens and there is no cost and they usually give you extra points (translate cash) for immunizations. Also there is a new pneumonia vaccine with almost 100% efficacy so that and your flu shot would be good additions as well depending upon your age. Flu shot regardless.
1) Hubby has been wanting a hummingbird feeder for the back yard but wouldn’t pay for it. He created one out of a plastic single use juice bottle and a hummus container. Used ‘flowers’ off a lei from something and I used Dollar Tree red nail polish to paint the base. The hummingbirds love it.
2) Sold a few more things we don’t use on FB Marketplace and added $55 to savings.
3) Been making dog treats. They are so much cheaper and so much better for the dog (Great Dane) than store bought and she loves them.
4) The volunteer cherry tomato plant and the volunteer pepper tomato plant are providing lots of deliciousness. We eat them in salads and as snacks.
5) Watch tv using an antenna, hang clothes to dry, eat at home, find money on walks, borrow movies and books from the library, make do, wear it out, upcycle, recycle, and reuse.
1. I have been working a few hours a week for a friend who has more work than she can manage right now. It’s nice to have little extra money, but not much responsibility. It’s flexible,close to home, and requires no special clothing.
Overall, it has been a slow week for eBay sales. I had 3 new listings ready to go this morning. I have several other things to list today and tomorrow. I am crossing my fingers that things pick up this week.
2. I stocked up on toilet paper, paper towels, dish soap and laundry detergent this week at Target. The company is offering a $15 gift card when you spend $50 on household products. They do this quarterly. I stock up and use the gift card that I am given to fill in until the next offer. I had $0.38 left on my gift card from last quarter, so I used it on this trip. Money is money.
3. The doctor changed the dosage on my thyroid medication doubling my dose from 25 mcg to 50 mcg. Since I had a 30-day supply of my previous 25mcg dosage, I took 2 pills every morning rather than filling the new prescription immediately. It saved a little bit of $$$$. I did check with the pharmacist and doctor before doing this —just in case.
4. Since it is s brand new month, I reviewed my budget for August and paid bills using my bank’s online system. Thus, saving postage and eliminating the potential for late charges.
5. I picked up a friend at the airport who had been visiting her son. She brought me 6 dozen corn tortillas from a local market in Chicago. These are the best I have ever had anywhere even better than places in California, Texas and Arizona. She always brings some home to me. Tacos for dinner tonight! The remainder are in the freezer for future use.
Best of all, she also shared her magazines that she bought at the airport. These are a real treat, because I have given up my subscriptions. Good friends are s blessing.
1. My neighbors have been cleaning out their mother’s packed garage, putting lots of stuff by the road. We took 3 sets of plastic shelving, one for the garage and two for the basement. I had to scrub them up in the yard first, but beats paying for them.
2. Someone left a pile of free fabric at work. There was a brightly patterned upholstery remnant that was the perfect size my bathroom window. Did a bit of stitching and now it’s a shade.
3. I bought a pair of plain end tables at a yard sale for $5. Looked them up at home and they are a desirable MCM brand. Sold the pair on FB for $150.
4. I am always on the lookout for Far Side mugs at yard sales and never successful. Finally found 2 for $1! Also a box of Partylite tealights for another dollar.
5. Helping my dad by going through a deceased relative’s email account and found a Sephora gift card for $60. It was from several years ago, so I think she just forgot about it.
Schweet! What was the furniture brand?
American of Martinsville.
If you’d buy that Lear jet you wouldn’t have to worry about ticket prices!
I know, right?
1) I had purchased hiking boots for a trip to Denver a few months ago for $40 on FB Marketplace. I used them on the trip and now I don’t need them. Sold on Mercari and after fees & shipping will receive $48.
2) Needed a dress for a bachelorette party and found one on a clearance rack for $7.
3) Went to Target because I had been given a $5 gift card for my birthday. Found 90/10 ground beef that would’ve been $6.19/pound but because they were close to the expiration date they each had a $3 coupon. Bought 6 of them and threw them in the freezer when I got home.
4) Also purchased a grape tomato plant kit that is supposed to grow indoors all year round. It was on clearance for $15 (originally $30) so it will take several rounds of grape tomatoes for this purchase to pay for itself. I have a garden window so hopefully the plant grows!
5) The usual small stuff… a free bday burger yesterday from Ruby Tuesday, $1.99 for a 2lb pack of strawberries @ Kroger, Aldi for couscous & rice, packing lunches and making dinners at home.
FFT, Filthy Lucre and Midcentury Bemusement Edition:
(1) Found $1.12 in change in the Coinstar machine at Wegmans this afternoon. The coins were coated in what I think was auto grease, so that’s why they wouldn’t go through the machine. But I dumped them into a monkey dish full of LA’s Awesome on our return home, and they cleaned up as good as new. Woot woot!
(2) I’m delighted that Katy and a lot of the rest of you are making out like bandits on reselling all these “midcentury” pieces. You go, gals and guys (and others). But I must confess in my capacity as one of the resident Old Farts that I lived through the middle of the 20th century in real time, and I’m not having any of that stuff in my own house. Once under my parents’ roof was enough.
(3) After the many setbacks of a cold wet spring followed by a hot dry summer, we are finally starting to see the summer crops come in (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, and pole beans).
(4) Our friends who raise beef cows and pigs have just notified us that our 1/4 cow and 1/2 pig will be ready at the middle and end of August, respectively. Am working on cleaning out the freezers to make room.
(5) And since my GP has just read me the riot act (again) about getting my lipid levels down, I’m glad that we have some new younger folks purchasing meat from us (at our cost; I don’t regard this as a for-profit enterprise). Glad to make good things happen inexpensively for other people.
Your #2 totally cracked me up. I also lived through midcentury the first time around, but I’m the opposite of you. I’ve always loved midcentury and Danish Modern furniture. Have several vintage pieces–some I’ve collected, others that are hand-me-downs from family. I’d love to take all the MCM pieces from my parents’ house but, as my mom says, they’re still using them! Still, they trickle over sometimes. Just yesterday my mom gave me a piece of ’60s tile mosaic wall art I’ve always liked. Of course, I’ll admit, I’m also partial to some stuff from the ’70s including psychedelic patterns and items that are orange and dark brown… But please, no shag carpet ever again!
Different strokes for different folks, Cathy, as always. But I’m completely with you on the shag carpet (my parents were just moving into that phase by the time I left for college). Awful stuff!
FFT Summer Edition
DS #2 is home part of this summer from college. Last summer he stayed in Tennessee so it’s nice to have him home.
1. He and I went to see Queen Tuesday night in DC. DH got the tickets for free from his company that has a corporate suite and we took the Metro in to DC. The show was great!
2. He and I also went to the free Ravens practice at M&T Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday night. We took the light rail in to the great and wonderful city of Baltimore! Bonding over football is something I’ve learned to do as a mother of 2 sons. One on one time with my son’s is priceless to me!
3. A week and a half ago we went to DC to see the Apollo 11 light show that was shown on the side of the Washington Monument. It was so cool and I highly recommend looking on YouTube to see the presentation.
4. My 2 blueberry bushes I bought 3 years ago have really been prolific this year. Current Me thanks Past Me every time I eat my cereal with my home grown blueberries on top.
5. Sold 4 things on Amazon in the past week.
I agree that y’all are doing great selling your mid-century stuff. I have found that I have an auction house in my town and this weekend they are doing a mid-century auction.
Speaking of small dressers I have a small 3 drawer chest that I use next to my bed. It’s an Ethan Allen and I paid $50 for it on Facebook marketplace. I love it and will never let it go.
1. Free parking yesterday — parked at my health club and walked a mile to/from work. Not exactly allowed but since I had an event after work AT the club I decided it would be okay to bend the rules. Saved $14.50 on parking, got in a couple of miles walking on a day I otherwise didn’t have time to exercise.
2. Low grocery expenses this past week — 15 year old DSD is on vacation with her Mom and 28 year old DD who lives with us is house sitting this week. So peaceful to have just Hubs and me. I’m hoping in 3 years when DSD goes to college we’ll be empty nesters — 28 year old DD recently got a full time job and is working toward independence (she’s faced some health challenges that set that back aways).
3. Planning to retire in a year or so. Trying to minimize vacation time use over next year as unused vacation will get paid out at retirement and will provide a travel fund. This summer am just taking a day or two here or there instead of week long vacations. I have some ability to flex my time so if I take a Friday off and work longer days other days I don’t have to use a vacation day. Will have to use some vacation time for our trip to Georgia/SC/NC in late September though.
4. Free entertainment today- cousin and significant other in town, we’re going for a hike on Mt. Hood.
5. Check my credit card bills regularly online. Found a $363 charge at a restaurant that was NOT mine. (Had ordered something for a work potluck for this restaurant and given them my CC over phone, paid for that, 3 weeks later this giant charge appeared). Am contesting with CC company (called restaurant first and they said they’d check into it but never got back to me). Pays to be vigilant.
Up early picking raspberries again–I will be grateful later in the year when I pull them out to use them!
Today and most every day is a good clothes day with an entire thrifted outfit and shoes as well. Got through it without breaking the budget by eating out just to cool off.
It has been insanely hot here for Maine but we don’t have air and get by with fans. Considering a heat pump which both heats and cools which we have to research more.
The garden is starting to really come in and meals will be planned around what is ripe and plentiful. Love it and healthy as well.
1. Put up the first of a large stack of vintage books on Ebay. Some returned more than $50.
2. Cleaning out my closet of unworn, unloved or misfitting clothes yielded a large sack of clothing, turned them into a clothes collection box.
3. Cleaned out the home office of unnecessary clutter.
4. Traded in my non-working weak buzzsaw on Ebay. Researched a used buzzsaw with stronger motor in Classifieds. This makes processing firewood for the winter much more productive.
5. Bought no lunch at work. Brought my own, prepped the night before or leftovers from dinner.