Curb picked rug and dresser for my daughter’s old bedroom.
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I hemmed my comfy thrifted flannel pajamas, which are likely designed for men as they have satisfyingly deep pockets. They’re now the perfect length and I don’t have to worry about tripping over the dragging hems. I refer to them as my “winter solstice” pajamas as they’re dark blue flannel with snowflakes, pine trees and polar bears. Nothing Christmas specific, just the deep dark middle of winter!
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My husband was going to Safeway to pick up specific items for his work lunches, so I added a couple of digital coupon items to his list.
• Five-pound bag of potatoes for 99¢.
• Half gallons of Tillamook ice cream for $2.99.
• Two-pound loaves of Tillamook cheese for $6.49.
• $1.29/pound turkey. Somehow the 19+ pound turkey rang up for $11.57 total, which I don’t understand but am happy to accept.The freezer and fridge are going to be very full by the time we get past all these Thanksgiving season loss leaders.
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My son and I went through his closet, as he wants to start a Depop account to sell some of the cool clothing he no longer wears. His apartment is ideal for photography as there’s amazing light and white walls, which’ll make this project so much easier for him. He’s super motivated to start earning money outside of his 9-5 job, which is fun to see.
Buy Nothing dresser for my son’s old bedroom.
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My younger sister came into town for an appointment and stayed the night at the house. My empty nest is lousy with fully outfitted spare bedrooms, which makes it easy to welcome house guests. All I needed to prepare was to throw on some fresh sheets and run the robot vacuum to freshen up the room.
Our three spare bedrooms are always set up and ready to go thanks to the Buy Nothing group and various curb picked furniture items. This probably sounds very hodge-podge, but the rooms all look cohesive and well put together.
• My son’s old bedroom has a bed frame and antique dresser from Buy Nothing.
• My daughter’s old room has a rug and dresser from Chez Curb, plus a Buy Nothing bookcase.
• Our final spare bedroom has a hide-a-bed couch from our next door neighbors who switched over to a pair of recliners.My adult kids live on their own and absconded with their childhood beds and dressers, which is why I had to refurnish their rooms.
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I didn’t buy a vulgar gold plated apartment in the sky.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I read every entry of Katy’s and all the comments but haven’t had the energy for entries lately.
1. We are moving to a senior housing place. We haven’t a unit yet, but we chose the community populated by our mostly frugal co-religionists. No swimming pool, but vegetable gardens. Our current kitchen is so small that most of the heavy cookware is stored in the basement; and the stairs are feeling dangerous. We looked at a unit–no stairs and a washer/dryer next to the kitchen. The bedroom also has more storage than our entire house.
2. I have been down-sizing for the last ten years (low hanging fruit like the sink collection in the basement). Now my husband is going through the boxes of photographs he brought home when we cleaned out his mother’s house in 1993—and hadn’t gotten to yet. This week we’ve taken boxes of tools to Habitat, boxes of dead electronics to the drop-off at the transfer station, boxes of papers to the free shredding company, and boxes of his work clothes and books to the thrift store.
3. I’m so grateful that he is on board—I feel I‘m nearing the end of having enough energy to orchestrate a move. I took 115 pieces of yardage to my guild yard sale and have a large box for a woman learning to quilt. What do we want? LESS!
4. Our current dressers are huge. Friends have convinced me to wait and rehome them as we make the move. In the new place we will use a tall chest I bought at an estate sale in 1987 and a matching dresser I got via Buy Nothing a year ago. Alas, the new chest reeked of lavender. Last week I painted it with a Killz primer advertised as odor-killing. Paints on white but dries clear. It really works. Not sure what to do with the second half of the quart I bought. But we need to down-size a couple of other items—we buy used and may need to kill other odors.
5. Hot tip! I struggle to get pants up over long johns and hate having to do it a couple times a day as things get warmer and then cooler. This year I have one pair of pants over long underwear and a second pair without. I can change heating levels by just changing pants. So easy.
6. I had a tooth with a gold crown removed a while ago. The dentist gave me the tooth—which is the only gold-plated thing I own. I keep meaning to give it to the local pawn shop. Maybe they’ll buy my old wedding ring as well.
I am just at the beginning of the same journey you’re on….but husband not on board yet…wish me luck
It’s hard. I’ve been telling him for years that we are moving before I’m 75. He’s three years older than I, and I’m days away from 74. Since the decision he has been obsessing whether we should move his desk–double pedestal, solid oak, 200 pounds, in the family for 100+ years. I think it’s a fine obsession/distraction and am happy to listen to his pros and cons and regrets as long as he keeps moving on the move. We are trying to deal with one another with love and compassion. Although, this morning he had a snitlet when I suggested he empty the flower boxes on the porch before it freezes tonight. He said he loved the marigolds and they make him happy every day. Oh, why not leave them until they are frozen tomorrow.
Love your cozy, inviting guest rooms.
This style of curation takes patience and time and is so rewarding!
My guest this past weekend asked me when I put in a tray ceiling in the guest room…I did a special faux paint treatment when I switched out the 70’s light fixture for a slim mount ceiling fan w/led lighting (open box bargain at 70% off).
Niece who works part time at Safeway brought me cheese last night and potatoes. I love the delivery service. I tipped her with a roll of oatmeal crispy dough.
@ Mary in Maryland
My father was from Europe where he had dental work done there and in North Africa during the Second World War.
After the war some of these teeth were refilled. He was given the gold from the dentist. One of my brothers was trying to raise funds for his university classes.
My parents gave him that gold and broken rings and necklaces.
He took these and then started going through change and cutlery pieces for silver. It was at an unbelievable high purchase price late 70’s.
I always thought that was so ingenious a way to raise some cash.
On Halloween this year I went to a tasteful wedding at a funeral home situated in a cemetery. It was so frugal. One thing the groom’s mother did was comb through
her jewelry box. She found multiple items that either would never be worn or were broken.Her son met with a jewelry designer and had the gold melted to make new bands for him and his partner.
My grandmother had her old gold charm bracelet melted down into a drippy lump, which she wore. Then my mother inherited it. I was waiting to get it, as it would probably fetch $3000 with the price of gold today, but my brother stopped me from taking it off Mom while she was dying. So of course, someone stole it, along with the rest of her gold jewelry. (I hated it. It had been a nice charm bracelet and then it became an ugly lump. Zero sentimental value.)
When I worked in college at a dry cleaner’s, I looked through the box of junk cufflinks etc that no one knew who they belonged to. Since I often wore men’s shirts there, I asked my boss if I could take a pair. He said fine. I’d noticed via my beady eye that they were marked 18K. I sold them and bought Depeche Mode tickets at Radio City.
To do a better job explaining, my mother was in a nursing home. Mom was in a coma her last few days but my brother thought she could maybe feel we were taking her jewelry off her, so he asked me not to and I acquiesced. Even in a nursing home, Mom wore several gold chains and pendants and a chunky gold bracelet. All stolen, as I knew they’d be.
Katy, your spare bedroom/daughter’s old bedroom looks so inviting – and beautiful!
I’m climbing back onto the frugal train and holding on for dear life after both of our vehicles decided to have major breakdowns in October. Why the car felt the need to copy the truck on this particular adventure, I have no idea. Anyway, some of my recent frugal things:
1. I remembered to check the balance in the rewards account for our make of vehicles. We were able to transfer $150 worth of points toward one of the repairs, which cut at least a bit off of the final cost of the vehicle misadventures.
2. I am once again on a zero food waste quest – or as close to zero waste as I can get. This has resulted in a number of what I call “Vegas buffet” suppers. Which I think sounds better than “a bunch of random small amounts of leftover food.” An added bonus of Vegas buffets is that no cooking (beyond reheating) is required.
3. I’m trying to limit grocery spending to $150 per month for at least the next two months. We’re very well stocked on most food items.
4. An exception to #3 above would be amazing sales that would ultimately cost more in the long run if I don’t take advantage of them.
5. Our local grocery chain has had five pound bags of potatoes on sale for 77 cents per bag for the last few weeks. This comes under the category of “amazing sales”, and I’ve picked up several bags. Since I already had several bags of potatoes that I’d bought from a local farm hanging out in the basement, the amazing sale potatoes have been turned into batches of mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes were then shoved into quart bags and frozen. Since supermarket potatoes up here tend to have short life spans once purchased, this will extend the life of the potatoes considerably.
For authenticity, I hope the Vegas buffet includes squares of red AND green jello!
My FFT today:
1. Got in line at the nearest Circle K store and took advantage of their 40 cents off per gallon sale. Clerk gave me a card for an additional dime a gallon, so I ended up filling my tank for $1.79/gallon. Can’t remember the last time gasoline was this low! Had to stay in line quite a while, and my tank was only a quarter tank low, but I am happy to have filled it to the top right before Thanksgiving. When gas prices will go up.
2.Fished out my old sweaters and sweatshirts from the spare room closet so I’m good to go with the upcoming cold front. I’m wearing a sweatshirt I got in the 1990s (at a thrift store) today, and have gotten several compliments on it.
3. My brown bag lunch consists of Doggie Bag Salad — the leftover salad from last Tuesday’s restaurant meal. I added some tomatoes and more salad dressing and it was delicious and nutritious.
4. Brewed my own coffee at home and at work. No Starbucks for me!
5. Bought some tall travel mugs at Aldi for $7.99 each. That’s cheaper than you can get them at Goodwill. And they look just like Stanley cups! Will be using them for morning coffee, and I will have spares. They all match so I can use the lids and cups interchangeably. I’m forever losing the right lid for the right cup.
Oh, a disclaimer: I needed to say that the Circle K sale on gasoline was yesterday from 4 until 7 p.m. So technically I guess it’s not a frugal thing TODAY. But I hadn’t listed it before, so that’s why I included it.
1. I found a beautiful watercolor landscape at an estate sale. It was the second day so everything was 25% off. Now I have to find a frame. The one it came in is wonky and the glass is broken on one corner.
2. I took my daughter to lunch at a cafe near the estate sale. I used rewards towards the total.
3. I made dinner last night using items on hand. NYT recipe – sausage and brussel sprouts with potatoes and honey mustard. This was a recipe from A. Marie. Delicious and we can have the leftovers for dinner tonight.
4. I’m saving the broken sheet of glass from the above artwork to give to a friend. She does stained glass as a hobby.
5. I sold a few more items on Ebay. I’m reading a library book on my kindle. I’m staying home tonight and will start a new puzzle with my kiddo.
(1) Returned two shoe purchases at Costco. They weren’t quite right but the refund paid for a coat that was a good purchase choice.
(2) Found eggnog with a long shelf date on sale 75% off.
Bought some for this weekend’s potluck, next weekend’s potluck, some to make cookies and fudge for a fundraiser and some in place of creamer in my coffee,which was smaller and more expensive.
I had someone over who hadn’t tasted eggnog in years . This brand held memories of my childhood. We cheered each other as we “clinked “ our glasses.
(3)Instead of having a “tube steak “ aka hotdog at Costco, I came home and ate a can of sardines. This will tide me over till dinner.
(4)I admire my daughter who has a capsule wardrobe for her toddler son. I was out and sent pictures of 50% off items in his size I found. When she okayed them I purchased them. I really appreciate her desire to minimize the amounts of clothing he has but to intentionally and frequently wear the items he currently fits into.
(5) I make a donation to a charity that supplies solar lights to individuals rurally and in a major city slum in the city overseas they are located in.
Cards are issued for each $20.00 donated. Frequently I use the cards as a remembrance when sending a sympathy card or in place of a birthday or holiday gift. I receive responses from the families of how much they appreciated the money going to such a life changing cause. The lights aid in students studying, protection at the external latrines, they take the place of kerosene lamps which are a fire hazard when studying or preparing meals
I have a friend who grew up in Guyana who remembers students gathered under streelights to read their assignments.
T,
1. Love the term “tube steak” — will have to remember that one! LOL!
2. Please share the name of/contact info for the solar light charity. That sounds like a very worthy cause.
Um… I don’t mean to throw cold water but before you use the phrase too wildly, you should know it’s also slang for the male organ. Maybe outdated now, in which case just don’t say it to grandma.
1. Eating leftovers for dinner.
2. I found butter on Flashfoods for 2.14 per pound! They only had 2 pounds available but I snatched them up in a hot second.
3. I signed up for a mystery shop tomorrow during lunch time–and when I will be on the road–, for which I will get paid $22.00 to eat a burger and fries (in addition to reimbursing the cost of the food).
4. My mom gifted me a large bottle of bodywash that she picked up from Ollie’s Outlet. I’ll pay it forward by giving inlaws free bottles of all-purpose cleaner that I got free from mystery shop.
5. I still haven’t turned on the heat despite it snowing today in the Hudson Valley of NY.
FRUGAL FAIL! I forgot my coffee travel mug, and my work only has free coffee if you bring your own mug. So I had to spend $3.50 on a cup of coffee from the cafe (had to teach 3 back-to-back classes, so it was very much needed…). I really feel like I broke the cardinal rule of this blog!
Wow Cynthia I definitely did not know that slang term.
We used to do monthly “hotdog “ day lunches at school.
The sweetest, most innocent mom ran the program.
She would have been mortified if she knew the slang use of the term. I’m a grandma and I’m shocked I mentioned it.