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.
{ 44 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.
Wishing you both the best on your downsizing and move. Though we are 10 years younger, my thoughts are the same. Husband had to have blood clots removed, and will be on blood thinners.
We have a hobby farm, and have collected so much $#&T since 2006. So, he is slowly coming around to it. Sheep, chickens, firewood for the stove. Snow to be shoveled, way too much!
May your journey be peaceful
Mary, I can practically feel the weight being lifted off of your life. Kudos to you and your husband. If you don’t mind some unsolicited ideas: For what to do with the remaining odor killing primer, there are a couple possibilities – a Buy Nothing group (if you belong), or a Household Hazardous Waste site (my county’s site puts out partly used items on a free shelf), or out on the curb with other useful items. For your crown and wedding ring, see if a jewelry store will give you more money for the gold than a pawn shop would. Good luck with everything! I’ve helped downsize a few family members’ homes, and it is both exhausting and gratifying.
P.S. I chuckled at your story about the frozen flowers. My husband and I recently had a similar discussion about the garden hose because he wanted to take care of it on his own timeline rather than have me do it. It’s now sitting under some snow. My motto is “why put off until tomorrow what you can do today” while his is “why do it today when it can be done whenever (or never).”
MB–my husband and I have the same divide about when best to do a task. I get a little testy when he asks me to remind him to do something tiny later. I’ve started denying him my brainspace and suggesting he do whatever immediately or remember it himself.
There’s a t-shirt with the slogan, “My wife keeps nagging me to do a repair and I’m tired of it. I keep telling her, ‘You don’t have to remind me every six months!'”
We’ve been to hazardous waste already this week. And I’ve sent a lot out into the universe via buy nothing.
A free (or not) estate sale is another option. Purge and pack what you can, then let people choose from what’s left.
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.
Rose,
I think there is a very deep pit in Hell for anyone who would steal from a nursing home patient! My grandmother was in just such a home, located only 8 blocks down the street from Mom’s house. My mother’s relative brought Grandma a nice outfit, left it in Grandma’s closet, and then stopped by to visit Mom. Upon first walking in, the relative mentioned she’d bought Grandma a new pantsuit and Mom jumped up and said “we’d better get it before the nurse’s aides do!” They rushed to the car and sped down the street. By the time they got to Grandma’s room, the pantsuit was gone. It was never recovered; management refused to search the employees or their belongings or vehicles. Also, another relative worked in the woman’s prison and went to visit Grandma; this relative said that she’d seen maybe half a dozen former prisoners she used to guard — and they were all working as nurse’s aides. She was horrified that a nursing home would hire someone with a criminal record, but there they were.
Caregiving work is so critically devalued in our society that CNAs are grossly underpaid while nursing homes charge obscene rates. Perhaps if investors accepted just slightly less profit, homes could be more selective in hiring those who take care of vulnerable people.
T,
Years ago, I was told that “dental gold” was somehow “different” (and less valuable) than gold they use for jewelry and other things, which never really made sense to me. The person who told me this was not an expert, and the topic only came up after I mentioned I have an old gold filling my dentist had given me. I wonder if I still have it? I need to go through my jewelry as well.
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!
Sadly, our Vegas buffets have not been that authentic. But thanks for the Jello reminder – I think a box of Jello just might find its way into my shopping cart next week. It’ll be interesting to see if my husband makes the connection.
Brilliant idea on the mashed potatoes! And I love your term “Vegas Buffet.” I think I will start calling my meals that!
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.
Cynthia, I’m familiar with that slang definition, too. And yes, I am a grandma.
susanna d.
No disrespect to grandmas–I’m more than old enought to be one but not so blessed.
While not a huge fan of ZZ Top, I do enjoy their Tube Snake Boogie song. Full disclosure I love double entendre, Julia Lee was the queen. For those who remember the NFL commercial, Snatch and Grab It.
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.
T, to clarify, it’s the slang term “tube steak” I was referring to. I think everyone uses hot dog pretty safely.
1. Took 2 bags of clothes to the local church for their clothes closet
2. Gathering up hats, gloves, socks, hygiene items for local transitional housing for the homeless
3. Used my $5 Panera gift card for breakfast plus $2.09
4. Got my free Hallmark card
5. Got my car washed for free
Katy, your new haircut is very nice. It frames your face in a pretty way. I also like the purple wall color in one of your bedroom pics.
1. A home near me had some plants on the curb with a free sign. I took 2 of them. One is an ivy, not sure what the other is. I curb picked 2 decorative pots to put them in.
2. Took leftover iodine & H2O2 packets to the Humane Society. (I collect unused items from my student nurses’ practice kits to repurpose at the animal shelter.) Also gave them a large box fan I found.
3. Curb picked 10 packages of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Will probably donate these to the local shelter as they are in date.
4. Redeemed a 5$ off a purchase at the grocery store. I bought 5 cans of cream soup (1$ each) with my coupon). I can use these to cook with.
5. I am using an electric blanket as a mattress warmer. I don’t like the electric blanket on top of me as it is too warm. My fluffy warm cat also works as a heater. She likes the electric blanket too.
6. Found 55 cents in the change slot of the vending machine at work.
7. The power port for my tablet failed. One of the perks of my part time work is IT access & the school replaces my tablet if it stops working. (I dropped my tablet last year & shattered the screen. A new one was issued w/o a fuss.)
I will call you out for a couple – actually a few (not all sound like digital coupons). But a good better half is a good better half, ‘nuf said.
I have a spare bedroom that in my non-color-matching-eye looks the same as yours. Paint is no longer a frugal “change” these days sad to say.
Paint from Buy Nothing, FBMP, the ReStore, and mistints (which a friendly staffer will often adjust with additional pigment, if you ask nicely) are all options. We did spend a godawful amount of money on quality paint for the house we’re putting on the market this spring, but it was important to get the exterior just right. For the interior, I will likely keep it simpler.
Another great post Katy. I love that your son is getting into side hustles. You have set a good example.
1. I met a friend for a walk. We were treated to the first snowflakes of the season. It was pretty and other than a short period of staying on grassy surfaces there was no evidence of the snow by the end of the day. That’s my favorite kind of snow.
2. Yesterday I wore a hat that I knit for my daughter almost twenty years ago, to match a coat she had in middle school.
3. I made two dozen GF muffins for DH’s breakfasts. I used a basic recipe and added what we had: Craisins (crazy cheap at Costco when they are on sale, like they are now), coconut, and chopped pecans. Thank goodness for freezer space.
4. I baked a GF pizza for dinner. I bought a box when they were on sale at Costco a couple months ago.
5. I asked a friend if she will laminate our “senior” state park passes. They are on card stock like paper and good for the rest of our lives so they will last a lot longer if laminated.
1. I walked to Kroger yesterday specifically for their $0.25 per pound sweet potatoes sale and then made roasted sweet potatoes with feta and toasted pecans for dinner.
2. Posted a few new sets of books on FB Marketplace and sold 7 sets with porch pickup. This is the best time of year to sell books if anyone has some to list. I have to get all my accumulated Christmas picture books listed this weekend.
3. Our new health insurance plan has an app where you get points for completing healthy activities that turn into actual gift cards. They have walking challenges with my coworkers, which I find very motivating.
4. My office had Jimmy John’s catering tray for lunch, and I managed to snag one of the better sandwiches – a chicken Caesar wrap. I took the chips and cookie home for my son.
5. I opted out of the Secret Santa exchange at work. No thanks on the generic trinkets from random coworkers.
Re: #1 – WOW. I was excited by our local Kroger’s 49 cents per pound sale on sweet potatoes. 25 cents per pound is absolutely amazing! I find it interesting how sale prices differ from area to area. Sweet potatoes with feta and pecans sound delicious – I’m going to give it a try!
Bettypants, if you don’t mind, roughly where do you live? I’m trying to figure out where Kroger is holding this sale.
Sorry, I just saw this. Michigan!
1. I have a 49¢ a pound turkey cooking right now. It will feed us most of the week. We always host Thanksgiving but because my dad just had knee surgery he isn’t supposed to travel a lot so my sister in CT offered to host it. Hubby and I are still doing most of the cooking.
2. I have a loaf of bread going in the bread machine. It will be hot open turkey sandwiches for dinner tonight.
3. I am reading Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Magic of Christmas. I borrowed it from the library.
4. I hung laundry on my 2 clothes racks inside as it has been raining the last 2 days. We really needed the rain.
5. Hubby and I did the budget and bills this morning. We started doing our budget/ goals for 2025. We paid 4 bills online saving us a stamp each. If there is a processing fee then I mail them.
Katy, I love that purple room. You have an artist’s eye for putting a room together.
Today I thoroughly cleaned my house, including pulling out the fridge and vacuuming under and behind it so that it keeps working well. Brewed two gallons of iced tea to get us through the week, using the electric kettle that was destined for the trash at work. Chopped up some aging peppers and grated some cheese no one was eating — both will go in the freezer.
DH took on the task of finishing two stacks of paperwork, one for the attorney writing our new wills, and the other a household budget for when he retires next year. In return, I made him a lunch of pot roast with the last tiny chuck roast bought on sale and some carrots and onions from the freezer. (He dislikes boiled potatoes, so it’s not the traditional pot roast. We’re also completely out of potatoes until I go shopping on Monday.) I ate yesterday’s leftover chicken and broccoli for my lunch.