Search Results for: five things happy

1) I rearranged a couple items around the house for a fresh look, specifically this vintage wall phone, which traveled from the living room to the kitchen. Was I influenced by my current rewatch of Mad Men? Absolutely I was! The color might be different, but it's otherwise the same phone. I can't believe it...

1) I took my $1.99 thrifted ball of twine and got to work weaving a liner for this curb picked hanging basket. Did I delve into research to begin with a logical plan? Nope! I jumped right into the deep end, which is how I kind of live my life. I figured no one was...

1) I spent $13.14 from my $25 Ikea Fetch app gift card and treated my husband to lunch. I chose a $1.40 veggie dog and the free coffee and he chose the $9.99 meatball platter and a $1.75 soft serve ice cream cone. Enough money leftover for a second lunch date! I thought they'd stopped...

1) I drove over to my secret blackberry spot and got to work picking wild berries. It's still early in the season, so I'd estimate that just 20% of the berries have ripened, but I still picked enough to fill my milk jug. Here it is about halfway filled: Portland hit 89 degrees yesterday, so...

1) I drove our 21-year-old minivan and noticed that the passenger seat's arm rest had peeling leather. This is a car that my husband mostly drives, so it had escaped my notice. I knew that continuing to ignore the issue would only make it worse, so I went into the basement and grabbed my trusty...

1) I sold my $4.99 hefty blown glass vase for $75! (I thrifted it in December, which I wrote about in this blog post.) I had it priced for $100, but sent out a $75 offer and feel zero-point-zero regret for taking a lower price. $4.99 --> $75 is an excellent return on investment! The...

1) I added a significantly more strawberries to my oatmeal than normal, as the they were starting look a bit peaked and there will be no wasted strawberries on my watch! Even though I only spent $1.28/pound on them. Am I on trend? Am I "fibermaxxing?" 2) We had the kids and their partners over...

1) I stopped at Goodwill to donate a laundry basket of random items and popped into the store to see if I could find anything necessary or worth buying for resale. Please take a moment to enjoy our sunny summer skies. There've been recent "where's the sun?" complaints from new residents, but this weather is...

1) I walked my plastic clamshell plastic over to New Seasons Market for recycling and then walked myself cheap-ass self right out of that schmancy store. What am I, a Rockefeller? 2) I passed by this antique cast iron light fixture but left it in place, even though it was gorgeous and period appropriate for...

1) I quickly flipped my curb picked Ikea chair through Facebook Marketplace for twenty bucks. It's great to make da' big money, but these $20-$30 sales are a quick thrill. I'll never turn that down! Keep in mind that the garage sale vendor had it priced at just $2 before they slapped a "FREE" sticker...

1) I was able to remove the stain from the Kate Spade cotton tablecloth that I picked up at the Goodwill bins a few weeks ago. I have just one other round tablecloth for when the leaf is out of the dining room table, so I'm happy to add this one to my stash. The...

1) I shored up some stitching on my kid's bluejeans, thus ensuring they'll continue to last as long as possible. My stitches were noticeably thinner than the original ones, so I doubled up each one. This area lies under the fly flap, so it's not visible either way. I also mended the crotch area, but...

1) I listed my recently acquired sumo wrestler mug on eBay for $30, which is actually a lot less than other sellers, so here's to hoping for a quick sale! Click HERE to see the listing. 2) We had the kids to the house for our weekly "Family Dinner" which was extra enjoyable as our...

1) I went for an evening walk and quickly came across this unassuming "Free Box" that contained a Rejuvenation light fixture. I have no need for it, but am happy to rejuvenate clean it up to list on eBay. I couldn't find this exact model on their website, but it's similar to their Rose City...

1) I walked to a Mexican restaurant with my next door neighborhood and used a punch card to pay for my meal. I've been working on this card since my father was alive and almost all of it was filled from him taking me to lunch. It was his favorite restaurant. I couldn't find a...

1) I went to the Supercuts training center yesterday for my free haircut and left with a lot more hair chopped off than I'd asked for. I really liked the hairdresser, you know . . . as a person. However, I prefer my hair longer than my shoulders so it doesn't do that flip up...

1) Yesterday was finally my day to hit the Portland Art Museum with my free library pass and although my kid flaked out at the last minute, I still took myself across town for an adventure. I took the city bus there and back, which set me back just $2.80. Cheaper than parking. I was...

1) My house guests have flown back to Iowa and New York, so I'm spending the day getting the house back in order. Multiple loads of laundry, a quick walk to the grocery store for milk and eggs, and a bit of a nap -- a reset for the house and my wellbeing. I'll have...

1) My sister's family and I were invited to the Oregon Historical Society for a private docent tour by a friend, whose daughter volunteers at the museum. It's already free for Multnomah County residents, so it was a certain frugal lady's dream come true. You know I enjoyed this pair of circa 1800 socks, complete...

1. I sold my thrifted $13.50 bench for my full asking price of $100 after six days on Facebook Marketplace! Fourteen people messaged about the bench, mostly offering lower prices, but I held out until I got what I felt it was worth. This piece was one of a kind and the original artisan must've...

1. I haven't sold my $13.49 thrifted bench yet, but there's been a lot of interest which is a good sign. I'm asking $100, which I know is a stretch, but it's a one of a kind artisan created piece and I wouldn't be heartbroken to keep it. 2. I ran out of the house...

1. I donated $137.82 to the Oregon Food Bank for February's $100 Goodwill Gift Card Challenge. That amount is bolstered by $50, as I chose to keep a Pottery Barn linen duvet cover that I thrifted in January. It's much higher quality than the crappy Ikea version in our daughter's childhood bedroom and it didn't...

1. I received a notification from Portland General Electric informing me of a 5-8 P.M. "Peak Time Rebate," so I made the effort to switch off extra lights, unplug the microwave, not watch TV and even turned the heat down a few degrees. (We have a gas furnace, but the blower is electric.) Because ....

1. Kristen from The Frugal Girl walked me through how to fix a couple annoying dysfunctional blog issues, specifically how to add back in the "Archives" link, which is now directly below the search bar. She also directed me on how get a "previous" and "next" option to show back up. (This'll show at the...

1. I saw that the Leach Botanical Garden was offering free admission over the weekend, so I added it to my calendar. The price is normally $8/person, so this $16 savings was a nice frugal opportunity for my husband and I. The best part is that it was dramatically rainy over the past week, but...

2. I brought in a half dozen or so plants in from the backyard to winter over in my daughter's south facing childhood bedroom. I don't spend a single penny to fill my property with lush potted plants, which I accomplish by rooting from what I already own and accepting starts from friends. The pots...

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." Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Instagram.Click HERE to join The Non-Consumer Advocate Facebook group.

Someone left a cold seltzer can on my $25 thrifted coffee table, which left the above water mark. Luckily I noticed it the next morning and knew of a reversal method, which was mostly likely successful because the damage was fresh. That method? Running an iron on the lowest setting over a towel until the...