It Pays to be Thrifty ....

I grew up in a family that didn't have two pennies to rub together at the beginning. With tons of hard work and a measure of thriftiness, my parents managed to buy their first house in their early 20's. Sparsely furnished but filled with love and laughter, they taught me that saving was more important than spending if I wanted to reach my goals. I understood from an early age that if there was something I wanted, saving for it was worth the wait. It's something I brought to our marriage and even though my dh grew up in a family that had no financial plans or goals, he was eager to learn and we worked together to create our own thrifty life. We bought our first house at age 20 and it was many years before we could freely spend. Now we're at the other end but we still love to make frugal choices and plan out our purchases. And the thrill of finding a treasure at the charity shop or finding an amazing deal, especially when we're saving pennies for something makes it all worth the work!

We started saving to pay for the landscaping we'll be doing this year at the new house. Truckloads of dirt, sod or grass seed, flowers, bushes, veggie patch, playground, gazebo, pond, fire pit and front gates are all part of the plan that will likely take us a good 4 to 5 years to complete. Doing it all at once would, of course, be far out of reach with our budget. Spreading it out just makes so much sense. And we'll have something to look forward to each year. This year, two things we hoped to acquire included a hammock and raised garden beds. In determining, our savings budget, we found examples of the items we hoped to get with prices. The hammock above is listed at more than $180 at our local hardware store. And the vinyl boxes range from $160 to $250, depending on the manufacturer. For 1 hammock and 6 raised garden beds, we were looking at a total of $1,197 at the lower end, including taxes. Would you believe me if I told you we ended up with this exact hammock and 6 of the raised garden beds for free?? The story is below ....

To start with, I had already saved over $1,200 for these items. What took place the other day was pure luck and a bit of extra work to make it all happen. The first thing that fell in to place was an offer from my dear friend, who had spent the day with me on my day off last week, to purchase the second Kitchen Aid mixer we had. Brand new and a pro model. She offered $400 and I was very happy to accept that (value is $700 but we did get an amazing deal and paid far less). So now I had an extra $400 in my pocket to go towards these items and landscaping. Then the next thing fell in to place. The hammock that I was so excited about hanging up one day, if I could find one in stock, came across my FB feed on an ad. And guess what? It was on sale, one day only, on Monday! A certain store (no names in this post) had it for the unbelievable price of $68. But I'm not a fan of the store and when I went on to at least consider ordering it, the website was not letting me place the item in the cart. Then I remembered the hardware store that carries it has a price match that includes the amount the other store charges plus an additional 10% off. Too good to pass up, right? So I called and they agreed to match it, which meant, in the end, I got a $160 hammock (plus taxes and shipping) for $60.88 (including taxes and free shipping).

But the deals for the day get even better. I decided to check on the status of the raised garden beds at our local big box, you must have a membership store (remember, no names!) and they still had them in stock. And suddenly that day, a sale started and they were marked down. Couldn't believe my eyes. And my good luck! I quickly did some calculations and ordered 6 of them. With an original calculation of $1,008 (including taxes and free shipping), I was now blown away to see the price of just $340 (including taxes and free shipping). Prior to these 2 incredible sales, we would have paid a grand total of $1,180 but in the end, our purchases added up to a very tidy $400.88. Oops! I did say that we got all these items for free but the reality is, we paid just .88 cents as the $400 from my dear friend for our second Kitchen Aid covered everything. Now I still have over $1,200 that I was going to use that can stay in our landscaping budget for the big items on our list. Yup, it does pay to be thrifty ....

Any great deals you can share with us?

Treasures you've found or funds you've saved?

Addiing it all up ....

Our thrifty shopping came in for a grand total

of $14 ~ a sweet sum for an hour's work.

The lacy backdrop was this piece we came across

at the thrift store a few weeks ago, for a tidy .50 cents.

Thrifty Thursday #6.

Tiny vintage glass bottles

for my art studio.

Perfect for storing beads.

Or for washing paint brushes.

A bargain for .40 cents for all 4.

Another half price deal.

Thrifty Thursday #5.

For our new kitchen: a tiny egg cup for

.10 cents & a $1 sweet little green loaf pan. 

Thrifty Thursday #4.

 Two more Trisha Romance pictures.

Wedding Day.

Sweet bedtime scene. Our dd has a sleigh bed.

Again, both pics were half price at $3 each.

Thrifty Thursday #3.

Another half price item for just $3.

A Trisha Romance picture for our collection.

Thrifty Thursday #2.

This sweet little picture was just .75 cents at the 

thrift store. The best half price deal of the entire day.

Sometimes, you just have too ....

 We've lived a very frugal life. At the beginning, 

it was a way to have a parent at home with our

children. Then it became our continued lifestyle, 

even after I went back to my career, 20 years 

in. Now it's a trendy subject & we still subscribe

to this way of life. But every once in a long while, 

something comes along that we have to make 

big decisions about letting go of some of our

savings & treat ourselves to an event, or a trip,

or something for our home. Yesterday, here's

what crossed our path & is now sitting all

wrapped up, ready & waiting for the new house.

A vintage heart shaped chair with light sage

green velvet fabric. In perfect condition, this

beautiful piece was created in Montgomery,

Alabama, far from snowy Alberta! The colors

are perfect for our new abode, the style just

right. And how did we find it, you may be

pondering? I was on Facebook the other night

& suddenly the antique mall posted a few

pictures of new items & there was the chair.

Without any thought & chatting with my

lovey first, I put my name down on it & they

graciously agreed to hold it for me. It wasn't

cheap but the investment is so worth the

opportunity to own this very unique piece. 

Given the long list of others who were

asking for it, even when we were picking it

up just reaffirmed that as quick as it was, 

it was the right decision for us.

And we love it!! I truly believe that each &

every one of our purchases, big & small are

so precious to us because we sacrificed so much

so our kids were given an extra measure of

security when they were growing up. Now we

could be less frugal, but we're still having

fun finding the best deals. Even though it

felt like we were spending a lot on this chair,

when we did a search, we actually found two

others, both in the U.S., for much higher

fees, so we know we did well. And both were

not in as good of shape as this one, from

what we could tell by the pictures. All in all,

another great find & one we'll cherish always.

No more Frugal Friday's!

I love our "Frugal Friday" shopping trips.

But with Christmas, our build and now moving,

our weekly trips to the charity shop have stopped.

I miss hunting for treasures and peeking inside

boxes to find vintage items and old books.

Once we're unpacked and settled, I'm sure our treks

and posts for "Frugal Friday" will begin again. 

Until then, I'll happily drool over everyone else's

posts from your frugal adventures!

Any Frugal Friday treasures you can share?

Inspiring Garden "Beds".

Hi everyone!

A quick post to end the day. Snow was predicated in our region, so we quickly tidied up the garden (one more time), purged the garage of anything and everything we could donate, bagged up the last of the leaves, and then took down the gazebo and tucked away the deck furniture. Dh even took the ladder and checked to make sure the gutters were still clean so they won't be clogged in the spring. We want to make sure all is in order, whether we rent out our house or sell it, before a new family moves in. 

While we were cleaning out the garage, I discovered an old, single bed frame, wooden with lovely turned spindles. Completely forgot that it had been gifted to us and we had stored it away behind a pile of big plywood boards leaning against one wall. As we don't need another bed anywhere, my first thought was to put it in the pile of items to donate. But then I started thinking about how we could "re~purpose" it into something else. And came up with the idea of creating a garden "bed" at our new home. Here's some great examples that have inspired my new project:

This old iron bed is so beautiful!

A wooden one painted blue.

Another iron bed with rows of plants.

And one more with a doll watching over the garden.

I also loved these two ideas. 

This one is my all time favorite!

Now I'm excited with all the possibilities. A simple wooden bed frame, dusty yet sturdy. With no actual purpose in our home, now with a list of ideas to re~create it's use. An inspiring item to either grow a beautiful bed of flowers or a wonderful spot to sit and gaze at the earth.

Have you found ways to re~purpose old furniture?

Frugal Friday!

Hi everyone! 

It's time for "Frugal Friday" with finds from our local Antique Mall this trip. Love this unique store to hunt for treasures. It never disappoints and we always find the neatest items.

New teal colored shopping bag from the owner.

Today's price?

Free!

The haul!

Tiny candelabra for $4.

Two mugs for $8.

Two gardening pictures for $10.

A Becky Kelly book for $6.

And the best deal of the day,

another April Cornell dress for $16.

For a grand total of $44 (with tax $46.20).

Retail price of each:

The fabric shopping bag would be $2.

The candelabra would be $20.

The mugs would be $25.

The gardening pictures would be $18.

The Becky Kelly book would be $16.

The April Cornell dress would be $169.

For a grand total of $230 (with tax $241.50).

Savings?

A lovely $195.30. 

Not bad for a wet and chilly Frugal Friday.

How has your frugal shopping been?

A Corner of our Cottage ....

Hi everyone!

I've seen this idea on a few great blogs and thought it would be a fun way to capture our current home before we move to our new one. Photographing a "corner" of our cottage weekly and presenting each here on my blog. You might find it a bit boring but part of the purpose of my blog is to have a place to visually remember these wonderful days in our life. 

The "corner" I chose today is in our living room. In such a small space, there is a lot of history here! I started with a long shot and will now zoom in on a few special things. It's a cold, rainy, windy and dark day, so please forgive me for the lack of brightness in the pictures. A shadow here and there too! I couldn't even try to enhance these photos if I wanted to as our photo editing program wasn't up and running today. 

We had searched for a number of years to find a piano lamp that was different than the typical brassy ones with a dark green shade. Found this one at the thrift store for a very small sum. Lovely light at night and a soft pewter like finish. The small bunny on a wire chair was from the antique mall and her dress is just the right colors for this room. And a little lace doily under the lamp for a finishing touch.

In the actual corner is the china cabinet that my grandmother received as a wedding gift from her parents. She was born in 1917 and my dad was born in 1942, with his older brother born in 1937, so I'm guessing they were married around 1934 to 1936. Making this wonderful piece at least 78 to 80 years old. It holds a few pieces of her precious china and some other items that belonged to her. I'm forever grateful for being gifted this beautiful antique that the other members of our family did not want after she died. Knowing my husband and I cherish old treasures, they asked us if we wanted her furniture and we are so thankful we said yes, as it was all going to go to the thrift shop if we didn't take it! The gown is a beautiful satin Christening dress with incredible lace detail. A favorite find that we love and hang with pride and keep for future babies.

Our Moses Basket for our babies, all grown up now but saved for our grand babies. Inside, a sweet teddy bear my kids gifted to their dad one Father's Day and our two little bears, representing our youngest son and daughter, from a dear friend, who has also experienced loss and understood our need to have our empty arms filled. Our teddies are well loved, held often and lovingly kept in this special basket that holds memory and meaning.

We are all musicians but our youngest son is the gifted one in the family. He bought this Celtic Harp years ago and its magical when he plays it. However, when he and his young family moved out to the West Coast, he gifted it to us for safe keeping. Their new home is so tiny, just one little bedroom, a kitchen, bath and living room. Not a square inch left for anything extra, so we were happy to become the caretakers of such a beautiful piece. Just wish we could play it like he does!

The last shot of the "corner" features the old wood table that belonged to my husband's grandfather. We chalk painted it a lighter shade than our walls and I love the contrast, subtle but there. On the table is one of two matching lamps that we picked up at the Antique Mall on our very first visit there several years ago. We paid $15 for both lamps and they give off a lovely glow in the evening. Sitting beside the lamp is a ceramic Angel picture that I'd like to hang up but haven't yet decided which wall it should go on. And underneath, in the book storage space is a collection of art books and a vintage edition of Tom Sawyer, the name of the play that brought my husband and I together more than 30 years ago. 

So there you have a "corner" of our cottage. A quiet place at the end of a busy day. A favorite spot to reflect and recoup our souls and our energy. 

Do you have a favorite spot in your home 

that you covet and cherish?

The stories it could tell!

Having a lazy Sunday morning but we're off in a while, to meet a perfect stranger, in a parking lot, to do an exchange of cash, for one of these:

I've been coveting one for a while now, seeing them pop up on kijiji, at the antique mall and online, but always several hundreds dollars and not always with the wheels or often with a piece broken. I joined a local antique group last week on Facebook and within minutes, an add popped up that intrigued me. The very item above, intact and wheels that turn. It needs a bit of cleaning up, I'm told and I'd love to give it a quick stain but so excited that it sounds like and looks like it's in fine condition. For the budget~friendly price of $40, I certainly can't complain if there's a scratch or three!

Anytime we find an item for our home that is vintage, I often think about who might have used it. What they were thinking as they worked away. What their life was like. How many children they had. Where they lived. What they did for a job or for fun. I always wish for a way to find out about a piece but sometimes, many owners have loved it before us, so we can't always get the history. 

If only this piece could talk, what stories it could tell!!

Frugal Friday!

Our haul for the weekend at the thrift store. This was all bought yesterday but posted today. We paid full price for each item as everything we chose had a blue tag & the tag color for any sale this week was yellow. The prices were still great & we're happy with each item we chose. Most ended up being purchases for our family centre but a few were for us.

Blue goblet for our kids bathroom

to hold puffs or scented soaps.

Price: $2.

For our bathroom. 

To hold rolls of toilet paper.

Price: $1.

Bright frames for our preschool.

Price: $3.

Picture frame for us!

Price: .50 cents.

For our support group meetings.

Price: .50 cents.

For our support group meetings.

Tea cozy for our little tea pot.

Price: .50 cents.

For our staff room to hang

on the fridge or whiteboard.

Price: $1.

For our Antique Mall Booth.

Price: .50 cents.

For our preschool.

Kids will love this game!

Price: .$1.

Grand total: $10. 

Sharing at The Thrifty Groove.

How was your thrifty shopping this week? 

Frugal Friday!

Our weekly trek to the local Thrift Store in town netted the following finds for Frugal Friday: 

Birdhouse pic. Frame to be

changed. Love the colors!

Price: $1.50.

"Home Tweet Home."

Sweet bunnies for our Easter table.

Price: $1.50.

One is a salt shaker.

The other is a pepper shaker.

I love vintage linen!

The hours someone put into this.

Price: $1.00 each.

The detail is incredible!

Would you believe in my short 50 years,

I've never had a change purse?

Love this floral, shabby chic one.

Price: .10 cents.

I picked  this up for the frame,

which I might paint white.

But decided I liked the picture too, 

so gold it will stay!

Price: .20 cents.

For C2, who loves to put

her hair back. 

Price: .10 cents.

A new teddy, for our

baby loss program.

Price: .10 cents.

Not a bad haul for a Frugal Friday shopping trip & a great end to a busy week. Our grand total was $5.50. I budget $20 a week for Frugal Friday but rarely do we get that high. Sometimes we go over but often that is only when we find a big ticket item. And some weeks, we browse, but don't find anything we need or would like to add to our vintage collection, which someday will be our future Antique Mall Booth. I don't add the remaining funds to the following week. The difference is just absorbed back into our budget for other expenses, as needed. 

Have you had any thrifty finds lately?

Linking up with The Thrifty Groove.