My Frugal Life

Saving Money...that's what I tell my husband every time I buy something on sale!  My husband is quite the bargain hunter too, he has been known to buy dog food when we didn't even have a dog!  His response when I reminded him of that fact...but it was marked way down and someone can use it!  Funny but true.

I just can't help but look for bargains.  It actually hurts my feeling and there for I rarely do buy anything at full price.  It is probably a good thing that I am not real trendy.  I usually begin to like things as they are going out of style and then my nonconformist comes out and I still wear it (because I still like it).  Now it takes patience and knowing where to look to get real good bargains.  Of course, garage sales are my favorite.  They are pure treasure hunting.  What someone else is done with it may be just the thing you have been needing.  However this past week I came upon a coffee table and end table at a curb, couldn't pass it up and brought it to my daughters.  Her sons accused me of stealing and couldn't grasp the idea that it was put on the curb for that purpose, for someone to get.  Any way, the items had considerable character marks yet with a little paint and tlc, they will be beautiful in her home.  My family has gotten use to my stopping for the craziest things, and just let me say "dumpster diving" is divine.  Now I will tell you that most of my dumpster diving is limited to items that come in handy to make props and such for Vacation Bible School, but I am not beyond going in for anything that catches my eye.

Thrift stores and consignment shops are good for bargains.  People have spent the big bucks on high end items and you can get them typically in great shape for next to nothing. 

Repurpose!

Repurpose!  I love that word.  Webster defines it "to give a new purpose or use to".  Having been raised by incredibly frugal parents, I have long taken the discarded, broken down and turned it into something useable and sometimes even unrecognizable.  I love treasure hunting and most Saturday's come rain or shine you will find my husband and I out scouring the neighborhood garage sales for unwanted treasure. I get excited spending pennies on the dollar for an item I can see such potential in.  

My husband, Larry, loves to cook so you might find him holding up an almost new crock pot and telling me, "Hey, Vickie, this is only $5.00", while I'm on the other side of the garage holding up a 410 shotgun, simultaneously saying, "Hey, Larry, this is only $50.00" (true story).  Regardless we usually always come home with my '96 Ford Explorer filled to the brim. 

The challenge is to think outside the box.  Take an old or unused t-shirt, you can make a quilt to commemorate events, you can make scarves, pillows, flowers, rugs, dresses, headbands, totes, necklaces, bracelets, rings, vests and I am sure many more things (all of the above can be found on pinterest.com).  Now who would have thought! 

Today we live in a throwaway society, with disposable everything; yet, people talk “green” not realizing that there are many ways to “go green”.  Of course, some don’t throw away anything, we’ve seen those on “Hoarders”, don’t go that far.  But I challenge you rethink, reuse, repurpose!  It just makes sense.

A new journey....a business with a daughter!

I was off today and decided to enjoy it by celebrating the first day of fall.  I had picked up several items at Micheal's and Hobby Lobby, in addition to the many things I already had and proceeded to decor the house and front porch for the new long awaited season.  My favorite season, fall.  Here are a few photo's of this days journey...

Had so much fun with this!

Day 1 A Minimal Stay in the hospital

Praise the Lord, everything about the surgery that I had dreaded has proven to be wasted energy. The pain has been minimal, the bleeding minimal, the hospital stay was minimal. All made available by a more than abundant Savior, whom I cherish and serve. He provided maximum medical care, overflowing love from family and friends and more than abundant mercy and grace brought about by the many, many prayers on my behalf. I am extremely grateful. Now I will strive to be minimally active, in spite of the more than abundant energy that I so amazingly possess. I will eat that which has been prescribed, lots of fruits and veggies, not much meat and starches, but plenty of Pink Swirl (doctors orders, now would I tell you a lie?). Tonight my honey lamb and I will enjoy vegetable soup, a few crackers and a movie. Thanks Thelma! You know who are! More to come...from a minimalist need to be

The Life of Minimalism

Today I have surgery to repair my inside anatomy. It has made up it's mind that it does not want to be in there anymore and so now the fight has begun. In order to win this battle I must make some radical changes in my life. No longer can things be a focus, not longer can I saturate my life, my home, my body with the accumulation of things, certain foods, basically and excess. So as a testimony to the Lord I want to make this a journey of obedience. An extreme makeover, everyone wants one, but I am actually the blessed winner of this reinvention! Thank you Father, help me to be a testimony of your power, peace and a blessing to others. In the name of Jesus. Amen