Something Special Saturday - Garage Sale Edition

The kids and I hosted a garage sale this weekend.  Friday was very slow, but the weather was delightful.  Partly cloudy, not too hot.  Today we've done pretty good business, but it is miserably hot and humid.

We set up our garage sale at the last minute, after we saw the large signs posted at our subdivision entrance announcing a neighborhood yard sale.  Not sure why they don't give us any warning about these things....but it was a good excuse to quickly clear some things out of our house.  

If I'd had a little more notice, I might have been able to use some of the handy tips I found for having really successful garage sales.  Maybe you can use them sometime, instead.

The Yard Sale Queen offers a full page of tips for throwing a great yard sale.  She's got some great ideas for advertising and signs.  

The Nester offers additional tips for both yard sale buyers and sellers over at her Nesting Place.  She recommends a good, cleansing yard sale for ridding the house of unwanted clutter.  

Melissa at 320 Sycamore shares her yard sale wisdom (especially for buyers) in her Yard Sale 101 section.

True Confessions: My Sewing Room

Remember when I told you I was redoing my sewing room?

{crickets chirping}


Really?  You don't?  That could possibly be because I made that declaration over a year ago.  Oh dear.

I told you all of my good intentions for that room here.  I even provided an oh-so-charming "inspiration board" for the so-called Aqua Poppy Sewing Room.

Then I set about giving the room a complete overhaul.  I mean, really, it needed it.  Remember?  Piles of stuff everywhere?

{more crickets chirping, owl hooting}


Oh, you don't remember that?  Well, let me provide you with a link to my before shots of the sewing room...

Budget Travel: Details on the Trip to Florida, Part 2

Like I said yesterday, if you aren't interested in thrifty vacations, feel free to skip this one!  This is my second post about

A Trip to Holland's Trip to Florida on a Budget

Yesterday, I told you how lots of planning and some creative thinking help us to keep our travel costs down.  Today, I'm going to tell you about how we find ways to save on expenses that occur during the vacation, like travel, activities, and souvenirs.

It's important to consider the daily expense of food when you plan a vacation.  For any trip we take, one of the ways we cut down on food expenses is to bring a lot of food with us.  It is simply less expensive to buy food at the bargain prices you are used to finding at your favorite close-to-home store.  It's also a time-saver to bring things along.  We usually bring a large bin of non-perishable items with us, as well as a cooler of perishable foods.  Even if the hotel room doesn't come equipped with a kitchenette, we find that keeping a cooler of food in our room  filled with ice from the machine down the hall works well.

 

Budget Travel: Details on the Trip to Florida, Part 1

So, as you know, we enjoyed a lovely spring break roadtrip to Florida, last week.  It's always hard to rejoin real life after a great vacation, but I'm almost there.  (And no, for anyone who needs an update, I haven't found my wedding/anniversary/this-is-the-ring-that-says-I'm-married band yet.  And, as long as I'm following up on things, Hunter the Dog did see the vet, and he is now recovering nicely.)

Perhaps because it's hard to leave a good vacation behind, I'm reliving it this week on the ole' blog.  Cheap therapy is one of the reasons I blog, remember?  I'll warn you that this is a wordy one, so if you're not interested in the money-saving details of our recent trip, feel free to move on!  Monday you got the vacation recovery post, Wednesday you got the oh-man-that-was-fun post, and today you're getting.....

A Trip to Holland's Trip to Florida on a Budget

First, I have some 'splainin to do.  (Say that like Ricki Ricardo from I Love Lucy.)

The Bionic Man and I really, really like to travel.  We've made it a priority to try to see as many different places as we can, since we've been married.  And, we've made it a priority to take our children along with us to most of those places.  It does cost money to travel.  While we aren't financial brainiacs, we have made travel a priority in our budget.  

How do we do that?

I Shopped the House

Who coined that phrase?  I use it all the time now, and the Bionic Man looks at me like I am cuh-ray-zay.  Crazy like a fox!  I’m not spending any money when I shop the house.

This little winter vignette was totally free.  It took the place of our Thanksgiving Tree.  (Which, incidentally, looked so good there, we left it up well past Thanksgiving.  Gratitude is always in style, right?)

Impulse Shopping

Yesterday, I was in the natural foods section of my grocery store, looking for a Game On!  approved cold cereal, when I discovered these:

I've heard about Mrs. Meyer's cleaning products.  Somewhere--but I can't remember where--I've read extremely favorable reviews.  Supposedly, they are made with natural ingredients and they smell incredible.  In the last few months, I've been leaning towards a greener (read: fewer chemicals) home, so I've been wanting to try out Mrs. Meyer's stuff.

There was only one problem: when I looked online for their retailers, the only one listed in my area was Wal-Mart.  Have I told you about my issues with Wal-Mart?  We won't go into that, right now, it's enough to say that I have sworn never to darken the doors of any Wal-Mart, anywhere, for the rest of my life.  So, if it's not at Target....I'm out of luck.

Christmas Shopping Tip

Admittedly, you could have put this tip to better use a couple of weeks ago.  Just put it in your file for next year, m'kay?

The Bionic Man and I have perfected the art of Black Friday shopping.  In other words, we don't go shopping on Black Friday.  Instead, we have found a much less stressful means of getting Black Friday deals without the early hours, the crowds, and the occasional fist fight (among other shoppers, not ourselves).  For some of you, this may sound strange, but I freely admit that I do not enjoy shopping.  If I could get away with doing it all online, in my pajamas, I totally would.  So, when the Bionic Man and I figured out a way to not shop on Black Friday but still walk away with the items we wanted for Black Friday prices, we felt like we'd struck gold.

This is how we do it:

1) Approximately a week before Thanksgiving, we contact the stores in our area that we think we'll be shopping at, and get a verbal confirmation of their price-guarantee policy/price-matching policy/returns policy.  We are looking for stores that will do this:  refund the money we've spent on an item if it goes on sale after we purchase it.  There are a number of retail shops that will do this, but you need to check the fine print very carefully if you are going to take advantage of this.  Usually, there is a time limit for doing this: 14 days, 7 days, or 48 hours from the date of purchase are common limits.  We also check on what we have to do to get the additional discount.  Generally speaking, you are required to bring in the receipt during the sale.  I like to get the name of the employee I talked to, when I do this over the phone, just in case.

2) We make a list of those stores, and list the requirements they have for honoring sale prices on previously purchased merchandise.  And we check it twice.  In my area, Target, Old Navy, and Sears have 14 day price matching policies.  

3) We start scoping out the internet.  Leaked info on Black Friday sales is widely available on the internet, even before the official publications of store Black Friday sale ads.  So, we go looking for the ads for the stores that have price matching policies.

4) Once we find ads for the stores we're interested in, we make a list of items that they have that we'd like to buy.  We don't just write down "Legos", either.  If the Black Friday ad says, "430 piece deluxe Lego Creator set", that's what we write down.  It pays to be specific.  It also pays to take note of the times when these items go on sale for Black Friday.  Are they doorbusters, or part of a day long sale?  This is important info.

5) After creating our list, we go shopping for the items that we're looking for....BEFORE Black Friday.  Long before.  Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving, is when you'll find the Bionic Man and I out doing our anti-Black Friday shopping.  This is probably the only time we EVER use a credit card, because we generally have to spend 30-50% more on these items than we will when they are on sale.  

6) Then we enjoy Thanksgiving.  And we sleep in on Black Friday.  

7) At about 9 o'clock in the morning, on Black Friday, one of us heads back to the stores where we purchased items, walks up to the quiet, line-free customer service desk, and gets money refunded for all of the items we bought that went on sale.  It takes about 5-10 minutes per store.  (Although Sears took longer this year, they no longer have a dedicated customer service area, so I had to wait in line with everyone else.  Waaa.)

Easy!

This method has worked extremely well for us for the past 3 years.  Here are a couple of things that we've learned along the way:

- Target is by far the easiest store to work with for price matching; they'll even do it if you bought the item at another Target location.  Wal-mart is by far the worst store to work with for price matching.  I won't go into details, but after last Black Friday, I quit shopping at Wal-mart FOREVER (I'd been looking for a good excuse anyway.)

- Having trouble finding advertised Black Friday items prior to the big day?  Some stores take items off the shelf prior to Black Friday.  Others (like Wal-Mart) have what seem to be the items on their shelves you are looking for pre-Black Friday, but put out slightly different products for the actual sale.  An example: last year Wal-Mart was selling TomTom GPS systems on Black Friday for a crazy low price.  What we discovered was that the items on the shelves before Black Friday had a model number like this: A2009-XS....but the Black Friday doorbuster item was model number A2009-X.  I kid you not, Wal-mart gets these brands to manufacture lower-quality, less expensive items for its Black Friday sale.  Sneaky, eh?

- Knowing that there are usually really fantastic sales on electronics, we tend to save up for those during the year and wait for the Black Friday sales.  Keep in mind that the other really good day for sales is the day after Christmas, so you can try this method then, as well.

Good luck with your holiday shopping!

Thrifty Outfits

Anyone out there remember me mentioning how I'd had a highly successful thrifty shopping trip?  I enjoyed wearing some of my finds while we were in St. Louis.  I feel kind of silly posting pictures of my outfits, because I make no claims to being a fashionista.  But I do love a good bargain, so I'm here to prove that you can find gooooood stuff if you just sort through all the really awful stuff at your local thrift shop and if you hit the clearance racks at the Bullseye Boutique.  Talk about cheap thrills!

Um, can I just provide the disclaimer that when I appear in a photo, it is because the Bionic Man has the camera and has given me no warning, so you see me as I really am.  I guess.  

Outfit #1(at the City Museum):

 brown cardigan: Ann Taylor Loft, bought on clearance last year

white v-neck tee: Banana Republic, thrifted for $2

jade green scarf: Mossimo, bought on clearance at Target for $2.49

belt: ?, thrifted for $1, has lots of fun colors including the green in my scarf

chinos: Banana Republic, thrifted for $3, hemmed by me

Outfit #2 (at the St. Lou zoo):

cashmere sweater (and the only part of the outfit you can really see):

J.Crew, thrifted, $2

white tee: Mossimo (Target), thrifted for $2 (looked brand new)

brown jeans: Coldwater Creek, thrifted for $3

cute purse which you can't even see: Mossimo (Target), thrifted for $2 (still had the $14.99 tags!)

Outfit #3 (at the science museum):

sweater: Daisy Fuentas (Kohl's?), thrifted, $3

layering tee: Downeast Basics, bought a couple years ago so I can't remember price!

jeans: Gap, thrifted for $4, hemmed by me

shoes: probably Target on clearance?  

My feet were so sore from all the walking around the two days before, they demanded flip-flops.

pedicure: OPI "Baguette Me Not", Bionic Man's treat after I ran the half-marathon!

brown leather purse (hard to see under my right arm): thrifted for $2 last year

And, yes, my hair is not blonde anymore.  Don't ask.  The point is, my outfits were under $10 each. 

I've only been willing to look in thrift stores for my clothes in the last year.  Here are a couple of things I've learned:

• Goodwill stores located near malls generally have the best selection of clothing, and--in my experience--offer the most shoes and purses.
• It takes time to thrift shop, since thrifting is like playing hide-n-seek.  You really do have to go through all the racks to find the best items.  I plan on 60-90 minutes per store to find a selection of things I want to try on, and another 30-60 minutes in the fitting room.  I don't go into the fitting room until I have a huge pile.  In the fitting room, I look at things very carefully.  For instance, the ultra-flattering pair of corduroy pants I found, that didn't even need to be hemmed...ended up being very worn through the inner thigh area, upon closer inspection.  I didn't buy those.
• You'll have a better chance of finding items that are less worn (or new) or that are designer brand if you visit the thrift stores near wealthier areas.  I drove for 45 minutes to get to the north side of our city (considered the swanky side of town), but found some incredible stuff.  (Hello, J.Crew cashmere!)  Therefore, my savings definitely made it worth the drive. 

I'm linking this post to The Pleated Poppy's
What I Wore Wednesday.
Go here to read an explanation of what WIWW is all about.

Endeavor's Endeavor

What to do when your middle school orchestra student is expected to pay a participation fee of $200?

One option is letting your child go door-to-door in the neighborhood, selling the wrapping paper and "gourmet gifts" offered as an orchestra fundraiser. 

That's not the way I like to do things, or the way I like my kids to do things.  When I donate to something, I want to know that 100% of the profits go towards the organization I'm donating to.  And, when my kids participate in fundraisers, I want them to learn that they actually have to put forth more effort than selling wrapping paper to their grandmothers to earn money.

So, here is what I do when faced with an orchestra participation fee:

Endeavor and I have combined our efforts to open a temporary online shop to raise the $200+ she needs to participate in orchestra. 

L is for Lovely

is the name of Endeavor's shop.  She is offering several collections of floral flower pins and barrettes, as well as ruffled tote bags.  

You can visit her webpage by clicking HERE.

The darling accessories that Endeavor has crafted (with some assistance from me) are being offered at really great prices.  (Only $6 for a large pin/barrette, or 2 for $10!)  In addition to the pre-made offerings, Endeavor can customize her accessories just for you.  We're adding colors and additional collections every few days, so be sure to check back often!

Local delivery is free, and we are willing to ship Endeavor's products if necessary.

We would really, really appreciate any business that you send our way!

l4lovely.blogspot.com

Date Night Deals

90% off at Restaurant.com

Today only!

The Bionic Man and I are really trying to fulfill our goal of at least one date per month.  I try to keep an eye out for cheap date night ideas.  The dates have to be inexpensive, because let's face it: babysitting is what makes dating your spouse expensive. 

Rare footage of the Bionic Man and I in the before-we-were-married days of dating.

So, I was grinning from ear-to-ear today when I checked my email and found out about a great deal from Restaurant.com.

Restaurant.com sells discounted gift certificates for restaurants all over the U.S.  To be frank, these "gift certificates" are a bit more like coupons, due to the restrictions that most restaurants place upon them.  Typically, you can get a $25 gift certificate for $15.

So here is the today only deal I am sharing with you:

90% off

your Restaurant.com purchases

using promotion code WOW

Let me tell you how:  

Go to Restaurant.com.  Do a search for restaurants in your area, or one you are planning to vacation in soon, or one where you have family members that need Christmas gifts....

(I did a search the the Salt Lake City, Utah, area, since I have lots of family there.)

A list of restaurants will pop up.  (Over 75 in Utah.)

Find one in the list you are interested in.  I picked La Caille, since I'd heard my photographer sis-in-law, Kris, raving about the gorgeous setting.  

Next, look to the right of the restaurant listing and read the fine print about the restrictions on using a Restaurant.com gift certificate there.  These are the restrictions for a $25 certificate at La Caille:

Minimum 2 entrees. 18% Gratuity added prior to discount. Excludes: Alcohol, Holidays/Special Events. Valid 1 per party. Excludes: Fridays and Saturdays in December.

If you can live with those restrictions, click on the ADD TO CART button.  Normally, the $25 gift certificate would cost you $15, but when you apply today's promotional code (WOW), you will be able to purchase this certificate for $1.50!!!

All that is left to do after that is enter your payment info and print out your gift certificate!

Granted, I didn't look at the menu for La Caille until just a minute ago.....and I discovered that $25 won't go very far there....so scratch that recommendation for a cheap date night if you live in Utah.  If, however, ordering fine french cuisine at $55/plate is your thing, then enjoy the bonus of $23.50 off your very swanky date night, there.  

For the rest of us, there are plenty of other restaurants to choose from....some in your area, I'm sure.  

Keep in mind that from what I've seen, typical restrictions are that you must have a $35 minimum purchase and dine-in dinner only.  Still, for that price you should easily be able to eat a nice, sit down restaurant meal for $10, using your gift certificate--not much more than you'd pay to go through the drive-through at Mickey D's.

As of today, I have scored three of gift certificates for nice restaurants in my area.  I spent a total of $4.50, so that leaves money in the date budget for a babysitter!  Talk about cheap thrills.  Now, go out and plan a few budget-friendly dates for yourselves!

Note:  I am not affiliated with or being compensated by Restaurant.com.  I receive an alert on this deal from CouponMom.com.  The only benefit I receive from sharing any of the above information is the satisfaction I get from sharing a good deal with my friends.  Enjoy!

Deal Time: Barstools

Remember how I showed you our new barstools?

I think I said they had changed my life?  I wasn't exagerrating.  They have.  I {heart} the way they look in our great room.

Well, if you'd like to have your life changed by barstools, too, these just went on sale at Target.  According to Target's weekly ad, you can get these exact stools for $15 (24") or $20 (29").  That is such a great price!  (I'd take my receipt in and have it adjusted, but I think I'm past the 14 day window.)

While these stools might not change your life, I can guarantee that they are a cinch to put together, and that they are stable and sturdy.