Year End True Confessions

Who has two thumbs and is ready for a new year? This girl!

I am SO ready. What a long, strange trip 2013's been. It's been hard, it's been long............and it's drawing to a close. Thank you Jesus!

A year ago today, I was struggling with some very big feminine issues that I knew I would need surgery for, and we had no health insurance. I was scared, and I spent most of December 2012 crying. A year later, December has been MUCH happier. I am all done with THREE surgeries, and am looking forward to a much healthier new year.

For all of you who have read my blog this past year, thank you so much for sticking with me. I realize, some days I wasn't the happiest person, and I grumped along in my blogs. You can see where
I was a bit testy. If I came across as judgmental and picky about little things, I'm sorry. That wasn't my intent. I was hurting, and try as I might to put a happy face on my 'stuff,' some days I failed miserably. Add to all of that, financial upheaval, a child that moved out after turning 21, and the usual work fun........plus another child who turned 18 and entered her senior year with even more of a extracurricular activity load (and I STILL had to keep up, regardless of how I felt).....well, the 'Little Mary Sunshine' act wore a bit thin some days.

If anything, my blog should give you HOPE. For those tempted to say, 'oh, I HATE Erin's blog! She thinks she's SO perfect! I can't relate to her thrift shopping and budgeting!' HAH! If you didn't think I was human before, consider THIS: in order to have my hysterectomy, I had to use my 2 week vacation, PLUS go without 2 paychecks, in order to have a proper six week recovery. And, because AFLAC has taken their sweet time reimbursing me, we had to put our Christmas shopping on credit cards. Does that even REMOTELY sound like a thrift goddess? PSH! There was no gigantic stash of cash we had saved for this surgery, because we took a $1000 hit a month starting in September.

Feel better?

Enough of that. We have 2014 ahead of us........a crisp, shiny new year. Inhale that fresh, new year smell. It's alive with tons of possibilities. I know I am refreshed and renewed just thinking of what I can do now that I couldn't do a year ago.......stand on my feet for long periods of time, keep my house clean and my laundry caught up.......yeah, it's mind boggling!

We're all in this thing together, my sweet friends. Just as you struggle, so do I. Let's be transparent and help each other! For every bill we pay off, let's also talk about the ones on which we make minimum payments. For every $10 prom gown, let's also showcase the full price heels we bought to go with it. Life is a journey, it doesn't always look or smell good, but we're living it, regardless.

Let's learn from each other, and feel comforted that we're not alone.

Happy New Year!!

Post Op Clothing.......The Ballad Of The 'Swelly Belly'

I steer away from featuring pictures of myself on this blog.....it's much more fun to post pics of my daughter and friends! However, I felt led to write this blog post, as I'm sure I'm not the only one to have to deal with buying temporary clothing in larger sizes. Please excuse the boxes in the background.....we're still getting rid of the Christmas gift boxes!

Almost 10 weeks ago, I had a hysterectomy. I am feeling so much better, and have lost weight, but I am still burdened with what us 'hystersisters' affectionately call a 'swelly belly.' Basically, my tummy is much larger and swollen due to my surgery, and I read last week it could last a YEAR. Not happy news for someone needing to find clothing that allows me to be socially acceptable.

As of this writing, I can wear approximately one pair of my pre op jeans. Not comfortably, I might add. They are tight, and my belly regularly swells later in the day, so I was making do with two pair of pull on pants. I can dress them up or down, and tuck them into boots, but I wanted more variety.

I wanted JEANS.

My secret sister from church gave me a $20 gift certificate for Goodwill for Christmas. I finally decided to try and find at least one pair of larger sized jeans there to hold me over until my swelling goes down.

Now, can we talk? With very few exceptions, we as women get very hung up on the size printed on our clothing labels. If you're regularly a size 8, and have to buy a pair of size 12 jeans, no matter HOW good you look in them......you feel a little crestfallen because of that stupid label.

Well, I sucked it up and tried on just about every pair of larger sized jeans in the thrift store. 1 1/2 hours later, I found a pair that not only fit comfortably over my belly, but were skinny and perfect to tuck into boots. I also got two cute smock type tops that will billow over my midsection, but I can rein them in with a fitted cardigan. The picture above is my outfit from church this morning. I felt great, and everything fit perfectly. Plus, I didn't feel as if I had a neon sign flashing above my head, advertising my increased jeans size. No one would care, anyway, so why should I?

Thrift stores are the perfect places to buy such temporary pieces. Whether you're seeking maternity wear, or just looking to camouflage a belly like I am, you can find great stuff for little $$. My jeans were $5.99, and my tops were $3.29 a piece. Perfect.

Don't be afraid to go up a size, if the end result is rockin'. No one but you needs to know :)

The Gently Used Christmas Present

WARNING!! The following blog post contains information some of you might find down right offensive. I'm not kidding. I'm about to step on some serious sacred cows.

Ok, if you're brave enough to read on, here we go........

Christmas gifts should be new, right? Nothing says Christmas morning or 'I love you' like a crinkly, crackly, plastic wrapped goodie, fresh from the store. To stoop so low as to buy something like, say, a USED item for a Christmas present? Dear God. What's wrong with you?

Well, I'm not advocating dumpster diving as a means of Christmas shopping. I'll bet some out there do.

My precious daughter is about the easiest going teenage girl you'll ever meet. This child was raised on frequent trips to the thrift store, and she's worn her share of resale clothing, so she's managed to grow up a reasonably balanced individual. She knows she can find the good stuff second hand, and doesn't have to shell out big bucks at the mall if she doesn't want to.

So proud.

The thing is, if you are a reasonably balanced individual, as you grow up, you begin to develop certain tastes. You begin to know your body well, and dress it accordingly. You know what works and what doesn't. Often, that means buying certain brands that fit you better than others. Sometimes you are lucky enough to find those items at a thrift store. Sometimes you must save up money to buy them brand new.

And sometimes, you find them on Ebay.

Such was the case with Claire's Ugg boots.

Now, before you turn up your nose, hear me out. Claire has a few brands she likes. Tom's shoes. Victoria's Secret Pink yoga pants (they wear like iron). She has happily worn knock off Uggs boots for years. This year, she happened to try on a friend's REAL Uggs, and it was like Cinderella found her slipper. She loved those things.........they were like walking on a cloud.

So, I started the search for a pair of her own for Christmas. Starting with the Ugg website, I found the black, short, classic style she preferred retailed for the fabulous (!) price of $155. Yeah, I don't buy MYSELF shoes that expensive.

That didn't deter me one bit. I know I could find a pair of Uggs on Ebay.

Have you used Ebay? You must be careful, as you can get into big trouble. I went through a phase where I bought way too much on Ebay, to the extent that the UPS man knew my first name. Yeah, that was a long time ago.

Go to the website, type what you want in the search bar, and prepare to be amazed at the various entries for exactly what you want. Once you hone in on the entry with the price point you desire, check out the seller's feedback and rating. Since I wanted to make sure Claire got the boots of her dreams, the seller I chose had a 100% positive feedback rating. I bid on the boots, and won.......$85, and that included shipping, for gorgeous black Uggs that had been worn ONCE. I saved so much, I bought Claire an Uggs care kit off the brand's website, so she could keep her boots clean and protected from the weather.

On Christmas morning, I couldn't have put a price tag on the reaction Claire had when she opened her boots. She was thrilled and absolutely shocked. Never in a million years did she believe she'd get a pair of Uggs......at least not before she had a job and bought them herself. Did it matter to her whether I'd paid $85 or $155? No, because the boots looked brand new, and no one else will be the wiser unless she tells them.

Or, unless they read my blog :D

Shopping Less........Enjoying More

We frame pictures to make them unique....to set them apart. With a frame, your eye goes right to the picture. You can see the important, instead of focusing on things you don't need to. Without a frame, a picture would melt right into the wallpaper.

It's the same with shopping less. When you're not constantly going shopping 'for fun' or recreation, you tend to think more about the things you NEED to buy. If you're bored, and you head to the mall, a simple trip to Hot Topic can turn into a wardrobe of Dr. Who apparel. Just sayin.

I've thought a lot about this while I was recuperating from surgery. I was literally stuck at home, and even if I'd wanted to, shopping wasn't an option for several weeks. When I finally DID head out to the store, it was because Claire had bronchitis, and we had to go to Meijer for her prescriptions. It wasn't a fun trip.

Anyway, when you're not going to Meijer every day for milk, you aren't confronted with the clothing department right there at the front. So, you tend to think less in terms of 'instant gratification,' and more along the lines of 'what do I really need?'

Towards the end of my time at home, I realized that the weather had turned colder. When I left work, I'd been wearing t-shirts. Now, I was going to need a new fleece jacket, and long sleeved shirts. Those items would serve me well for several years at work. Usually I'd find those items second hand, but this time, because I didn't have the time (or stamina) for thrift shopping, I picked my jacket up at Meijer (on sale, of course), and the long sleeved shirts were had at Target.com (free shipping!). When I woke up this morning, I was all set to head back to work :)

I'm getting better about not buying things on impulse, but I know how hard it is to resist when you're always running to get the basics at a big box store. There's gorgeous sweaters with the potato chips, for pete's sake! For those times, grow yourself a nice pair of blinders.

Your checkbook and credit card will thank you.

Post Op Priorities

Some of you sweet Thriftnerd Herd members have mentioned you miss my blog posts. Oh, you guys. You warm my heart!

For those who aren't aware, on October 18th, I had a hysterectomy and bladder surgery. Big doins for sure. I am happy to report that I am alive and well and healing on schedule. Slowly, of course. Tomorrow, I have my first of 2 cataract surgeries. Does it go without saying that I will be thrilled and relieved to see 2013 end?

I haven't done any thrifting lately. In fact, not for at least 5 weeks. My shopping trips have been limited to grocery runs, and they've worn me out. One day last week, I stopped into Kohl's across the street from my house, and stayed about 5 minutes. Yeah, retail is far too exhausting right now to be enjoyable.

Nothing clarifies your mind and priorities quite like being unable to do anything but think. So, I've used this time to do just that.

First, I've found that, although I espouse and live a simple lifestyle, I found I STILL had way too much. More clothing, shoes, purses and jewelry than I needed. So, when I was able to do a little moving around, I loaded another bag full of just that. Nothing is as spectacular as having just enough. My closet is pared down, and I can get dressed even quicker. Kind of a big deal when you're recovering from major surgery, and what used to take an hour (getting dressed) takes a bit more time now.

Second, I promised myself to be the change I want to see in the world. I want a happier work place? I'll be a happier employee. Not a giggly, vomit-producing Pollyanna who drives her coworkers completely up the wall. Rather, someone who they look to for shedding positive light on situations. As positive a person as I am, I let my physical issues and the daily grind influence my work attitude more than I want to admit.

And, while I'm at it, I will strive to be the person who remembers those who are shut in. You who have sent me cards, goodies, emails, messages and brought me food and pretties? You absolutely made my entire life. Words can't adequately describe how you brightened my days here at home. I was always pretty good with the card sending, but now I vow to step it up a notch. I know first hand what a difference it makes.

I've also (finally) learned my husband's love language. It's doing things for others in need. Michael wore himself out cooking, cleaning, making me comfortable, and completely taking care of Claire and her many activities. He did such a great job, it just makes me want to do as much as possible for him. I love you, babe.

That's what's new with me lately. I go back to work soon, and shortly thereafter, I will resume my happy thrifting. We're knee deep in senior year, ya know, and my girl might need a few new pieces to brighten up her wardrobe, and reward her for being such a fabulous nurse.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Claire's Homecoming 2013: The Breakdown

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On average, my blog posts reach about 15 people. I can almost guarantee I'll have 50 views every time I post a blog about one of Claire's formal events. What will I do when she graduates?!

This is Claire and her sweet friend, Mckenzie. They were 'dates' for Hayes' homecoming last weekend. Claire again went for vintage elegance with her ensemble. She was thrilled with the results, and the dress was comfortable yet classy. No unnecessary tugging and pulling, and ain't NOBODY got time for that at a dance!

You know we scored a deal with this dress! A BRAND NEW, WITH TAGS, Anne Taylor silk A-line sheath, the original tag listed the price at $198.00 We snapped it up, last July, for $5.99! The vintage brooch and earrings were a find at a quaint antique shop in the Hocking Hills, for $12.00. Claire already owned the pearl necklace, and the silver purse was a Goodwill find at $4.99.

When Claire had her interview at the Salon Schools, they gifted her a certificate for a free beauty service at one of their locations. Claire opted to get an updo. She had downloaded several pictures onto her phone, and the talented student who did her hair proved her expertise with the fabulous results! Beautiful tight curls, and even 'victory rolls!' I paid $37 for her to also get a mani-pedi, and she picked a deep, 'pin up girl' red for both hands and feet.

Speaking of feet, check out those heels! We didn't meaasure the height, but I can almost guarantee they are 4 inches tall! Jennifer Lopez for Kohl's, on sale for $22 (regularly $65!). She said they weren't as painful as some she's worn, but of course they got kicked off to dance!

Claire went as part of a large group, and she said it was the most fun she's ever had at a dance. One set of parents hosted a dinner beforehand at their home, and we donated homemade chocolate chip cookies. After the dance, another family had a bonfire, and they served the rest of the dinner, along with desserts and pop.

So, what was the grand total for the evening?

Dress, purse, jewelry and shoes came to $45. Along with the dance ticket of $10, the mani-pedi (plus tips for all 3 services)and a corsage for Mckenzie (I had the cookie fixings on hand), the total came to $111. If you remember past posts, where I listed averages prices of formal dresses, you know $100 barely covers the cost of the gown nowadays.

If, you shop new.

Essentially, Claire's dress WAS new. New with tags at thrift store prices is something you just can't beat :)

How To Have The Handbag Wardrobe Of Your Dreams

When you thrift, the sky's the limit on your handbag collection!

As far as the stereotypical female obsession with purses and shoes, I'm very late to the party.

My family had limited resources when I was growing up, so my early handbags were either gifts, hand me downs, or bought by me with my babysitting money. I remember one gross example, that I bought in high school and carried for (it seemed) a million years. Scratchy canvas and vinyl, it was ugly and utilitarian. I wasn't a particularly girlie girl in my early teens, so just remembering to carry the thing required a lot of brain power on my part. Honestly? It carried my sanitary napkins. When I could get away with it, I only carried my wallet. My need for a mirror, hairbrush and lipstick came much later.

In the 80's, I had my first handbag obsession. Remember the Liz Claiborne small patterned handbags? Oh my, I wanted one so badly. I was a young married womaan with (again) limited finances, so I worked a deal out with my mom. She allowed me use of her Lazarus credit card to buy a Liz purse, and I made weekly payments on it. Golly, I loved those things. Ultimately, the price I paid became a burden, as I didn't like to be held down to one purse. I wanted a variety to choose from in my closet, and didn't have the funds.

Fast forward to the last 10 years. All of a sudden, women are donating their designer purses to thrift stores, and I am benefitting! My first Coach purses came from Goodwill, at $14.99 a pop. Jessica Simpson has gorgeous handbags, and I've gotten quite a few second hand. Vera Bradley? YEAH BABY!! The other day, I was looking in the window of a consignment shop, and they had several new looking Coach crossbodies. There are TONS of handbag opportunities out there, ripe for the picking! The thing is, PICK QUICK! If you like it, odds are someone else will, and they'll snap it up before you come back to pick it up! I still regret not buying the Louis Vuitton totebag I saw several years ago in the glass case at my Goodwill. At $69, I felt I couldn't justify it....until I found those same totebags, brand new, ran several thousands. I'm still on the look out for another one.......!!

Now, I have quite a collection in my closet. In fact, I just had to do a major purge. It's one thing to have a nice variety in all your favorite colors. It's quite another to fight claustrophobia every time you open your closet door.

My daughter has a fabulous Dooney & Bourke crossbody she loves. $18.00, originally upwards of $300. Unlike her mama, Claire isn't going to let limited finances dictate her handbag choices! It's truly an awesome time to be alive........when you can get what you want, at the price you want to pay.

So, if you have a serious handbag craving, check out the resale market. You will be AMAZED at what you find!

HAPPY NATIONAL HANDBAG DAY!!

Health Insurance: A Very Personal Account

Mr. AFLAC duck.....so much more than a pretty face.

Health insurance is KINDA a hot button issue, if you hadn't noticed. Maybe you haven't. Miley Cyrus is pretty hot right now, too.

There isn't one, standard health insurance story on the human landscape. So many layers, emotions, experiences. If you're just now trying to find health insurance for you and your family, you have my sympathies.

This blog is all about saving money, and offering up mine and my family's experiences in that realm. Today, let's attack the FUN subject of paying for your medical stuff. Frugally, of course.

I have spent my life being very blessed in the health insurance department. My daddy worked for the government (HA!), so we had great insurance. Always got to go to the doctor, when I needed to, as I grew up. I had foot surgery and a tonsillectomy, braces and glasses. Nothing fancy, but we were taken care of.

I left the warm confines of my daddy's insurance to marry a man who made very good money. A white collar, finance guy, he also had excellent insurance with every company he worked for. My job provided the secondary coverage that took care of whatever his did not. When I was pregnant with Brendan, I remember him asking if I thought I could skip the epidural, which was not covered and cost $500. We're no longer married.

When I married Michael, we were able to purchase health insurance ourselves, as his company's policy was pretty pricey. We were able to make the monthly premiums in the beginning, and the insurance covered everything nicely. Michael had foot surgery, and also upper G.I. testing, without too much out of pocket on our part. I had pretty involved root canal surgery (pretty involved meaning the dentist had to send me, mid treatment, to an endodontist). That procedure had us paying $800 ourselves. It's not your imagination; dental work is like buying solid gold.

Our premiums jumped almost $200 per year. Finally, we just couldn't afford it anymore. We tried another insurance company, but for what we could afford, we got almost no coverage. We finally opted for no insurance at all, which to me in particular was very scary. I'd never been in this situation before.

Things began to get dicey when Michael was diagnosed with diabetes. Doctor office visits alone cost us $90. with the required (and frequent!) bloodwork averaging upwards of $200. We just bumbled along the best we could, paying cash and living that fabulous, tight lifestyle too many Americans 'enjoy.'

Last December, I started to experience some unwanted female issues. Panicking because I knew I needed to see the doctor (I hadn't had a pap in 5 years, but my mammograms were covered by the Susan Koman foundation, so I had them faithfully every spring), Michael and I started looking for affordable health care again. Finding nothing, we decided to get coverage through our employer. Alas, open enrollment wasn't for several months. When we were FINALLY able to enroll, we discovered our monthly premiums would eat up a large chunk of our already stretched thin paychecks. Michael had no other option but to start to work overtime, just to cover the $600 monthly premium. We also upped our AFLAC coverage to the maximum, and THAT alone has paid fabulous dividends. That cost an additional $40 monthly.

Aflac pays us $25 each for 6 doctor appointments per year. It was nice to receive those checks. I am anticipating my hysterectomy/bladder surgery October 18th, and since I will stay in the hospital, at least overnight, AFLAC will pay me for that, too. I can't begin to tell you how much that will help our family.

Your family's health outlook is probably much different than mine. Hence, health insurance is a very personal thing. I don't think you can make sweeping generalizations and try to fit everyone into the same health insurance box. What I CAN tell you is that it's not an area you can blow off. You need to do your research, and you need to find out exactly what you must pay out of pocket, both for monthly premiums and uncovered medical expenses. Having done all of that, if you decide you absolutely cannot afford health insurance, you owe it to yourself to somehow find a way to start a savings account, so you will have money on hand to help, should a medical emergency arise.

I share my experiences in hopes it might help you.

By the way, you may be wondering why I didn't mention my kids' coverage. They have always been covered by their father's plan, and just recently, their sweet bonus mom.

Digging For The Good Stuff

This little jewel was buried under uninteresting stuff!

Like gold and diamond miners, sometimes you gotta really dig for the valuable bling! Seriously, when was the last time you saw diamonds lining your sidewalks, or those same sidewalks secured by gold? I thought so.

I stopped in at Plato's Closet the other night. A half hour away from my house, when I get to stop there, I really do a dig, as I don't know when the next visit will be. Plato's gets so many things in, their racks and bins are always a mess, no matter how much they straighten.

Instead of doing a quick perusal of the store, I stopped and dug into the bins at the register, where they put loose bracelets and rings. Nothing on top looked good to me, so I started picking things up so I could look allll the way under the top layer. Result? That gorgeous tortoise shell bracelet, plus two others that are fabulous, yet were unseen at first glance.

Bolstered by these finds, I strolled over to check out the handbags. Oh, my goodness. What a MESS!

Looking at (again) that top layer, nothing interested me. The mess was pretty overwhelming. Wait, what was that? A beautiful gold chain? I dug and dug and unearthed a breathtaking gold purse! Who has 2 thumbs and has wanted a large gold tote/handbag for forever? THIS GIRL! The icing on the cake? A $10 price tag! SOLD!

My 3 bracelets and purse cost me a grand total of $20 and tax. I was thrilled, and once again convinced that digging for the good stuff pays off!!

We don't always have time for a dig like that. You may be running into a thrift store on your lunch hour, or on the way to another appointment. That's ok, sometimes the good stuff IS out in the open. If you get the chance though, give your resale shops a good dig every now and then.

You'll be richly rewarded.

Financial Setbacks: The Musical

Checks still get written......because life goes on.

Just like there will be rain on your parade, and ants in your picnic basket, life is full of twists, turns, disappointments and heartaches. The best laid plans can be reduced to gibberish on a piece of paper. You pray, you plan, you execute......and then you go over the first hill of life's roller coaster.

It's inevitable, folks.

This past summer, I posted a blog about how selling our boat resulted in us being able to pay off our debt, and look forward to a fabulous, SOLVENT senior year for Claire. I posted that not to brag, but to provide hope......that it can be done.

We had one blessed month of breathing easier and living like normal folks with liquid assets. Michael bought Claire and I Kindles for our birthdays. He was able to purchase two guns he had wanted for a very long time. We went out to dinner, and didn't have to sweat the total on the bill. It was a heady, brief period in our lives.

Four weeks later, we learned that our monthly income would be reduced by $850. This is a sizeable amount, unless you're a Rockefeller. We had budgeted using that amount, and now we were faced with being tight monetarily again. We had done everything right, but stuff happens that's out of our control.

How many times have you heard that scenario? Things are going great, then someone loses their job. A loved one gets cancer. A divorce, death, move across the country........stressful, but so common place.

How do you react when life hits you with a biggie like that?

I'm a Christian, and so are my husband and daughter. I know we're watched like hawks by our friends and family who are not. How do we respond to the rough stuff? 'Oh sure,' they say. 'It's so easy to act like a Christian when everything's going well. How about when the bottom drops out?' Well, it's a big responsibility. How DO we respond?

Just about everyone knows who Job is, in the Bible. An upright, Godly, rich man, Satan got permission from God to have a field day with him, and as a result, he lost his 10 children and all his earthly goods. Then, Satan struck him with horrible boils. Curse God and die? Probably sounded pretty good after all that. However, Job refused, and in the end, God gave him more than he'd originally had. You better believe everyone in the area was waiting to see how Job would handle such atrocities. He came through with flyling colors.

At this point, I will confess: initially, I didn't feel like responding to our financial setback in a Godly manner. Frankly, I wanted to hire a hitman. I wanted to scream and yell and throw things and inflict pain. Just seeing my poor daughter struggle with the realization that senior year might be a bit more lean than we wanted was enough to send me into the rages all over again.

We still have our moments of feeling hopeless and angry, but it's getting better. Once you work through the initial anger, you start to regroup. Plans gets changed, but life goes on.

And then, a strange thing happened.

I noticed that God was providing just what we needed, at just the right time. Like the manna in the desert that God gave every day for the Israelites to eat, every single need was met with just the right amount of money. Human nature being what it was, I wanted to have enough money to sock away, to 'hoard,' to ensure we could provide for ourselves. What often happens when you have a surplus? You begin to believe the lie that YOU are taking care of you, NOT God. He doesn't want our family to fall into this trap, and so, we must rely on Him for every single thing we need. Talk about true Christianity. We can't pay lip service to our faith......'oh yes, we're relying completely on the Lord, and we have $100K in the bank.' Nope. 100% reliance on God. 'If You don't come through for us, Lord, we won't make it.'

Now, I realize that I'm writing to the Christians out there. I'm sure a bunch of you are nodding your heads in agreement. But, I'm also writing to YOU, my non-Christian blog reader. You may not believe in God, or you may be an agnostic.......one who only believes what can be proven. Well, I lay open my life as proof that God exists. He not only exists, He provides.

Relying on The Lord for our finances. Living the Thriftnerd credo. It works for us :)

I Don't Have Time To Cook!

Sometimes we really don't! Having to drive straight from work to school to extracurricular activities and meetings really cuts down on the time you can spend in the kitchen. However, how many times do we use this excuse as a cop-out?

Last night, I put it to the test.

After taking Claire to school for play practice and the football game, I had about 2 hours time before Michael came home from work. I suddenly had the desire to cook him a very good meal. Something healthy but filling, as Michael is diabetic and we're both trying to watch our food intake.

I went to the store and bought Alaskan salmon patties. $8 for a box of 4.......kinda pricey, but have you eaten salmon at a restaurant lately? Yikes! I picked up two good sized sweet potatoes, a sugar free apple pie, and sugar free butter pecan ice cream. $17 and change.

Back home, I had fresh brocoli in the fridge. I steamed it while I cooked the sweet potatoes in the microwave, and baked the salmon patties. Everything was almost ready when Michael walked through the door. 10 minutes later, I served him a delicious dinner he was very grateful to eat!


2 hours from start to finish, and less than $20 total for two complete, two course meals.

I'm glad I decided to pull the dinner together myself, instead of giving into being tired after a long, hard week, and justifying another meal out. Our checkbook and our waistlines agreed!

Exercising: Free and Cheap and No Excuses!!

Except for the early 80's, when my mother and I belonged to a gym called Spa Lady, I have always been an advocate of exercising at home. I prefer it that way, actually. Even at my fittest, working out next to someone who might be more buff or athletic than me is SUCH a buzzkill. I need to protect my delicate psyche any way I can :)

Walking is the best. Next comes running. Obviously you have to work up from walking to running. Skip that first step and I'll see you at the ER.

At home weight sets rock too. Breaking a sweat in the basement by yourself is cool. Don't lift more than humanly possible, especially if you're by yourself. Again, ER visit.

Treadmills, stationary bikes, all good. Of course, there is the initial cost involved for at home gym equipment. If you actually use it and see results, that's money well spent.

My favorite at home workout was always a VCR tape. Denise Austin was my girl! After having Brendan and Claire, I had to work hard to get back into shape, and I loved Denise's tapes. She's not everyone's cup of tea, and I appreciate that. I'm not a Tony Little fan; in fact, he makes me grind my teeth. I've heard Denise has the same effect on some folks.

Anyway, I had quite a collection of Denise Austin videos. My favorite was her 'Sizzler' workout. Talk about a sweatfest! That thing had me seeing Jesus about halfway through, every time I used it. Effective? You bet your cellulite.

I replaced my 'Sizzler' tape several times, as I used it so much I wore it out. After that, my VCR pooped out, and we didn't replace it.

Most videos are now being made as DVDS. Not the 'Sizzler.' Doesn't make sense, and I did the appropriate amount of mourning.

Mourn no more, sweet, out of shape Erin. Just go to YouTube.

No longer just the website of choice for cute kitten videos, or about a million versions of the Miley Cyrus/VMA debacle, YouTube is EXCELLENT for viewing free workout videos! Guess what's there? That's right, my beloved 'Sizzler,' along with almost every other video and DVD Denise Austin ever made.

There are really NO MORE excuses for not exercising, babe. If it's important enough, you'll find the time :P

Saving Money Through Reading: Simplified

If you are new to the concept of thrifting and saving money, odds are you're looking for reading material on the subject. It can be a daunting experience! Just put 'saving money' in the search bar for Amazon, and literally HUNDREDS of titles pop up! What's worth your time?

I have spent most of my adult life researching this subject, and I can cut YOUR research time by recommending 3 books that have helped me more than any others.

Over at Miserlymoms.com, Jonni McCoy dispenses tightwad wisdom through her website, books and cookbooks. Jonni was a white collar professional, earning half her family's income, and living in the highly expensive San Francisco area, when she chose to quit working to stay home with her children. Through trial and error and a TON of research, Jonni not only successfully made the switch to stay at home mom, she built a successful career as a writer and speaker on the subject of saving money. Complicating things was the discovery that one of her children had serious food allergies, so she not only had to save money on food, but healthy, whole foods at that. She made it work! She is also clear about not being a tightwad who enjoys a spartan lifestyle. She enjoys her luxuries and finds cheaper ways to get them! Jonni writes in a candid, easy manner, and the average person can follow her advice without finding her too extreme.

At Livingonadime.com, Tawra and her mom, Jill, run a small empire based on thrift. Their e-books, newsletter and Facebook page are chock full of good advice on how to do things frugally. Both speak from experience! Jill started her own business and paid off $35,000 in debt on only $1000 a month, and then when she was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and had to go on disability, she successfully raised two teenagers on only $500 a month! Jill and her husband, Mike, paid off $20,000 on only $22,000 a month, and now that their debt is paid, they are working to pay off their house. Both ladies are candid about the trials and tribulations of living on so little, but their spirit and drive make reading their books a pleasure, and leave you with the the feeling that you can do it, too!

Last but not least, the granddaddy of all thrift books is The Complete Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn. Amy has retired, and no longer runs her newsletter, but this book is the compliation of her efforts. Where Jonni, Tawra and Jill are the 'silk stockings' of saving money, Amy is the Genghis Khan of thrift. No nonsense, she doesn't suffer fools gladly, and she takes no prisoners. She had a vision early in her marriage of being a stay at home mom, with a large family, and a huge farmhouse, on only $30,000 a year. By golly, she did it! Many folks view Amy as extreme, and she herself admits all her views may not be your cup of tea, but you will definitely learn thrift is a viable option by reading her book. Who can't help but be inspired by a woman who led her family to be able to buy that long dreamed of farmhouse with $49,000 saved in only 7 years, on that often less than $30,000 yearly income? Sign me up, bro!

As with everything I post on Thriftnerd, I encourage you to read, then make your own decisions based on your particular needs. I do the same with tecommending these 3 books. No matter how you choose to implement these ladies' books into your own lives, it will definitely change things for the better.

I also recommend you check their books out at the library, first. Like me, you may want to buy them afterwards, to have on hand to refer to often. I've had my 'Tightwad Gazette' since I was pregnant with Claire, and I am STILL reading and learning!

Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back

Oh, the best laid plans. Ain't life great? You truly don't know what to expect from one day to the next. You can do your best and plan ahead, but ultimately.........yeah. We all end up surprised in one form or another.

Last month I wrote about paying off our debts. You guys were all so sweet with your nice comments.

We thought we were home free, and truly ready to start Claire's senior year with a fresh slate. I was also preparing to have major surgery.

Last week, we found out that, starting in September, we'll be having a budget shortfall of $850 per month. Not sure for how long.

So, what do you DO when you find this stuff out? Well, in my case? I start out by having a good cry.

Then, I count my blessings. We DID pay our debts off. We were much better off than we would have been had we received this shocking news a month ago.

And finally, I get out the budget and do a little math.

Things will be tight. The big plans we'd had are either falling by the wayside for a while, or else we're thinking up creative but cheap alternatives. I'm going to put off my surgery.

But you know what? When all is said and done, I'm anticipating a gigantic learning experience. We did everything WE were supposed to do, and life STILL got in the way. So, we have a game plan, and we punt. Claire will still have a fabulous senior year.

And I'll be here to chronicle every single, frugal step.

Hocking Hills Goodies

I've been a little MIA lately, sorry Thriftnerds. Life has gotten in the way a bit.

I DID want to let you guys know about some nicely priced bling I picked up at an antique store down in Hocking this past weekend. Claire was gone, so we took advantage of the time and had a very nice little mini-vacay all by ourselves. Saturday morning we headed down and checked out an antique mall/flea market off 33 in Lancaster. Even if we'd not bought a thing, it would have been a great day. We so rarely get to go just hang out in fun spots, so this was a treat.

After indulging in some fabulous peanut butter yogurt covered pretzels (drooling just thinking about them), we got this lovely bracelet from one of the coolest antique stores I've ever seen. It's brass, so of course it was very tarnished (brown!). Giving it a good cleaning with my brass polish revealed it to be beautiful. The patterned etching leads me to believe it might be from the '30's........kind of an art deco design. It was only $2.50, quite a deal. I also got this ring from a new trinket store in the mall. Gold pattern with marcasite beads down the center, and only $16.

My antiquing also turned up a gorgeous brooch and earring set that will go perfectly with Claire's homecoming dress, and a special goodie for my secret sister. I don't think we spent more than $40 all told, even with the pretzels.

I was so happy with the purchases. Finding things that fill the bill with just a little bit of $$, plus the fact that my sweet husband and I got to relax and enjoy each other's company, made for a perfect day.

Stocking The Basics: Clothing and Shoes

Warm thanks to my close, personal friend Christina Aguilera for her help with today's blog picture (LOL)

Remember how we did a little relaxation exercise yesterday to help us clear our heads and think about what constituted a jewelry need in our own lives? Today, we'll do the same with our clothing and footwear needs.

I want you to think about your life. Work, home, shopping, etc. Think about a typical week, and what you wear to each activity. First of all, if you work outside the home, your work 'uniform' plays a huge role. If your job SUPPLIES your work uniform, you don't need to think any further, except if you must supply items to go along with it, like shoes or pants. What do you wear to your job at the office? The shop? In my own life, I must wear a black shirt, because that is the color of Roush. I can pay to have an ill fitting polo or sweatshirt emblazoned with the company logo, or I can go buy my own. I opt for the second option, as I'd rather have something that fits me if I have to wear the Color Of The Damned. Honestly, I look horrible in black. In addition, I wear jeans and tennis shoes. The mechanics and my husband wear work boots, and I have also, but tennies allow me to stay on my feet longer. Comfort is important.

What if you work at home? I'd say, wear something comfortable, yet presentable. You gotta open the door sometime, and you do need to pop out on an errand occasionally. I'm not being snobby, but when you're comfortable yet classy, you get more done. When I was a stay at home mom, I found if I wore my jammies all day, I didn't have the 'oomph' I needed to accomplish things. Maybe that's just me. Pajama day usually meant I felt just one step away from falling back into bed!

If you work in an office or with the public, you don't wear a job-given uniform, and you're starting from scratch, you need to work out from the basics. Start with a neutral that looks good with your skin tone. If it's black, get either a suit or a jacket and slacks/skirt in that color. If it's brown or navy, same thing. Then, get several blouses/tops in a complimentary color, that look good both with the suit and your skin tone. Now, add some shoes. Are you sitting all day? Maybe a kitten heel or higher will work. Are you on your feet? Something comfortable, like a ballet flat, might be better. Again, go with the base neutral for the shoe color.

Once you've covered your daily Monday-Friday life, it's time to go to the weekend wear. Do you wear jeans on weekends? Make your top and shoes comfortable too, but also nice enough that you don't mind bumping into your child's teacher or an ex-boyfriend. Maybe you'd rather wear workout clothes? Again, go for pulled together. You know what I mean.........a workout jacket and yoga pants might be preferable to your husband's old, holey Marlboro Camel Joe t-shirt and faded, stretched out lycra capris. Getting a good mind picture?

Do you go to church? A basic outfit for Sunday mornings could also be used for a nice lunch or dinner out. A basic black dress is always a good investment (or brown, or navy). Something you can dress up or down, for a variety of activities. You can't go wrong with a body conscious sheath. Wear it with a jeans jacket and boots for a parent-teacher conference, or pearls and heels for a wedding. Make sure it's in a washable fabric, too. Nothing cancels out a low sale price on clothing like having to dry clean it often!

As a finishing touch to your basic wardrobe, ladies need a handbag. This is definitely an area of personal preference. No one can tell you what purse is right for YOU, you have to figure it out for yourself. It all goes back to what your are comfortable toting around. Since we're only going for the basics, I'd buy an every day handbag (either in your neutral color, or a bright pop of complimentary color), and an elegant evening bag/clutch for special occasions. For myself personally, I also like to have a cross body bag. It's great to wear when you need to be 'hands free.'

Now that you have these guidelines, AGAIN, check out your thrift store! All these items can be had for pennies second hand. Also, check your department store clearance racks. FABULOUS deals are to be had there! I can honestly say, if you carefully check resale and clearance, odds are really good you won't have to pay full price for any of these basic items!

Remember, these are just guidelines. I use myself an example to get YOUR ideas flowing!

Stocking The Basics: Jewelry

So, here we are. Fresh palette and no bling. So many possibilities! The world is your oyster, and it's just waiting for you to run to the mall and plunk down your plastic! You'll have that box stocked in NO time.

Stocked? Yes. Filled with thoughtful purchases? Maybe, but more likely not.

Let's do an exercise. Sit back in your computer chair and turn off your thoughts. Breathe deeply.

Now, I want you to think about what your favorite pieces of jewelry are (or used to be). What are your 'go-to' items? If you're dressing for work.......for church......a wedding or funeral. Maybe a lunch out with friends or family. How about a run to the grocery store on a Saturday afternoon?

Did any pieces immediately spring to mind?

I offer myself only as a guideline to get your juices flowing. I'm not vain enough to believe my choices are YOUR choices, too. Then again, you could be my long lost twin! Hey ma! Look who I found!

For starters, let's do earrings. For me, I rely on gold ball studs. About 4 different sizes of hoops......tiny for every day. Medium for work. Large for church or general dressing up. Extra large for possibly a concert or other special event. Also, my trusty CZ studs. I wear them EVERYWHERE.........around the house, in the pool, grocery shopping, you name it. Nothing (for me, anyway) finishes an outfit quite like a stud with shine. So, if I were starting over, those would be my earring basics.

Next, a watch. You know I like a big, gold man's watch. It truly goes with everything. You may prefer a smaller, dainty watch, and that's cool. No one should rock something they're not comfortable with. For me, I did the 'tiny' watch thing for years, and now I'm ready to actually SEE what's on my wrist!

Bracelets. So many choices! Again, we're talking the 'starter' jewelry box, so I'd go with a medium sized, plain gold bangle. Perfectly tasteful for anything. Plus, I'd do a smaller version to wear with my watch. That's just me. So, two bangles.

Rings? Well, this is where personal preference REALLY comes in. I'd probably start with a sparkly CZ show stopper, and also a large, gold knuckle ring. Both would cover all the areas and social events in my life.

There you have it. Now, where to get it?

Believe it or not, I have found almost all these pieces (at one time or another) at a thrift store! Our Goodwill just recently started selling brand new jewelry, and I found a fabulous multipack of hoop earrings for $1.29! Good colored gold plate, and the various sizes were perfect. Although I have found beautiful rings resale, I have better luck with the big and the bold (not to mention the price) at Walmart or Meijer. Sometimes Penney's or Sears have fabulous jewelry sales, too. That's where I got that lovely tank watch for $10. My favorite 'gold' watch came from Kohl's, on sale for $12.99.

Your own life will dictate what 'must haves' you need for your jewelry box. Your job, your social calendar, your taste in either gold or silver (or both!).......the possibilities are limitless.

So are your jewelry resale options.

Stocking The Basics, Thriftnerd Style

What if you lost everything? In this day and age, that's not a rare occurrence. Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, wild fires.......even a major windstorm can take away everything materially you've worked for your whole life. All of a sudden, you're standing atop a pile of what used to be your home.

I've actually thought of this scenario a lot. Several years ago, friends of ours saw their house completely burn to the ground. They lost everything. We all rallied around with money, clothing, household goods, and someone even came forward with a new house to rent. What was initially a tragedy became an opportunity to start fresh.

When I can't sleep, I lay awake at night thinking of a number of things, but often I think of what I would replace if I lost all my earthly goods. Beyond the furniture and other household necessities, what would I replace of my personal belongings? My wardrobe and jewelry? Sounds trivial.......until you're wearing an ensemble from The Red Cross while you replace your things.

With that in mind, Thriftnerd is starting a week long blogging series on 'Stocking The Basics, Thriftnerd Style.'

For most of us, a visit to our closet reveals mass accumulation. Stepping into mine, I see things I bought years ago. Are they necessary, or did I buy them on impulse? If they were suddenly snatched away from me, would they be replaced?

Would I still buy that leopard print skirt that only goes with one top? Would I find another hot pink rhinestone clutch to replace this one? Probably not. Losing all your things tends to clarify what's important and what's
just........silly.

Sometimes fashion magazines have articles about 'must have' items for your wardrobe. Unfortunately, it's not a 'one size fits all' world, so while one woman may NEED a pair of black stilettos, another more likely wears black flats. Only YOU know what YOU need.

So, I'll be offering guidelines. And of course, planting the seed that your ultimate 'stock up shop' is a thrift store.

Reflections On My Youngest Turning 18

Driving to work this morning, I was listening to talk radio, and the guest, an expert in education in America, said we are preparing to graduate the dumbest high school class in this country's history. Functionally illiterate teenagers are being allowed to get a diploma, even though they lack the basic skills they will need to properly perform in the world as we know it. How staggering is THAT information, especially first thing in the morning?

I've been thinking about his words a lot. I've also been thinking about them in the context of today, being my precious baby girl Claire's 18th birthday.

Now, I know I will be preaching to the choir. If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, chances are pretty good that you and I share some basic values. We want to get the most out of life, for the least amount of money, and use our creativity to do so. We also love our families, and spend as much time as possible with our kids.

Acoording to this morning's talk radio guest, dysfunctional family life is one of the biggest reasons why kids are doing so poorly in school. I'm not talking about the normal upheaval every family experiences. The radio guest said PARENTS AREN'T SPENDING ENOUGH TIME PARENTING THEIR KIDS. It's not the teachers, it's not society, it's THE PARENTS. As a collective whole, American parents would rather throw money at the problem, buy their kids the latest crap, while spending the least amount of time possible with them. Then, when they fail? Oh, it's the teachers and society. Nice little 'pass the buck' scenario, being played out far to often in our fair country.

Now, how does this relate to Claire and her 18th birthday?

People tell me all the time what a kind, sweet, smart, accomplished daughter I have. They marvel at the close relationship she and I enjoy. It's wonderful to hear those things, and yes, we do have a fabulous, close relationship; but my daughter's life and talents are the harvest we're reaping after years of me literally living with my nose up her keister.

You want to be a successful parent? You must devote all your energy, time and talents to raising your kids. Will they still screw up and fail? Of course, because you do, too! We're imperfect people raising imperfect people. However, that does NOT excuse you from doing the best you can.

So, ok. How have I raised Claire? I spent as much time with her as humanly possible. I was blessed to spend the first 13 years of her life as a stay at home parent, and 5 of those homeschooling her. That's a luxury many people don't have, I realize that. However, now that I've been a working parent for 4 1/2 years, I STILL make spending time with Claire my priority. She's the reason I don't have a higher paying, longer hour job right now. There will be plenty of time for that later, after she's out of school. For now, we watch our pennies, shop smartly, and don't give her every single high priced goodie under the sun.

Is this too simplistic? I don't think so. Coming home and spending that first hour with Claire allows her to tell me many things I might not hear otherwise. True, the older she gets, those hours are harder to find, but that doesn't excuse us from FINDING THEM. It's one of the reasons I still take her to school in the morning (boy, I'm going to miss that!). She tells me her fears and her happy stuff, and we pray over all of it. I could get into work earlier and make more money, but like I said, I can do that later.

Claire knows she can be honest with me. I want to hear the good AND the bad. She knows I'm not perfect, and I share my ups and downs with her, so why would she be afraid to do the same? I'm not disappointed when she makes a human mistake. If I goof up, I make sure she knows. I don't regale her with tales of how perfect I was growing up, how 'I would never do something like THAT!' That's bull hockey anyway and we all know it. We screwed up, we snuck out, we lied and cheated and stole candy from the drug store. Come clean with your kid and let them know, but also hold their feet to the fire if they say 'well I can do this because YOU did!' That's NOT what I mean! Knowing your parent is just as flawed as you are isn't license to go out and make the same mistakes over and over. We're supposed to LEARN from them.

Don't just sign your kid up for stuff, and then let others take responsibility for their involvement. If they take Tae Kwon Do, sit and watch the classes if you're allowed. You can learn a lot that way. If your kid is a Girl Scout, see if you can help run a troop. If they show animals in 4H, do whatever YOU can to help with their projects, and don't make the club leaders do it all. It takes precarious scheduling sometimes, due to work and other kiddos in the family, but it CAN be done. Exhausting? Yes! Claire and I got deathly ill the year she showed her rabbits at the Delaware County Fair, but we have fabulous memories of how much fun it was to be involved. So much better to have that than regrets.

Check out your kid's interests, WITH your kid. Through the years, Claire's obsessions have been The Little Mermaid, Bratz dolls, The Spice Girls, Naruto (and all Japanese culture), Captain Jack Sparrow, Batman, video games (and all THAT entails), The Beatles, a mercifully short foray into everything dark and screamo rock, serial killers, Sweeney Todd, Broadway, Supernatural, Dr. Who, Glee, Bettie Page, Dita Von Teese, Marilyn Monroe and all vintage glamour........this summer it was Criminal Minds and Friends. I have enjoyed exploring ALL of these with Claire. Why not? I don't want a boring, vanilla kid, anymore than my children want a one dimensional mom. One of the ladies at our eye doctor told me, 'I love how you let your kids' freak flags fly!' It's easy to do when you enjoy and learn from them :)

I know being a grown up is hard. I know parenthood is a tough gig. I haven't had a smooth, easy time of it. Many years I spent as a mom who was also in an unhappy first marriage. It required a delicate balancing act, but somehow, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, my children never once lacked for parental attention and care. I don't say that to boast, I say that to show you IT CAN BE DONE.

So, today we celebrate the 18th birthday of a beautiful, well rounded young woman. I am so proud of Claire, and so honored that God allowed me to be her mom. I wouldn't have traded even one single tiny bit of all the years we've spent together, no matter how hard some were.

I hope she feels the same.

When Glitzy Isn't Good

DISCLAIMER: I don't hate big, poofy, princess prom gowns. There, we have THAT out of the way.

Have you ever noticed how having lots of money doesn't guarantee you'll look classy and elegant? Need an example? Think Kim Kardashian during her pregnancy, walking the red carpet. Go ahead, I'll wait while you google a few pictures to refresh your memory.

There is a long held belief that, if you have $$$, you need to be dripping with gold and tons of accessories. Not so. Sometimes, refreshingly, a simple yet body flattering dress looks richer than if you decked yourself out in yards of fabric and sequins.

Case in point: earlier this week, Claire and I stopped in to Goodwill. We actually DID find her prom gown for next spring. It is simple and extremely flattering. No extra fabric that might add pounds to the eye. Sleek and elegant, and that's what Claire prefers.

We ALSO found a princess gown like the one pictured above. Easily a $400 gown new, it was heavily appliqued wiht gorgeous stones and embroidery on the bodice. Even the spaghetti straps were garnished with glitz. Tons of tulle underneath.

Of oourse, when our eyes found THAT gown, we KNEW it would be a show stopper. It probably would be.........on someone else!

Sadly, all that extra 'oomph' made for one very lumpy gown. It added pounds in all the wrong places on my girl. I had to admit, I had been blinded by the bling, and that's what made me encourage her to try it on. I'm sure, on the right young lady, it will look great.

As for Claire, her simple, classic gown will be the perfect compliment to her body come prom night. She will feel fabulous, and that's the bottom line.

As an added bonus, because it's so simple, she can glam it up with some killer jewelry :)

So remember: more isn't always MORE. Sometimes it's much, much LESS. Dress for your body type, not someone else's idea of what's fashionable.

Thrift Store Discount Cards & Curbside Treasures

I go for days, looking for inspiration for my blog. Sometimes I am dry as a bone in the inspiration department. Other days, like today, yield a double subject!

I don't know if Goodwill has this policy at all their stores in the United States, but here in Ohio, they issue their fabulous 'blue card.' If you've shopped at Goodwill and haven't been offered one, ask! They stamp each square with every $10 you spend, and when you fill up the card, it entitles you to $10 in free Goodwill merchandise! It's an awesome deal! I like to save my cards for times when we want to go thrift shopping, but don't have much money. Yesterday, Claire and I used my latest filled card on a prom dress! Yep, it's only the end of July and she already has her homecoming and prom dresses! Thank you, Goodwill!

On our way to run some errands yesterday, Claire and I spotted this treadmill. It was placed on the curb in front of a neighbor's house, and it had a 'free' sign on it. Immediately, I called Michael and told him to check it out. He did, and informed me it worked but needed new tread. Well, I left it up to him as to whether he wanted to grab it or not. He's my go to guy who can fix anything, but if he deemed it a lost cause, it wouldn't be worth it. Today, he picked it up on the way to work. According to our research, this model treadmill (electric and with an incline) runs on average $179. He's already found new tread on Amazon for $47. So, for that price and a little elbow grease, we'll have a nifty treadmill for that empty spot in the family room, perfectly placed in front of the television. No one in the house will have an excuse NOT to exercise!

Have you ever nabbed a curbside 'gift?' There's no shame in finding a lovely freebie by the side of the road. I've blogged about the microwave I grabbed for the shop, and I've found several nice tables, too. We have a great playhouse in our backyard that our neighbor threw out, and our granddaughter Makenna, LOVES it.

The next time you see something interesting at the curb, backtrack and take a look. It's the ultimate in recycling! What do you have to lose by picking up a freebie? Absolutely nothing. You could score big!

Brenda Couture: $70? Or &3.20?

This is my beautiful friend, Brenda. She wore this stunning dress to church yesterday. When I told her how gorgeous she looked, she was thrilled to tell me she got it on the clearance rack at Penney's, for $4 plus 20% off! FIREWORKS!!! This absolutely perfect for every occasion dress was snapped up for $3.20!!! HOW MUCH DOES BRENDA ROCK??

She works very close to Polaris Mall, so stopping in to check out the bargains costs her nothing more in gas. She is utilizing all the resources close to her, and she was greatly rewarded with this dress. Fits her perfectly, and it would be THE dress to wear anywhere........a wedding, lunch out, or church (lol!). An added bonus: It cost her LESS than if she'd thrifted it. All the short dresses we've gotten at Goodwill have cost $5.99!!

I went online to find similar dresses so I could compare Brenda's pricewise. According to my research, Brenda's dress probably retailed first for $60-$70. You may insert a big WHOOP WHOOP at this point!

There are truly rock bottom bargains to be had everywhere! You just need to be tenacious, and don't give up! Congratulations, Brenda! You are my inspiration :)

My 2nd Marriage Made Me A More Frugal Person

Today is my 8th wedding anniversary. Michael and I may not have been married very long, but we have known each other 34 years, having met as neighbors and classmates in 1979. To me, he's still the same tall, cute president of FFA in the cowboy hat. What a hottie <3

I didn't make the decision to marry Michael lightly. I was a underweight, scared of my own shadow, single mama of two equally scared kids. We had way too much baggage from my first marriage. I didn't ever EVER want to get married again. The national percentages don't help........50% of first marriages fail, 67% of second and 74% of third. Divorce was absolutely the worst experience of my entire life, and with those scary statistics, why would I want to take a chance again?

Because I couldn't live without this man. Michael can be a hearts and flowers kind of guy, but his specialty is practical things.......bringing sacks of groceries and cooking meals for us when I had nothing. Sacrificing to give me money for a moving van when I was court ordered to be out of my house and I had no way to move. Taking Brendan and Claire out to pizza and the park so I could have a 'girl's night' with my mom. Fixing my van, storing my stuff......and making me fall hopelessly in love. I honestly couldn't help myself.

When you're young, and it's your first marriage, you often have a lot of preconceived notions of what wedded bliss truly is. Boy, are you wrong. Day to day life leaves little time for the 'white lace and promises' of romantic fiction and the movies. Cars break down, finances gnaw at you, job pressure and the fun of in law issues can really wreak havoc on a young relationship. When you remarry, you're a little wiser (well, you should be, but remember those statistics!). When Michael and I tied the knot, we blended not only our possessions but 4 kids and interesting financial histories. Both of us unfortunately brought our prior romantic histories, too. We learned quickly we couldn't judge each other by the disappointments of the past. We needed to learn from each other's strengths, provide refuge from the weaknesses, and make a more successful life together.

I must be honest and tell you this: if you don't have God in your life, I don't give you much chance of having a successful marriage. As much and Michael and I have in common, we are still 2 very different people, and if we didn't have the advantage of being able to pray together and put the Lord first in our marriage, we wouldn't have the relationship we have today. Heartaches and happy times should be prayed about together. The stress of trying to blend our families could easily break us apart if we didn't have the Lord as the glue to keep us close. When you put Him first, you look at your problems and differences as lessons to learn from, not instances to contribute to another heartbreaking divorce.

In addition, Michael has taught me TONS about being a frugal person with common sense. Since we don't make much money, we learn to live with what we have and fix and reuse as much as possible. My husband is a MASTER at this. He has made being a packrat an art form. 9 times out of 10, what we need we have on hand. There are very rare times when Michael can't fix something. We have continually been amazed at his skill and knowledge. What he doesn't know, he researches on the internet. He also teaches us how to maintain what we have.......whether it be our cars or our kitchen utensils. He works fast and well. No lolly-gagging, no goofing off........if it needs to be done, do it quickly and go on to the next thing. Together we've built a backyard fence, laid ceramic tile over much of our first floor and the kids' bathroom, painted, put together furniture, built stone walls in the garden, you name it. We clean well together, and when he makes his fabulous culinary creations, I clean up the kitchen.

It ain't perfect. We have our disagreements, and sometimes they're fiery. Where I used to be a doormat, now I don't put up with ANYTHING, so we butt heads. The fights are fewer and far between the longer we're married, thankfully. We've learned each other's rhythms and ways of doing things. Michael is a man of few words and doesn't like social situations, while I have an easier time talking to people. Michael observes and sees things I don't. He's taught me it's better to use 3 well placed words than 20 jumbled ones. We play well off of each other. This is an especially good thing since we also work together.

So, as we celebrate 8 years of being married, we can look back and see just how far we've come, and be grateful for the good as well as the bad. Both have made us grow......individually, together and closer to the Lord.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I just heard Michael clear his throat. That's code for 'come help me wait on this customer!'

Debt Free

I don't know if Weight Watchers coined the phrase 'Nothing tastes as good as thin feels,' but they use it. I know from experience they're right. Know what else is right? Nothing feels as good as being debt free.

For the last 3 years, finances have been stretched to the limit at our house. A decrease in income, combined with medical debt and other expenses, have conspired to make things pretty grim financially. We've paid our bills, but there has been little for extras. Dinners out have been rare. We haven't had a vacation since summer 2009. We've had Christmas and birthdays, but it has required scrimping and working overtime. I don't want to talk about grocery shopping. It's stressful enough without having to constantly watch your pennies.

I wouldn't trade the financial hardships of the last 3 years for anything. They have taught this family lessons that we wouldn't have learned any other way. You don't grow as a person through the pampered good times. That's just human nature.

Michael started a garden and learned to can. I honed my skills at thrifting and started this blog. I learned to refashion clothing and remake jewelry. I discovered what a thrifty gentleman my husband is, and learned from his example. We had family nights at home that were so much fun, but didn't cost much money. You truly discover and reorder the important things in life when you have to draw on resources you already have, instead of throwing money or credit cards at the problem.

I also discovered that most people have NO CLUE what it's like to live on a budget. It boggled the mind when I heard so many people say 'We have no money, we have to watch every penny!' and then say 'We're going to the Bahamas! We just bought another new car! We're building a bigger house!' None of these things are wrong, but it was frustrating to see how many people think they have no money, yet can afford so many luxuries we could only dream of. It's not poverty, it's PRIORITIES. I've preached that on my blog several times.

This was a good discovery, though. Living on limited means cleared our minds and allowed us to see things we wouldn't have otherwise if we had been able to fulfill every material desire. Poverty can be extremely clarifying.

Thankfully, we had made good choices in the early years of our marriage that helped us during this financially difficult time. I had received stock from my prior marriage, and we used that to pay off our house and our cars. In addition, we had bought a boat! I don't recommend owning a boat if you have other debt! It's an expensive pastime! We used it and had fun with it, but in the last few years we had been so busy with our kids' other pastimes, we just couldn't justify owning the boat, especially since we were paying through the nose to store it. So, we decided to sell it.

This past week, God finally found us the perfect boat buyer, and we sold it for only $2,500 less than what we bought it for 7 years ago. Once the check cleared, we paid off every single stitch of debt. I can't even begin to describe to you the feeling we have of relief. It's incredible.

So, does this mean we'll start living it up? Eating out nightly, taking expensive tropical vacations, and shopping constantly? No. The lessons of the past 3 years were too precious to forget. We will be able to provide Claire with a wonderful senior year, buy things when we need them, and occasionally enjoy dinners out and date nights.

I'll still be thrifting everything I can, too.

Jeans: Broadening Your Denim Horizons

Growing up in the '70's my mother bought my jeans from Sears. They were called Toughskins, and they WERE tough. The premise was that kids wear holes through the knees of their jeans in record time, so Toughskins not only had reinforced knees, they also carried a money back guarantee should your little rug rat manage to bust THOSE, too. They came in all kinds of colors, and they were a godsend for my brother, who was a typical little boy that loved to play outside. Me, not so much. I have a synthetic/nylon allergy, so I got a rash on my legs. Oh well.

When I was a teenager, anyone who was anyone had LEVIS. Good ol' standard men's LEVIS. They didn't have the Vegas-style buffet of denim they do now, so we were limited to what the men wore. That was ok, girls looked good in them too, and the goal of my young life was to have one of these fabled pairs of name brand denim. Well, I never did until I got a job, because my father refused to pay for them. So, guess what I had? Penney's brand wannabes. I wasn't fooling anyone, and I'm sure that huge Levis-shaped hole in my psyche is still gurgling down deep..........

Come the late 70's though, designer denim made it's debut. Disco and Brooke Shields proclaiming 'No comes between me and my Calvins' were the battle cry! I actually managed to have a pair of Sassoon jeans that came from a discount house sometime early in my high school career. Honestly, I don't know what the fuss was about. My no names fit just about the same.

At any rate, a girl from my modest background had no hopes to wearing fancy jeans unless she bought them herself or my folks scrimped (they did, but it was to feed us, not outfit us for the red carpet). Garage sales and what passed for thrift stores back in the day had very skimpy jeans inventory, and most of them had lived their life. Folks wore their clothing until it fell off their body back then. We might do well to return to those days.

Today, there are MILLIONS of brands of denim, and LEVI alone has dozens of cuts and washes. No more stiff, dark denim if you prefer yours almost white and holey. Of course, you're gonna PAY for those choices.

So, what's a girl on a budget to do?

Hit your thrift store! I truly broadened my jeans' horizons when I started shopping for denim second hand. At Goodwill, any and all adult jeans are $5.99, regardless of brand. This has been a fabulous way for me to test the waters, fit wise, without breaking the bank. How else would I have my beautiful pair of White House/Black Market jeans today? They retail for at least $50, and mine were much less. Plus, they had barely been worn. SCORE!

I went through a period of time in the '90's where I couldn't buy enough second hand pairs of Levi's. I was definitely trying to fill that hole!!

Your First Place: The Dollar Store

As long as there's a computer, it's home sweet home..........

We're moving our 21 year old son, Brendan, to Canton this coming Sunday. He was originally moving to South Carolina, so 1 hour and 45 minutes away sounds a lot better to this mama! I'm still going to miss him, but I know I'll see him a lot more than if he were 9 hours away!

This will be Brendan's first place: a 120 year old upper level duplex with no a/c. Ah, good times! He'll be sharing it with a friend, but it's his first place too. So, not a whole lot of furniture or other necessary 'home accessories.' Both boys have beds and bedroom furniture. We are giving him my 'single mama' table and chairs, and whatever else we can spare. Things will tight for a while, so what's a good place for a young bachelor to get his cleaning supplies, rudimentary kitchen stuff.......even toilet paper and ibuprofen?

Friends, let me present to you The Dollar Store! A godsend for those small of budget, but great of need! Just what can our boy Brendan find at the dollar store?

all paper goods: paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, etc
basic meds to fill his medicine chest: ibuprofen, heartburn meds, ointments, vitamins, bandaids, etc
soaps, lotions, powders, hair products, toothpaste and toothbrushes,etc
packaged snacks, meal helpers, soda, candy, bottled water, etc
kitchen utensils and linens
trash bags, sandwich baggies
cleaning supplies, laundry supplies
plastic laundry hampers, trash cans, etc
hangers
office supplies
greeting cards (often 2/$1)
party supplies (he IS 21, after all)
plates, glasses, coffee mugs
gifts bags and papers in all sizes, shapes and colors
shower curtains, toilet brushes, brooms, etc
etc, etc, etc..........!!!

Sometimes the stuff isn't the highest quality. Sometimes it is because the store got a good deal on a close out. At any rate, it's the perfect place to get those goodies you don't know you need until you need them.

As for mama's homebaked chocolate chip cookies? Well, some things just have to shipped from home <3

Altering Your Thrift Store Finds

When we got the fabulous deal on Claire's new homecoming dress last week, we also snapped up a cute black eyelet number, also for $5.99. It's a wonderful faux vintage frock that's perfect for an upcoming wedding, and Claire can wear it with the beautiful satin White House/Black Market pumps. Throw on a few strands of pearls, and you've got a look at under $10 for the perfect wedding guest ensemble.

Except.

The cap sleeves are tight, but the rest of the dress is perfect. I thought the sleeves might be a deal breaker for Claire, but she asked,'could we bring it to Lucinda's?' Good idea.

Lucinda is our in-town go-to girl for professional, yet affordable, alterations. She has a keen eye, and years of experience. She is responsible for the fabulous formal attire Claire has worn that has needed just a 'tweak' or two. Ok, sometimes more than a tweak, as she pretty much had to redo an entire bodice on a dress that someone had completely botched. That only cost us $50, and the dress itself was $8. Money well spent.

When you buy a gown (or anything) second hand, the pennies you spend not only guarantee a happy checkbook, but also ensure you can spend more to get it altered, if need be. With that knowledge, the thrift world gets much larger, and you can see far more fashion opportunities than before. You are not limited by your size or what's available in it.

Actually, fashion consultants and stylists recommend buying clothing in a larger size, and then having it altered for that 'custom made' look. If it works for celebrities and their outrageous designer goodies, why wouldn't it make perfect sense for us normal folks with our Goodwill gems?