Saturday, July 21, 2012
Thrifty Finds for Our New Home
Enter Kijiji.ca! For $120 we purchased a 3.5 cubic ft mini Danby freezer. We have almost no space to put a freezer so this was the maximum size or I would have had to live with the current fridge-freezer. They are new at Costco and Canadian Tire for $230 including tax but I didn't want to spend that much. This one even had the original tags from Costco still on it, works like a charm and was spotless. The couple who sold it to us even delivered it in their car as our car was not quite big enough (we tried). It has so-so reviews on the internet but for $120 I am willing to take a chance. I have already filled it with family packs of meat in an effort to keep my overall grocery bill down (although I have already blown the July grocery budget - crap). It fits very nicely in my laundry room(off the kitchen) and has wheels so can be moved if it gets in the way.
Husband found this sweet little Czeckoslovakian egg cup sitting on a dumpster at the recycling centre so he brought it home for me. It has a couple of chips so I turned them to the back and he now lives on my stove.
I found one item for resale which is also my first Holt Howard piece - this cute little psychedelic piggie trivet. Who knew Holt Howard made trivets? I didn't.
I have a self-imposed rule that I can only purchase books now if 25 cents or less and it is something I can later resell at a flea market (due to large amount of books sitting in my "to read" pile). These three books were 25 cents each this morning at a garage sale.
Finally, one find I am a bit on the fence about. We need some art for a couple of walls and I bought this at a garage sale this morning for $20 but may resell it as not really sure I love it. Initially I was attracted to the seagulls, and Husband likes it and so we have agreed to temporarily put it up and will replace it with something we like better at a later date. For now it actually goes with the colours of our living room. This large painting was done by Vanguard Studios who mass produced affordable art in California in the 1970s. The prices on their large art pieces like this(5 ft x 3 ft) is all over the map as many artists worked under one name at this studio. A similar piece is selling for $600 on EBAY here
but as we all know, true value is only in what someone is really willing to pay, not the asking price. It was filthy so I gave it a good scrubbing (not fine art so won't hurt it) with a solution of water and dish soap. Fortunately, it does not appear to be from a smoking home as does not smell and came fairly clean.
Would you have bought it?
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Vintage Goodness!
I actually passed up this cute little preserve jar last week as from a distance thought it was modern. This week I had more time at the thrift store and realized it definitely is vintage. The inside shows a little yellowing and some age but it is very cute and would look great in someone's 1950s inspired kitchen.
Another piece of Blue Mountain Pottery, this time a small swan planter.
I am really not sure what this little red glass container is. It looks like an apple, is made of glass and painted red on exterior only similar to Pyrex. It is not marked. The glass is very thick so am pretty sure it is vintage. If anyone recognizes it please let me know.
This vintage wrapping paper is still sealed in the original plastic and is SO CUTE! If I only knew someone having a baby!
My first Vintage Christmas find! This little Eatons bottle brush tree came in the original foiled box and seems complete except I think it is missing it's topper. I found this at a garage sale last weekend. For those who live outside of Canada Eatons was the primary department store for Canada from the early 1900s until the late 1990s when it went out of business.
Finally, my favorite find of the week. In 1964 someone repurposed an old film canister into a cookie tin. They painted it in this great design and fortunately signed it giving me some indication of it's age. There were even a few ancient crumbs in it! This was found in a basket underneath a clothing rack. It pays to dig.
Linking up with Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds and Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Garage Saling In A New Town
First I would like to say a big thank you to the followers of this blog for your kind well wishes on our move - I really appreciate every single one and would love to come have coffee with you if we ever should cross paths.
This week has been a bit like a vacation, other than the 1400 km road trip. I have slept in but also have gotten up at the crack of dawn to enjoy the sunshine and my new life. As hubby flies in tonight I have been missing him but also enjoying the freedom of not cooking or cleaning and the schedule of only what I feel like doing. Today I finally got internet and cable so can work with the laptop as hubbys ipad is not Blogger friendly.
Apparently the thrifting gods heard that I want to open an Etsy store later this year and that husband bought enough bubble wrap to protect our breakable items in the move - all of which will be re-used for packages sent from the Etsy store. Now to find some stock!
This made in Japan vintage duck egg cup shown above was found in the 50% off table in the back of a dusty warehouse section of an antique store that I was looking for furniture in. He is completely chip free and adorable. $2.80.
Yesterday I felt like garage saling so used hubby's iPad gps and mapped out several sales (will be borrowing the iPad more often for this use) including the first stop that was a senior community sale. My first find were these four apothecary lab jars. I believe all four are vintage and the one on the far left is marked Pyrex on both bottle and the stopper. A second one is marked Pyrex on stopper only. I am always attracted to glass and pottery and these will look pretty on the bathroom sill until I can part with them (our furniture has yet to be moved so forgive my staging attempts as have little to work with right now). Total for all four $1.
The next item is not likely vintage so will be saved for a flea market that I intend to do in Fall. I don't wear scarves but love this ones colours. The design seems possibly Indonesian with religious figures and the building in the corner. Very eclectic style and it is silk - a steal at .25.
Next up this adorable little red riding book. The illustrator even made the wolf look sweet - not scary at all. This book was the lady who was having the garage sale's own from childhood. Her parents inscribed it for her for Christmas 1972. All mine for .10.
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Then there were these sweet little liqueur glasses from the 1960's. We had a similar set when I was a kid. Again I am always attracted to glass. Set of six $1.50.
Finally, two non-vintage items for my own home not pictured: small metal basket for toiletries .50 (I used to have more drawers in our Alberta home but our new home has shelves) and a small scale that goes up to 5kg for my new Etsy store .25.
The grand tally for all this loot? A whopping $6.40!
I also weeded my flower beds - two huge full bags of weeds pulled with my bare hands. This big badboy thistle still stands there until tonight when hubby flies in with my gardening gloves.
Yes, he is three feet tall! Apparently nature takes its land back here if left untended - note to self - must weed on daily basis. After the weeds were pulled there are a few spots I can tuck in some herbs and possibly some berries. I will show more pictures of the flower beds tommorrow as need your help identifying most of it.
Linking up with a few of my favorite bloggers: Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds , Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday and a new linky party from Sunny Simple Life, Sunny Simple Sundays!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
A Reason To Go Thrifting
Five Anchor Hocking milk glass plates. These will be used when we get to town for family celebrations. These were purchased for .99 cents each at Goodwill. These are not the true vintage ones - based on the marking I am guessing they are 1980s, and may or may not have had the gold edging (I googled and cannot find any exactly alike without the gold edging). If it had gold edging all is gone so it looks like they were meant to be just basic white glass plates. Total $4.95
Next I hit up Salvation Army and managed to score one stainless steel pot - I have enough other pots already but needed one this size - $4.50.
I also bought four Corelle plates and two saucers. These are virtually indestructible and will be the boys every day plates(we already own Corelle plates that we use every day that I am taking to the Comox house). $2.99
Next, on to a garage sale in my neighborhood. This was a stop on a whim, but I managed to score both for .25 cents
Frying pan .15. Not in pristine condition but the boys could care less. A few scratches and I am sure they will add a few more.
Snoopy mug - for resale in my future Etsy store or flea market. Gigantic purchase price? 10 cents. I was totally in love with Snoopy and Woodstock as a kid. I owned a stuffed snoopy and also had a red baron flying house, the kind that was one of the original remote control ones with the wire that made snoopy go round and round. If this little mug was a bit bigger I would keep it for myself but I like a gigantic mug for tea or coffee. This appears never to have been used. No chips, no stains, and was made in Japan.
This Canadian long weekend (Victoria Day on Monday) is being spent packing and organizing, and tonight smokies on the BBQ and corn on the cob. I hope you have a great time this weekend wherever you are!
Linking up with Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds and Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Final Bit of Thrifting Before the Move
This weekend while taking my Mother-in-law to the greenhouse to buy flowers (and wishing I could buy pretty plants too but due to the move can only look) what should appear in front of me but a yard sale just a couple houses down from mine - and the kind that actually has good stuff for sale!
I would have bought a bunch of stuff had we not been moving - instead my only purchases were these two seagrass baskets for .25 cents each.
Even hubby likes them - even though officially we are not buying "stuff" right now. I count these as containers for stuff we already own and are moving (one can justify anything if you want it enough). I don't have a traditional jewellery box so maybe one for earrings and one for necklaces.
I found the final book in the Stieg Larsson trilogy for $4 in hardcover - my last book purchase of 2012 (unless for resale for .25 cents or less as I am planning on doing a flea market). Mom and I have read books one and two and have been looking for book 3 at thrift stores. When we are done we will likely sell it for the same price.
This book was a freebie - someone at work brought in a box of books free for the taking. I fished this one out for hubby but will likely read it myself.
Things are getting a bit crazy for hubby and I - some executive decisions to be made this week regarding our move that I will share with you as soon as things are finalized. Stay tuned!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Garage Sale Season and Thrifting Finds
I am not sure why I am buying books to read but for .25 cents I could not leave this behind - Kathy Reichs is one of my favorite authors (TV series Bones was based on her books) and this is one I have yet to read - this will be passed on to my mother who has the same reading interest when I am done with it. My goal is to read at least one book a month to keep my brain cells alive. I finished another book last night - and am one book behind this years goal so will read two by the end of May to catch up.
This past weekend I dropped off a bag of books at my local Salvation Army and discovered that EVERYTHING WAS 50% off! This particular thrift store raised all of its prices recently so I have been avoiding shopping there - but this little vintage Ruben Original (made in Japan) flower holder that I have had my eye one had to come home with me - marked down to .75 cents. This will either go in my future Etsy shop(if that happens) or I will use it for a Baby shower gift.
I went to three garage sales this Saturday and left two without buying a thing - much more selective now that I am moving.
At the third was this vintage votive holder (marked made in the USA) in the free pile - so I bought this little book for .25 cents and made off with both. The book is very interesting and I know others who I can pass it on to.
Finally, in need of some Spring clothing today these finds from my Goodwill (I dropped off a large box of glassware there for donation):
H&M blouse $5.99
Reitmans tank top $3.99
The two go really nicely together and this is the first money on clothes that I have spent in 2012.
Linking up with Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Garage Sale Season Has Arrived!
Although there have been a few garage sales in the past few weeks this is the first weekend I have been able to go. This weekend is the unofficial start to garage sales here and they usually taper off by late June with the odd one here and there after that. I firmly believe anything you require may be purchased used and garage sales do for me what Gucci does for others.
Due to a move at some point in the next year to another Province I have tried to hold back from buying physical things, sticking to food, flowers and clothing. This weekend I strayed and got some retail therapy. Total cost? $5.50
Purchases:
Book 50 cents called One Red Paperclip, the Canadian story of a man who documented a trade-up spree from a red paperclip to a house in the end. Very interesting read and this story made the news all over the world.
Two large popcorn bowls 50 cents each - our family watches a lot of movies together in the basement and we are forever in need of popcorn bowls.
Decorative box with tin top and leather handle $3 - this was my totally unnecessary purchase - what can I say, I collect boxes. I will find some use for it.
Travel Sized hair drayer $1 - one of our hair dryers died last week and we needed it, hubby immediately claimed it as his own
Other bargains this week:
Rexall Drug Mart, my favorite store for bargains had a selloff of Fusion razors (five blades of shaving goodness) which happens to be hubbys favorite brand.
Regular Price $13.99. Sale price $3.79 minus $2 off coupon = $1.79 each
Peek Frean Cookies regular $2.99 on sale $1.49. My favorite kind.
I was only able to purchase three but that will keep hubby in razors for a while as they each include a refill.
Used clothing from Goodwill:
Two light summery shirts for our trip to Costa Rica next month - less than a month to go!! $4.99 each total $9.98. The blue one is Liz Clairborne.
And finally, my baby peas are growing nicely. Two weeks ago I planted a packet of peas found in cupboard I was cleaning out. I have no real garden area (a mandatory requirement in our next home) so decided to experiment with container gardening. Both the hamster and hubby are happy at the future potential of fresh peas. As I have never grown peas before I was shocked at how quickly they started growing, as green buds were peeking out of the ground within five days of planting. Apparently peas are not difficult to grow as if I can grow them, anyone can.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
No Spend Weekend
Yesterday was crock pot chicken in mushroom sauce over rice, breakfast was scrambled eggs with bits of jalapenos, green peppers and summer sausage (left over from weekday lunches). Both turned out very nicely. Tonight I have to create something with white fish. Time to turn to allrecipes.com, one of my favorite free sources for recipes.
Instead this weekend was spent thinking and planning our future downsizing (1-3 years). A "garage sale closet" was started. Every year the town my mother in law lives in, Mundare, Alberta (1 hr away) has a town wide garage sale.
I volunteer to assist her with the garage sale but also bring a truck load of our own items to sell. The concept of the more the better especially applies to garage sales. Due to the large number of sales loads of buyers are attracted and most sellers are able to part with 90% of their goods from a 9am-2pm one day sale. I also take a break around 10am and walk the 2-3 blocks surrounding her house to get my own bargains.The sale is always held the first weekend in May (start of Alberta garage sale season when the snow is gone).
Here are the initial results of my weekend scrounge:
As I find more goods to part with all I have to do is deposit them in the closet. I can't wait for May!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Buying Used Pays
I am a big fan of buying used to save money. On average you usually end up paying no more than .40 cents on the dollar versus retail. Often the price is even lower at garage sales where people are just trying to rid themselves of years worth of stuff for little money. Where do you buy used?
Kijiji
Thrift stores
Garage Sales
Flea Markets
Co-workers/friends/family
Ebay
Antique stores
Second hand stores
Kijiji
$40 Abdominizer bought on Kijiji
We have had very good luck both buying and selling on Kijiji.
Purchases:
boat motor and trailer
large Ikea picture
small television
workout equipment
brand new area rug
high end massage chair
snowblower
executive desk and cabinets
Sold Items:
boat, motor and trailer (yes, same one as above list-turns out we are not boaters!)
weight set
children's captain's bed
3 vehicles
couch, chair, lamps, coffee table set
The basic advertisement on Kijiji is free which makes it a great marketplace with no cash outlay upfront. If you wish to have your advertisement posted at the top of each page you can pay more. We have purchased the second option when selling large items like vehicles and boats. We have sold 100% of our items listed on Kijiji, most within a week. I highly recommend it as a great used marketplace of goods. Kijiji especially works well in major cities and often a map location of the item is given in the ad so you know if you have to drive across town or not to pick up your goods. We ensure that items for sale are spotless and like new condition and ensure multiple photos are included in our advertisement.
When buying, we always feel more comfortable if two of us go for safety sake. I highly recommend it and have had only positive experiences.
Thrift Stores
$2 container found in thrift store
I am a thrift store addict, although I usually only come home with one or two items per shopping experience. Thrift stores are the one place you can go on a shopping spree and likely will still have change left out of your $20 bill at the end of the day. I usually buy books, clothes and art. Books are the best deal with my local goodwill even organizing their large book room into fiction/nonfiction/alphabetical by author. You can't get much closer to a regular book store than than. I only buy books that are in excellent condition and clean and stockpile my favorite authors until I have time to read. Although the library is free due to my schedule I find it easier to buy books and then pass them on to my Mother who tends to read the same kind of book. She then resells the books at her flea market table and the used circle continues on. I have been very lucky finding nice art at thrift stores and always look for one of a kind pieces versus mass produced art.
In terms of clothing the best buys are often jeans, dress pants and dress shirts used for my work wardrobe. All items are immediately washed upon getting home and once pressed you cannot tell I bought them second hand. Due to my own hibijibi limitations I stay away from shoes and undergarments...although others may have no such hangups. They do seem to have a large variety of shoes there and often in very good condition.
Garage Sales
$3 Hamster house, accessories & ball from garage sale (excluding hamster Chewy)
I love garage sales. Our garage sale season in Edmonton is usually limited to May to July. Items purchased in the last couple of years at garage sales include:
wheelbarrow
dolly (for lifting)
Kitchen strainers and bowls
candle holders
decorative items
stop and go traffic light for our garage (purchased by hubby, for me - least liked garage sale item!)
books
television stand for kids room
You have to go with a few bucks in your pocket cash and zero expectations. Some garage sales are so terrible you can't find a single item to buy. The very best garage sales are those where someone is not trying to make money and just trying to get rid of their stuff. Often you end up finding several items to buy at that kind of garage sale. My motherinlaw has a garage sale every two years as her entire town has a garage sale that day (Mundare Alberta, usually first weekend in May). I volunteer to help her as we always sell 95% of what we bring due to very large crowds. I also sneak away to scope out great deals at nearby garage sales). My step-daughter has now learned how to bargain from garage sales and has no problem what so-ever buying used (she is 12).
Flea markets
I seem to have less luck on used items and more luck on eggs/cool jams/baked items every time I go to a flea market as usually the sellers are trying to make money and have marked up the items to higher than second hand store prices. I still am drawn to them however as any used buying junkie would. My mother sells hand tied fishing flys (she used to own a Fishing supply store and is a professional fly tier) at her fleamarket on Vancouver Island (Cobble Hill Fea Market between Victoria and Duncan). My favorite vendors there are Rozy's Jams. She makes amazing chutneys and the best strawberry rhubarb jam. She also sells at many other flea markets on Vancouver Island.
Co-workers/friends/family
My husband seems to have the best luck at this kind of used purchase. In recent years we have purchased a used snow blower in like new condition and a high end workout weight set from the same guy where my husband works. This kind of purchase requires putting the word out on what you need - you never know what may come back. Don't be afraid to say no if the item does not meet your exact requirement.
Ebay
$40 lithograph bought on Ebay (including shipping)
Although Ebay sells almost anything the only thing I have purchased is art. Be aware that here shipping costs can be sometimes higher than the price of the item. Three purchases later and I have only had good luck. You should have a pay pal account if buying on ebay for your own financial protection.
Antique stores
Usually antique stores have a high markup but on smaller decorative items you can find the odd deal. My mother and I enjoy browsing them for an enjoyable day out but only tend to make smaller item purchases.
Second hand stores
There are not many regular second hand stores in my area but where my Mom lives on Vancouver Island we found several second hand stores with great bargains (located at Whipple Tree Junction) and nice furniture. In saying that most are a waste of time to enter, but as a used item junkie I still tend to check them out. We found one of our best finds ever at this particular second hand store, angel hand carved end tables that came out of a hotel 50 years ago. We do not believe they are old enough to qualify as antique but they are incredibly cool and grace my mother's house.
Regardless of where you buy used great savings can be had. Used is a great way to find one of a kind items.
You may want to check out these cool blogs of fellow yardsaler/thrift store junkies:
Yardsalequeen
Frugalista
Thrift Store Junkie
Yardsale Bloodbath
Finally, you tend to meet a lot of cool, sometimes unusual people when you buy used. That, my friends, is half the fun!