Living on a Shoestring - Part 2

While I was visiting this same friend that got me turned onto the idea of saving money by making laundry soap, I also heard her talk of her garage sale and thrift store finds. Now, I am not a garage sale or thrift store person for only one reason though. I don't need more junk! I am the one who *loves* decluttering. So why on earth would I go to the places that I drop off 'stuff' and acquire more of it?

Well, as I listened to my friend tell me of her finds: sausage maker, yoghurt maker, blenders etc., I began listening. Honestly, I haven't shopped so long at garage sales that it didn't really occur to me to go there to find the appliances that I don't own. In the past I have always bought my appliances brand new. When they died I replaced them from the store.

But last Christmas my Kitchen Aid mixer died. That was a big purchase. Actually, it was a real letdown because I had not had it for more than a year or so! And that cost me about $300.

It was Christmas and I was not ready to spend that kind of money again. So, I sent Ray to the store to buy me the cheapest mixer he could find. Well, that $80 lasted about 3 months. You see, when we make mashed potatoes, we make mashed potatoes. Think army quantities.

Then began a new menu. This menu lacked mashed potatoes. We would have baked potatoes, and boiled potatoes, but no mashed potatoes. I simply couldn't afford the money that was needed to buy a new mixer that could withstand our mashed potatoes, or the amount of cookies I make at one go: 6 dozen or more.

So we went without.

I should just tell you that this is the way that most of my appliances have gone: they bit the dust and were not replaced.

My juicer was wonderful for the year it lasted.

The hand mixer bit the dust long ago also.

And it goes on.

At Christmas I called my mother and asked her to bring a hand mixer over so I could make whipped cream for the Christmas dessert. When she arrived with mixers (two different ones) in hand, she said, "Why don't you buy one? They only cost $10."

I explained to her that honestly, the only reason I would use a handmixer would be to beat eggs and we used our hands for that. My dad got a kick out of that. Okay, I meant a hand and a fork! So, what about whipping cream? Well, that is a luxury. Don't make it. And anything we need a mixer for we used a fork for. Besides that, anything we buy would have to be decent to withstand the amount I want to bake or cook!

But back to the potato problem. One day, I got tired of not having mashed potato, and I knew I didn't want to fork out the hundreds of dollars for a good mixer, so I headed out looking for a good old-fashioned.....

.... Potato Masher

I knew that *this* would withstand the mashing that I would have to do to feed my troops. But do you know how many stores I had to go to to even find one of these!! Finally, one happy day, I stumbled across this in the Real Canadian Super Store.

Was that a day to celebrate. The cashier must have thought I was looney when I excitedly shared with my boys about my 'wonderful find'! laugh

So after talking to my friend about her garage sale finds and knowing I wanted to do more homesteady type activities, and knowing I couldn't afford to buy anything right now, I decided to head to the second hand shop.

Oh, my goodness!!

I had no idea what I was missing!!

The finds, the excitement, the treasures, the thrill. Wow!

Here are two of my first purchases:


I have always used a saucepan for boiling water for tea when my mother would come over. I didn't (don't) drink tea, and so spending the money on a kettle seemed such a waste of money. So I went without. Well, no more. I now own a kettle and I can not believe how fast water boils in it compared to a stove! grin

And the mixer. It cost me $3, and now I am ready to make whipped cream when we get our cow. Hold on to your hats. That won't be for a while.

Then there was the day that I was at the till ready to pay and Cassidy asked me, "Mum, can we buy this?" I turned around and there was Cassidy standing beside this....

I looked at it, and then left the til and climbed on the seat, just to promptly nearly fall off the back of it, as the seat tilted nearly upside down! I told him, "No wonder it's $6.50! The seat is broken!"
He proceeded to inform me that the seat could be tightened and all the gadgets worked. Why not! What the heck. I needed to get some exercise and I always wanted a gym in my house. Not!

As I was browsing around the store I stumbled across some fantastic skates for Savannah. These are the ones that shut with straps rather than laces. They were $5 and in excellent condition.


And then, I found the find of all finds. Ski boots, poles, and matching skis. The whole package? A whopping $20! The boots and poles fit me, and the skiis fit Austin!


Good thing I just bought a 15 passenger van. Ray will probably regret it when he sees me carting things home!

Watch out for further postings of other exciting purchases. I have found an exciting way to go shopping. I can not believe what treasures I was bypassing before! Now, the trick is to not buy junk. Buy things that you really need or can use.

Wait for the next installment: Christmas shopping thriftstore fashion...
.