Local & Worldwide Thrifting Resources

  Local and worldwide thrifting resources:

Freecycle is a grassroots world wide organization that helps people exchange used items at no cost. You can locate a group in your community and join, then participate by offering items or find items you can use. Freecyclers help each other by exchanging goods and they help the planet by keeping stuff out of landfills.  I am part of the local San Diego Freecycle Network and they definitely have a lot to offer.  Tonite I received emails “advertising” free TV’s, baby clothes and gift wrap.
Charity Shops managed by Goodwill, the Salvation Army and schools, churches or synagogues offer bargains on clothing, books, housewares and furniture plus your purchase helps fund humanitarian programs sponsored by the organization running the shop. Goodwill Industries also has an online auction service similar to E-bay called www.shopgoodwill.com.
Flea Markets are everywhere!  You can find them in small towns, in city parking lots, in large arenas and inside warehouse buildings.
Resale Shops offer used goods for sale like a regular store. Some shops take items on consignment from the owner; others buy and sell used merchandise of all sorts from consumers or other resellers.
Auctions offer all sorts of opportunities for buying and selling used goods. You can find local auction listings in any community newspaper or merchandising flyer. Most auction advertisements list the type of items to be offered at the sale.  Some flea markets also have an on site auction house or area for auction sales.

Online Auctions (E-bay plus many more) offer a huge range of items in a database. You can search through categories by keyword or simply browse until you find what you like, then you can bid on and pay for your winning bid selection using your computer. You can also sell what you don’t need. Be sure to check out the terms and conditions of each service prior to signing up or making a purchase. Shipping terms should be evaluated if you live far from the seller.
Tag Sales ( yard sales) are one of the most interesting places to find junk-tiques. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

Wordless Wednesday – December 14th

View from USS Midway Museum - San Diego CA
View from USS MidwayMuseum - San Diego CA

Make Your Own Laundry Soap…and Save Money

Now that you’ve saved all kinds of money shopping at thrift stores and recycling your things– why not go the extra mile and try making your own laundry soap? It’s really quite easy and cost effective– coming in at just pennies a load.  I found a ton of “recipes” out there for laundry soap– both the liquid type and powdered type. Personally, I prefer the powdered variety for homemade soap.

 

Here are a few tips before getting started:

  • For the bar soaps required in the recipes, you could try Ivory soap, Sunlight bar soap or Kirk’s Hardwater Castile. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps.
  • Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found in the laundry and cleaning aisles.
  • Some people with really hard water or well water may have to adjust the ingredients if the clothes look dingy.
  • Some of the recipes call for large amounts of water. Check with a local restaurant to see if they have any empty large pails from deep fryer oil–that’s how many restaurants buy the oil. See if you can have one or two of the pails after they’ve emptied it–just wash them out really well before using. They’re big, heavy plastic and very sturdy when stirring the soap and hot water.

Liquid Laundry Soap Recipe:

Hot water; 1/2 cup Washing Soda; 1/2 cup Borax; 1/3 bar Soap (grated)

  • In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
  • In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
  • Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade detergent. Add once the soap has cooled to room temperature. Stir well and cover.  Essential oil ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

Powdered Laundry Soap Recipe:

12 cups Borax; 8 cups Baking Soda; 8 cups Washing Soda; 8 cups Bar soap (grated)

  • Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
  • Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.

Is The Pawn Shop The New Spot For Holiday Shopping?

Is The Pawn Shop The New Spot For Holiday Shopping? « CBS Detroit.

I found this article yesterday while browsing online.  I’m a big fan of shopping at the pawn shop.  A few years ago I found a beautiful ring at a pawn shop in the Midwest for $75– I wear it all the time and people have no idea this piece of jewelry came from a pawn shop.  (my little secret!)
Here is my “pawn shop ring”—

 

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Lavender Frosted Cupcakes

Lavender Frosted Cupcakes.

You have got to check out this yummy blog post. The lay-out is amazing and the look of the actual cupcakes is divine.  Definitely this is a fabulous holiday treat.  Cheers!

How to Spend $10 for What You Wear Every Day

How to Spend $10 for What You Wear Every Day

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The average woman spends $2000 a year on clothes.  Here’s how you can spend less and dress better than the average woman.

Steps

  1. Check on the Internet for the current designs, the colors and the look for the year 2011. This information will help you to know what to buy.
  2. Think thrifty. Most thrift stores have new clothes on their racks. They get new clothes that are donated by well known stores. These donations are tax write offs for the stores and give savvy thrift store buyers the opportunity to BUY NEW for pennies on the dollar. If you know the current styles and colors you will be able to buy a fashionable outfit, including shoes for around $10. Visit the thrift stores regularly as merchandise can change daily.
  3. Color matching of skirts and tops may be a problem. This may be the reason the clothes were given to the thrift store. The styles are current but the colors are hard to match. If you cannot find a top in a matching color you can always use a basic black top.
  4. Prefer the plain to the fancy. If the shirt or blouse is fancy you should match it with a plain skirt or pants. If the skirt or pant is fancy you should pair it with a plain blouse or shirt.
  5. Learn about fabrics so you can buy quality. Examine the garment labels carefully. They will tell you what the garment is made of and how to care for it. You may find a great bargain such as a blouse made of 100% silk or a 100% cashmere sweater.
  6. One of the advantages of shopping at thrift stores is that you are recycling. Not only that, you are helping people who need work. Many stores hire disabled people or others who need employment.
  7. Don’t shop by the size on the tag only. If it looks like it will fit, try it on if possible. If it’s a great bargain, buy it anyway. Many times it can be altered by a seamstress for a low price.
  8. Shop on the sale days at your thrift store. Many stores have senior discount days, tag color sale days, 50% discount sale days or other bargain days which allow you to save even more.

Tips

  • Choose one of the colors in a pattern garment to match. If the top has a pattern, choose one of the colors in it to go with a bottom in that color.
  • The hot styles in 2011 are Bohemia, the vintage and retro look of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, Sophisticated Glamour, wedge shoes, flat shoes and boots. The thrift store is the perfect place to look for retro clothes. Look on the Internet for the colors that are hot for the season.
  • Beauty on the outside attracts the eye. Beauty on the inside is more important. Be kind to others, be trustworthy, be loving and concerned about others needs and their welfare and you will be truly beautiful. The heart of a woman is more important than the clothes on her back.
  • The median income for a family of 4 is $46,326, $67,348 for a dual income family, and a high income family has an income of $118,200. The high income family is only about 17% of the population. That means that spending $5000 per year for clothing is out of reach for much of the population.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual.  All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

mini apple pies

mini apple pies.

Retail Therapy for me – Forever 21 – everything under $15 (who knew??!)

Open Knit Scarf – Forever 21 – $9.50

Knit Gloves w/ faux fur – Forever 21 – $10.80

Frayed Color Block Scarf – Forever 21 – $10.80

Open Knit Beret – Forever 21 – 2/$10

Embossed Faux Crocodile Clutch – Forever 21 – $14.80

Ombre Flower Hair Clip – Forever 21 – $2.50

Rose Pendant Necklace – Forever 21 – $1.50

Cross Stripes ID Case – Forever 21 – $4.50

Floral Dome Ring – Forever 21 – $1.50

Okay– it’s hard to stop shopping! I was on the Forever 21 website tonite looking for a few fun accessories– wow– look what I found.  Everything here is pretty close to being UNDER $15 per item. Pay-Day-Friday never looked so good!  Happy Shopping!!Maybe all your shopping won’t have to be for other people this weekend with so many fabulous accessories priced right.  (I know I’m ready for a little retail therapy)

 

 

 

Efficiency Rules: Quick Holiday Shopping Tips

Okay, so you’ve had 11 months to plan for it– but doesn’t Christmas just seem to sneak up on everyone?  Who is ever ready? Here are a few quick tips to be ready for any gift-giving event!

Makes Lists & Plan Ahead
Planning ahead allows you to avoid last-minute desperation. Buy online early to take advantage of free shipping offers too. No one likes having to pay the extra cost for overnight delivery.  Check with merchants as some sites offer pre-orders.
Know Your Shipping Deadlines
December 17th is usually the cut off for standard shipping, to be safe, try to get gifts ordered by December 10th.
Secure Shopping Online
Always take extra care to know you are shopping on a secure site that encrypts transaction information. When asked to enter credit card information, look for “https://” at the beginning of the website URL. The “s” indicates that the information being transmitted is encrypted for privacy. Some browsers such as Internet Explorer will have a lock icon or symbol to indicate that the website is secure.
Be careful when answering emails asking for personal information. Most merchants have a policy of never asking for personal or credit card information in an email as this is a method of fraud known as phishing.   Always email or call the merchant directly if you think an email that you received is an attempt at phishing.
Emailable Gifts
Many merchants now offer an emailable gift option that sends a redemption code directly to the recipients inbox. The recipient can then use the code to shop at the merchant’s online store. The benefit of emailable gifts–  they are delivered instantly!  They have become a perfect last-minute gift option in recent years.
Buy Extra Gifts
Don’t be caught empty-handed. Keep gifts ready for that unexpected visitor or guest who brings you something.  And for that party you didn’t plan to attend, have a few hostess gifts wrapped and ready in a pinch.

Wordless Wednesday – December 7

Sunset near Sedona, AZ -